The tech giant Microsoft I will build a Data Center in the Finnish capital, whose residual heat will be channeled to heat homes and businesses.
Microsoft, which has described the project as the world’s largest “waste heat recycling concept”, will collaborate with Finnish energy company Fortum.
Fortum carries heat to a quarter of a million homes in the Helsinki region. through a district heating infrastructure of 900 kilometers of underground pipes.
“The data center location was chosen with waste heat recycling in mind”the companies said in a statement, adding that the project will reduce annual CO2 emissions by 400,000 tonnes.
Markus Rauramo, President and CEO of Fortum, described the project as «important step towards a cleaner world, made possible by our joint ambition to mitigate climate change”.
Construction of the data center will begin “as soon as possible” once the necessary permits are obtained.
He did not disclose the cost of the project, but said it will be “the biggest single investment in ICT (Internet and Communication Technologies) in Finland to date.”
About 45% of Finnish homes are heated by district heating systems, that transfer heat by pumping water through insulated tubes. The proportion of waste heat used to power these systems is increasing as companies look to more sustainable energy sources.
The heat produced by the Data Center will represent about 40% of district heating in the Espoo, Kauniainen and Kirkkonummi regions of the capitalaccording to Fortune.
Finnish leaders have long tried to market the Nordic country as a prime location for data centers, citing the economic benefits of cold weather, comparatively low energy prices and fast connections, as well as the sustainability potential of district heating infrastructure.
