Haugaland Næringspark has around 5,000 acres of pre-regulated commercial land for industrial development. Statkraft has entered into an agreement to develop and market 600 acres aimed at large-scale data center establishments.
Want to become a data center nation
In 2018, the Norwegian government drew up its own strategy for establishing Norway as a data center nation. The increasing amount of data that society needs and must have expertise in processing makes this an important focus area. Norway needs new industries and jobs.
"Haugaland Business Park is centrally located in Western Norway, and has a character that we believe will be of interest to both national and international data center operators. The business park itself, its municipal owners and Haugaland Kraft have all been very positive about this project, and we look forward to working together to succeed in attracting this new industry to Norway and Western Norway," says Atle Haga, head of Statkraft's data center initiative. Earlier this year, Statkraft sold a large plot of land to Google in Telemark.
"This means new green jobs for Norway and our region. The aim is to strengthen technology environments and increase investment in digitalization. With Statkraft on the team, we get an extra muscle aimed at this initiative, also internationally," says TirilFjeld, general manager of Haugaland Næringspark.
New fiber cable to England
Haugaland Kraft and its partners are also building a 700 km long fiber cable across the North Sea to England. Euroconnect-1 will strengthen the region's and Norway's position as an attractive place to invest in new data centers. See news release from November 25, 2019.
"We have all the prerequisites to meet the requirements of international data center operators when choosing new locations, proximity to the sea for cooling, green energy, fiber and other necessary infrastructure for this type of industry. In collaboration with Statkraft, we have a clear ambition to attract green, power-intensive industry with a need for large areas," says Fjeld.
Industry-rich region
The mid-western region of Norway has established a strategic business collaboration to build muscle in the battle for new industrial establishments. The RENERGI program aims to ensure increased value creation and new jobs by attracting energy and area-intensive industries. The business park is located in a strong industrial environment with Gassco/Equinor's process plant at Kårstø and Hydro's aluminum plant at Karmøy as neighbors. The park is located between two of Norway's largest cities and has a unique logistical starting point by the sea and along the major transportation routes. The business park has a green profile and with extra focus on utilizing circular resources.
Statkraft
Statkraft is a leading international hydropower company and Europe's largest supplier of renewable energy. The group produces hydropower, wind power, solar power and gas power and supplies district heating. Statkraft is a global market player in energy trading and has 3,600 employees in 16 countries.
Haugaland Næringspark AS
Haugaland Næringspark AS is located at Gismarvik in Tysvær municipality. The company is owned by the municipalities of Karmøy, Haugesund, Tysvær, Vindafjord and Bokn. The chairman of the board is Leiv Johan Sevland.
The company's real estate activities will help to secure existing and establish new jobs by facilitating business synergies throughout the region.