atNorth partners with Selected Group on heat reuse project for Danish greenhouse development

Nordic data center developer atNorth has entered a partnership with sustainable infrastructure firm Selected Group to supply surplus heat from its DEN02 data center campus in Ølgod, Denmark, to a planned large-scale greenhouse development. The project marks another step in the company's push to integrate digital infrastructure with local communities and circular energy systems.

Under the agreement, excess heat generated by the data center will be routed to greenhouses to be built on land adjacent to the campus. The initiative is designed to scale in tandem with the data center's phased expansion, with the first phase of the heat reuse system expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2028. The partners said the setup would create a long-term, integrated ecosystem between digital infrastructure and local agriculture, reducing reliance on imported produce and cutting emissions tied to food transportation.

“This partnership demonstrates exactly what responsible digital infrastructure should look like,” said Eyjólfur Magnús Kristinsson, CEO of atNorth. “By collaborating with forward-thinking organizations like Selected Group, we can transform surplus heat into a valuable resource that supports local food production, reduces carbon emissions and strengthens community resilience. DEN02 is designed to integrate into Ølgod community, and this project exemplifies this.”

Peter Nielsen, CEO of Selected Group, added: “Every unit of surplus heat should create value. By partnering with atNorth to convert surplus heat into local food production, we are demonstrating how digital infrastructure can strengthen food security while reducing emissions. Reducing dependence on imported produce strengthens national food resilience, shortens supply chains, and removes the emissions associated with transporting fresh produce across borders. We believe this model can be replicated wherever large-scale data centers are built.”

The DEN02 campus, located in the municipality of Varde, was first revealed in September 2024. The site spans 176 hectares and is expected to deliver up to 250MW of capacity once fully developed. Operations are planned to begin in phases, with initial energization targeted for late 2026 or early 2027.

This marks the second long-term heat reuse agreement for atNorth in Denmark. Last year, the company finalized a deal with Vestforbrænding, Denmark’s largest waste-to-energy company, to supply excess heat from its DEN01 campus in Copenhagen to the local district heating network. Earlier, atNorth also signed a heat reuse agreement with Finnish retail conglomerate Kesko Corporation.

AtNorth, originally founded as Advania Data Centers in 2012, was assembled from three Nordic IT companies: Skyrr in Iceland, Kerfi in Sweden, and Hands in Norway. The company was recently acquired by Equinix and the Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPP) in a $4.2 billion deal. It currently operates seven data centers across Sweden, Iceland, and Finland, with additional facilities under development in Finland, Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. Most recently, atNorth announced plans for a 350MW facility in Haugaland, Norway.

Selected Group, based in Denmark, is an alternative investment management company that develops infrastructure and sustainability-focused projects across the Nordic region. The partnership with atNorth is expected to serve as a blueprint for similar heat reuse models at other large-scale data center sites.