Green Data Center in Iceland

Data Islandia, a storage company based in Iceland, has announced plans for an unusual environmentally friendly data center (link via Drunken Data) in the town of Sandgerdi in southwest Iceland. The facility will be built near a former US Naval Air Station, and will use natural wind cooling to reduce energy usage. The design (see illustration at right) is based on Icelandic turf farms and makes extensive use of the landscape.

"Our major data facilities are powered entirely by renewable energy," Data Islandia says on its web site. "We work closely with leading environmental accreditation organisations for independent verification of our sustainability policy. New data facilities are designed with Icelandic conditions in mind. For example, passive-cooling techniques take advantage of Iceland's year-round cool and low-humidity climate. Energy efficiency and carbon emissions are considered in the purchase of equipment and services."

Economic development officials from Iceland have been touting the island nation as a destination for data center development, and have attended several recent industry events to educate data center end users about Iceland's energy advantages due to its vast supply of geothermal power.