Japan’s Internet Initiative Japan Inc. (IIJ) has installed a micro data center (MDC) at a hydroelectric power station in Iceland.

“The establishment of the Micro Data Center (MDC) in Irafos has been completed,” IIJ posted on LinkedIn. “IIJ Group’s field trial of globally distributed ICT infrastructure in Iceland is made possible with the cooperation of the Landsvirkjun power company and its electricity, 100 percent supplied from renewable energy.”

In April 2023, IIJ announced plans for a data center trial project in Iceland in partnership with national power company Landsvirkjun.

The trial, running from April until March 2024, sees IIJ install an MDC at Landsvirkjun's Írafoss hydropower station in Sogið in southern Iceland.

The MDC will be remotely controlled by IIJ’s European unit from London. IIJ said the testing will be conducted with an aim of "establishing ICT infrastructure for integrated operation and management of data centers distributed across countries and regions."

The company said that Iceland is geographically well-situated to become a North Atlantic communications hub due to its location between North America and Europe.

“The equipment is approximately the size of a refrigerator, has the same properties as a typical data center, and offers remote monitoring in real-time!” Landsvirkjun said. “The micro data center is the first of its kind in Iceland and runs on 100 percent renewable energy. We are excited to participate in the development of IIJ towards a sustainable future.”

Though the unit bears DX Edge branding – IIJ’s Edge data center offering – in some videos and images shared by the companies, the units are from its partner, micro data center firm Zella DC.

It looks to be a Zella Pro25, a 23U-rack unit that comes with a rack-mounted switchboard and a 0RU PDU, with options to add a UPS, battery, and fire protection systems.

“Micro Data Centres + Renewable Energy = Winning Combination!” said Zella co-founder and CEO Angie Keeler. “So excited about the progress and proud to be a part of such an incredible project.”

Zella and IIJ first partnered in 2021, deploying a 12U outdoor Zella Hut on the premises of IIJ’s Shiroi Data Center Campus in Shiroi-city, Chiba Prefecture, Japan.

In operation since 1953, the 48MW Írafoss station harnesses two waterfalls, Írafoss and Kistufoss, in the lower part of the River Sog.