“World’s largest” data centre to be built in Norway

The Norwegian municipality of Ballangen, currently home to a little over 2,600 people, will soon also be home to a giant data centre. This data centre is expected to initially draw in 70 MW of power, going up to 1,000 MW once fully built, measuring as much as 600,000 m2.

It will be entirely powered with renewable energy, thanks to hydropower and wind farms. The site has been chosen strategically: the data centre will be cooled naturally by the region’s cold climate and the site’s proximity to water. The geography of the site will also protect the data centre from physical risks somewhat, as it is surrounded by water and hills that form a natural moat. US-Norwegian company Kolos, which is developing the project, claims that the data centre will be the most competitive in the world, and their specifications reveal that it will operate at a 60% reduction in energy costs. Up to five local mayors are supporting the project, which will directly create 2,000 to 3,000 jobs, and support 10,000 to 15,000 more as a result of people moving to Ballangen.

See also: http://bit.ly/NL72-DataCentre-Norway1 and http://bit.ly/NL72-DataCentre-Norway2