Neste MY Renewable Diesel to power Verne data centers’ back-up generators in Finland

Neste Corporation, Press release, 16 October 2024 at 9 a.m. (EET)



Photo: Neste MY Renewable Diesel truck in front of Verne's data center in Helsinki. Source: Verne

Neste’s renewable diesel helps Verne, a provider of sustainable data center solutions for high intensity computing, to transition its operations from fossil to renewable fuels. Verne's data centers in Helsinki, Pori and Tampere in Finland will use Neste MY Renewable Diesel™ to power their backup generators. The switch from fossil diesel to Neste’s renewable diesel helps Verne reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from their backup generators by on average 90%* over the life cycle of the fuel when compared to fossil diesel. This contributes to Verne’s commitment to reducing the carbon footprint of its data center operations. 

Neste MY Renewable Diesel is made from 100% renewable raw materials, such as animal fat from food industry waste and used cooking oil. Having a similar chemical composition to fossil diesel, Neste’s renewable diesel enables Verne to make the switch without any modifications to its generator infrastructure. Crucial for Verne’s Finnish operations, Neste’s renewable diesel is well suited for very cold weather conditions. It can be stored in temperatures as low as -32°C, and it has a reliable start-up in cold weather conditions. Furthermore, Neste's renewable diesel is ideal for backup power, as it can be stored for longer periods without impact on product quality, ensuring reliability during possible power outages.

“Verne’s mission is to provide data center services minimizing the environmental impact. The switch to renewable diesel is a milestone for the company and our customers, as it means we will be able to eliminate fossil fuels from our operations in Finland. While our backup generators are only deployed in the event of an extended power failure – which is thankfully extremely rare thanks to Finland’s highly reliable grid – they are tested regularly, so it is important we minimize the impact they have on the environment. In addition to reducing GHG emissions, Neste’s renewable diesel works very effectively in cold temperatures and is therefore an ideal solution for our Finnish operations,” says Kim Gunnelius, Head of Finland at Verne.

“Collaboration is essential when we are taking the necessary steps to fight climate change. Verne, one of the pioneers in their industry, is working towards a more sustainable future, and we are excited to be a trusted partner supporting their journey. This partnership showcases the ease of switching from fossil diesel to Neste's lower-emission renewable diesel, which can be done without compromising the performance or the reliability of the data center operations,” says Joni Pihlström, Vice President, Marketing & Services at Neste.

*) Over the life cycle of the fuel when compared to fossil diesel. The GHG emission reduction varies depending on the region-specific legislation that provides the methodology for the calculations (e.g. EU RED II 2018/2001/EU for Europe and US California LCFS for the US), and the raw material mix used to manufacture the product for each market. 

Neste Corporation

Hanna Maula
Vice President, Communications and Brand

Further information:

Neste: Please contact Neste's media service, tel. +358 800 94025 / media@neste.com (weekdays from 8.30 a.m. to 4.00 p.m. EET). Please subscribe to Neste’s releases at https://www.neste.com/for-media/releases-and-news/subscribe. 

Verne media contacts: Adele Fairclough / Michelle Edge , Eleven Hundred Agency, +44(0)20 7688 5202, eha@verneglobal.com  

Neste in brief

Neste (NESTE, Nasdaq Helsinki) uses science and innovative technology to transform waste and other resources into renewable fuels and circular raw materials. The company creates solutions for combating climate change and accelerating a shift to a circular economy. Being the world’s leading producer of sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) and renewable diesel and a forerunner in developing renewable and circular feedstock solutions for polymers and chemicals, the company aims to help its customers to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20 million tons annually by 2030.

The company’s ambition is to make the Porvoo oil refinery in Finland the most sustainable refinery in Europe. Neste is committed to reaching carbon-neutral production by 2035, and will reduce the carbon emission intensity of sold products by 50% by 2040. Neste has also set high standards for biodiversity, human rights and the supply chain. The company has consistently been included in the CDP and the DJSI lists of the world’s most sustainable companies. In 2023, Neste's revenue stood at EUR 22.9 billion. Read more: neste.com 

Verne in brief  

Verne delivers sustainable data center solutions that enable organisations to cost-effectively scale their digital infrastructure while reducing their environmental impact. The company’s four Nordic data centers – located in Iceland and Finland – are all powered by attractively-priced, 100 percent renewable energy and are engineered for high intensity workloads, while its hyper-connected central London data center is the optimal location for latency and connectivity sensitive applications.  

Verne’s on-site experts provide unparalleled support to ensure optimised operations for customers from all industries.