Saint-Ghislain

Saint-Ghislain is the place where Google set up one of its global data centers. Did you know that all of Google's data centers together consumed 15.1 million megawatt-hours in 2020? That's comparable to about 18% of Belgium's energy consumption. If you take the combined energy consumption of the Big 5 tech companies, you reach 45 terawatt-hours, or 50% of Belgium's energy consumption.

Of course, that's a lot, but you should view this kind of comparison in another perspective as well. Both in terms of the efficiency gains that these technologies enable and the costs of the alternative. And also in comparison with the top 5 companies from other sectors. And also consider how many families have jobs because of these types of services. I'm certainly not saying that there aren't issues surrounding the Big 5 (gigantism, monopoly, taxes,...) but we do need to put those figures in the right context when it is insinuated that this is enormous.

Pascal Brackman