Infrastructure Investor: The rise and rise of the Nordic data centre industry
Ben Payton, a journalist covering responsible investment, natural resources and the energy transition, came to visit several leaders within the data center and energy industry in Iceland this spring. Our CEO, Íris Baldursdóttir, got the chance to meet with Ben and the visit resulted in this extensive and beautiful article in the Infrastructure Investor, published in the beginning of June.
The 6 page long article covers many interesting aspects of why the Nordics are fast emerging as a hub for data storage infrastructure.
A short section from the article where Íris is quoted:
The power of the north
Although the Nordics are well-positioned to provide the power supply that the next wave of data centres will require, data centres in the region will still need to make sometimes difficult choices about when and how they use the power available to them.Even in Iceland, data centres are looking for ways to minimise their power costs. Both atNorth and Borealis are piloting a platform developed by local start-up Snerpa Power. This is designed to help companies forecast electricity loads and allow them to automatically place bids in the market
that help the grid operator with balancing supply and demand. When a bid is accepted, companies reduce usage slightly for a limited period. The grid operator then compensates the companies for the energy reduction according to their bid price.“For data centres, energy efficiency and sustainable energy use is a key factor in being competitive and providing the best available services,” says Íris Baldursdóttir, Snerpa Power’s chief executive. She says that, where flexibility in power usage is possible, companies may be able to reduce their electricity costs by 2-6 percent
“For data centres, energy efficiency and sustainable energy use is a key factor in being competitive and providing the best available services,” says Íris Baldursdóttir, Snerpa Power’s chief executive. She says that, where flexibility in power usage is possible, companies may be able to reduce their electricity costs by 2-6 percent.
We highly recommend reading the full 6 page long article! Accessible here.
