UPDATED 11:57 EDT / SEPTEMBER 28 2011

Google Expands Datacenters, Startup Funds Worldwide

Aside from opening up their social network Google+ to the public, the web giant is expanding not only to homes but also across two continents through start-ups and new data centers.

From North America…

Google placed an initial $75 million investment in a new fund operated by Clean Power Finance, a start-up company backed by Google Ventures.  Clean Power Finance has been licensing their proprietary sales software to solar-panel installers to sell residential solar systems for cash.  With the new funding, they will be offering a new service of matching solar-panel installers with investors willing to buy rooftop solar-panel systems.  This will finance as many as 3,000 home rooftop solar systems.

To Europe…

Prime Minister David Cameron’s dream of a Tech City is starting to materialize as Google is to set-up shop in a 7-floor building on Bonhill Street at London’s East End.  The office will be refurbished before it publicly opens by 2012.  The building is foreseen to house internet firms like TechHub and be used as a training workshop for startups in the capital.

Chancellor George Osborne said the move showed that Britain “is open for high-tech business,” and “Google’s multimillion-pound investment in London’s Tech City is great news.”  Osborne added, “It shows that we can create the right environment to attract startups and established high-technology businesses, supporting our programme to create new jobs, diversify the economy and create long-term economic growth. This shows that Britain is open for high-tech business.”

And Then Asia

And to complete their world domination, Google is investing more than $200 million to build their first data centers in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan.  Currently, the company leases data centers in Asia to offer services in the region.  But with the increase in demand and usage of their services such as search, e-mail and online maps coming from China, India and the rest of Asia, Google sees that it is the appropriate time to open their own data centers in Asia to better service consumers in the said region.

Also, this will help in expanding Android’s reach.  Google currently has a total of eight data centers worldwide, with six of those in the US, one in Finland and one in Germany.  The addition of three data centers in Asia could give the edge needed to dominate in that area.  No timeframe was given as to when the facilities will be finished.

 


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