AWS Invests $17B in Spain for Cloud, AI Infrastructure Expansion

AWS is investing $17 billion to expand its cloud and AI infrastructure services in Spain.

Amazon’s cloud business will expand its cloud infrastructure in the Aragón region of in northeastern Spain, creating 6,800 jobs across roles including construction, engineering and facilities maintenance.

AWS says its infrastructure expansion will contribute $24 billion to Spain’s gross domestic product. More than half of the contribution will come from the Aragón region, while also supporting 17,500 jobs in local businesses.

“AWS' decision to choose Spain places us at the forefront of technology innovation and AI in Europe and confirms, once again, Spain’s ability to support technology talent and quality jobs in the long term,” said José Luis Escrivá, Spain’s minister for digital transformation and the public service. “This new commitment by AWS spotlights our country’s attractiveness as a strategic tech hub in southern Europe and the connectivity, climate and energy conditions that make us an attractive location to the world’s most innovative companies.”

AWS, like Microsoft, is expanding its computing infrastructure to support increased demand for cloud and AI services. Before its Spain expansion, AWS announced plans to double its cloud infrastructure in Singapore by 2028.

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The company’s latest news is an expansion of its 2021 plans to invest $2.7 billion in Spain.

The Spanish government is attempting to turn the Aragón region into a tech hub. Telco firm Telefónica, Insud Pharma and the Spanish Red Cross among the local customers leveraging AWS’ services there.

“Since its arrival in Aragón, AWS has turned the region's potential for attracting technological investments into a reality,” said Jorge Azcón, president of the Aragón regional government. “AWS is a global company, but its involvement in the local ecosystem and the communities in which it operates have made it an Aragonese company. The investment we are announcing today is unique in the history of technology investments in our community and in Spain. It will definitively place Aragón on the map as a center of innovation and the cloud economy in Europe.” 

AWS says since 2022, its Aragón data centers have used 100% renewable energy. The company has pledged to reach net-zero carbon emissions by 2040.

Its Aragón sites also use technology to detect water loss in the local water system. The company also returns any unused water back to the local supply for reuse.

“We will match the electricity used in our data centers in Aragón with 100% renewable sources and continue to look for different ways to innovate and run our operations more efficiently and sustainably, giving resources back to the communities where we have a presence,” said Suzana Curic, AWS’ country manager for Spain and Portugal.

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