OpenAI has announced that it will implement its first artificial intelligence (AI) data center in Europe, called Stargate Norway, located in Norway. The project will be carried out in partnership with British AI cloud infrastructure provider Nscale and Norwegian energy infrastructure company Aker.
Nscale will handle the design and construction of the data center, which will be managed as a 50/50 joint venture between the two companies. OpenAI will purchase computing capacity from the center.
AI Sovereignty and Infrastructure Strengthening in Europe
This announcement coincides with the European Union’s (EU) plans to achieve AI sovereignty and invest billions in data centers and computing power. The EU has allocated €10 billion to establish 13 AI factories and an additional €20 billion as initial investment in these factories. Data security and sovereignty, especially regarding sensitive business and government data, are key priorities of this initiative.
OpenAI and Nscale have stated that the Stargate Norway project operates independently from the EU’s official AI infrastructure program. Nscale’s CEO, Josh Payne, told CNBC that the project aims to leverage Europe’s sovereign computing capabilities and will prioritize access for startups and scientific researchers based in Norway.
Project Capacity and Features
In its initial phase, the project will develop infrastructure with a capacity of 20 megawatts (MW), with Nscale and Aker each investing approximately $1 billion. According to OpenAI, Stargate Norway will deliver 230 MW of computing capacity by the end of 2026, with plans to increase it to 290 MW. The data center will operate 100,000 Nvidia GPUs.
The facility will be located near Narvik, a town in northern Norway. OpenAI’s blog highlights the region’s access to hydropower, cool climate, and a mature industrial base.
Environmental Sustainability and Energy Efficiency
OpenAI stated that the data center will run entirely on renewable energy and will implement a direct-to-chip liquid cooling system for maximum cooling efficiency. Additionally, excess heat generated by the GPU systems will be used to support low-carbon enterprises in the area.
The EU’s Artificial Intelligence Act, effective from 2024, bans high-risk AI systems and requires data centers to reduce environmental impact and maintain transparency regarding energy consumption. The EU’s Energy Efficiency Directive also emphasizes energy savings in the information and communication technology sector and mandates that data centers with high energy use recover waste heat.
Continuation of a Major Global Initiative
Stargate Norway follows OpenAI’s $500 billion investment plan to build 10 gigawatts of AI infrastructure in the United States in partnership with Oracle and SoftBank. This project also follows the launch of the Stargate facility in the UAE earlier this year and a recent agreement with the UK government to accelerate AI adoption and enhance infrastructure.
