A data centre could represent an additional enhancement of infrastructure capabilities in Andorra, said David Vicente, Director of Andorra Digital

  The growing demand for computing capacity, driven by artificial intelligence and digital services, is opening new discussions about the technological infrastructure that countries will require in the coming years. In Andorra, the initiatives currently under consideration include the potential construction of a 50 MW data centre and the deployment of the Sovereign Cloud, two projects linked to digital sovereignty, competitiveness and the attraction of technology investment. We spoke with David Vicente (centre in the photo), Director of Andorra Digital, about the status of these initiatives, the challenges they face and their potential economic impact on the country. Interview by Irina Rybalchenko At what stage is the proposed 50 MW data centre project in Andorra currently, and what is your view of this initiative? Like any project involving significant investment for the country, this proposal requires very careful analysis. At first glance, Andorra does not have sufficient economies of scale to justify an infrastructure of this nature on its own. For this reason, we need to be creative and explore how this type of investment could serve not only the Andorran market but also other micro-economies or external markets. It is not an option that should be ruled out from the outset, but it must be assessed realistically. Several studies on the construction of a data centre have already been carried out in the past, and discussions have taken place with potential investors. However, to date, the economic results have not been sufficiently favourable. We are currently operating in a context marked by growing demand for computing capacity, particularly as a result of the development of artificial intelligence. This is a global issue that raises challenges related to energy consumption, cooling and the use of natural resources. Thanks to the agreements we maintain with international technology partners, we continue to evaluate opportunities in this area and are not ruling out any possibilities, while always taking into account the country’s needs and limitations. Do you believe this project could strengthen Andorra’s digital sovereignty? Digital sovereignty is already guaranteed, among other factors, through agreements established with various North American and European hyperscalers for the provision of sovereign cloud services. In this context, a data centre could represent an additional enhancement of infrastructure capabilities. However, for the project to be viable, it is essential that it offers a clear economic return and proves attractive to investors. What economic impact could this type of infrastructure have in terms of investment, employment and economic diversification? All of these factors would form part of the economic assessment that would need to be carried out. If the project were implemented at an appropriate scale in terms of capacity and business volume, it could generate positive effects. However, its viability will depend on the ability to commercialise these services beyond the domestic market, as current internal demand is not sufficient to justify an infrastructure of this nature. Does Andorra have the energy capacity and connectivity required to support a data centre of this scale without affecting other sectors of the economy? Andorra produces only a small proportion of the energy it consumes and must import the remainder, which entails significant costs. For this reason, the energy factor is a central consideration in any feasibility analysis. Connectivity, however, is a very different matter. According to the Digital Economy and Society Index (DESI), Andorra ranks among the most advanced territories in Europe in terms of digital infrastructure and connectivity. Consequently, this aspect would not represent a limitation and could, in fact, constitute a competitive advantage for the project. How is the Sovereign Cloud project progressing, and how will it work? Progress has been very positive. In fact, the procurement process for the various cloud services was completed just a few weeks ago. To explain how it works in simple terms, we can use a metaphor. Accessing stored data requires both a key and a lock. In a conventional cloud service, the same provider that manages the lock may also have access to the key. In a sovereign cloud model, by contrast, the key remains the exclusive property of the user, is non-transferable and remains under the user’s direct control. This means that the owner decides when and how access to the information is granted. Put simply, the concept of digital sovereignty means that the access keys to data remain under the owner’s custody, within a controlled environment and with the highest security guarantees.The post A data centre could represent an additional enhancement of infrastructure capabilities in Andorra, said David Vicente, Director of Andorra Digital first appeared on All PYRENEES.