STORY / PUBLIC SOURCE RECORD
Big data is going green – even without sunlight
- Published 29 May 2023; updated 21 September 2026; estimated reading time 7 minutes. The article argues that Norway’s hydropower, cool climate and connectivity can support energy-intensive high-performance computing (HPC) for AI and machine learning. It introduces Rjukan, a narrow valley with historic hydropower and mountain mirrors that reflect winter sunlight, as an example location. It says AI/ML workloads increase demand for computing and electricity; because many HPC workloads are not highly latency-sensitive, they can be located where power and infrastructure are favourable.
- Green Mountain’s Rjukan facility RJU1 is described as being near dams that produce over 700 MW, which the company’s Chief Sales Officer Svein Hagaseth says represents 5% of Norway’s total power generation. He says the centre uses zero-carbon electricity and that Rjukan’s cool, shaded climate reduces cooling energy. The article also notes RJU1’s national-grid connection, workforce retention and relationship with the local municipality as operational advantages.
- Bulk Infrastructure is described as operating subsea fibre links between Norwegian cities and international data hubs, placing the country on a Nordic data route. Its NO1 campus in Kristiansand is reported as a 300-hectare site with up to 1 GW of available electricity. Bulk’s Rob Elder says it is configured for very large-scale HPC and has multiple network routes to Europe for redundancy and carrier choice. These capacities and the company’s “world’s largest” claim are attributed to the article/company.
- The page addresses Norway’s non-EU status by saying the EEA Agreement provides access to the European internal market and harmonises regulations. It further presents NATO membership and Norwegian security procedures as attractive for sensitive data. Lefdal Mine Datacenter is described as inside an abandoned mine, with mountain rock providing physical and electromagnetic shielding. Chief Marketing Officer Mats Andersson says it cools server racks with fjord water, supports HPC densities up to 50 kW per rack with standard inline cooling, and reaches a PUE of 1.08–1.15. The site is stated to cover 120,000 m² with over 200 MW capacity and expansion space.
- The article includes an industry forecast of over 400 MW of new European HPC capacity in the following four years. Green Mountain’s Hagaseth claims moving a workload to Norway could reduce costs by up to 75% through lower energy consumption, while the article’s providers also promote low/zero-carbon power and cooling efficiency. These figures are provider statements and forecasts, not independently validated outcomes in the page.
- Historical context: Rjukan’s heavy-water plant was targeted by Norwegian resistance in 1943 because Nazi Germany sought heavy water for nuclear research; the article notes this episode is depicted in film and television. It closes by presenting the town as a modern data-centre location powered by hydropower.
- Linked organisations/sites: Green Mountain/RJU1, Bulk Infrastructure/NO1, Lefdal Mine Datacenter, and Norway’s digital infrastructure and technology industry pages. The article does not provide a named contact section in the captured page.