Norwegian data center firm Asp Data Center has partnered with Norwegian utility Lyse to integrate district cooling and heat recovery at its data center in Forus, near Stavanger, Norway.

As part of the partnership, Lyse will supply up to 3MW of district cooling services to Asp’s Forus facility, while excess heat from the data center will be supplied into the utility’s district heating network.

According to the partners, the proximity of Lyse’s existing infrastructure at Forus makes the heat reuse system technically viable, while access to district cooling reduces the need for traditional cooling systems and associated noise from air-based cooling units.

“Asp will be both a customer and a resource. This type of cooperation, where different sectors develop solutions together, is becoming more common across Europe and can be described as a competence cluster,” said Geir Aspelund, senior business developer at Lyse.

The solution will be jointly developed by the two companies, with further phases planned to come online between 2026 and 2033.

“The heat produced is highly valuable and can be used to supply other buildings,” said Jorunn Barkved, portfolio manager at Lyse. “In that sense, Asp is an ideal customer, contributing to a broader, more sustainable value chain.”

Asp DC was established in 2022 by Asp Eiendom AS, a Norwegian real estate firm launched in 2008. The company acquired a 1,500 sqm (16,145 sq ft) data center last year, though few details were shared. ASP also acquired a former factory and cryptomine outside Bergen, Norway, in September.

Last month, the company acquired a data center development site in Pori, Finland, with potential for up to 300-400MW of capacity.

Lyse is a multi-utility company based in Jæren and Ryfylke, Norway. It is a large producer of hydroelectric power, with an annual generation capacity of approximately 9.5TWh. In addition, it operates a natural gas distribution network, district heating, and telecommunication services.