Data centers are a significant opportunity for Finland
Finland is currently a subject of global interest regarding data center investments. A substantial increase in renewable energy production, NATO membership, political stability, high education standards, good telecommunications infrastructure, and reduced energy taxes are key factors that are attracting investors to Finland, writes Antti Laine, Fimpec’s Project manager and Data Center expert.
Increased public criticism of the electricity consumption of data centers has accelerated the need for new investment destinations. The opportunity for energy-efficient cooling due to the northern cool climate and the possibilities of utilizing waste heat are also factors that make Finland an attractive investment location for data centers.
Significant investments in traditional FLAP (Frankfurt, London, Amsterdam, Paris) city areas have dominated the industry until now, but the capacity of these regions is beginning to be reached, and investments are increasingly shifting towards new destinations, such as Ireland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark.
Finland currently has excellent opportunities to attract investments, but it requires effort. In terms of marketing, we are behind countries like Sweden and Denmark, which have successfully built their brands. Both countries have seen and will see investments that are clear examples of how Finland should approach this matter. We are as good as Denmark or Sweden when evaluating data center investment locations, but we need to make ourselves more visible and demonstrate strong national cooperation among various parties.
I see that in Finland, we have the opportunity to act as the leading country for data center investments if we actively promote our strengths to international players.
Fimpec as a partner in data center projects
Sustainability and energy efficiency are essential criteria for data centers. Fimpec’s extensive experience in the energy sector and expertise in utilizing waste heat align well with the sustainability goals of future data centers. In line with EU environmental objectives, Fimpec is also working on improving the ability to calculate its carbon footprint, so that we can choose the most energy-efficient and environmentally friendly solutions and materials right from the planning stage of our customers’ projects.
Fimpec represents the strengths that Finland has to offer to international data center companies. Fimpec employees are a strong mix of innovative young professionals and seasoned experts, and our staff represents various nationalities and cultures.
Fimpec’s core expertise is based on extensive experience in various challenging data center projects, from site surveys and handling permits to commissioning. Our long-standing collaboration with authorities has proven to be a strength in the preliminary assessments and planning of projects, as well as in project launches. This expertise is complemented by our local knowledge, a strong network with various contractors, and the procurement of competent and reliable suppliers for the project.
Customer-Centric Approach
I believe that our project work always starts with our customers’ needs. Successful project implementation requires understanding the customer’s requirements, and we invest in this in all project stages, including post-project work. Our goal is always to build long-term customer relationships instead of individual projects. Long-term customer relationships help us to better understand customer wishes and needs, allowing us to respond more effectively to changing customer requirements.
Finland is a small, export-driven country, but we possess innovation and skilled individuals. We, at Fimpec, want to contribute to increasing the recognition of Finnish expertise worldwide.
Author Antti Laine works as a project manager at Fimpec Engineering and serves as an expert in server center investment project management and planning. Laine is also a member of the board of the Finnish Data Center Association (FDCA).
Fimpec is a member of FDCA (Finnish Data Center Association).
