NORWEGIAN DATA CENTRE INDUSTRY
TAKING SUSTAINABILITY TO THE NEXT LEVEL WITH HEAT REUSE
SUSTAINABILITY ...
In Norway , we are fortunate to have access to 100 % renewable hydropower to operate and cool our data centres . This also means that we are in a good position to take sustainability to the next level , exploring new solutions to support the green shift . An area with huge potential is reuse of waste heat from data centres . Several operators in Norway have initiated pilot projects to address this challenge and , below , we present a few examples :
1 . Greenhouse plants – Bulk Data Centers has signed letters of intent on the recovery of heat across all its data centres , to ensure any excess is utilised in the district heating network . This will provide heat for several energy intensive processes and ventures , including Bulk ’ s first step to realise its circular industry cluster vision at its N01 campus in Kristiansand with Kristiansen Gartneri ( Greenhouse Plant ). In this instance , the heat provided will power Kristiansen Gartneri ’ s greenhouse vegetable operations – keeping vegetables sufficiently warm and reducing the greenhouse ’ s power needs – making food production more costeffective and sustainable .
2 . Land-based lobster farm – The company , Norwegian Lobster Farm , will use the waste heat from Green Mountain ’ s DC1 data centre . To grow optimally , the lobster needs a temperature of 20 ° C in the seawater . This is exactly the temperature of the seawater that has been used to cool the IT equipment . In a production facility adjacent to the data centre , this heated seawater can be used directly in the breeding of lobsters . As a result , the energy is reused , and Green Mountain is one step closer to making the facility climate positive . More info
3 . Land-based trout farm - Hima Seafood is going to establish a land-based trout farm 800m from Green Mountain ' s DC2- Telemark data centre . By connecting the two facilities together by a pipe system , we will deliver heated water to Hima . Heat exchange technology will then ensure that the Hima facility can use the energy from the water . The same water is subsequently returned to Green Mountain . The water now holds a lower temperature that can be used in the
168 June 2022