Programme – 21 September

The Digital North

Norway has cheap power, a cold climate and a location that matters more than it did five years ago. Day 1 asks what that position is worth, and what it will take to keep it.

09:00 | Registration, coffee and exhibition

10:30–12:00 | Session 1: Building value for Norway

Where Norway stands: the government’s position, the numbers behind the industry and the companies building the infrastructure.

Opening

Fredrik Solvang
Conference host

Reynir Jóhannesson
CEO, Norwegian Datacenter Industry

Keynotes

Marianne Wilhelmssen
State Secretary, Ministry of Digitalisation and Public Governance

Stian Jenssen
CEO, Nscale

Jon Gravråk
CEO, Bulk Infrastructure

John-Eivind Velure
Director General, Nkom

Panel discussions

Where does the opposition stand on power and digital infrastructure?
Politicians from Høyre and Fremskrittspartiet. Speakers to be announced.

What does the data center industry actually leave behind in Norway?
With the keynote speakers.

12:00–13:30 | Lunch and exhibition

13:30–15:00 | Session 2: Energy and grid

No power, no data centers. Grid capacity, connection queues and the build-out of generation and transmission.

Special address

Stanislav Prybytko
Deputy Minister of Digital Transformation, Ukraine

Ukraine has spent four years keeping a country online while its power and telecom networks have been under attack. Prybytko will share lessons from building redundancy, dispersing capacity and rebuilding critical digital infrastructure under extraordinary conditions.

Keynotes

Maren Aschehoug Esmark
Head of Section, Energy Use, NVE

Halvor Lie
Grid Development, Statnett

Pelle Gangeskar
Country Manager Norway, Hscale

Emil Schwabe-Hansen
Vice President, Statkraft

Google
Speaker to be announced

Lyse
Speaker to be announced

Panel discussion

Does Norway have the power and the grid for the next wave?

With speakers from NVE, Statnett, Hscale, Statkraft, Google and Lyse.

Commentators

Ole Petter Pedersen
Europower

Ellen S. Viseth
Teknisk Ukeblad

Anders Lie Brenna
EnergyWatch

15:30–17:00 | Session 3: Let’s impress Truls

The industry gets one shot at impressing Truls Gulowsen.

Data center operators will present what they actually build in Norwegian terrain before the leader of Naturvernforbundet responds: what convinces him, and what does not?

The industry makes its case

Six operators from the Norwegian data center industry. Speakers to be announced.

Truls responds

Truls Gulowsen
Leader, Naturvernforbundet

Panel discussion

Did we impress you? Where do industry and nature actually conflict, and where do they not?

Operators and Truls Gulowsen.

19:00 | Conference dinner

Limited seats.

The conference dinner runs from 19:00 to 21:30 and must be added separately during registration, except where included in the ticket.

Programme – 22 September

The Value Chain

Day 2 belongs to the companies that make data center development possible: what operators demand, what Norwegian suppliers can deliver and who will build the next wave.

08:30–09:00 | Registration, mingling and coffee

09:00 | Welcome and opening of Day 2

Tore Svanes, New Kapuang
Reynir Jóhannesson, Norwegian Datacenter Industry

09:10–10:30 | Session 1: From greenfield to operational data center

The practical realities of developing modern data centers and the role suppliers play in infrastructure, permitting, construction and sustainability.

09:10 | Building at scale: What data center developers need from their partners
Anders Hilt, EdgeConneX

09:25 | Stepping up to the challenge: How Norwegian contractors can win in data centers
Skjalg Lund, Backe Industry

09:35 | Short presentations
Morten Luneng, Norconsult
Jonas Alexandersson, Æge Energy

09:45 | Panel discussion

What are the biggest bottlenecks facing data center development in Norway today?

Moderated by Bjørn Rønning, Norwegian Datacenter Industry

Panel:

• Anders Hilt, EdgeConneX
• Skjalg Lund, Backe Industry
• Jonas Alexandersson, Æge Energy
• Torgeir Brovold, Verne
• Morten Luneng, Norconsult

10:05 | Elevator pitches

Six companies. Five minutes each. Companies announced on the day.

10:30–11:00 | Break and exhibition

11:00–12:20 | Session 2: Strengthening the Norwegian supplier ecosystem

As global investment accelerates, how can Norwegian suppliers capture more value at home and abroad?

11:00 | Framing the session
Tore Svanes, New Kapuang

11:05 | From local suppliers to European data center partners: The Irish experience
Stephen Cogan, Digital Infrastructure Ireland

11:20 | From potential to position: Building Norway’s data center supply industry
Rolf Pedersen, Gapit Nordics

11:35 | Panel discussion

How can Norwegian suppliers become preferred partners in future data center projects?

Panel:

• Rolf Pedersen, Gapit
• Siri Eidet, Vinje Industri
• Sigmund Aarflot, Satema
• Trond Tronsgård Willard, Green Mountain

11:50 | Elevator pitches

Six companies. Five minutes each. Companies announced on the day.

12:20–13:00 | Lunch and exhibition

13:00–13:30 | Live podcast: Behind the Cloud

Who will build the data centers? Thirty minutes on the opportunity for Norway’s supplier industry.

13:04 | How do you get in?
Speakers to be announced

13:15 | From Norway to Europe
Karin Angus, Enterprise Ireland

13:24 | The billion kroner opportunity
Rolf Pedersen
Tore Svanes, New Kapuang
Reynir Jóhannesson, Norwegian Datacenter Industry

13:35–14:00 | Building the industry, building the workforce

Norwegian jobs, not just Norwegian megawatts. Where will the people needed to build and operate the industry come from?

Session lead: Bjørn Rønning, Norwegian Datacenter Industry

13:40 | Debate: What do employers and unions need to do together, starting now?

With Petr Vasiliev, El og IT Forbundet.

14:00–14:20 | Break and exhibition

14:20–15:45 | Session 3: Is Norway ready for the next wave of data center and AI investments?

AI is driving unprecedented infrastructure demand. Does Norway have the power, connectivity, regulation and investment climate to stay a leading destination?

14:23 | Beyond the megawatts: What the data center and AI boom could mean for Norway
Kristin Aamodt, PwC Norway

14:37 | Why here? What it takes to win the next generation of data centers
Svein Atle Hagaseth, CEO and Founder, Heim Datacenters

14:50 | Financing the AI infrastructure boom: What does it take to attract capital?
Kristian Løvdahl, Arctic Securities

15:00 | Panel discussion

What must Norway do today to secure its share of tomorrow’s investments?

Panel:

• Kristin Aamodt, PwC
• Svein Atle Hagaseth, Heim Datacenters
• Kristian Løvdahl, Arctic Securities

15:20 | Elevator pitches

Six to eight companies. Five minutes each. Companies announced on the day.

15:45–16:00 | Closing of Day 2

Reynir Jóhannesson
Norwegian Datacenter Industry