OpenAI has launched Stargate Norway, its first AI data center initiative in Europe, and the third major Stargate project launched since its debut in the United States, and its second iteration in the Middle East under the project name Stargate UAE.
In a press release, the company said that Stargate Norway is planned to deliver 230MW of capacity, with ambitions to expand by an additional 290MW. The facility will target to deliver 100,000 NVIDIA GPUs by the end of 2026.
OpenAI explained its rationale behind choosing Norway, saying, “In Norway alone, the number of weekly active ChatGPT users has quadrupled in the past year—most of them under 35—and includes thousands of local developers.” It further explained, “Narvik’s abundant hydropower, low-cost energy, cool climate, and mature industrial base make it an ideal location to deliver large-scale, sustainable AI capacity.”
OpenAI is showcasing ambitious sustainability goals with this project. The facility will run entirely on renewable power and is expected to incorporate closed-loop, direct-to-chip liquid cooling to ensure maximum cooling efficiency. Additionally, excess heat from the GPU systems will be made available to support low-carbon enterprises in the region.
It also shed light on the other players in the project saying, “Stargate Norway partners include Nscale, a leading AI infrastructure provider with experience delivering cloud infrastructure across Europe and North America, and Aker, with its century-long legacy in energy and industry. The site will be designed and built by Nscale and is expected to be owned by a 50/50 joint venture between Nscale and Aker.”
Aker and Nscale will also work to provide priority access to Norway’s AI ecosystem, ensuring homegrown AI start-ups and scientific researchers can benefit from the additional compute capacity. Surplus capacity will be made available to public and private sector users across the UK, Nordics and Northern Europe, serving regional demand and accelerating the development of Europe’s AI ecosystem.
While in Norway, OpenAI will also engage with government officials to explore opportunities for collaboration, including boosting AI adoption and helping to deliver on Norway’s sovereign AI goals.