Norwegian data centre harnesses fjord waters for sustainable cooling

Data centres across the globe consume vast amounts of electricity, with cooling systems accounting for a substantial portion of that energy demand. Green Mountain has pioneered an environmentally conscious approach at its Norwegian facilities, tapping into the country's abundant natural resources to address this challenge.

At one of its operations, the company circulates water from nearby fjords—maintained at a constant temperature of approximately 8°C—through heat exchangers that cool server equipment. This method eliminates the need for energy-intensive mechanical cooling systems during much of the year, directly reducing the facility's power consumption and operational costs.

Another Green Mountain site employs a different strategy, harnessing outside air for cooling purposes. This approach proves particularly effective in Norway's climate, enabling the facility to achieve free cooling for approximately 330 days annually without relying on conventional air conditioning infrastructure.

The combined effect of these natural cooling methods has substantially improved the power usage effectiveness across Green Mountain's Norwegian operations. By minimizing the energy required for temperature regulation, the data centre operator has demonstrated that geographic location and climate conditions can be leveraged as strategic assets in developing sustainable technology infrastructure. The model presents a compelling case study for data centre operators worldwide evaluating methods to reduce their environmental footprint and operational expenses.