Data processing in physical proximity to the end-user is expected to increase considerably in the coming years, driven by technological advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT). This trend drives a need for creating smaller, urban data centers located close to where people live and work.
In the urban development area Sluppen, in Trondheim, Norway, one such data center is under development by Green Edge Compute. The data center aims to make local data capacity available for all, will rely exclusively on renewable energy, and accommodate efficient utilization of excess heat as an energy resource in the city’s district heating system.
– We are reimagining how data centers should operate by leveraging innovative technology that reduces the ever-increasing environmental impact of the data center industry. We are thrilled to be working with Statkraft Varme to realize these ambitions, says Patrik Hagelin, Chief Commercial Officer in Green Edge Compute.
Statkraft Varme, the district heating business of Statkraft, the largest European supplier of renewable energy, is enthusiastic about the opportunities inherent in Green Edge Compute’s new data center in Trondheim.
– We are excited about the fact that Green Edge Compute develops an efficient data center concept where you can utilize excess heat. As a district heating system operator, we want to accommodate the efficient utilization of a city’s energy resources. The collaboration with Green Edge Compute exemplifies this ambition, says Andreas Stokke, VP Head of Portfolio & Strategy in Statkraft Varme.
Data Center Technology for a Sustainable Future
Statkraft Varme operates several district heating plants in Norway and Sweden. Their largest facility is located in Trondheim, Norway, where the current district heating infrastructure covers most of the city. Today, Statkraft Varme utilizes renewable and climate-neutral resources, such as excess heat. In the future, Statkraft Varme will increasingly accommodate the utilization of excess heat from potential energy sources, such as data centers.
The technology that underpins Green Edge Compute’s new data center and its placement close to urban areas is critical for leveraging the opportunities for a sustainable re-usage of excess heat, Stokke emphasizes.
– Green Edge Compute emphasizes efficient energy utilization. Their chosen water-cooling solution raises the temperature of the excess heat generated by the data center to a level that makes it possible to efficiently utilize it in a district heating system. And by placing the data center close to our district heating system, we can more easily utilize the excess heat it generates.
– The technology that Green Edge Compute uses provides new and exciting opportunities to realize the goal of district heating systems, which is to make efficient use of a city’s energy resources, Stokke continues.
