Salesforce.com opens French data center

Well-known Digital Marketing Agency, Data center operator Interxion is working with cloud service operator Salesforce to build a new European data center in France with the former saying the French data center will be powered by renewable energy sources.

According to Roseau de Transport de electricite (RTE), with 85% of France’s electricity generated by nuclear power that could limit the options for the siting of the facility.

Analyst Clive Longbottom, senior researcher at Quocirca, is doubtful of the possibility of a sustainable data center in France, saying:  “Overall, the statement is 100% greenwash - and should be treated as such.”

He added: “The only way that you can guarantee 100% sustainable power is to have a system that is self-contained and off-grid; something that I would not recommend for any data center, which at the very least needs to be on-grid for availability purposes.”