Spark to build a data center on Auckland's North Shore

New Zealand telco Spark will be teaming up with global surf park creator Aventuur to build a data center on Auckland's North Shore that will heat a nearby surfing lagoon. The data center will use a heat exchange system to send excess heat to a nearby surfing lagoon and will be partially powered by an on-site seven-hectare solar farm.

Michael Stribling, Spark's general manager of infrastructure, said: “Accelerating growth in our data center business is a core focus of Spark’s strategy, and with data usage increasing exponentially, particularly with the advent of generative AI, demand for capacity is growing rapidly. Spark is well positioned to capture its share of this growth, with our existing data center network, complementary digital infrastructure such as our networks and subsea cable assets, our relationships with cloud hyperscalers, and our ability to provide products and services over the top."

Aventuur co-founder, Richard Duff, added: “This is an exciting development for Auckland, and a great example of how innovation can create more sustainable solutions. We are thrilled to be

working together with Spark to create a world-first symbiotic relationship between a surf park, data center, and solar farm.”