Iceland: Icelandic hydroelectric plant receives a micro data center installation from Japan's IIJ

Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (IIJ) has installed a micro data center (MDC) at an Icelandic hydroelectric power station. In April 2023, IIJ announced intentions for a data center trial project in Iceland in collaboration with Landsvirkjun, the country's national power company.

From April until March 2024, IIJ will install an MDC at Landsvirkjun's Írafoss hydropower station in Sogi, southern Iceland, as part of the trial. IIJ's European unit will remotely manage the MDC from London. The IIJ stated that the testing will be conducted to " establish ICT infrastructure for integrated management and operation of geographically dispersed data centers."

Due to where it is between North America and Europe, Iceland is geographically positioned to become a North Atlantic communications hub, according to the corporation. Although the unit bears DX Edge branding – IIJ's Edge data center offering – in some footage and pictures shared by the companies, the units are actually from its partner, Zella DC.

It appears to be a Zella Pro25, a 23u-rack unit with options to add a UPS, a battery, and fire protection systems. It includes a rack-mounted switchboard and a 0RU PDU. The first collaboration between Zella and IIJ occurred in 2021, when a 12u outdoor Zella Hut was installed on the grounds of IIJ's Shiroi Data Center Campus in Shiroi-city, Chiba Prefecture, Japan. Írafoss and Kistufoss waterfalls, located in the lower reaches of the River Sog, are combined to create the 48 MW Írafoss station, which has been in use since 1953.