Breakthrough sustainable design can reduce upfront CAPEX by €175 million per 100 MWs of power
WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES, April 27, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ —
Three sites in Norway already purchased and under development
Data center pioneers Byrne Murphy and William E. Conway, Jr., who built DigiPlex into an eight-facility data center portfolio and sold it in 2021, have returned to Norway and established Kitebrook Infra to build 500+ MWs of data center infrastructure using a breakthrough sustainable design that can save hundreds of millions of euros in capital expenditure (CAPEX).
Kitebrook Infra builds on the DigiPlex legacy
Kitebrook addresses the choke point slowing the industry’s progress: the acute lack of ready-to-go, powered sites, with the zoning, permits, and signed energy agreements needed for an immediate construction start. In doing so, Kitebrook offers a breakthrough design for cleaner, more sustainable data centers that are far less expensive to build.
Major investment with powered, ready-to-build sites
In Norway, Kitebrook is actively developing a portfolio of sites, two of which already have signed power agreements in place. The first one, in Matre in Masfjorden, has a power agreement for 30 MWs, with another 70 MWs expected in under a year. Kitebrook’s second site, in Vestland in the town of Leirdøla, has a power agreement underway for 100 MWs. These sites plus others in development total more than 500 MWs of power generation.
Major innovation in data center design dramatically reduces CAPEX, while enhancing long term sustainability
In addition to providing powered, ready-to-go sites, Kitebrook is introducing a major innovation to data center design: a back-up power solution that eliminates the need for back-up generators and chillers. For projects that require back-up power and cooling, the innovation can dramatically reduce upfront CAPEX by approximately €175 million for every 100 MWs of power. This is achieved by maximizing the benefits of Norway’s topographical and hydrological features in data center operations and incorporating a multi-fjord solution into each data center’s design. Kitebrook believes it is the ultimate sustainable data center design.
Aiming to create jobs and local economic impact
– We are excited to again build a business in Norway, picking up where we left off in 2021. We start with the goal of maximizing the benefits of what Norway has to offer: massive amounts of hydro-electric power, facilitated by a vast network of deep-water fjords and tall, steep mountains. With enough ingenuity and perseverance, modern AI-enabled data centers in Norway can work in concert with local communities and natural sources of energy to provide clean power and quiet operations while saving hyperscalers and other data center users hundreds of millions of euros, says Byrne Murphy.
– We had a spectacular experience in growing DigiPlex in the Nordic region. With the global demand for AI-enabled sites at a fever pitch, there is a shortage of ready-to-go sites, especially those with 100% sustainable power. That is why we are investing again in Norway, says William E. Conway, Jr.
Focus on partnerships with municipalities and authorities
Murphy and Conway have long been dedicated to ensuring that digital transformation and sustainability go hand in hand in their business ventures. DigiPlex, powered by hydropower, won numerous awards for its energy-efficient innovations and sustainability initiatives.
– We hope to establish strong partnerships with the municipalities where we plan to invest and build, as well as with Innovation Norway, which offers grants for environmental technology, says Byrne Murphy. Initially, Kitebrook plans to focus on Vestland County, particularly in Masfjorden, Samnanger, and Luster municipalities.
Welcome to our region, says Invest in Vestland
Vidar Totland, Investment Manager, Invest in Vestland comments:
– The Bergen region and Vestland have strong prerequisites for welcoming data centers. Vestland accounts for 25 percent of Norway’s power production, and much of this power is currently exported out of the county. The municipalities of Masfjorden, Samnanger, and Eidfjord, which Kitebrook is in close and constructive dialogue with, have significant electricity production but have so far seen little local value creation as a result.
Totland continues:
– Establishing data centers in these municipalities will generate revenues for local governments, create new jobs during construction and operation, and open up opportunities for new businesses through the use of surplus heat from production. Our role going forward will be to help the municipalities maximize the benefits of Kitebrook’s establishments.
About Kitebrook
Kitebrook was founded by data center pioneers Byrne Murphy and William E. Conway, Jr., who built DigiPlex over 20 years until its sale in 2021. DigiPlex comprised eight data centers in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark when it was sold to the American investment firm IPI Partners, LLC, in 2021. At that time, the company encompassed over 40,000 m² of developed area and over 400,000 m² available for further development. A total of 135 employees worked for the company. See more at: www.kitebrook.com
When they re-entered the data center infrastructure space in Norway in 2025, their initial investment was in four plots in Vestland County, specifically in Masfjorden, Samnanger, and Luster municipalities. Their goal is to secure additional locations across Norway. Kitebrook’s model involves acquiring property, collaborating with municipalities to obtain necessary permits and approvals, developing infrastructure, and securing multiple clean power sources for each site.
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Byrne Murphy is an entrepreneur with 35 years of experience in international development and investment. He has already introduced American business concepts to Europe three times and has built two startups into companies valued at over one billion dollars. Murphy graduated Cum Laude from Harvard College and holds an MBA from the Darden School of Business at the University of Virginia. He has received numerous awards for innovation, sustainability, and leadership. Murphy is also the author of the highly acclaimed book “Le Deal”, published in 2008 and republished in 2021. Le Deal was awarded the Gold Medal Axiom Prize for Best Business Memoir.
William E. Conway, Jr. is co-founder and co-chairman of Carlyle, a global investment firm with over $470 billion in assets under management. Before establishing Carlyle in 1987, Conway was CFO of MCI Communications. He holds a bachelor’s degree from Dartmouth College and an MBA in finance from the University of Chicago Booth School of Business.
Chris Ullman
Kitebrook Infra
+1 202-641-2234
chris@chrisullman.com
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