Finnish Renewable Energy Firm Plans 60MW Data Center with Waste Heat Reuse in Närpiö
June 23, 2026
Finnish Renewable Energy Firm Plans 60MW Data Center with Waste Heat Reuse in Närpiö
A renewable energy company is moving to develop a 60MW data center in western Finland, marking a notable intersection of clean energy infrastructure and digital infrastructure in the Nordics. The project, led by Aurinkokarhu, highlights how data centers are increasingly being integrated into local energy systems through waste heat recovery.
First reported by Finnish outlets including Yle and Vasabladet, Aurinkokarhu has signed a preliminary agreement to purchase 18 hectares of land in Närpiö (also known as Närpes), a town in the Ostrobothnia region. Part of the land is owned by the City of Närpiö itself. The company has also signed a letter of intent with Närpiön District Heating (Närpes Fjärrvärme) to channel the facility’s waste heat into the local district heating network.
Andreas Renfält, CEO of Aurinkokarhu, told local press that discussions are underway with potential investors and end users for the data center. Founded in 2020, Aurinkokarhu focuses on developing solar and battery farms. Although none of its projects are yet operational, the company claims a pipeline totaling 800MW of solar capacity and 3.2GW of battery storage capacity. It also reports 160MW of planned data center projects.
The waste heat integration is a central feature of the proposal. Markus Böling, CEO of Närpes Fjärrvärme, said: “The surplus heat from the data center can account for the majority of our district heating production. The collaboration ensures that we can offer competitive heating in the future. If the data center is realized, we will also not need the planned electric boiler.” This underscores how data center waste heat can replace or supplement traditional heating infrastructure, reducing both costs and carbon emissions for local communities.
The project in Närpiö reflects a broader trend in the Nordics, where data center developers are increasingly co-locating facilities with renewable energy sources and district heating systems. As the region continues to attract investment in digital infrastructure, projects like this demonstrate how data centers can serve dual roles—powering the digital economy while contributing to local energy resilience.
Source: datacenterdynamics
