Company to invest in exanding Swedish data center capacity Microsoft is to invest billions of dollars into AI infrastructure in Sweden The company this week announced it would invest 33.7 billion kronor ($3.2 billion) over two years in cloud and artificial intelligence infrastructure in Sweden The company will expand its three data centers in Sweden and train 250,000 people by 2027 to boost AI skills Microsoft said it will place more than 20,000 graphic processing units (GPUs) at its data centers in Sandviken "Microsoft's largest investment in our history in Sweden" would enable the Scandinavian country "to build world-leading AI data center infrastructure," the company's president and vice chair Brad Smith said at a press conference with Swedish Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson "A big part of the reason we're able to do this is because of Sweden's forward-looking energy policy whether it's carbon-free energy or renewable energy," Smith said Microsoft opened its Sweden Central Azure cloud region in late 2021. It has deployed a battery storage system in lieu of backup generators Plans to expand the Staffanstorp data center were dropped in 2022 with Microsoft said to be looking for alternative expansion sites claiming the site’s permitted capacity would not be enough The company recently signed a large carbon capture deal with Stockholm Exergi to remove carbon from an upcoming biomass plant in Sweden Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia Company sees opposition to backup generators Microsoft has dropped plans to expand capacity at one of its data centers in Sweden and will be looking for another location in the country to develop a new facility First announced in November 2020, Microsoft opened a new Azure cloud region in Sweden in late 2021 the combined region is known as Sweden Central The company this week said its site in Staffanstorp would no longer see its backup capacity expanded any further and it would be looking for new sites to develop in southern Sweden “Microsoft Sweden can announce today that the company has chosen to withdraw its permit application for the construction and operation of backup power units at the data center in Staffanstorp,” the company said last week on its Swedish site “The reason behind the decision is a greatly increased demand for the company's cloud services and secure data storage which means that there is a need for a larger data center in the region than the one planned in Staffanstorp.” “Microsoft has determined that the permit application for the construction and operation of reserve power for a facility with the planned capacity (70MW added power) will not be sufficient to meet the need for future expansion in the region We will continue to operate and expand operations in our data center in Staffanstorp but this will only happen with the reserve power units that are already in place today,” Microsoft said Sweden is Microsoft’s first data center region to run backup generators using Preem Evolution Diesel Plus The fuel contains at least 50 percent renewable raw material and nearly an equivalent reduction in net carbon dioxide emissions compared with standard fossil diesel blends local press reports suggest local opposition from residents and officials to the deployment of backup diesel generators is the reason behind the company’s reason for halting expansion in the area According to Sydsvenskan the project was described in the original building permit as a warehouse "and only when the building was finished did Microsoft apply for a permit with the County Administrative Board in Scania for environmentally hazardous operations The company has now reportedly given up trying to gain a permit to expand the data center and deploy more backup generators Local residents and groups fought against the cloud giant’s plans and hoped to get existing permits revoked In May Microsoft published a notice on its Swedish site saying it wanted to be “a good neighbor” to the area and the generators that are at its Staffanstorp site will "only be used during test runs and power cuts - something that is very unusual in Sweden as we have a stable electricity grid." How Microsoft plans to expand the Staffanstorp site using only the reserve power units is unclear Microsoft said it would be “adapting which services” it offers out the facility: “Our data center in Staffanstorp will be one of the few Microsoft data centers in the world that can offer this unique collection of services to our customers,” it said the company will be looking for a new location to develop a new data center with ample capacity and opportunity for backup power "We can already state that even if we expand in Staffanstorp to the maximum capacity, it will not cover the needs we have in the region," Andreas Wingren, head of communications at Microsoft Sweden, told Sydsvenskan. Wingren told local press the opposition from locals wasn’t part of the company’s decision in dropping expansion plans Microsoft said it had “already begun work" on finding a “new suitable location” in southern Sweden for the expansion of its data center operations “The ability to ensure good energy redundancy and backup power solutions will be important factors in choosing a new location,“ the company noted Microsoft began building a data center near Malmö back in 2019, following land purchases in Gävle and Sandviken Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia Microsoft aims to train 250,000 individuals by 2027 to enhance AI knowledge and skills alongside expanding capacity at its three data centers in Sweden Learn more about this initiative and stay updated on Microsoft’s efforts Microsoft has announced it will invest 33.7 billion Swedish crowns ($3.2 billion) over the next two years to expand its cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) infrastructure in Sweden particularly the rising demand for generative AI Companies like Microsoft and Amazon Web Services are investing billions in constructing European data centers to meet this demand Microsoft is extending its reach to Sweden after recent expansions in the UK the company plans to install 20,000 advanced graphics processing units at its Swedish data centers in Sandviken The units will use NVIDIA’s processors and may explore semiconductor solutions from AMD and develop their chips See more: Urgent Call To Protect OT Devices as Cyber Attacks Surge, Warns Microsoft The growing demand for advanced chips is fueled by the competition to develop generative AI programs requiring robust hardware support Microsoft is committed to promoting AI adoption across the Nordic region the company plans to train 250,000 individuals in AI skills Microsoft’s commitment to renewable energy in Sweden acquiring almost 1,000 MW of renewable energy Goldman Sachs predicts a significant opportunity in the AI sector estimating it to be nearly $1 trillion as tech companies invest in data centers to support their AI initiatives.  World Password Day 2025: Are passwords like underwear? Random Ramble: What's your EDC? (Every Day Carry) When was the first time you felt a disturbance in the Force? Toolbox will become Spiceworks News & Insights SwedenPrevious College: Texas TechHigh School: Riksidrottsgymnasium Helsingborg You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser to improve your experience to expand its data center capacity in Sweden The company will make the investment over two years as part of an initiative detailed this morning The move comes three years after the company inaugurated its first Azure region The cluster comprises three facilities located in the cities of Gävle Microsoft will use a portion of the project’s budget to expand the three facilities. As part of the effort, the company will deploy 20,000 new graphics processing units to support artificial intelligence workloads. The GPUs will be “chips like the Nvidia H100,” Brad Smith reportedly stated during a press conference today The H100 is two generations behind Nvidia Corp.’s flagship data center GPU. The chipmaker introduced the former product in 2022 and debuted a newer, significantly more capable version with a larger memory pool last November. This past March, Nvidia introduced an even faster GPU called the Blackwell B200 that can train AI models several times faster The H100 nevertheless continues to be in high demand. Meta Platforms Inc. revealed plans to buy 350,000 units in January about two months before the Blackwell B200 made its debut In the case of Microsoft’s push to deploy 20,000 new AI accelerators at its Swedish data centers not all the chips will be supplied by Nvidia “You will see us increasingly diversify the chips that we have,” Smith detailed during the press conference “We’ve been public about being very bullish on Nvidia but also AMD and ultimately some of our own chips as well.” Microsoft has so far detailed one internally developed AI chip: the Maia 100, which debuted last November It’s touted as one of the largest processors to use a five-nanometer manufacturing node Data flows in and out of Maia 100 chips via a custom Ethernet-based network protocol that Microsoft says can manage 4.8 terabits of traffic per second per accelerator AI processors rely on liquid cooling equipment to dissipate the heat they generate. When it debuted the Maia 100 last year, Microsoft detailed that its data centers weren’t designed to accommodate the large liquid chillers that would usually be necessary to cool deployments of the chip The company resolved the challenge by developing a custom heat dissipation system Microsoft’s custom cooling hardware might make it feasible to install the Maia 100 in its Swedish data centers the company could potentially deploy additional custom chips at the facilities Microsoft detailed an internally developed central processing unit at its Ignite conference last November and revealed that it’s developing a second-generation Maia accelerator Besides expanding its data center footprint in Sweden, Microsoft will also spend a portion of the $3.2 billion allocated to the project on local education initiatives. The goal is to provide 250,000 people with access to AI training by 2027. The announcement of the investment comes only weeks after rival Google LLC revealed a $1.1 billion plan to expand its data center campus in Finland OpenAI to make ChatGPT less creepy after app is accused of being 'dangerously' sycophantic but its stock wobbles on light revenue forecast Meta Platforms crushes Wall Street's earnings and revenue targets Microsoft delivers impressive earnings beat OpenText expands restructuring initiative after larger-than-expected sales drop AI - BY JAMES FARRELL INFRA - BY MIKE WHEATLEY APPS - BY MIKE WHEATLEY CLOUD - BY MIKE WHEATLEY BLOCKCHAIN - BY DUNCAN RILEY CLOUD - BY MARIA DEUTSCHER Forgot Password? The largest investment from Microsoft in Sweden to date 20,000 GPUs will be installed in the company's data centers and 250,000 Swedes will be trained in AI Together with Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson Microsoft's vice president Brad Smith announced a major AI initiative in Sweden Microsoft is investing 3.2 billion US dollars in Sweden over the next two years This is the company's largest investment in Sweden to date to add 20,000 GPUs to existing data centers in Sandviken A GPU is a specialized computer processor that handles and accelerates graphical computations to make images and animations faster and more efficient They are important for AI because they can process many parallel calculations simultaneously allowing for the quick training and running of complex neural networks and other machine learning models The investment will also go towards providing AI training for 250,000 Swedes The skill enhancement will be achieved through technical education and vocational training for students in the form of developing AI skills tailored training for reskilling in industry-specific professions Microsoft will establish an AI insights council that brings together leaders from academia The competency program will be conducted in close collaboration with partners and representatives from and partners within the Swedish Microsoft Responsible AI Innovation Center Also other countries have received or will see similar initiatives Sweden needs to increase the use of AI making the Swedish AI commission's work a bit easier but it is a good contribution and a positive injection but we are now beginning to come together as a nation to take a quick leap forward Mathias SundinThe Angry Optimist you help in the creation and sharing of fact-based optimistic news all over the world Researchers got help from Google's AI tool "co-scientist" to solve a complex problem about antibiotic resistance in just two days The tool also provided additional hypotheses that researchers are now investigating demonstrating its potential in scientific research By subscribing, I confirm that I've read and agree to the Cookies & Privacy Policy. Microsoft is investing 2.96 billion euros in expanding its existing data centres in Sweden The company has a presence in the country in the cities of Gävle The total investment of SEK 33.7 billion (EUR 2.96 billion) is spread over a two-year period 20,000 new GPUs should be operational to run AI workloads Microsoft hopes to fuel AI adoption in the Nordic region with the initiative With Microsoft’s now-announced investments that run until 2026 it is clear that the H100 GPUs will be around for AI projects for a long time to come maintains a high pace of innovation as the technology continues to evolve rapidly Also read: Nvidia announces successor Blackwell chips, but competition tightens Microsoft will still consider deploying semiconductors from AMD and chips of its own making will also be integrated in Sweden “You will see us diversify the chips we have more and more,” Smith further indicates Microsoft is further expanding its European region. Investments in the UK, Germany and Spain were previously announced. Smith gives advance notice that more announcements will follow this fall. At AWS, we see the same movement. The company recently announced an expansion in the Italian region Techzine focusses on IT professionals and business decision makers by publishing the latest IT news and background stories The goal is to help IT professionals get acquainted with new innovative products and services but also to offer in-depth information to help them understand products and services better © 2025 Dolphin Publications B.V.All rights reserved announced the launch of its newest sustainable datacenter region in Sweden Microsoft’s new world-class datacenters in Sweden are open for business with Microsoft Azure and Microsoft 365 available today privacy and the ability to store data in the country The new datacenter region brings the best of Microsoft’s sustainability investments powering the datacenter with 100% carbon-free energy and supporting zero-waste operations underscoring Microsoft’s ongoing investment to help create new long-term opportunities across both commercial and public sectors in Sweden Critical to Microsoft’s approach is its continued investment in community development to support new economic opportunities in the regions in which it operates Microsoft’s community investments in Sweden total more than $1.6 million (U.S.) in partnership with 20 organizations to advance projects focused on workforce development Microsoft President Brad Smith recently met with customers and partners in Stockholm to discuss the vital role trust plays in ensuring the continued digital transformation of Sweden “As Swedish industries and enterprises look to adopt and innovate on Microsoft’s platform our datacenter investments build on our portfolio of products and services while meeting important data residency security and compliance needs,” Smith said Businesses of all sizes and industries can now host their cloud workloads in Microsoft’s Swedish datacenters Customers will benefit from Microsoft’s investment in the EU Data Boundary for the Microsoft Cloud enabling customers to process and store their data in the EU Customers can begin leveraging Microsoft Azure to develop advanced applications using AI IoT and hybrid capabilities with advanced digital security and more the world’s productivity cloud that delivers best-of-breed productivity apps delivered seamlessly through cloud services Dynamics 365 and Power Platform will be available within a year enabling customers to build and manage critical enterprise business solutions at scale with intelligent business applications The Sweden datacenter region will also deliver Azure Availability Zones providing customers with additional application resiliency options Swedish customers across industries, including Combitech, Handelsbanken, PostNord and Sandvik Coromant are already using Microsoft’s cloud services is leveraging Microsoft cloud services to modernize critical business applications rethinking how its workforce collaborates and serving as a pillar for Handelsbanken to achieve tangible sustainability impact by migrating from its own on-premises solution to Microsoft’s datacenter “The fact that Handelsbanken has been named Sweden’s most innovative major bank three years in a row means that we have succeeded with what means the most to us – namely meeting the challenges and needs of our customers to create even more customer value during our ongoing transformation journey The Microsoft cloud technology is a crucial part to Handelsbanken’s strategic focus in the areas of modernization of critical business applications and agile development cycles,” said Mattias Forsberg PostNord is a leading provider of parcel and logistics services to “The close partnership with Microsoft Sweden is an important part of our cloud strategy we will work together to upskill our workforce to ensure we have the right digital competence to transform and to deliver PostNord’s clear sustainability agenda aligns well with Microsoft’s The opening of Microsoft datacenter region in Sweden show us that they are committed to the digital success of Sweden an important factor for PostNord when selecting Microsoft as our strategic cloud provider,” said Jörgen Hellberg will support digital transformation across public and private sectors “Atea welcomes more sustainable options to further accelerate digital development in Sweden Many of our customers are dealing with specific data requirements and additional options to choose from is a large step in the right direction The launch of Microsoft’s new data center fits well with our mission to build Sweden with IT together with our customers as well as our technological partners creative ways to meet sustainability goals while serving the computing needs of their digital enterprise Having Microsoft’s sustainable data centre in Sweden helps Accenture and our clients by expanding access to local resources complementing the worldwide capabilities that cloud-first enterprises need This helps companies tap into the Cloud Continuum’s dynamic array of capabilities—from the public cloud to the edge to everything in-between— while also reducing energy consumption and delivering greater efficiency at scale,” said Mattias Lewrén country managing director and Accenture Sweden and Nordic Cloud First lead Sweden is Microsoft’s first datacenter region whose backup generators will run on Preem Evolution Diesel Plus which contains at least 50% renewable raw material Microsoft is pursuing Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certification for the region which will help conserve additional resources like energy and water generate less waste and support human health the new datacenter region will be home to Microsoft’s third European Circular Center which repurposes servers and hardware in our datacenter These centers are the first of their kind in the industry The Swedish Circular Center will have the ability to support 12,000 servers per month Supporting the company’s water positive by 2030 commitment the datacenters’ servers will be cooled with only outside air 100% of the year and rainwater will be captured at the datacenter used primarily to provide humidification and to support onsite datacenter facilities “Our Swedish datacenters are among the most sustainably designed and operated in the world This is an important launch for Sweden and Europe as I am of the firm conviction that new tech innovation is the most important enabler for the world to reach the global sustainability targets we create new opportunities to accelerate the transformation to a more sustainable future – together,” said Hélène Barnekow On December 8, Microsoft Sweden will host customers and partners in a Sustainable Business Transformation event. To learn more about the Microsoft cloud in Sweden, please visit the website: aka.ms/sverigekanmer Microsoft is using a battery energy storage system (BESS) from Saft at a Swedish data center after its use of diesel backup generators in the country previously faced criticism which Saft's releases say is enough for 80 minutes of backup energy with units that can provide peak power of 24MW The release does not give the location of the data center where the BESS is deployed, but Microsoft has opened three facilities in Sweden since announcing an Azure region there in November 2020 and has been criticized for its use diesel generators at one of them in Staffanstorp Microsoft announced in 2021 that it would phase out diesel completely by 2030 globally as part of its plan to reach net-zero by that year a fuel which contains at least 50 percent renewable raw material Despite this, Microsoft faced opposition to planning applications in Staffanstorp due to its use of diesel, according to local media reports. In 2022, the company had asked to add 70MW of diesel backup at Staffanstorp. but withdrew the request following protests and announced that it was looking for other sites in southern Sweden Microsoft's first application on the site was to build a warehouse In May 2022, Microsoft issued a statement promising to be “a good neighbor” and only use generators for test runs and power cuts - "something that is very unusual in Sweden as we have a stable electricity grid." Andreas Wingren, head of communications at Microsoft Sweden, told the local press that public opposition was not the reason it dropped its plans to expand at Staffanstorp "We can already state that even if we expand in Staffanstorp to the maximum capacity it will not cover the needs we have in the region," he said The company said it would "continue to operate and expand operations in our data center in Staffanstorp but this will only happen with the reserve power units that are already in place today." that it was not clear how the company could expand without more backup power of some kind and the BESS system is part of a deal it signed with Microsoft in 2021 to support Microsoft's goal of removing diesels by 2030 The Saft BESS includes eight Intensium Max 20 High Energy battery containers That suggests an average power delivery of 12MW Saft's release says the eight battery containers are each capable of delivering a peak power rating of 3MW and will displace an unspecified number of diesel generators It will also support grid stability and provide black start capability to ensure rapid recovery of the power grid in the case of an outage “Finding alternatives to diesel backup is an important step towards our 2030 goal to become carbon negative and is integral to our 2050 goal to remove from the environment all the carbon that Microsoft has emitted since it was founded in 1975," said Eoin Doherty Microsoft Cloud operations & innovation Saft’s CEO added: “TotalEnergies is proud to support Microsoft in its goal to reduce its emissions from data centers The collaboration with Microsoft has allowed its affiliate Saft to deliver this system which shows the huge potential for battery energy storage to decarbonize the digital industry.” Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia Heavy-duty electrical power connector and power unit manufacturer continues its solid growth with the opening of new premises in Staffanstorp The information on this page is intended for journalists If you click NO you will come back to Mynewsdesk.com Nationalmuseum has acquired an example of the egg-shaped easy chair Ovalia designed by Henrik Thor-Larsen The chair was a huge hit when it was launched at the Scandinavian Furniture Fair in 1968 Nationalmuseum has recently acquired a plastic easy chair by Danish designer Henrik Thor-Larsen (b The black egg-shaped chair was launched at the Scandinavian Furniture Fair in 1968 under the name Ovalia and became an instant hit The chair was made by Torlan in Staffanstorp The chair that Nationalmuseum has now acquired is amongst the early examples having been purchased by leading furniture store Silverbergs in Malmö in the late 1960s with an interior upholstered in beige fabric and an aluminium foot the chair has an integral light fitting with transformer – later chairs often had built-in speakers instead The chair’s design and materials are typical of the forward-looking optimism of the 1960s and can be seen as a Swedish-Danish response to Finnish designer Eero Aarnio’s Ball Chair which had been launched at the Cologne Furniture Fair two years earlier in 1966 The acquisition was made possible due to a donation from the Barbro Osher Foundation Nationalmuseum has no budget of its own for new acquisitions but relies on gifting and financial support from private funds and foundations to enhance its collections of fine art and craft Press contactHanna Tottmar, press officer, press@nationalmuseum.se Nationalmuseum is Sweden’s premier museum of art and design and applied art and design up to the present day The museum building is currently under renovation and scheduled to open again in 2018 the museum will continue its activities through collaborations both in Sweden and abroad as well as temporary exhibitions at the Royal Swedish Academy of Fine Arts Fredsgatan 12 and Nationalmuseum Design at Kulturhuset Stadsteatern in Stockholm Nationalmuseum has partnerships with Svenska Dagbladet and the Grand Hôtel Stockholm and acknowledges the support of FCB Fältman & Malmén Nationalmuseum is Sweden’s museum of art and design drawings and graphic art from the 16th century up to the beginning of the 20th century The collections comprise some 700,000 objects The emphasis of the collection of paintings is on Swedish 18th and 19th century painting Dutch painting from the 17th century is also well represented and the French 18th century collection is regarded as one of the best in the world The works are made by artists such as Rembrandt Renoir and Degas as well as Swedish artists such as Anders Zorn The collection of applied art and design consists of objects such as ceramics glass and precious and non-precious metals as well as furniture and books etc The collection of prints and drawings comprises works by Rembrandt Central are the 2,000 master drawings that Carl Gustaf Tessin acquired during his tour of duty as Sweden's ambassador to France in the 18th century Art and objects from Nationalmuseum’s collections can also be seen at several royal palaces such as Gripsholm Rosersberg and Ulriksdal as well as in the Swedish Institute in Paris The museum administers the Swedish National Portrait Gallery at Gripsholm Castle the world’s oldest national portrait gallery and the Gustavsberg collection with approximately 45,000 objects manufactured at the Gustavsberg Porcelain Factory Nationalmuseum also curates exhibitions at Nationalmuseum Jamtli and the Gustavsberg Porcelain Museum Nationalmuseum is a government authority with a mandate to preserve cultural heritage and promote art interest in art and knowledge of art and that falls within the remit of the Swedish Ministry of Culture When you choose to create a user account and follow a newsroom your personal data will be used by us and the owner of the newsroom for you to receive news and updates according to your subscription settings To learn more about this, please read our Privacy Policy, which applies to our use of your personal data, and our Privacy Policy for Contacts which applies to the use of your personal data by the owner of the newsroom you follow Please note that our Terms of Use apply to all use of our services. You can withdraw your consent at any time by unsubscribing or deleting your account. A Swedish Court of Appeal has found the ban on hijab in schools introduced by the municipalities of Skurup and Staffanstorp the court upheld a previous decision by the Administrative Court emphasising that the ban contradicts both Swedish and international law “Being allowed to practice or show one’s religion is something that is protected by both the Instrument of Government and the European Convention,” President of the Court of Appeal Both Skurup and Staffanstorp municipalities had previously decided on a ban on wearing headscarves in school the decision applies to both students and staff and in Staffanstorp only to students While liberal and left-leaning politicians and opinion makers sternly condemned the bans they viewed as oppression and an encroachment of freedom of religion and women’s rights proponents of the bans said they upheld secular traditions and struck a blow against religious oppression of women covering one’s head or hair can be motivated by religious belief and is seen as part of the individual’s religious practice or as an expression of the individual’s freedom of expression Stegeland said the protection of religious freedom in the Instrument of Government is absolute “The fact that the Education Act states that the school education must be non-denominational is about the teaching Restricting religious freedom in the way the municipalities have done thus lacks constitutional support in Swedish law,” Stegeland added The number of Muslims in Sweden has soared in recent decades from several hundred in the 1950s to over 800,000 in a country of over 10 million today UPDATE NEWS: Nigerians can now earn US Dollars through domain flipping buy domain names for cheap and have it resold to earn up to $15,000 Join Daily Trust WhatsApp Community For Quick Access To News and Happenings Around You Plans afoot in town famous for Scandi house building Microsoft has struck a deal to build data centers powered entirely by renewable energy in a Swedish town famous for being the spiritual home of fashionable Scandi house building Christian Sonesson, chairman of Staffanstorp municipal council, said in a press statement that "Microsoft's multi-billion investment will be the largest in the municipality's history." It is the third land investment Microsoft has made in Sweden in the last year following purchases in Gävle and Sandviken "Construction of Microsoft's data center has begun among other things through preparatory ground work," said the statement which also included a picture of a digger clearing the ground work on the main building will begin." "It is difficult to overstate the importance of Microsoft's major investment in Staffanstorp," said Sonessen "Microsoft will be one of the municipality's largest employers and it will contribute to local social funds Microsoft had arranged to make investments in local community projects such as schools "Our hope is that this investment will bring new jobs and skills into the region," said a press statement by Ulrika Ringdahl one of the public bodies that brokered the deal an investment advisor responsible for data centers who helped broker the deal for Business Sweden told DCD he expected direct investment from data center companies to be worth five billion Euros to Sweden by 2025 through construction and ancillary industry - and 15,000 jobs Facebook has made direct investments of 1.1 billion Euros in the last six years who also worked with Facebook Amazon and Google on Swedish investments Microsoft had chosen Staffanstorp - one of Sweden's smaller municipalities from a secret list of potential locations Its proximity to the industrial cities Malmö and Lundh had been deciding factors for Microsoft Sokolnicki would not say how much the deal was worth in either land or in Microsoft's total direct investment in the project Microsoft's purchase of land for data centers in the Swedish municipalities of Gävle and Sandviken in March drew opposition from people who said its data centers would cause electricity shortages Microsoft is understood to have 12 hectares (120,000 sq m) in Staffanstorp, having bought the land from Kilenkrysset, a real estate firm. In March, Microsoft said it had bought 130 hectares of land direct from the north-eastern municipalities of Gävle and Sandviken on a parallel with neighboring Norway and Finland Microsoft said it is building data centers also in Norway and Switzerland It already has European data centers in Austria Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia Company aims for sustainable data centers in Scandinavia Microsoft has opened a new Azure cloud region in Sweden The company said it has a data center presence in Gävle, Sandviken, and Staffanstorp. First announced in November 2020 “As Swedish industries and enterprises look to adopt and innovate on Microsoft’s platform our data center investments build on our portfolio of products and services while meeting important data residency and compliance needs,” said Microsoft President Brad Smith Microsoft’s Sweden data center region will be powered by 100 percent carbon-free energy with 24/7 hourly energy matching with partner Vattenfall Microsoft has signed agreements for new renewable energy projects with bp The facilities will be cooled with outside air 100 percent of the year and rainwater will be captured at the data center and primarily used to provide humidification and to support onsite data center facilities “Our Swedish data centers are among the most sustainably designed and operated in the world This is an important launch for Sweden and Europe as I am of the firm conviction that new tech innovation is the most important enabler for the world to reach the global sustainability targets,” said Hélène Barnekow Swedish customers using Azure include Combitech “The Microsoft cloud technology is a crucial part to Handelsbanken’s strategic focus in the areas of modernization of critical business applications and agile development cycles,” said Mattias Forsberg “The opening of Microsoft data center region in Sweden show us that they are committed to the digital success of Sweden an important factor for PostNord when selecting Microsoft as our strategic cloud provider,” added Jörgen Hellberg The new Swedish region will also be home to Microsoft’s third European Circular Center which repurposes servers and hardware in its data centers; the Center will have the ability to support 12,000 servers per month The company began building a data center near Malmö back in 2019, following land purchases in Gävle and Sandviken Data Centre Dynamics Ltd (DCD), 32-38 Saffron Hill, London, EC1N 8FH Email. [email protected]DCD is a subsidiary of InfraXmedia The Local Europe ABVästmannagatan 43113 25 StockholmSweden where the Moderates rule in coalition with the far-right Sweden Democrats wanted a ban on headscarves for children in preschools and primary schools up to year six effectively meaning a ban for children under 12 another municipality led by the Sweden Democrats politicians had wanted a ban for children and staff in preschools and primary schools parliament has rejected proposals banning headscarves and the parliament's committee on the constitution has said  that it has no plans for legislation banning headscarves either for children in certain schools or more broadly in society Both Skåne municipalities have been pushing the headscarf issue for several years the Administrative Court came to the conclusion that the headscarf ban the two municipalities wanted to introduce contravenes both protections on religious freedom under Swedish constitutional laws and the European Convention on Human Rights The Supreme Court instead based its decision instead on Sweden's freedom of expression law stating that expressions of religious affiliation "Limiting the right to wear a headscarf has effects on individuals and is therefore a limitation of freedom of expression," Justice Ulrik von Essen said in a press release Such legal support is missing in national law and therefore the municipalities' decision must be annulled," he said Please log in here to leave a comment