atNorth, the Nordic colocation and built-to-suit data center provider, has announced a heat reuse partnership with Selected Group that will channel surplus thermal energy from its DEN02 data center campus in Ølgod, Denmark, into a large-scale greenhouse development designed to support domestic food production year-round.

The Partnership and Its Purpose

Under the agreement, surplus heat generated by atNorth's DEN02 facility will be redirected to power greenhouse operations on land immediately adjacent to the data center, within the local plan area.

The arrangement is intended to reduce Denmark's reliance on imported fresh fruit and vegetables, which currently make up the majority of such produce sold in the country, particularly during winter months when domestic growing conditions are constrained by the climate.

Selected Group, described as a Nordic platform with activities spanning investment, project development, and operations, will lead the greenhouse development.

The company already operates a 20-hectare greenhouse facility in Frövi, Sweden, that combines local food production with the use of surplus energy from existing industrial processes, providing a precedent for the model being deployed in Denmark.

Design and Timeline

The project has been structured to scale alongside the development of the DEN02 campus itself. The first phase is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2028.

By situating the greenhouse facilities directly next to the data center, within the same local plan area, the partners aim to create what they describe as a long-term, integrated ecosystem connecting digital infrastructure with local food production.

atNorth states that heat reuse opportunities are integrated into the design of its data centers rather than added as afterthoughts. The company said the first phase of the greenhouse development will substantially lower carbon output compared with traditional fossil-heated greenhouse operations, though it did not provide a specific figure for the reduction.

Community and Economic Impact

Beyond its environmental rationale, the project is positioned as a significant local investment for the Ølgod community. According to atNorth, the development will create job opportunities during both the construction phase and ongoing operations.

The company described the model as flexible and future-proof for sustainable industry growth, though it did not specify the number of jobs expected to be created.

Eyjólfur Magnús Kristinsson, CEO of atNorth, said the partnership demonstrates 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," he said. "DEN02 is designed to integrate into Ølgod community, and this project exemplifies this."

Peter Nielsen, CEO of Selected Group, framed the initiative in terms of both energy efficiency and national supply chain resilience. "Every unit of surplus heat should create value," he said.

"Reducing dependence on imported produce strengthens national food resilience, shortens supply chains, and removes the emissions associated with transporting fresh produce across borders," Nielsen added, that the company believes the model can be replicated wherever large-scale data centers are built.

Part of a Broader Heat Reuse Strategy

The DEN02 announcement follows a separate heat reuse agreement atNorth recently disclosed involving Vestforbrænding, under which surplus heat from atNorth's DEN01 data center will be fed into a local district heating network.

The DEN01 and DEN02 arrangements represent distinct approaches to heat reuse within atNorth's Danish portfolio, with one supporting residential and commercial heating infrastructure and the other directed toward agricultural production.

atNorth's heat reuse activity extends beyond Denmark. The company has a partnership with Kesko Corporation in Finland, providing heat to a local store, and collaborates with Stockholm Exergi at its SWE01 campus in Sweden to heat local homes and businesses. Together these arrangements reflect the company's stated strategy of embedding circular energy principles across its portfolio of sites.

Company Backgrounds

atNorth is headquartered in Reykjavik, Iceland, and currently operates eight data centers across the Nordic region. The company also has four large-scale sites under development in Kouvola, Finland; Ølgod, Denmark; Sollefteå, Sweden; and Haugaland, Norway, as well as an additional metro site under development in Stockholm, Sweden. The company says all of its facilities run on renewable energy resources.

Selected Group operates across the Nordic region, with its activities covering investment, project development, and operations. Its focus on food infrastructure, specifically large-scale greenhouse projects that make use of surplus industrial heat, positions the company as a specialist partner for data center operators seeking to find productive uses for the thermal energy their facilities generate.

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