Varde Kommune approves multi-billion data center and greenhouse project

Varde Municipal Council has approved the local planning foundation for a multi-billion-krone data center and greenhouse project in Krageris north of Ølgod. The decision passed despite local protests outside the town hall, with several political parties voting in favor and others against.

The 174-hectare project area will span 225,000 square meters for the data center and 475,000 square meters for greenhouses. As a sector-coupling project, the data center will generate excess heat to warm the greenhouses, allowing for year-round local vegetable production. The Nordic company atNorth leads the development alongside investors including Selected Group, which will build and operate the greenhouses. Construction is scheduled for completion in 2030.

The approved planning framework will soon be published, triggering a four-week complaint period. To address local concerns, Varde Kommune has hired an independent community consultant and established a dialogue group for neighbors. Mayor Sarah Andersen supports the project as a vital step to create jobs, attract residents, and counter an aging population in rural districts.