Google's Massive Investment in Finland Sparks Controversy Over Energy Consumption and Environmental Impact

Finnish town Muhos is bracing for change as tech giant Google plans to build new data centres in the area, part of a 13-billion-euro ($15-billion) investment in Finland over the next two years.

The project has sparked controversy, with concerns about energy consumption and environmental impact. Local farmer Joni Pitkanen said he was 'fairly positive' about the project, but expressed concern about how to prepare for the increased energy demand.

Muhos mayor Kimmo Hinno expects thousands of workers from different nationalities during the construction period, who will need housing and other services. The Finnish Supervisory Agency is investigating whether Google's representative had cleared more forest land than required without an environmental impact assessment.