Data center pioneers Byrne Murphy and William E. Conway, Jr., who built DigiPlex into an eight-facility data center portfolio and sold it in 2021, have returned to Norway and established Kitebrook Infra to build 500+ MWs of data center infrastructure using a breakthrough sustainable design that can save hundreds of millions of euros in capital expenditure (CAPEX).
Kitebrook addresses the choke point slowing the industry’s progress: the acute lack of ready-to-go, powered sites, with the zoning, permits, and signed energy agreements needed for an immediate construction start. In doing so, Kitebrook offers a breakthrough design for cleaner, more sustainable data centers that are far less expensive to build.
Major investment with powered, ready-to-build sites
In Norway, Kitebrook is actively developing a portfolio of sites, two of which already have signed power agreements in place. The first one, in Matre in Masfjorden, has a power agreement for 30 MWs, with another 70 MWs expected in under a year. Kitebrook’s second site, in Vestland in the town of Leirdøla, has a power agreement underway for 100 MWs. These sites plus others in development total more than 500 MWs of power generation.
In addition to providing powered, ready-to-go sites, Kitebrook is introducing a major innovation to data center design: a back-up power solution that eliminates the need for back-up generators and chillers. For projects that require back-up power and cooling, the innovation can dramatically reduce upfront CAPEX by approximately €175 million for every 100 MWs of power. This is achieved by maximizing the benefits of Norway’s topographical and hydrological features in data center operations and incorporating a multi-fjord solution into each data center’s design. Kitebrook believes it is the ultimate sustainable data center design.
Aiming to create jobs and local economic impact
"We are excited to again build a business in Norway, picking up where we left off in 2021. We start with the goal of maximizing the benefits of what Norway has to offer: massive amounts of hydro-electric power, facilitated by a vast network of deep-water fjords and tall, steep mountains. With enough ingenuity and perseverance, modern AI-enabled data centers in Norway can work in concert with local communities and natural sources of energy to provide clean power and quiet operations while saving hyperscalers and other data center users hundreds of millions of euros", says Byrne Murphy.
"We had a spectacular experience in growing DigiPlex in the Nordic region. With the global demand for AI-enabled sites at a fever pitch, there is a shortage of ready-to-go sites, especially those with 100% sustainable power. That is why we are investing again in Norway", says William E. Conway, Jr.
Murphy and Conway have long been dedicated to ensuring that digital transformation and sustainability go hand in hand in their business ventures. DigiPlex, powered by hydropower, won numerous awards for its energy-efficient innovations and sustainability initiatives.
"We hope to establish strong partnerships with the municipalities where we plan to invest and build, as well as with Innovation Norway, which offers grants for environmental technology", says Byrne Murphy.
Initially, Kitebrook plans to focus on Vestland County, particularly in Masfjorden, Samnanger, and Luster municipalities.
Welcome to our region, says Invest in Vestland
Vidar Totland, Investment Manager, Invest in Vestland comments: "The Bergen region and Vestland have strong prerequisites for welcoming data centers. Vestland accounts for 25 percent of Norway’s power production, and much of this power is currently exported out of the county. The municipalities of Masfjorden, Samnanger, and Eidfjord, which Kitebrook is in close and constructive dialogue with, have significant electricity production but have so far seen little local value creation as a result."
Totland continues: "Establishing data centers in these municipalities will generate revenues for local governments, create new jobs during construction and operation, and open up opportunities for new businesses through the use of surplus heat from production. Our role going forward will be to help the municipalities maximize the benefits of Kitebrook’s establishments."
