During the Belgian economic mission to California, Google announced a record €5 billion investment in Belgium by 2027. With this expansion, the tech giant’s total investment in the country has exceeded €11 billion since 2007.
Saint-Ghislain at the heart of Google’s Walloon success story
When Google chose Saint-Ghislain, near Mons, for its first data center outside the United States back in 2007, few foresaw the scale of what was to come. Eighteen years later, that decision has made Wallonia a strategic global hub for Google.
During the economic mission led by HRH Princess Astrid, Google confirmed this additional €5 billion to expand its Hainaut campus, reaffirming its long-term commitment to Belgium.
A growing region, a thriving site
The Saint-Ghislain data center already employs around 600 people; the expansion will create 300 new jobs, further anchoring Google’s presence in the region.
The local impact is substantial: 80 Walloon suppliers are directly involved, and the site’s activity already generates hundreds of millions of euros for the regional economy. A Deloitte / University of Mons study estimates that, by 2027, these projects could contribute up to €1.5 billion to GDP each year and support nearly 15 000 direct and indirect jobs.
The servers in Saint-Ghislain power everyday services such as Google Search, Maps and Workspace, as well as the Cloud infrastructure fueling the rise of generative AI.
“Artificial intelligence is an immense opportunity. But to seize it, you need strong infrastructure. Saint-Ghislain plays a key role for all of Europe,”
— Tom De Block, Country Manager BeLux, Google
Innovation meets sustainability
This expansion goes hand in hand with Google’s sustainability goals:
- 24/7 carbon-free operations by 2030;
- New renewable-energy contracts with Belgian partners Eneco, Luminus and Renner;
- A commitment to replenish 120 % of the site’s water consumption.
Together, these initiatives confirm Wallonia’s role as both an economic and green-tech leader.
A Walloon pride
For the Walloon authorities, Google’s renewed trust underscores the Region’s ability to host large-scale, high-tech investments.
“This confirms Wallonia’s central position as a European hub for data processing and storage — serving innovation and job creation,”
— Pierre-Yves Jeholet, Walloon Minister of Economy
Globally, data-center investments are multiplying to meet the growing power needs of AI and Cloud services. Google’s new commitment places Belgium and Wallonia firmly within this global transformation.
Illustrations © BELGA IMAGES
Source: Wallonia.be
