CIP and Thylander start construction of energy-integrated data centre in Denmark backed by PensionDanmark

One of the first major data centres to be wholly owned and operated by Danish companies is now being established in Esbjerg, in southern Denmark. The project is backed by Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), Thylander, Plexar, and PensionDanmark.

ESBJERG, Denmark, Aug. 13, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — A new, Danish-owned data centre, Dansk Data Center 1 (DDC1), aims to set a new standard for energy integration. The new project aims to showcase how data centres can be developed in close collaboration with the local energy system, working not just as a consumer of electricity, but as an integral part of the broader energy infrastructure. This approach can deliver benefits for the community, the climate, and the local energy supply.

DDC1 will be one of the largest data centres in Denmark and is owned by PensionDanmark, the Thylander Group, and Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners (CIP), through its CI Microgrid Electrification Fund. The groundbreaking ceremony takes place today, attended by Esbjerg Mayor Jesper Frost Rasmussen and key project stakeholders.

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“Our ambition is not just to build a single data centre, but to set a new standard for how data centres can be developed as an integral part of society,” says Anders Frich Mathiesen, CEO of Thylander Data Centers.

DDC1 addresses a growing need for local data capacity. With the rapid development of AI and digital services, access to data capacity has become a strategic competitive factor and a prerequisite for digital sovereignty.

“Access to data centres is a key competitive factor and a prerequisite for realising AI growth. It is therefore natural for us to invest in Danish data centre capacity for Danish businesses. PensionDanmark invests in digital infrastructure globally, so it makes sense for us to develop data capacity for Danish companies while we also get the opportunity to generate attractive returns on our members’ retirement savings,” says Rune Gade Holm, Head of Private Markets at PensionDanmark.

DDC1 is a pilot project designed to serve as a framework for the Danish data centres of the future, where digital infrastructure is developed in closer collaboration with the energy system and with a focus on local value creation and resource utilisation. Its location at the NATO port in Esbjerg supports both security of supply and a robust digital infrastructure.

“From an infrastructure perspective, Esbjerg is one of the most important industrial hubs and a very business-friendly municipality. This makes the port an ideal location for a project like DDC1, which is built on strong local collaboration,” says Karsten Uhd Plauborg, Partner at Copenhagen Infrastructure Partners and CEO of Plexar.

From energy consumer to a smart and flexible part of the power system DDC1 is designed with a focus on resource optimisation and local integration. The data centre is connected to the local power grid via the grid operator, N1, with a capacity of 11.5 MW, emphasising high reliability of supply.