Sverre Gotaas leads the government's Technology Council, which recently presented a report on data centers, power usage, and the competition for limited resources. Similar councils exist in many countries. - We in the council are appointed by the government as council leaders based on expertise and experience. The Technology Council consists of members with different backgrounds and perspectives. Our task is to analyze technological development and provide knowledge-based advice on the choices Norway faces, he says. The analysis report is the first part of the council's work. The next phase will focus on what measures can help ensure that data centers provide the greatest possible value for Norway, while also taking into account the power situation, preparedness, and national security. What must a data center commit to in order to give Norway industrial benefits? - That’s what we will continue working on. If data centers are to be prioritized with limited resources, we need to discuss what criteria should form the basis. There are many competing for limited resources, electricity among other things, says Sverre Gotaas.
The report shows that value creation varies, and it is during the construction phase that investments can be large. In the operational phase, the picture is different. Some data centers have few employees and limited local ripple effects compared to other industries that use similar amounts of power, while others have more. It depends, among other things, on the type of data center and ownership.
The question then becomes what Norway gets in return for the resources used. Some data centers are necessary for society to function.
-With scarce power resources and limited grid access, we might need to consider which data centers best support the government's goals in terms of value creation, security, and preparedness, says Gotaas.
As the power situation gets tighter, the priorities will become increasingly important for the kind of industry and jobs we want in Norway, he emphasizes.
Data centers in Norway - assessments of societal benefits: Read the report here
Photo/text: Hege Pflug
hege.pflug@hipark.no
