In Norway, the data center industry has made a significant move to create Norsk Datasenterindustri, its new industry body, to enable it to fulfil its potential. The association will examine sustainability and digital sovereignty while also offering education opportunities and international marketing.
Green Mountain and DigiPlex have been named data center companies that are a part of the body, while board members include Petter M. Tømmeraas (Basefarm), Gisle Eckhoff (Bulk, from September 1), Halvor Bjerke (DigiPlex), Tor Kristian Gyland (Green Mountain), Jørn Skaane (Lefdal Mine Datacenter), Liv Freihow (ICT-Norway) and Kathrine Langjord (Statkraft).
Speaking about Norway's future, General Manager Bjørn Rønning said: "Norway has all the prerequisites to become an attractive country to invest in a computerized business sector. The Norwegian data center industry has an untapped growth and value creation potential, set against a large and rapidly growing international market."
The Norwegian data center industry strengthens its joint cooperation and founds the business association Norwegian Data Center Industry. The founders of the association consist of leading operators in the Norwegian data center industry and the power companies Ringerikskraft and Statkraft. The association is placed under ICT-Norway and will strengthen the industry’s efforts for improved framework conditions and increased joint international marketing.
For the past year and a half, society has undergone a digitalization that no one could have imagined before the pandemic. The importance of data centers as pillars of the digital infrastructure and guarantors of secure access to digital services for the public and private sectors has become very clear during this period.
The Norwegian Data Center Industry will work to strengthen Norway’s position as a data center nation internationally, supported by the facts that Norway offers the highest share of renewable energy in Europe, with a very low climate footprint and the lowest electricity prices. In order to attract major international players to Norway the association will work with the following topics:
Improved framework conditions for the data center sector
Simplify procedures for construction and operation of large data centers
Coordinate international marketing activities
Contribute to more and better educational offerings within the data center sector
Promote the use of sustainable technology and contribute to reaching the climate-neutrality objective
– Norway has all the prerequisites to become an attractive country to invest in a computerized business sector. The Norwegian data center industry has an untapped growth and value creation potential, set against a large and rapidly growing international market. The Norwegian Data Center Industry will be a key player in ensuring good growth conditions and framework conditions for the industry, and I am pleased with the opportunity to lead this work forward, says appointed General Manager Bjørn Rønning.
– The Norwegian Data Center Industry must be a clear voice in the public debate and must be an active driving force for necessary changes. To succeed, we need a clear, committed and well-composed executive board, with the necessary weight, breadth and experience. We’ve got it. I look forward to leading this board’s work in the future, says Chairman of the Board, Petter M. Tømmeraas.
– The Norwegian Data Center Industry is a unifying, proactive and important player for the Norwegian data center industry, and I am grateful to be part of the board and contribute to the work of promoting the industry’s place in Norwegian society, says Liv Freihow, ICT Norway.
– Invest in Norway, a section of Innovation Norway, is working to attract foreign investments in Norway, including in the data center industry. We are very positive to the formation of the Norwegian Data Center Industry, with the most mature players in Norway at the forefront. We look forward to a fruitful cooperation, says Benedicte Fasmer Waaler, special adviser, Invest in Norway.
The Executive Board of the Norwegian Data Center Industry consists of: Chairman of the board: Petter M. Tømmeraas (Basefarm) Board members:
Gisle Eckhoff (Bulk, from September 1)
Halvor Bjerke (DigiPlex)
Tor Kristian Gyland (Green Mountain)
Jørn Skaane (Lefdal Mine Datacenter)
Liv Freihow (ICT-Norway)
Kathrine Langjord (Statkraft).
About the Norwegian data center market: The data center capacity in Norway has increased by 17 per cent per year since 2010. In 2020, approximately 145 MW of capacity was installed, and the capacity is expected to grow sharply in the years to come. In the period 2019-2020, at least NOK 2.7 billion was invested in new data centers in Norway. The investments are driven by both Norwegian and international demand. (Source: «Data centers in Norway. Impact analysis of completed and potential establishments», Implement Economics, 2020)
