Rostock's digital future project: First urban server park is being built!

Rostock's digital future project: First urban server park is being built!

Rostock is heading into the future of digital infrastructure. The first municipal data center in Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania is being built in the Toitenwinkel industrial area. This is a significant initiative that will not only enrich the city's digital landscape, but also promote independence from major cloud providers. Loud Baltic Sea newspaper The data center will be operated around the clock, with the energy coming exclusively from renewable sources from the Rostock public utility company.

Dr. Chris von Wrycz Rekowski, Senator for Finance, Digitalization and Order, emphasizes the urgency of the project as the need for computing and storage capacity continues to grow due to the increasing use of cloud services and video conferencing. The planned functional building will be equipped with an output of 100 kilowatts, with the city itself using 50 percent of the capacity. The remaining part is available to city partners such as the Südstadt-Klinikum and Rostock Business.

Future-proof investment

Investments are being made here in the city's digital independence and data security, which meets strict national and European data protection standards. The total investment of six million euros is a clear step in the right direction. The shell is expected to be completed by the first quarter of 2026, while overall completion is targeted for September 2026. Deutsche Telekom will take over the operation of the data center for the first ten years before the city can take over responsibility.

“There’s something going on” for the region! The establishment of such projects has positive effects. The expansion of the data center industry is intended to strengthen structurally weak areas in eastern Germany, such as MDR reported. In Eastern Germany there is sufficient grid connection capacity and an oversupply of renewable energies. These conditions make the region particularly attractive for locating data centers.

The role of data centers in the energy transition

It is crucial that data centers not only ensure digital infrastructure, but can also contribute to the energy transition. According to an analysis by the German Energy Agency (dena), Germany benefits from a stable political situation and is viewed as one of the largest locations for digital infrastructure in Europe. The use of waste heat and the creation of efficient energy processes could help reduce the industry's ecological footprint. One thing is clear: the data center market is on a growth path! Forecasts show that electricity demand will rise from 20 terawatt hours (TWh) in 2023 to around 31 TWh by 2030, equivalent to around 6% of gross electricity consumption.

With the new construction and operation of this data center, Rostock would like to set an example that progress and environmental protection can go hand in hand. The goal is a sustainable and future-proof digital infrastructure that meets the growing demands of society and at the same time uses resources responsibly. In times when digitalization is permeating all areas of life, Rostock is taking the right steps in the right places so as not to lose touch.