Can Scandinavia cool the internet’s appetite for power?

Eoghan Macguire, for CNN
Updated 2:00 PM EST, Fri November 14, 2014
Northern Scandinavia is famed for the spectacular Northern Lights. These days, it's gaining more of a reputation as a high-tech data storage hub for some of the world's biggest companies.
Northern exposure: Tech firms look to sub-Arctic —
Northern Scandinavia is famed for the spectacular Northern Lights. These days, it's gaining more of a reputation as a high-tech data storage hub for some of the world's biggest companies.
Peter Grant/Getty Images/File
Facebook is one of the most prominent firms to have opened a large data storage center across the region in recent years.
Northern exposure: Tech firms look to sub-Arctic —
Facebook is one of the most prominent firms to have opened a large data storage center across the region in recent years.
courtesy of Cascade Creative Media
The social media giant opened its first facility in the town of Lulea, Sweden, in 2013. It recently announced plans to construct a second location in the same town.
Northern exposure: Tech firms look to sub-Arctic —
The social media giant opened its first facility in the town of Lulea, Sweden, in 2013. It recently announced plans to construct a second location in the same town.
courtesy jonathan nackstrand
Cheap and abundant electricity from renewable sources makes northern Scandinavia an attractive place to house power hungry data centers, analysts say. Pictured is the Porjus hydropower plant in Lulea River (Lule Älv), which helps power some the area's data centers.
Northern exposure: Tech firms look to sub-Arctic —
Cheap and abundant electricity from renewable sources makes northern Scandinavia an attractive place to house power hungry data centers, analysts say. Pictured is the Porjus hydropower plant in Lulea River (Lule Älv), which helps power some the area's data centers.
courtesy of Vattenfall
Facebook was once scolded by Greenpeace for obtaining 53% of its electricity from coal sources. It has since stated its intention to go green.
Northern exposure: Tech firms look to sub-Arctic —
Facebook was once scolded by Greenpeace for obtaining 53% of its electricity from coal sources. It has since stated its intention to go green.
Other companies to set up shop in northern Scandinavia include Google, UK-based data-storage specialist firm Hydro66, and Bitcoin-mining group KnCMiner.
Northern exposure: Tech firms look to sub-Arctic —
Other companies to set up shop in northern Scandinavia include Google, UK-based data-storage specialist firm Hydro66, and Bitcoin-mining group KnCMiner.
courtesy jonathan nackstrand
A report from management firm Boston Consultancy Group estimated that Facebook's presence in Sweden will be worth upwards of 9 billion Swedish Kroner ($1.2 billion) over a 10-year period.
Northern exposure: Tech firms look to sub-Arctic —
A report from management firm Boston Consultancy Group estimated that Facebook's presence in Sweden will be worth upwards of 9 billion Swedish Kroner ($1.2 billion) over a 10-year period.
courtesy of Gunnar Svedenbäck