Green Horizon secures approval for Norway data centre
Author: Joe Peck
Green Horizon, a Norwegian developer of hydropower-backed, AI-ready data centres, has received planning approval for Norway 1, a 36MW data centre development near Stavanger that is scheduled to enter service in the second half of 2027.
The approval follows the earlier granting of zoning permission for the site and allows the Norwegian developer to progress to final design and construction. The company is currently working with consultants and contractors ahead of a planned construction start later this year.
Located on Norway’s southwest coast, Norway 1 is being developed as a carrier-neutral and cloud-neutral facility designed to provide connectivity to the UK, mainland Europe, and onward routes to North America.
The facility will be built to Tier III standards and is designed to support high-density AI, GPU, and high-performance computing (HPC) workloads. Green Horizon says the site will include two ‘Meet-Me Rooms’, diverse connectivity options, and access to multiple network providers.
Norway 1 forms the first phase of the company’s wider data centre platform in the Stavanger region, where 96MW of power capacity has been secured across three planned developments.
The company says the facility will be powered by renewable hydropower and is targeting a power usage effectiveness (PUE) rating of 1.1 at full load.
Heat reuse strategy integrated into design
A key element of the project is its heat reuse strategy. Green Horizon plans to supply excess heat generated by the data centre to both a new greenhouse that will be integrated into the facility’s design and an existing commercial greenhouse located adjacent to the site.
According to the company, the new greenhouse will be constructed directly above the data centre, enabling waste heat to be reused as part of a wider symbiosis partnership with Norway’s largest greenhouse operator.
The concept has been technically validated and approved by the local municipality.
Operations at the site will be supported by CBRE, which will provide operational services and monitoring.
Richard Rettedal, CEO of Green Horizon, comments, “Securing planning approval for Norway 1 marks a major milestone for Green Horizon and for our ambition to build Norway’s AI data centre platform.
“Customers deploying AI and high-performance compute need dependable capacity, resilience, and a clear route to scale. Norway 1 is designed to deliver high-density infrastructure powered by renewable hydropower, with heat reuse enabled by design, supporting both lower-cost operation and a lower operational footprint.
“We’re proud that this project will contribute to the local community and bring new, renewable powered capacity to the market.”
The €300 million (£259 million) development is expected to create around 400 construction jobs during the build phase and contribute additional renewable-powered data centre capacity to Norway’s digital infrastructure.
Construction is expected to begin later in 2026, with the facility targeted to become operational in the second half of 2027.
