Reykjavik Data Center in Korputorg has been launched with the collaboration of Icelandic IT company Opin Kerfi, IT service provider Reiknistofa Bankanna (RB), Vodafone Iceland, and Korputorg Real Estate in 2018. Now, Landsvirkjun, Iceland’s national power company, and Reykjavík Data Center (Reykjavík DC) have signed a green power purchase agreement.
A milestone for the industry
The founder companies announced that Reykjavik Data Center will utilize 100% hydro-electric and geothermal renewable energy from Landsvirkjun in Iceland. This agreement guarantees certified renewable energy at the data center. In addition to server density options and hosting environments, Reykjavik Data Center will provide its clients with various services on demand like financial, government, telecom, automotive, and medical sectors.
One of Iceland’s most technologically advanced data center will be up to 5,000 square meters. According to the first announcement, it satisfies strict Tier III security requirements and has a doubled-up cooling and infrastructure, so if one system fails, the other takes over. Landsvirkjun plans to add new hydropower, geothermal energy, and wind power stations to increase its capacity in recent years.
Gísli Valur Guðjónsson, Chairman of the Reykjavík DC board, talked about the agreement:
Gísli Valur Guðjónsson, Chairman, Reykjavík DC board
“This data center meets the highest customer standards and is strategically located to ensure secure power security from the grid, offer efficient transport routes, and lower any risk of natural disaster. Our agreement with Landsvirkjun is a milestone for the industry and a crucial response to the ongoing demand for a high-tech data center in the capital area. The companies behind the data center are well-established in the Icelandic market, and with this project becoming a reality, we are now in a strong position to attract new customers both in Iceland and abroad.”
Opportunities in Iceland, such as low corporate tax, efficiency in a European legislative framework, and vast availability of land for development, provide a convenient environment for customers and businesses. In Iceland, data centers don’t need to run high-powered cooling systems continuously, for heat moderation, thanks to its naturally cold climate. This lowers the ongoing costs of the data centers.
