Finland should be demanding much more from data centre projects, business promo boss says
Lassi Noponen, CEO of Business Finland, argues that Finland should demand greater economic and environmental benefits from tech giants building data centers. He suggests that current municipal-level negotiations are insufficient and require national coordination.
Why it matters
The debate highlights the tension between attracting foreign tech investment and ensuring that national resources, such as electricity and land, are used for maximum public benefit.
If Finland plays its cards right, a new 'data economy' could be born, according to the CEO of Business Finland.
Open image viewer Lassi Noponen, CEO of state-owned Business Finland. Image: Sasha Silvala / Yle Yle News 9:04 Finland is giving away its resources to tech giants on far too modest terms, according to Lassi Noponen , CEO of state-owned Business Finland.
"In Sweden, for example, Meta is involved in carbon capture in the Stockholm area, and that's a completely different scale than 'lights for the running track'," Noponen said.
His "lights for the running track" jibe refers to how minor the conditions Finnish municipalities are setting for major companies building data centres — such as Google's promises to build saunas in Muhos and solar panels in Kajaani.
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