Link to the news article in Finnish.

In Finland and across Europe, there is an ongoing public discussion regarding the role of data centers in society. In the media, data centers are often portrayed as massive energy hogs that consume vast amounts of power while providing little local value. However, this image is outdated and based on several misconceptions about the real-world impact of data centers.

Data centers are the physical backbone of digital society, much like roads and power grids. They maintain critical services, from banking systems to hospital data networks, while also enabling our modern lifestyle with remote work and streaming services. Rather than getting stuck in debate, we need to focus on how to implement these vital centers with maximum energy efficiency. With the global need for data centers rising, Finland’s stable infrastructure and cool climate provide a unique opportunity to build digital growth on a resource-efficient foundation.

Myth 1

“Data centers don’t create jobs”

One of the most persistent myths is that a data center is merely a "tin shed" guarded by a single security guard and a cleaning crew. The reality is quite different. The Google data center in Hamina, equipped with Nohewa’s heat recovery solution, is a prime example: it currently employs approximately 400 full-time staff members. When compared to the Summa paper mill that previously occupied the same site and employed about 500 people before its closure, the impact is surprisingly similar.

The effects during the construction phase are even more significant. At its peak, up to 1,800 construction and engineering professionals worked on the Hamina site. Furthermore, data centers generate a new ecosystem of expert work: Finland has become a significant hub of expertise for designers, developers, and operations engineers specializing in data centers. This knowledge and expertise is now becoming a major export asset for the country.

Myth 2 “Data centers are just passive energy consumers”

Data centers consume a significant amount of electricity, but they don’t "waste" it. Nearly 100% of the electricity used by servers is inevitably converted into heat. The real question is whether this heat is vented into thin air or put to productive use. With Nohewa's Heatzilla® solutions, data centers are transformed from passive consumers into central heat producers.

Technically, a data center is a near-perfect heat source for heat pumps. Unlike weather-dependent outdoor air or wastewater with fluctuating flow rates, a data center provides a steady and predictable heat load 24/7, every day of the year. When combined with high output temperatures (typically 30–70 °C), the efficiency reaches a level many times higher than alternative sources.

The difference is easiest to understand by comparing a data center to a traditional electric boiler, which produces only heat. In a data center environment, electricity first performs valuable work as computing power, after which Nohewa’s technology delivers this heat to the district heating network with significantly higher efficiency than traditional solutions. It makes sense to ask: why settle for just heat when the same energy can power both the digital realm and the heating of our homes?

Myth 3 “Local benefits are non-existent”

Contrary to popular belief, a data center can enhance the security of supply for an entire region. For example, Telia's Helsingin Data Center (Telia HDC) is designed to support the national grid by offering its capacity for grid balancing, increasing both energy security and regional resilience.

Telia HDC is also a great example of technological symbiosis. Its cooling is generated almost 100% by a heat recovery solution implemented by Nohewa. While the system keeps the servers cool, it pumps the recovered heat into the Helen district heating network. This project already generates enough heat to meet the annual needs of up to 14,000 standard apartments.

The greatest local benefit is the reduction in heating costs and emissions as waste heat replaces fossil fuels. In Hamina, data center heat already covers 80% of the entire city's needs, marking a significant local step toward a carbon-neutral future. The applications for this energy extend to any industrial or agricultural site within reach of the infrastructure, ensuring that no heat goes to waste even outside urban areas.

Nohewa – Building bridges between bits and heat

At Nohewa, we don’t see data centers as mere IT buildings, but as resource-wise energy units. Our mission is to ensure that the needs of data center operators and energy companies meet in a way that is both technically functional and commercially viable.

As an industry pioneer, Nohewa offers turnkey solutions that create a genuine symbiosis: the community receives clean heat, and the data center receives energy-efficient cooling. District heating is the most logical and efficient way to heat our cities, and Nohewa’s technology makes it more sustainable by replacing the need for combustion-based plants with emission-free waste heat.

By utilizing existing networks, we ensure that district heating remains competitive and an attractive option for properties in the future. This creates a foundation where digital infrastructure and local energy production support each other sustainably and profitably.