New Ember data center uses only renewable energy

Located right in the middle of the Scandinavian capitals – approximately 300 kilometres from Stockholm, Oslo, and Copenhagen – the new Ember co-location data center serves both retail and wholesale customers. With redundancy N +1 including electricity, cooling, and fire safety, the data center conforms to the highest security classification 3.

As the cost of data and cloud storage is growing, Ember saw the need for more flexible and cost-effective data center services. “Companies are increasingly migrating to hybrid data solutions – going back to buying their own servers to reduce the need for cloud storage and cut data costs”, says Andreas Aronsson, Managing Director at Ember.

Granlund helped Ember in creating a pre-start concept design and cost analysis to verify that the business plan and construction project is feasible and profitable. Granlund was also responsible for electricity, HVAC, tele and security design as well as project and construction management.

“Our role at Granlund was to keep everything and everyone on track and on time, allowing Ember to focus on their core business”, says the managing director of Granlund Sweden, Marcus Karlsson.

Companies are increasingly migrating to hybrid data solutions – going back to buying their own servers to reduce the need for cloud storage and cut data costs.

Andreas Aronsson, Managing Director at Ember

Less emissions, more local cooperation

The data center uses only renewable energy from certified sources. To keep carbon emissions low, it utilizes for example solar power produced on the data center site. Air is used for cooling, and the free cooling system of the data center mainly uses cold Swedish outdoor air.

Ember is also constantly developing ways to reduce and reuse waste heat. Like Marcus Karlsson from Granlund points out, during the next 3-5 years reusing waste heat generated by data centers will take a huge leap.

“By 2025, all new Data Centers are required to reuse their waste heat in Sweden. This means for instance connecting Data Centers to district heating network where the waste heat is used to warm-up local homes and offices”.

Working with local designers, contractors, and suppliers, made the project run faster and smoother. According to Andreas Aronsson, this was especially true as the data center project took place during the COVID 19 pandemic.

Granlund handled the procurement of contractors and suppliers and coordinated installations. Granlund also managed the commissioning and testing. Together with Ember, Granlund trained the staff to use the technical systems and how to take care of the maintenance of the data center which is essential for a reliable operation and long life span.

“Going forward, accomplished local partners like Granlund make the maintenance and further development more flexible. We are planning for new projects, and I can see Granlund as a long-time design and project management partner”, Andreas Aronsson says.

By 2025, all new data centers are required to reuse their waste heat in Sweden. This means for instance connecting data centers to district heating network where the waste heat is used to warm-up local homes and offices.

Marcus Karlsson, Managing Director of Granlund Sweden

Unique monitoring boosts cost efficiency and energy savings

As a data company, Ember is innately interested in using data to the fullest. Combined with their technological expertise, Ember created their own building and equipment monitoring system.

The Ember monitoring system integrates data such as real-time and daily power consumption, spot price of electricity and outdoor temperature. The open data helps data center customers to scale and adjust their workload.

“For instance, customers can queue up their workload that isn’t tied to a certain time and run it when the cost of electricity is low and outdoor temperature cold enough to reduce the energy used for cooling”, describes Andreas Aronsson. Monitoring and optimising also keeps the data center hardware alive longer which translates to lower total lifecycle costs.

Want to hear more?

Marcus Karlsson

CEO

Granlund Sweden AB

+46 766 48 88 13

firstname.lastname@granlundgroup.com