Veg-IT-able

The project is initiated based on Aker/Nordkraft’s interest in establishing a data center in Korgen, Hemnes municipality, which is expected to generate significant amounts of surplus heat. This pre-project aims to explore the potential for reusing surplus heat from the data center in a greenhouse, thereby creating sustainable solutions for local food production. The initial focus is on tomato cultivation, addressing seasonal shortages—especially during winter—and reducing dependence on imported vegetables. The initiative responds to the growing challenges of high energy costs and economic sustainability in Norwegian agriculture, particularly in Northern Norway.

The pre-project will assess the technical, economic, social, and environmental aspects of utilizing surplus heat for greenhouse-based food production. It will identify optimal technical solutions, estimate production capacity, and document sustainability benefits. By leveraging waste heat, the project seeks to reduce energy costs, strengthen local food supply, and provide short-travelled products to the region. The results will form the foundation for a main project, generating new knowledge for stakeholders and paving the way for more energy-efficient and economically viable greenhouse operations. The outcomes of the project are expected to be replicable for other data centers and other low-temperature heat sources, enabling symbiosis between the agriculture sector and energy-intensive industries in Arctic regions.