Iceland-headed Verne Global, an international provider of sustainable data center solutions for high intensity computing, has announced it is partnering with Finland-headed oil refiner and renewable products major Neste Oyj, to power backup generators at its Finnish data centers in Helsinki, Pori, and Tampere with renewable diesel.
By switching to “Neste MY Renewable Diesel”, Verne expects to reduce backup generator greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by an average of 90 percent over the lifecycle of the fuel compared to fossil diesel.
This initiative is part of the company’s commitment to minimize the environmental impact of its data center operations and to make it easier for customers to meet their sustainability goals.
Neste’s renewable diesel is a Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) made from 100 percent renewable raw materials. With a similar chemical composition to fossil diesel, Verne can make the switch to renewable diesel without any modifications to its infrastructure.
Collaboration is essential when we are taking the necessary steps to fight climate change. Verne, one of the pioneers in their industry, is working towards a more sustainable future, and we are excited to be a trusted partner supporting their journey. This partnership showcases the ease of switching from fossil diesel to Neste’s lower-emission renewable diesel, which can be done without compromising the performance or the reliability of the data center operations, said Joni Pihlström, VP of Marketing and Services at Neste.
Suitable for cold climate conditions
Crucial for Verne’s Finnish operations, renewable diesel is also better suited to very cold weather conditions than fossil diesel. It can be stored in temperatures as low as -32°C with better start-up and throttle response.
Importantly for backup power – which is only required during outages to primary power sources – it can also be stored over long periods without deterioration in quality or water accumulation.
Verne’s mission is to provide data center services that don’t cost the earth and this switch to renewable diesel is a key milestone for the company and our customers, as it means we will be able to eliminate fossil fuels from our operations in Finland. While our backup generators are only deployed in the event of an extended power failure – which is thankfully extremely rare due to Finland’s highly reliable grid – they are tested regularly, so it is important that we minimize the impact they have on the environment. As well as helping us reduce GHG emissions, Neste’s renewable diesel works very effectively at cold temperatures so is the ideal solution for our Finnish operations, said Kim Gunnelius, Head of Finland at Verne.
