Sustainable data center

EcoDataCenter in Falun is expanding with a new data center with eight server halls. With the ambition to become the world's most sustainable data center, the facility is powered by renewable energy from wind and hydropower. Energy that is brought into the servers by cables from NKT.

– We are driven by offering our customers the lowest carbon footprint per kilowatt hour. This is the main reason why we also choose to build the A-House in wood. We've got eight times lower carbon emissions, just because we're building in wood. If we also add the electricity we use that comes from green energy sources, it gets even better," says Timy Vikström, Inside Sales Representative at EcoDataCenter.

 

The building consists of large blocks of cross-laminated timber, which provides a lower carbon footprint compared to a steel structure. The cables used in the server halls are produced in NKT's factory in Falun. This means they are manufactured using 100 percent renewable electricity.

- We are proud to have been selected to supply cables for this project.

It feels especially good as the factory is located nearby so transportation to the construction site is minimal, says Joakim Holm, Strategic Product Manager at NKT.

Many large companies, especially in Germany, want to store their data in Falun thanks to the availability of green electricity and EcoDataCenter will need to expand even more in the future. The data center currently under construction is in high demand and there are already plans to build another one. As the data center will house lots of important data, it is particularly important that both the cable and the installation are up to scratch.

- It is important that what we receive is of high quality. There is a requirement for high redundancy, with dual feeds and access to backup power. The supply of electricity to a data center simply cannot be allowed to go down, otherwise the community will basically come to a standstill," says Timy Vikström.

 

The new data center will be completed in the spring of 2023. The contractor Bravida will carry out the electrical installation, high voltage to low voltage, as well as the electrical checks.  - It is a fantastic trust that we get to do this. It has been a time-pressured project, but in a good spirit and with a good dialogue all the way. It is the best partnering project I have worked on. It is also great that we have been able to use mainly local staff," says Conny Grossas, Key Account Manager at Bravida.

All cables supplied to the project by NKT are made with green electricity and are, of course, halogen-free. But Joakim Holm says that the sustainability work is progressing rapidly and that further environmental improvements are on the way.

– We have been working with different types of environmental declarations for a long time and we will soon also be able to deliver EPDs (Environmental Product Declarations) on all our products, an important step towards a sustainable future," he says.