- Openai chose Narvik for his cheap hydropower and jumped completely over traditional European data nodes
- Stargate Norway project will use 100,000 NVIDIA GPUs in a massive, sustained drive setup
- 1 billion dollars data center promises 520 MW capacity and advanced direct-to-chip-cooling systems
Openai’s European ambitions have taken a surprising reversal with the launch of his project Stargate in northern Norway.
Instead of traditional tech nodes such as Germany, France or Britain, Openai has chosen Narvik, a remote but energy-rich location, to host what could become one of Europe’s largest AI-Infrastructure facilities.
The site, part of Openai’s “Openai for Lands” initiative, aims to provide massive computer resources run by 100,000 NVIDIA GPUs by the end of 2026.
A joint venture of billions of dollars with deep industrial roots
Stargate Norway is a joint venture between AI infrastructure company NSCALE and NORWEGIAN INDUSTRY HEAVYWEIGHT AKER, both of which have committed considerable financing for its development.
“Announcing Stargate Norway and delivering one of the first European AI gigafactory to the market is a strategic milestone for the region and increasing its role in the global AI landscape,” said Josh Payne, CEO of NSCALE.
The first 20 MW phase alone is supported by approx. $ 1 billion investment with long -term plans to scale capacity to 520 MW.
The site will completely rely on renewable energy and have advanced cooling systems, including closed loop, directly to chip fluid cooling, with excess heat, which is allegedly reused to support local low-carbon fabric projects.
The rationale for choosing Narvik over more central locations seems to be rooted in costs and resource availability.
The region offers low electricity prices, ample hydropower and a naturally cool climate.
“Norway has a proud history of transforming pure, renewable energy into industrial value, driving global industries such as aluminum and fertilizer … Nord -Norway, with its surplus of pure energy, accessible capacity and industrial emergency preparedness, is the ideal launch plate for this transformation,” said Øyvind Eriksen, President and CEO of Aker.
Narvik’s relatively under -utilized transmission capacity also makes it viable for heavy computer loads, something many traditional European data hubs are struggling to accommodate.
Openai places himself as the original consumer of the computational power, but excess capacity is expected to be distributed over the UK, Nordic countries and Northern Europe.
From a hardware perspective, the planned installation of 100,000 NVIDIA GPUS Stargate Norway positions as a serious competitor in high privacy computing.
This kind of scale requires robust CPU support and a data center that is not only optimized for GPU-intensive workload, but also for fast CPU management and storage flow.
“Europe needs more calculation to realize AI’s full potential for all Europeans – from developers and researchers to startups and researchers – and we will help make it happen,” said Sam Altman, CEO of Openai.
As data centers develop into strategic assets, the decision to place one of the world’s largest AI calculation facilities in Narvik in Narvik marks a bold shift, one that could transform the geographical balance between AI development in Europe.
