Forbes reports on Google’s purchase of a decommissioned paper mill.

Google plans data centre at old Finnish paper mill
02.12.09, 03:36 AM EST

By Tarmo Virki

HELSINKI, Feb 12 (Reuters) - Google (nasdaq: GOOG - news - people ) said on Thursday it aimed to build a data centre at an old paper mill in southeastern Finland that it bought from Stora Enso (nyse: SEO - news - people ) for 40 million euros ($51.7 million).

'We are currently considering to build a data centre at this site,' said Google spokesman Kay Oberbeck.

Google has dozens of data centres, or server farms, which consume significant amounts of energy, around the world.

In early 2008 Stora Enso closed down the loss-making Summa mill, which consumed 1,000 gigawatt hours of electricity per year, after nearly 53 years in operation.

The oldest parts of the mill were designed by renowned Finnish architect Alvar Aalto.

Stora Enso and Google have agreed that part of the mill site will be transferred to the city of Hamina for other industrial uses. The sale is expected to close by the end of the first quarter 2009.

This is one way to save paper by replacing with bits.