Norway introduces data center legislation to limit crypto mining

Norway recently announced its intention to introduce a specific law for data centers, aimed at strengthening control over operations in these facilities. The primary goal behind this is to tackle data centers that house crypto mining operations, as this industry is undesirable in the country.

The Norwegian government will introduce a data center law specifically aimed at excluding crypto mining, which is considered undesirable. Digital Minister Karianne Tung explained that the government will propose a law requiring registration and other data from data center users. The law will require operators to reveal who is in charge and what services each data center in Norway offers.

However, the actual purpose of this new bill is to keep certain activities, including crypto mining, outside Norway.

Regarding cryptomining, the Minister of Energy, Terje Aasland, said:

This is associated with large greenhouse gas emissions and is an example of a type of company that we do not want in Norway.

Aasland stated that several crypto mining operators have established themselves in northern Norway due to low energy rates. However, he emphasized that Norway is not interested in facilitating these actors seeking cheap energy. “They are not welcome in Norway. We want serious parties that are important to society, and the computer industry that serves society is important to us,” he emphasized.

Despite this, Norway still needs the data center industry, but a more controlled one. This is the view of Tung, who believes that the government should impose intensive controls on the data center industry. “We need to be stricter about who we want and who we don’t”she stated.

Norway has previously attempted to address the crypto mining situation in the country. In 2021, the country considered supporting regulations that would ban crypto mining and attempted to roll back the tax cuts that data centers (including crypto mining operations) receive.