Tokyo-based IT consulting firm Flower Communications, Hokkaido Electric Power Company, and Tokyu Land Corporation will develop a data center in Ishikari City, Hokkaido, that will be powered entirely by renewable energy. The companies announced on November 14 that they have signed a basic agreement. The project, slated to complete in 2026, is estimated to cost approximately 16 billion yen.

The site is approximately 27,300 square meters in Ishikari City in central Hokkaido. The facility will have a total floor area of approximately 10,000 square meters and will be equipped with 1350 server racks. The project has been selected as an indirect subsidy project by the fund established by the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications. Flower Communications will provide IT infrastructure consulting and Hokkaido Electric Power will supply renewable electricity, while Tokyu Land will offer expertise on real estate and renewable energy development.

Ishikari City has been certified by the Ministry of the Environment as a "decarbonization leading region" that aims to achieve zero carbon dioxide emissions from electricity consumption by households and office buildings by 2030. The city has a large capacity of wind and solar power generation. Taking advantage of the characteristics of the area, the city has established blocks where electricity consumption is covered by renewable energy. The city is attracting data centers and other facilities, and is promoting urban development based on "local production for local use" of renewable energy. (2022/11/15)