Key Takeaway
The Nordic data centre market is poised for significant growth as European businesses ramp up AI investments, driven by the region’s cooler climate, renewable energy, and availability. atNorth, a leading Nordic data centre operator, emphasizes sustainability in its expansion strategy, led by Chief Development Officer Anna Kristín Pálsdóttir. Since her arrival, she has focused on expanding the company’s footprint across the Nordics, including new sites in Denmark and additional facilities in Finland and Sweden. Anna prioritizes learning from mistakes and customer-centric approaches, ensuring that sustainability is integral to atNorth’s operations and future developments.
The Nordic data centre market is poised for significant growth over the next five years as businesses throughout Europe ramp up their AI investments. The region’s cooler climate, affordable renewable energy, and greater availability compared to the constrained FLAP-D markets are driving this investment surge.
Leading this innovation is atNorth, a Nordic data centre operator that prioritizes sustainability in its growth strategy. Anna Kristín Pálsdóttir, the company’s Chief Development Officer, is at the helm of this initiative. Since joining just over a year ago, Anna has been instrumental in expanding the operator’s data centre footprint across the Nordic countries.
“I joined the company with the goal of expanding its footprint – focusing on site selection, design, technology, innovation, and delivery in line with customer expectations,” she explains. “We are developing new data centres to ensure they meet atNorth’s standards as well as industry and client requirements.”
Presenting a clear expansion strategy
“We have extensive expansion plans,” Anna states. The business is enhancing two of its three operational facilities in Iceland, where it began its operations in 2009. Alongside its four other operational sites in Finland and Sweden, it is set to open its first Danish site, with a second under development, and additional facilities planned in Finland and Sweden. “We have also secured extra land in Sweden designated for a future megasite and are evaluating numerous sites in Norway as well.”
Anna’s engineering background shapes her methodical approach to scaling operations. She highlights the necessity of quickly learning from mistakes and systematically applying those lessons to future projects, stating, “we only make a mistake once and learn from it – it is essential for innovation.”
The rapid pace of expansion demands meticulous planning and modular thinking. atNorth’s leadership team continually assesses which processes can be streamlined and scaled effectively. This strategy ensures that valuable operational knowledge translates into enhanced efficiency across all new developments, while also guaranteeing that new facilities provide genuine value.
“In everything that I do, especially when we are embarking on something new, I always try to put myself in the customer’s shoes to determine if we are heading in the right direction,” Anna explains.
The Nordic region presents unique advantages for data centre operations, with renewable power being the most sought-after resource for atNorth.
“Sustainability is not just a checkbox for atNorth. It’s not something we are trying to incorporate into our business model or find ways to improve – it is the very foundation of our operations,” Anna asserts. “Our responsible approach begins at the planning and site selection phase. We do not initiate a new project unless we have the opportunity to utilize heat reuse. This commitment extends throughout site development and includes consideration of how we will integrate into the communities where we operate.”
She adds, “This is our business – being responsible, continuously improving our footprint, and striving to achieve net carbon neutrality in the future.”
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