Sustainable and Responsible Data Center Ecosystem seminar in Kajaani on May 22, 2025.

In recent years, Kajaani has developed into Finland’s Arctic data center capital, home to both domestic and international technology and data center companies. This would not have been possible without close collaboration between local authorities, data center ecosystem members, and other stakeholders.
The Sustainable and Responsible Data Center Ecosystem seminar offered a unique opportunity to bring together various industry players and partners to hear and discuss important shared themes and future opportunities e.g. excess heat utilization.

In addition to high-level Key Notes and insightful presentations, CSC offered the exclusive opportunity to visit EuroHPC LUMI supercomputer and data center. LUMI is one of the most powerful supercomputers in Europe.

Sustainable and Responsible Data Center Ecosystem seminar was organized by CSC, KAMK and LUKE in cooperation with FDCA, the City of Kajaani and the Kainuu Regional Council.

The event was organized in Kaukametsä Conference and Cultural Centre, Auditorium Kouta (Koskikatu 2, Kajaani, Finland)

PROGRAMME     

8:30 Coffee

Session 1: Fast growing data center industry in EU and Finland

9:00 Opening, Silja Keränen, KAMK
9:15 Keynote speech, Member of Finnish Parliament Mikko Polvinen. Presentation materials
9:35 EU scheme for rating sustainability of data centers, Policy Officer Nikolaos Kontinakis DG ENER European Commission (Video greeting)
9:50 Data center sector overview and future development, Chairman of the Board Veijo Terho, Finnish Data Center Association FDCA. Presentation materials

10:20 Short break

Session 2: Data center ecosystem development in Kajaani

10:40 Greetings from City of Kajaani, Chairman of the Board, Teuvo Hatva. Presentation materials
10:50 LUMI supercomputer and LUMI AI Factory in the Kajaani Data Center Ecosystem, Managing Director Kimmo Koski, CSC – IT Center for Science Ltd.
11:20 Data center excess heat reuse in Kajaani and further possibilities, Project Manager Silja Keränen KAMK; Senior Scientist Kyösti Ruuttunen Natural Resources Institute Finland (Luke). Presentation materials  Chairman of the Board Risto Oikari, Loiste Oy Presentation materials

Short introductions of the partners

12:00 Lunch  

Session 3: Sustainability of digital transition and supporting actions 

13:30 Handprint and footprint of the data economy and digitalization, Project manager Antti Sipilä, TIEKE Finnish Information Development Centre, Green ICT -project. Presentation materials
14:00 Education and RDI supporting the data center ecosystem, Director of Research and Development Mikko Keränen, KAMK. Presentation materials

14:15 Coffee and networking break 

Session 4: Business perspective in the Kajaani data center ecosystem development  

14:45 Overview from some local key players, Country Manager Tero Tuononen, Borealis Data Center Oy and Business Director, Data centers Jari Innanen, Granlund Oy Presentation materials

15:25 Discussion and closing remarks 

15:45 Seminar ends 

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16:00 Registration and ID check for the CSC’s LUMI data center visitors
16:15 Bus transportation leaving to LUMI visit 

 

 

 

 

 

Contact information

If you have any questions about the seminar please don’t hesitate to contact us!

Kajaani University of Applied Sciences

Silja Keränen, Project manager
silja.keranen@kamk.fi; +358 44 710 0288

Janne Tolonen, Communication specialist
janne.tolonen@kamk.fi; +358 404849437

CSC – IT Center for Science Ltd.

Eeva Sokka, Manager, Data Center Ecosystems
eeva.sokka@csc.fi; +358 44 7700524

Saana Ylönen, Specialist, Data Center Industry Collaboration
saana.ylonen@csc.fi; +358 50 381 8495