National research center to the university

Luleå University of Technology starts a national research center – Cloudberry Datacenters – within energy and resource-efficient data centers. The goal is to become a hub for research, development, knowledge and implementation in the data center area.

The world is becoming increasingly digitized. The digitization contributes to a rapidly growing demand for data processing, which in turn leads to greater growth in the energy-intensive data center industry. The data center industry consists of complex systems and involves everything from land, buildings and water to electricity, cooling, IT software and IT hardware.

– When the cloud reaches land, it lands in a data center. Our data centers are getting bigger, which places new demands on society. In Sweden and the Nordic region, we are good at data center establishments: we got green energy, stable power grids, a stable bedrock, political continuity and cold climate. Now we add the last puzzle piece – expertise, says Michael Nilsson, Project Manager at Centre for Distance Spanning Technology, CDT

– The competence in the Swedish data center industry needs to be strengthened if we are to handle this complex business. Now we want to get a proper exchange of growth and contribute to reduced energy use.

Wide collaborations

Clouberry Datacenter's focus is on energy and resource efficiency. Large-scale data centers require huge amounts of energy. By developing new technologies, processes, methods and strategies for increased energy efficiency, Cloudberry Datacenters will contribute to reduced carbon dioxide emissions. Is it possible, for example, to actually build differently in order to reduce energy consumption? How can we use waste heat from server halls? What kind of software architecture is needed to increase energy efficiency? Due to the complex and varied problems, research will be interdisciplinary. The research groups at Luleå University of Technology that will be involved cover everything from energy systems research and research about software and data clouds to research on buildings, cooling and energy recycling.

– We will have a holistic approach to data centers and that makes us unique. At the university we will work interdisciplinary and engage in several different research subjects, says Karl Andersson, Acting Executive Director at CDT.

Why does the research center end up at Luleå University of Technology specifically?

– We have long experience of this kind of research, not least at the Centre for Distance-Spanning Technology, CDT, that will coordinate Cloudberry Datacenters. We have a solid ground to stand on and a broad network of contacts in the data center industry, says Karl Andersson.

– There is also a great deal of commitment from business and society that ensures that research is beneficial in terms of spin-offs, products, services and innovations.

Luleå University of Technology launches Cloudberry Datacenters in partnership with RISE SICS North (SICS). Participating industrial parties include Vattenfall, Node Pole, Ericsson, Umeå energi and Skellefteå kraft. Contributors from the public realm are, among others, the Swedish Energy Agency, Region Norrbotten, Skellefteå municipality and Luleå municipality.

In the media:

• Computer Sweden External link, opens in new window.
• Svenska dagbladet External link, opens in new window.
• Ny teknik External link, opens in new window.
• Aftonbladet External link, opens in new window.
• Sveriges radio P4 Norrbotten External link, opens in new window.
• Elektronik i Norden External link, opens in new window.
• Affärer i norr External link, opens in new window.