On 9 October 2023, Norwegian data center colocation provider Green Mountain, announced it submitted a building application to the local municipality for the first construction phase of a new data center facility. The site is at Kalberg, an area approximately 20 kilometers from Stavanger in southwest Norway.
The company has a request from a large international client who wants to establish itself near the new Fagrafjell transformer station, one of Norway’s most important and strongest electricity hubs. In order to meet the client’s need for speedy delivery, Green Mountain is dependent on being granted the building permit for the first building in the project.
The client, among the world’s top-20 tech companies, requests the first construction phase to be completed by January 2025 at the latest, while the final construction phase must be completed in 2027. Construction time for this first building is estimated at 12 months.
When fully developed, the data center campus will consist of up to eight data halls. The total investments will be in excess of NOK 50 billion (EUR 4.38 billion), with Green Mountain and the client accounting for half each. Green Mountain guarantees a minimum of 500 full-time equivalents (FTEs) at the data center when the entire campus is fully developed in 2027.
The company’s plans to build a data center at Kalberg fits well into the authorities’ National Strategy for Artificial Intelligence (AI) and National Data Center Strategy.
Green Mountain CEO, Svein Atle Hagaseth, expects a rapid processing of the application, hopefully resulting in a positive conclusion. “This project will create substantial positive ripple effects in terms of value creation, new jobs, competence development and more. Our ambition is to build this facility with the lowest possible environmental footprint and to the highest standards of sustainability. All in-line with our company vision.”
Green Mountain will also prepare the infrastructure for other companies to utilize the waste heat from the data center. “We are in close dialogue with several companies on potential heat reuse projects. Food production in greenhouses, land-based fish farming, district heating, and drying facilities are all among the options we [are] explor[ing]," added Hagaseth.
The application process is expected to be completed by the end of November, enabling construction start immediately afterwards. The Mayor of Time municipality, Andreas Vollsund, is excited about the plans, stresssing: “Given that the majority in the municipal council is in favor of the project, this will contribute significantly in our efforts to build new green industry in the region."
“Some people have raised their concerns about the number of jobs created by data centers. With Green Mountain’s plans, this establishment will undoubtedly become the largest workplace in [the] municipality in the coming years," he added.
