An artist impression of the proposed Kolos data center Image copyright KOLOS

A small town in the remote north of the Arctic Circle is set to be home to the world's largest data center. The Kolos facility is being developed by a US-Norwegian partnership, also called Kolos, who say the site will eventually draw on a record-setting 1000 megawatts of power. On their website, Kolos claim Ballangen's cold climate and access to hydropower will help trim energy costs by as much as 60 percent. The company added that Kolos will be a "fortress for data".

"The Kolos site is surrounded by water and hills, providing a natural moat to protect against any physical risks," it claimed. The firm said the center will directly create 2,000 to 3,000 new jobs and support 10,000 to 15,000 jobs in the area. Scandinavia is no stranger to large data centers with Facebook's own version located about 240 miles away in Sweden.

A computing power revolution