This paper examines the experience and prospects of placing data centers in the Arctic zone of circumpolar states, including Russia. The authors consider the phenomenon of commercial data centers providing services to IT-companies and the idea of building such centers in the Arctic to reduce costs. The authors analyze the advantages of the Arctic territories, including the possibility of natural cooling of installations, the use of renewable energy sources and the prospects for contribution to digitalization and development of the northern regions of the Arctic countries. Further, the authors describe the existing projects for the placement of data centers in the Arctic zone of Sweden, Finland, Norway, Denmark, Iceland and similar Russian experience. In this paper, the authors dwell in detail on projects in Karelia, Murmansk, and Norilsk. In conclusion, the authors come to the conclusion that functioning data centers are isolated projects both in Russia and in other countries. The authors analyze in detail what features of the Arctic regions determine this state of affairs, both highlighting common features and distinguishing between the Russian and foreign Arctic.
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