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Green Mountain and KMW partners to build new sustainable data center site in Germany

FRA1-Mainz - Green Mountain Data Center

Norwegian data center company, Green Mountain, has entered into an agreement with energy company, KMW, to establish a new 54 MW data center site in Mainz, 30 km outside Frankfurt. Both companies have a 50% stake in the new joint venture. The data center will be supported by renewables from KMW’s portfolio and operated according to high sustainability standards.

Three data center buildings are planned at the new 25,000 sqm site situated in an already existing industrial area adjacent to KMW’s power plants. The Mainz authorities have approved the building application and constructions start in Q3 2023. The site can support both multi-tenant contracts as well as dedicated buildings for larger client installations.  

“It was important to find a partner with sufficient experience in operating data centers as well as sales and marketing. Green Mountain complements us perfectly,” explains Oliver Malerius, CEO of KMW.

“Green Mountain has a vision of setting the green standard in the data center industry and that is why we particularly liked KMW’s green approach to operating the data center,” adds Svein Atle Hagaseth, CEO of Green Mountain.

All the prerequisites are in place to make the FRA1-Mainz site one of the world’s most sustainable data centers.

  • The power supply is covered by KMW’s renewable energy portfolio.
  • It will be cooled by the adjacent Rhine River, making it very energy efficient with a PUE below 1,3. 
  • The KMW gas plant will supply the back-up power, making diesel generators for emergency power redundant.
  • With a location close to the Frankfurt DE-CIX hub, strong connectivity is secured.
  • Up to 60 MW of waste heat will be fed into the Mainz district heating system, making sure the precious energy resources are used optimally. This district heating grid supplies up to 1000 properties in the city.

Both parties are pleased with the partnership and look forward to a long-term cooperation.

“This is a large and long-term project in Mainz, hence it is important that the partnership with Green Mountain is not just an economical but a cultural fit,” says Joerg Hoehler, CPO of KMW. “We are convinced that Green Mountain not only has the necessary know-how, but also shares the values of KMW and its shareholders,” adds Stephan Krome, CFO of KMW, .

“With this partnership, Green Mountain continues its pan-European growth strategy. We are excited we can finally offer a green data center location in one of the hottest data center markets in Europe. However, it is not just about growth, but creating sustainable opportunities. The collaboration with KMW makes this possible,” says Hagaseth.

International law firm Taylor Wessing advised Azrieli/Green Mountain on the transaction.

About Green Mountain:

Green Mountain designs, builds and operates highly secure, innovative and sustainable data centers in Norway and the UK. The data centers are powered by low-cost, 100 percent renewable power, and the use of free cooling in the Norwegian data centers ensures high energy efficiency.

The company currently operates the following data center locations: SVG1-Rennesøy near Stavanger, RJU1-Rjukan in Telemark and OSL1-Enebakk data center about 20 km outside of Oslo. In addition, a data center in London (LON1-East) was recently established through the acquisition of an existing company and it is located in one of the most important data center hubs in the world.

Existing customers include large international companies within cloud, banking/finance, HPC, automotive sectors and more. Data center security is of the highest level and Green Mountain holds multiple ISO certifications.

About KMW (Kraftwerke Mainz-Wiesbaden AG):

KMW has been providing reliable power to the greater Mainz-Wiesbaden area for more than 90 years and supplied district heating since the 1960s. The municipal company operates the world’s most efficient gas & steam, combined heat & power as well as waste-to-energy plants to generate clean energy through a conventional process, making it part of the critical infrastructure. 500 employees ensure the region’s energy supply.

In addition to conventional sources of power, KMW has expanded in the fields of renewable energies, energy management and hydrogen. The investment in a data center strategically complements the diversification of KMW’s portfolio.

The public utility companies Mainzer Stadtwerke AG and ESWE Versorgungs AG are shareholders in KMW, each holding a 50 percent stake.

Signing of partnership agreement
Pictured persons from left to right: Dr. Oliver Malerius (KMW), Tobias Junglas (KMW), Tor Kristian Gyland (Green Mountain), Markus Blüm (KMW), Rafi Wunsh (Azrieli Group), Stephan Krome (KMW)