atNorth and Kesko join forces for heat reuse in Finland

atNorth, a Nordic high-density colocation provider, has launched a heat reuse collaboration with Kesko Corporation using waste heat from its FIN02 data centre in Espoo. The project supplies excess heat from the data centre directly to a nearby Kesko store.

The initiative is intended to reduce reliance on conventional district heating by using surplus heat from the data centre to meet most of the store’s heating needs, resulting in reduced emissions for both organisations.

For Kesko, the project supports its target of a 58.8% reduction in Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions. The recycled heat from FIN02 is expected to reduce its district heating emissions by approximately 200 tonnes of CO₂ per year, representing around 0.9% of its district heating-related emissions.

The collaboration highlights the role data centres can play in local energy systems by reusing excess heat, improving overall energy efficiency at the FIN02 facility, and supporting wider circular economy initiatives in Finland.

As demand for digital infrastructure continues to grow, the project reflects efforts to scale data centre capacity with consideration for environmental impact and energy efficiency within local energy networks.

The FIN02 facility is part of atNorth’s wider strategy to develop sustainable digital infrastructure across the Nordics. The company continues to explore partnerships focused on heat reuse and energy efficiency.

The Kesko partnership follows other heat reuse projects in atNorth’s portfolio, including a community greenhouse in Akureyri, Iceland, and collaborations with Vestforbrænding in Denmark and Stockholm Exergi in Sweden to supply heat to local district heating networks.