Case study: atNorth
How kW-set Oy Powers atNorth’s Nordic Data Centre Expansion
kW-set Oy has delivered turnkey backup power solutions for atNorth data centres from Denmark to Iceland as capacity crunch drives Nordic expansion
When atNorth needed backup power for its first Nordic data centre in 2023, the company faced a problem common to newer operators: how to secure reliable emergency generators without the in-house engineering teams that hyperscalers take for granted.
The solution came from Finland. kW-set Oy won the contract to supply six generators for atNorth’s Fin02 facility. Two years later, kW-set provides turnkey backup power solutions across atNorth’s entire Nordic portfolio.
“Our partnership with atNorth started in 2023, when we got the first order for Fin02. The second phase was Iceland, then Denmark, and now we are supplying all the sites for atNorth.”
Atte Hietaoja, Partner and Chief Sales Executive at kW-set Oy
Diesel dominates despite environmental pressure
The partnership between atNorth and kW-set highlights a reality that environmental advocates find uncomfortable: data centres still depend on diesel for backup power, and alternatives remain impractical at scale. The physics are unforgiving.
“The standard requirement for data centres is to have 48 hours of energy stored on site. In practice, this is only feasible with diesel. Using gas or hydrogen would require 10–20 times more storage space, while batteries would demand roughly one million times (10⁶) more space.” says Atte Hietaoja, Partner and Chief Sales Executive at kW-set Oy.
kW-set Oy addresses environmental concerns through operational reality and fuel chemistry. Most backup generators run only during scheduled tests and actual outages.
“The diesel generators are used mainly for emergencies. The running hours are really low, and because they are operated only a few hours a year, the total emissions are minimal,” Atte notes.
The company also incorporates renewable diesel capability.
“We can use HVO, which means renewable diesel. This cuts up to 90% of the total emissions compared to traditional fuels. This is also the case in atNorth.”
Nordic logistics prove kW-set Oy capabilities across challenging routes
As the atNorth partnership expanded beyond Finland into new Nordic markets, kW-set Oy faced increasingly complex logistical challenges. The company’s ability to deliver backup power systems across vast distances and difficult terrain would prove crucial to maintaining the relationship.
“One of the most interesting milestones is the deliveries to Iceland. The distance between Finland and Iceland is comparable to the distance between Finland and Portugal or Spain – more than 3,000 kilometres by sea – and we delivered the generators on time,” Atte says.
kW-set’s logistical expertise has become increasingly valuable as European data centre operators expand into new territories. Traditional hubs like Frankfurt and London face capacity constraints that push operators toward previously overlooked regions.
“If we look at the data centre market, it’s growing really fast. These so-called flagship countries like Frankfurt and London are really crowded,” Atte observes.
Nordic countries offer advantages beyond available land, particularly sustainable energy production.
“Now we see the demand growing in the Nordics also because of sustainable energy production, which favours the Nordic countries,” Atte notes.
The geographic shift benefits operators like atNorth and their suppliers. Customer demand has also pushed kW-set Oy into adjacent product categories.
“We have had many requests from customers to have an E-POD or power pod supplier like us, so we have actually started this year to also manufacture and sell E-PODs and power pods. So that is a new product category for us,” Atte says.
