atNorth unveils plans for new ‘mega data center’ in Denmark

Nordic colocation firm atNorth is building its largest data center to date in the town of Ølgod in Varde, Denmark, with plans to use excess heat to fuel nearby infrastructure.

AtNorth currently operates seven data centers across the Nordic countries, with further sites set to open in Helsinki, Finland and in Ballerup, Denmark this year, and a tenth under construction in Kouvola, Finland.

The new DEN02 facility, its eleventh, will be targeted at both colocation and build-to-suit projects, and will be specifically designed for data-intensive businesses such as hyperscalers and companies running AI and high-performance computing workloads.

Built on a 174-hectare greenfield site 40 km west of Billund Airport, it will have an initial capacity of 250 MW with a path to power of 'several hundred' megawatts.

The firm said the site has excellent connectivity, thanks to the many trans-Atlantic fiber cables with landing stations on the nearby west coast.

"The highly energy efficient design, including its state-of-the-art heat reuse technologies, coupled with the advantageous location in Denmark and our dedication to sustainability, exemplifies innovation in our industry," said atNorth’s CEO, Eyjolfur Magnus Kristinsson.

"It will be an ideal location for hyperscalers and AI businesses looking to decarbonize their high-performance workloads."

The plans for heat reuse involve the recycling of excess heat from the new campus for use in large scale greenhouses for vegetable production, as well as the supply of heating and hot water for local communities via the district heating supplier.

“We are delighted to partner with atNorth in a shared commitment to a circular economy," Jacques Ejlerskov, CEO at Wa3rm, which specializes in circular industrial projects.

"State-of-the-art data centers such as DEN02 have the ability to significantly contribute to increased circularity through re-use of resources such as excess heat, and with atNorth we have found a partner that shares our vision of ‘bringing waste to life’."

AtNorth also revealed it's interested in attracting sustainable power production in the form of wind and solar energy farms around the DEN02 site.

Data center waste heat efforts gain traction

Heat reuse is increasingly becoming a feature of new data centers in Europe and beyond. Late last year, the UK government, for example, allocated nearly £65 million to five projects using waste heat from data centers to provide heating and hot water to more than 10,000 homes.

Meanwhile, major firms such as Google, Apple, Amazon, and Microsoft are all engaging in similar projects, as are Equinix, Green Mountain, and Digital Realty.

Last year, the EU said it wanted to see wider use of the heat from data centers, with Germany going so far as to mandate its use.

However, there are potential problems. A report from trade association TechUK published earlier this year criticized the German legislation on the grounds that it failed to take into account the major infrastructure involved.

The report also highlighted issues associated with seasonal changes, varying occupancy levels, emerging technology, and potentially counterproductive sustainability outcomes.