atNorth heat reuse deal to feed Danish greenhouses

atNorth has agreed a heat reuse partnership with Selected Group at its DEN02 data centre site in Denmark. Under the agreement, surplus heat from the campus will supply a greenhouse development in Ølgod.

Selected Group plans to use the recovered heat to support large-scale greenhouse operations producing fresh produce. The project is intended to enable year-round food production in a country where much fruit and vegetables are imported, especially in winter.

The greenhouse facilities will be built on land next to the DEN02 site, creating a direct link between the data centre campus and agricultural production. The project is expected to expand alongside DEN02, with the first phase due for completion in the third quarter of 2028.

Both companies presented the arrangement as a way to connect digital infrastructure with local industry. It also reflects growing interest in using excess heat from data centres for nearby applications rather than letting that energy go to waste.

In Denmark, the proposal also touches on food supply as well as energy use. The heat-fed greenhouse model could reduce reliance on imported produce and shorten supply chains by increasing domestic output through the colder months.

The first phase is also expected to reduce carbon emissions compared with greenhouses heated by fossil fuels. The site is designed as a long-term development in which the agricultural operation grows in step with the data centre campus.

Local model

The Ølgod development is also being framed as a local investment, with construction and ongoing operations expected to create jobs in the area. The model is intended to support industrial development that makes use of available energy from surrounding infrastructure.

For atNorth, the deal adds to a broader effort to reuse surplus heat from its Nordic data centre sites. The company already has similar arrangements in Denmark, Finland and Sweden, including an agreement to supply heat from its DEN01 site into a district heating network.

That push mirrors a broader industry trend as data centre operators face pressure to show how facilities can contribute to local energy systems. Heat recovery projects have become one option for operators in northern Europe, where heating demand and proximity to district networks or industrial users can make them more viable.

Selected Group specialises in greenhouse projects that use surplus heat from industrial and infrastructure sites. It has already developed and operates a 20-hectare greenhouse in Frövi, Sweden, which serves as the basis for the Danish project.

atNorth, based in Reykjavik, operates eight data centres across the Nordic region and has several sites under development in Denmark, Finland, Sweden and Norway. Its DEN02 campus in Ølgod is one of four mega sites under development.

"This partnership demonstrates exactly what responsible digital infrastructure should look like. 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 the Ølgod community, and this project exemplifies that," said Eyjólfur Magnús Kristinsson, Chief Executive Officer at atNorth.

"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 centres are built," said Nielsen.