atNorth: Powering 8000 Homes with Data Centre Waste Heat

atNorth and Vestforbrænding have reached an agreement that will channel surplus heat from the data centre operator's DEN01 facility in Ballerup, Greater Copenhagen, into the area's district heating infrastructure.

The partnership will direct warm water produced through direct liquid cooling technology into Vestforbrænding's network, potentially providing thermal energy for more than 8000 residential properties from 2028 onwards.

The DEN01 facility is a 22.5MW metro campus with a planned opening in early 2026.

This agreement represents a component of atNorth's approach to incorporating heat recovery into new developments as requirements for high-density, AI-ready infrastructure continue to grow.

Direct liquid cooling heat recovery

The thermal energy delivered to Vestforbrænding will be generated as a byproduct of DEN01's direct liquid cooling infrastructure.

This method enhances thermal efficiency within the data centre whilst delivering a reliable source of warm water appropriate for district heating systems.

Both organisations anticipate the arrangement will contribute to carbon emissions reductions, as repurposed heat could offset energy that would otherwise be necessary for residential heating purposes.

Denmark has established a net zero target for 2045, alongside a 110% emissions reduction objective by 2050.

District heating represents a significant element in the national framework, and the government is progressively eliminating coal usage in this sector.

Data centre heat recovery aligns with Denmark's wider circular economy objectives, positioning the DEN01 initiative within national policy priorities.

Supporting Denmark's heating transition

Vestforbrænding is developing its district heating network as part of its 2030 strategy, which encompasses the replacement of oil and gas boilers across thousands of properties.

The organisation has recognised surplus heat sources as a valuable component of this plan.

"For many years, we have talked about surplus heat from data centres being part of the future," says Steen Neuchs Vedel, CEO of Vestforbrænding.

"Now the future is here. With today's contract signing, we are showing the way forward for how surplus heat from data centres can reach people's homes.

"There has also been talk about sector coupling in the district heating sector – today we demonstrate how this can happen in practice, to the benefit of consumers."

Broader heat reuse strategy

The DEN01 partnership demonstrates atNorth's broader strategy for embedding heat recovery across its data centre operations.

The company frames heat reuse as one aspect of its operational framework, which encompasses renewable energy procurement, efficient facility design and collaboration with local communities.

"As the demand for AI-ready digital infrastructure continues to increase, it is imperative that data centre companies scale in a responsible way," says Eyjólfur Magnús Kristinsson, CEO of atNorth.

"By actively seeking heat reuse partnerships for our data centres, we can mitigate our environmental impact, benefit the communities in which we operate and help clients decarbonise their IT workloads."

AtNorth has collaborated with Wa3rm to channel heat from its DEN02 facility towards circular agriculture initiatives, including vegetable cultivation near the site.

In Finland, AtNorth maintains a comparable arrangement with Kesko Corporation, where thermal energy from the FIN02 data centre is redirected to heat an adjacent retail outlet.

Expanding Nordic operations

atNorth is continuing to develop its regional infrastructure.

The operator currently runs eight data centres across the Nordic region, with a ninth facility under development in Kouvola, Finland, and a tenth proposed for Ølgod, Denmark.

The company has also acquired land for a prospective mega site in Sollefteå Municipality in Sweden.

With DEN01, atNorth is introducing a new Danish facility planned from inception to integrate heat recovery capabilities.

The Vestforbrænding collaboration could enable the site to support local heating infrastructure whilst delivering the elevated densities required for contemporary compute applications.