Stargate Norway: Europe’s Cutting-Edge AI Data Center initiative by OpenAI and Collaborators
OpenAI has taken a notable step to enhance Europe’s artificial intelligence capabilities by launching Stargate Norway, its first AI-focused data center on European soil. This venture is a joint enterprise equally owned by British cloud infrastructure expert Nscale and Norwegian energy giant Aker, who will collaboratively design and manage the facility.
Collaborative Effort to Strengthen Europe’s AI Independence
Nscale is responsible for the architectural planning and construction of Stargate Norway, while OpenAI will secure computing power from the center as a primary client. this project supports Europe’s strategic goal of achieving technological autonomy in AI through considerable investments in domestic data centers and computational assets.
The European Union recently committed over €30 billion (around $33 billion) toward establishing advanced AI manufacturing hubs across member countries. these efforts prioritize data sovereignty amid growing concerns about protecting sensitive governmental and commercial data within European borders.
Fostering Innovation with Sovereign Computing resources
The CEO of Nscale emphasized that Stargate Norway is designed not only to meet global demand but also to provide prioritized access for Norwegian startups, academic institutions, and regional innovators. By utilizing “European sovereign compute,” this facility aims to bolster local tech ecosystems while enhancing continental resilience against external dependencies.
Sustainable infrastructure Powered by Renewable Energy Sources
Located near Narvik in northern Norway, the site benefits from abundant hydropower availability, naturally cool ambient temperatures ideal for efficient cooling solutions, and existing industrial infrastructure. The entire operation will run exclusively on renewable energy sources to minimize environmental impact.
The center will employ state-of-the-art closed-loop liquid cooling technology applied directly at the chip level to optimize thermal management. Additionally, waste heat generated from thousands of GPUs will be repurposed to support nearby low-carbon industries-demonstrating an innovative circular economy approach within this green technology ecosystem.
Massive Scale Designed for Next-Generation AI Demands
- The initial deployment phase includes 20 megawatts (MW) of power capacity backed by nearly $2 billion invested jointly by Nscale and aker.
- The project plans an initial build-out targeting 230 MW with future expansions possibly reaching up to 290 MW as demand grows.
- By late 2026,it is indeed expected that approximately 100,000 Nvidia GPUs will be installed-providing immense parallel processing power essential for training large-scale machine learning models efficiently.
Compliance with EU Regulations & Commitment to Environmental Standards
This initiative aligns with strict EU legislation such as the EU AI Act effective since August 2024 that mandates robust safeguards around high-risk systems. Furthermore, energy efficiency directives require large ICT facilities like data centers not only reduce consumption but also recover waste heat wherever possible-principles fully integrated into Stargate Norway’s design beliefs.
A Global Vision Rooted in Sustainable Growth
The establishment of Stargate Norway complements OpenAI’s broader strategy involving a $500 billion investment aimed at developing over 10 gigawatts (GW) of AI infrastructure worldwide. This includes major projects across North America alongside partners such as Oracle and SoftBank. Earlier milestones include launching Stargate UAE earlier this year-a similar initiative focused on accelerating digital conversion under sustainable guidelines within the Middle East region.
