European operator Penta Infra is to connect its data center in Leeuwarden to a new district heating network.

The company this week signed a letter of intent to supply residual heat from its Leeuwarden data center to a new sustainable heat network being developed at the De Zwette IV business park.

The company has partnered with the Municipality of Leeuwarden alongside Crystalic, Meesterschilders Friesland, Van der Horst Autogroep, and Wetterskip Fryslân for a planned heat network in Friesland.

The network is expected to become operational by the end of 2026, with groundwork scheduled for April next year. The move will reportedly save around 106,000 kilograms of CO2 emissions each year and can supply cooling in the summer.

“This project is a great example of how local collaboration can turn sustainability ambitions into practical solutions,” said Gerald Sprenkeling, CFO at Penta Infra. “We are proud to contribute our residual heat and to be part of a future-focused energy solution for the Leeuwarden region.”

The company acquired two Leeuwarden data centers after buying DataCenter Fryslân in 2020. On its website, the company said it offers 1MW across 800 sqm (8,610 sq ft) of IT space in the city.

Based on the diagram shown by the company, the data center feeding this planned heat network is likely Penta Infra’s LEE01 facility, located at François Haverschmidtwei 3.

Evert Stellingwerf, alderman of the municipality of Leeuwarden, said: “Making business parks more sustainable is a major task in which we actively collaborate and look for solutions. In 2030, we want to have reduced our CO2 emissions in our municipality by 60 percent. These types of projects are crucial to achieving this goal. It is great that we can now take the next step.”

Penta Infra has data centers across Europe, including Germany, France, the Netherlands, Belgium, and Denmark. The company is owned by Photon Capital and PGGM.

Its facilities in Amsterdam and Copenhagen are also connected to district heating schemes.