To keep up with the growth of its business and related high-performance computing (HPC) needs, BNP Paribas has teamed up with Lefdal Mine Data Centers, an innovative and unique company operating within a converted Norwegian olivine mine. The facility offers solutions that support BNP Paribas’ requirements to extend its complex data processing power while upholding its sustainability standards.
❝ Lefdal is part of BNP Paribas’ Nordic strategy started years ago with Sweden and with Iceland, and now Norway, to move north and to improve our resiliency. ❞
The final episode of the short-film series follows BNP Paribas’ sustainability partner Craig Leeson as he explores the repurposed underground site.
The facility operates using renewable energy and has low Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE), which means its CO2 emissions are minimal, and the environmental footprint is limited due to the pre-existing mine and restricted material requirements for expansion. The main section of the facility is not visible in the surrounding landscape, and does not use evaporative cooling systems, resulting in a Water Usage Effectiveness (WUE) of zero.
With data center energy use expected to double by 2030, sustainability is central to Lefdal’s mission. “In what’s the most impressive upcycling project I’ve ever seen, Lefdal has built a home in this abandoned mine for the data servers of the world’s biggest companies. It’s safe, it’s secure and it ticks a lot of environmental boxes,” Leeson mentions.
❝ The environment is an essential part of our foundational mission, but equally important, the social and governance elements of sustainability. We’re already certified within standards for quality, environment, information security. And for the first time in 2025, we’ll be certified within an internationally recognized health and safety and working environment standard. ❞
BNP Paribas has previously highlighted innovative sustainable practices implemented by its clients in both the textile and building materials sectors, supported by the Bank’s sustainable finance solutions and advisory expertise.
See more about our Nordic Data Centre Strategy
Data centres: embracing the circular economy
Integrating sustainable data centres and renewable energy partners into technology processes brings sustainable, circular and value-added client solutions.
Green IT: Sustainable data centers for a responsible digitalisation
In an interview with Future Banking TV, BNP Paribas experts explain why CIB established a share of its Grid Computing Datacenters capacity in Iceland.