OpenAI Launches Stargate Norway Data Center with Nscale, Aker

OpenAI has unveiled Stargate Norway, its inaugural European AI data center built in partnership with British cloud provider Nscale and Norwegian energy firm Aker.

Set up as a 50/50 joint venture, Nscale will design and construct the site, while OpenAI commits to purchasing compute capacity as an off-taker.

The announcement cements Europe's strategic push for AI sovereignty and local data infrastructure.

Europe’s Race for AI Sovereignty

The European Union recently unveiled more than €30 billion in AI infrastructure investments, including 13 regional AI factories and a €20 billion seed fund.

Data sovereignty sits at the heart of the plan, ensuring sensitive business and government data remains within compliant borders.

Stargate Norway Details

Located near Narvik in northern Norway, Stargate Norway taps into abundant hydropower, a cool climate, and a mature industrial base.

In its first phase, the facility will deliver 230 MW of capacity—scaling to 290 MW—and host 100,000 Nvidia GPUs by 2026.

Excess heat from GPU systems will be recycled to power low-carbon enterprises, aligning with the EU’s Energy Efficiency Directive and AI Act mandates.

• Hydropower-driven grid for carbon-neutral operations
• Closed-loop liquid cooling directly to GPU chips
• 230 MW initial capacity with plans to reach 290 MW
• Priority access for Norwegian startups, researchers, and AI innovators

Strategic Implications

As an off-taker, OpenAI secures EU compute without full capital exposure, while Nscale and Aker each commit around $1 billion to the initial 20 MW build.

This collaborative model could become a blueprint for future AI hubs across the continent.

Compliance with the EU AI Act demands transparent energy reporting and waste-heat recovery, reinforcing Europe’s data governance and environmental goals.

QuarkyByte’s Analytical Edge

QuarkyByte’s approach to cloud infrastructure blends deep energy modeling, real-time monitoring, and data governance frameworks.

We help stakeholders balance performance, sustainability, and regulatory compliance—optimizing capacity planning for liquid-cooled GPU clusters and waste-heat utilization strategies.

As Europe stakes its claim in the AI race, Stargate Norway exemplifies strategic partnerships, renewable energy, and advanced cooling.

QuarkyByte stands ready to guide organizations through this evolving landscape, optimizing infrastructure investments and ensuring sovereign, sustainable AI compute.