The Norwegian Solution: Greener, faster – and more customers

From a data center perspective, 2021 will be remembered for Covid-19 ups and downs, and for extraordinary high level of power prices in Europe. Norway has also experienced price levels not seen before – even though at a much lower level. However, power pricing within Norway has substantial regional variations, which has benefitted customers in Lefdal Mine Datacenter (LMD) throughout the year.

Sustainability – the most important competitive advantage
Digitalization in all sectors is increasing demands for data center capacity. Data centers located close to renewable power production are far more sustainable than those needing to transport power over long distances. Due to its unique location, LMD has immediate access to massive volumes of hydro power production. As a result, there is minimum transmission loss, and the power transformed to data is then exported via existing fiber network to our end customers.
LMD has been nominated in the final in the Sustainability Award at eco – Association of the Internet Industry and won the ITA award for the World’s Most Innovative and Contributing Underground Space. Add our ongoing plans for reusing the heated water for local fish-farming, LMD is offering a world leading sustainable data center solution.

Additional 60 MW renewable power
There are now multiple players requiring power within a variety of industries including hydrogen and battery factories as well as data centers. These operations need public approval of concession applications which can be time-consuming and complex processes. LMD’s concession was granted in 2019 and during next summer LMD will have access to a further 60 MW of power at 132 kV of voltage, benefitting existing and new customers with additional power availability and lower grid costs.

Daimler and Sigma2 acknowledge LMD as sustainable, cost effective and secure
We have all faced an uncertain external environment again this year. So LMD is gratified to report that by focusing on our clients, we have gone from strength to strength in 2021. We have structured bids won with both Daimler (through Infosys) and Sigma2, acknowledging LMD as a high-end player in the data center industry, with LMD scoring highest on all decision criteria in both tender processes.

LMD partners strengthening our value proposition
LMD has always had a strong belief in partnership with mutual benefit. In line with this approach, we are developing ambitious sales and marketing plans with our co-owner Rittal. This ecosystem will provide sustainable, secure, and cost-effective solutions to end-clients with various needs. We also have developed plans with Infosys to introduce new customers in the High-Performance Computing segment – “Green Data Center as a Service”. IBM and Kyndryl are other partnerships we are bringing to the market. Together these relationships, and the services we will deliver, create a great ecosystem of competence and market access with large potential.

Partnering locally to integrate resources and create scale
There are a variety of fields of competence needed to build and operate a top-class data center. In the area surrounding LMD there are several industries with this required competence: Electro, automation, IT, piping, contractors, etc. All our subcontractors have been integrated into LMD since we started building the facility in 2015. This enables LMD to have a lean organization, and recruit according to customer demands.

Our owners give LMD additional strength
Committed, solid long-term owners are a fundamental to attracting solid, long-term customers. In Columbia Threadneedle Investments and Rittal, LMD has owners that meet all these criteria. In addition, the LMD team know that our hands-on owners share our enthusiasm and belief in the Vision: The Norwegian Solution.

Thank you,
Jørn Skaane
CEO