That is why we need pragmatic solutions to address the real consequences of our increasing data consumption on the climate – and this can lead to some fantastic opportunities.
Back in 2021, the consumer council Tænk reported that one hour of streaming emits 400 grams of CO2, which is equivalent to driving 2 to 3 kilometers in a small gasoline car. Meanwhile, many drivers have switched to electric cars, reducing CO2 emissions from transportation. However, our data consumption continues to rise.
Therefore, it is more relevant than ever to understand how our data is actually delivered when we stream, so we can actively work towards making our data usage more sustainable. It does not happen magically in the cloud but through large, energy-intensive data centers worldwide that ensure the content we want appears on our devices, wherever we are.
In Denmark, we have a strong data center industry. Thanks to favorable geographic and geopolitical conditions, we have successfully attracted global players. Our country offers data protection against natural disasters and political instability, along with high supply security, ensuring we always have access to the data we need.
But we also have something equally important: Denmark has exceptional expertise in environmental technology and renewable energy. As a nation, we are used to being global leaders in creating new, climate-friendly solutions, so much so that we may overlook the opportunities constantly emerging. The data center industry presents a new chance to make a global, green impact.
Global Players Push Danish Data Center Industry to the Forefront
The new pan-European initiative, Net Zero Innovation Hub for Data Centers, launched in 2023 by Danfoss A/S, Google Denmark ApS, Microsoft Denmark ApS, and Schneider Electric Denmark A/S, aims to realize the potential for making European data consumption more sustainable. This will be achieved by accumulating existing knowledge in the European market and making it available on a European scale through participation in and initiation of projects that help the industry move towards minimal emissions.
Within the new hub, these four global players will create frameworks for experts and decision-makers to engage in fruitful dialogues, supporting the pan-European, currently fragmented, efforts to minimize the climate impact of our growing data consumption from data center operations.
Fantastic Opportunities
All of this is based in Denmark. The new structured collaboration within the Net Zero Innovation Hub opens fantastic opportunities to showcase the knowledge and expertise that researchers and companies have developed. This positions us as a nation at the forefront of developing the necessary new solutions for the global data center industry.
What Is a Data Center?
Throughout Denmark, we find significant portions of the cloud that we all use in our professional and personal lives when we stream, surf, or write emails. Despite the airy-sounding terms like storing things in the cloud or downloading movies after a long workday, all these data are housed in data centers. These are large, industrial, and well-protected buildings filled with computers, also known as servers. For many services, these data centers are located right here in Denmark. For more information, you can find their locations at www.datacenterindustrien.dk/data-center-map
