Search engine giant Google announced a new two-year €5B investment in Belgium (2026-2027).
The funds will be used to expand Google’s data centre campus in St. Ghislain and add 600 people in full-time and contractor roles.
The expansion will add another 300 jobs at Google’s data centres in Wallonia, bringing the total number of direct jobs to over 900.
“Google’s new investment is a powerful sign of trust in Belgium as a hub for digital innovation and sustainable growth. By expanding advanced cloud and AI infrastructure in St. Ghislain, creating skilled jobs, and securing new carbon‑free energy, Belgium not only strengthens its economy and energy transition. This project is also of strategic importance, consolidating our role as a leader in Europe’s digital future,” says Belgian Prime Minister Bart De Wever.
The announcement comes after a 2024 study by Implement Consulting, commissioned by Google, found that generative AI could add €45 to €50B to Belgium’s GDP over the next 10 years if widely adopted.
With this announcement, Google’s total investment in Belgium has exceeded €11B since starting its first data centre in St. Ghislain in 2007.
“This development makes us a dynamic, innovative ecosystem, creating opportunities for other businesses too. And we should be proud, as local representatives, to do everything we can, hand in hand with inter-city development agency IDEA, to help them integrate in the best possible way”, adds Florence Monier, Mayor of St. Ghislain
Google join hands with Rotterdam’s firm
Google has partnered with Rotterdam’s Eneco to seal a new power purchase agreement (PPA) to supply its data centres in Belgium with wind energy from Belgian wind farms.
Eneco and Google have already entered into several contracts for solar and wind energy in the Netherlands over the past decade.
The energy supplied under the Belgian PPA will be produced by three wind farms with a combined capacity of 54 MW.
Google has the stated ambition of making its operations fully carbon-free, 24/7, by 2030. To achieve this, it is investing in green energy from local assets to supply as much of the power for its data centres as possible.
Besides Eneco, the company has signed agreements with Luminus and Renner for more than 110 megawatts (MW).
Signed 4.5 gigawatts of energy since 2010
Google has announced support for 365 MW of new clean energy in Belgium, which will improve grid reliability and lower electricity costs for everyone.
Since 2010, Google has signed agreements for over 4.5 gigawatts of renewable energy in Europe.
The company is also working with Centrica Energy and Elia, the transmission operator, to add a demand response system to the battery storage at the St. Ghislain facility.
Carbon-free energy agreement
Additionally, the US tech giant has also announced new carbon-free energy agreements and support for local AI skilling programs.
This investment will improve the company’s AI capabilities to meet the growing demand for Google Cloud and support popular services like Search, Maps, and Workspace, used daily by people in Belgium and around the world.
Once completed, the expanded St. Ghislain facility will enhance Google Cloud’s presence in Belgium.
This is part of the company’s global network of 42 regions that provide fast and reliable services for businesses and organisations, such as Odoo, UZ Leuven, and AZ Delta, helping them create and grow their own AI solutions.
The announcement was made in the presence of HRH Princess Astrid of Belgium during the Belgian Economic Mission to the United States.
“The €5B investment announced by Google in Saint-Ghislain confirms Wallonia’s central role as a European hub for data processing and storage. It creates jobs in the digital sector, stimulates innovation and economic activity around the site, improves local infrastructure, and strengthens the development of artificial intelligence skills. This investment also contributes to strengthening our region’s digital sovereignty and is therefore fully in line with the priorities of our next digital strategy,” says Pierre-Yves Jeholet, in his capacity as Vice-President of the Government of Wallonia.
Supports about 14,950 jobs annually
A report from Université de Mons and Deloitte shows that Google’s past investments in data centres will impact the economy by €697M in GDP from 2022 to 2024.
From 2026 to 2027, these investments are expected to add over €1.5 billion each year.
They will also support about 14,950 jobs annually and create opportunities for local businesses.
Currently, Google works with nearly 150 Belgian suppliers, including 80 in Wallonia, for its data centre operations.
Focus on local watershed health
The company is focused on improving local watershed health around its offices and data centres, to replenish 120 per cent of the water it uses by 2030.
In Belgium, Google is partnering with Shayp to install leak detection systems in 240 non-residential buildings near the St. Ghislain data centre.
According to the company, this technology will spot and fix leaks, aiming to reduce water waste by about 500 cubic meters each year by 2030.
This effort will lower costs for schools, universities, and public buildings while promoting a more sustainable future for local communities.
“We welcome Google’s decision to further invest in Belgium, reinforcing the region’s role as a key driver of digital innovation in Europe and further strengthening our partnership. At Proximus, we are advancing on sovereign cloud capabilities that enable organisations to securely unlock the potential of AI and data. This initiative complements our broader strategy to support digital transformation across industries”, said Fabrice De Windt, CEO Proximus NXT IT & Corporate Segment Lead a.i., one of Google’s key partners in Belgium.
