atNorth and Vestforbrænding to deliver surplus heat from new Danish data center

Warm water generated as a byproduct of the facility’s Direct Liquid Cooling technology will be transferred to Vestforbrænding’s district heating network, reducing the overall energy needed for central heating production and lowering the carbon footprint of both partners.

DEN01 is a 22.5 MW site scheduled to open in Q1 2026. The heat reuse collaboration aligns with Denmark’s broader decarbonization ambitions, as the country phases out fossil fuels in district heating and expands its networks to integrate future energy sources, including surplus heat from data centers.

“For many years, we have talked about surplus heat from data centers being part of the future. Now the future is here,” says Steen Neuchs Vedel, CEO of Vestforbrænding. “With today’s contract signing, we are showing the way forward for how surplus heat from data centers can reach people’s homes.”

“As the demand for AI ready digital infrastructure continues to increase, it is imperative that data center companies scale in a responsible way,” says Eyjólfur Magnús Kristinsson, CEO at atNorth. “By actively seeking heat reuse partnerships for our data centers, we can mitigate our environmental impact, benefit the communities in which we operate and help clients decarbonize their IT workloads.”

Henrik Hansen, CEO of Danish Data Center Industry, adds: “atNorth’s announcement shows that heat reuse from data centers is not a distant vision but a practical solution delivering real value to Danish communities. The potential is significant when the right infrastructure and partnerships are in place.”

The initiative follows atNorth’s recent agreements with Wa3rm in Denmark and Kesko in Finland, both focused on reusing excess heat from data center operations.



The first deliveries of surplus heat from DEN01 are expected during the 2028 heating season.