Merlin Properties, through its Merlin-Edged platform, will develop a 144 MW IT data centre in Botorrita, Zaragoza, representing an investment of €1,225 million, with operations scheduled to commence in the second half of 2029.
The Government of Aragon has approved the Declaration of Investment of Regional Interest and General Interest for Aragon for Zaragoza-WIND, which will be the largest asset developed to date by the SOCIMI within this sector and will be built as a single building with a gross floor area of 156,301 sqm.
The facility will cover an area of 28.8 hectares and will be connected to the Vientos substation in Muel and the María substation in María de Huerva. Designed to support densities exceeding 200 kW per rack, it will be primarily geared towards workloads related to artificial intelligence, cloud computing and other high-capacity digital services.
One of the key elements of the development will be its energy model, based on a combination of wind and solar power which, according to Merlin, will enable 87% of the complex’s energy demand to be met through renewable self-consumption. The subsequent incorporation of battery storage systems could raise this percentage to over 95%, thereby reducing dependence on the electricity grid – one of the main constraints on the implementation of this type of infrastructure.
The centre will operate exclusively on renewable energy, including any it may eventually receive from the grid via green certificates, and will use waterless liquid cooling systems for its IT equipment. The solution is designed to cope with the higher processing densities associated with advanced artificial intelligence models.
During the construction phase, the developer estimates that around 5,000 jobs will be created, while subsequent operations will require more than 500 permanent posts in areas such as engineering, specialist maintenance, energy, telecommunications, security and digital infrastructure management.
Jorge Azcón, President of Aragon, has described the initiative as part of the region’s strategy to attract investment in technology and expand the economic opportunities associated with digitalisation. Ismael Clemente, Chief Executive of Merlin Properties, has pointed out that the administrative approval allows the company to move forward with a project through which it aims to combine processing capacity, energy efficiency and a high degree of self-sufficiency in renewable energy.
Zaragoza-WIND will form part of the Merlin-Edged network of data centres, which already has operational facilities in Barcelona, Álava and Madrid and is developing new assets in Lisbon and Zaragoza. The platform is expected to reach 112 MW IT in operation by the end of 2026 and has a total of more than 600 MW IT in announced projects.
