Danfoss joins energy-efficient data centre R&D
7th January 2026
DENMARK: Danfoss has contributed to the development of a new supercomputer that combines more sustainable energy management and advanced AI capabilities.
The collaboration with the University of Southern Denmark (SDU) and Hewlett Packard Enterprise (HPE) will serve as the framework for a joint R&D project that demonstrates the potential of energy-efficient data centres internationally.
The new data centre in Sønderborg builds on the SDU eScience Centre’s experience in developing innovative cloud technologies and providing national high-performance computing (HPC) services.
Researchers from SDU and other Danish universities will have access to the latest accelerators needed for AI research and handling large datasets – including sensitive personal data – in a secure, open-source, and sovereign environment.
The collaboration with Danfoss and HPE will make it possible to combine HPC with innovative cooling and heat recovery.
The operational data from the new data centre will enable Danfoss to optimise its cooling and heat recovery systems, while SDU optimises the UCloud platform to handle energy-saving workloads. In cooperation with Danfoss, SDU researchers will have the opportunity to explore more sustainable technologies for data centres.
The initiative is also supported by ProjectZero, a public-private partnership in Sønderborg with the goal of making its energy system carbon-neutral by 2029.
SDU and Danfoss already have a close collaboration, and the new data center provides further opportunities for joint research and development in AI, HPC, and more sustainable technology, while HPE delivers advanced modular data center containers and infrastructure that make the project possible.
