Utilising green hydrogen for data centre backup power
Equinix and National University of Singapore College of Design and Engineering explore the viability of hydrogen for sustainable data centre power generation .
Hydrogen fuel systems could act as an efficient backup power source to keep data centres online , a new study shows . Equinix and the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering and Center for Energy Research and Technology ( CERT ) – under the College of Design and Engineering ( CDE ) at the National University of Singapore ( NUS ) – have announced to results of their green hydrogen fuel technology study .
The study is one of the world ’ s first research projects to explore protonexchange membrane ( PEM ) fuel cells and / or alternate generator technologies as environmentally viable backup power supply options for data centres .
Several systems that can feasibly utilise hydrogen as an energy source were spotlighted as potentially viable alternative solutions that operate on renewable energy .
Based on specified conditions , environmental factors and operating requirements , data centre operators will now have access to additional insights they need to help make an informed decision when implementing alternate fuel supply systems .
Hydrogen fuel cells have emerged as a potentially dependable solution to address the intermittent nature of weather-dependent renewable energy sources such as wind and solar .
When renewable energy generation fluctuates due to dynamic weather conditions , hydrogen fuel systems could act as an efficient backup power source so that data centres stay online . Further developing hydrogen technologies could potentially create a robust energy security buffer that reduces the effect of unpredictable power interruptions and dependence on non-renewable backup fuel sources .
“ This demonstrates the wealth of innovation and R & D talent available in Singapore ,” said Yee May Leong , Managing Director , South Asia , Equinix . “ Representing a cumulative and concerted effort to drive meaningful impact in sustainability for the data centre industry , the results are also a promising development for Singapore ’ s hydrogen aspirations .”
Associate Professor Lee Poh Seng , Director , Center for Energy Research and Technology , NUS College of Design and Engineering , added : “ The feasibility study with Equinix aligns with Singapore ’ s national hydrogen strategy and provides actionable insights for global data centre sustainability . We look forward to extending our partnership with Equinix for broader impact locally , regionally and globally .”
Associate Professor , Sanjib Kumar Panda , from the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering , NUS College of Design and Engineering , said : “ By partnering with Equinix , we were able to unlock new research opportunities that explore alternative green solutions to power data centres that could be applied globally .”
In 2022 , Equinix invested US $ 45 million towards energy efficiency projects globally , resulting in an associated annual energy consumption reduction of approximately 69,000 MWH and a 5.5 % year-on-year reduction in Power Usage Effectiveness ( PUE ) – reaching a global annual average of 1.46 .
In 2021 , Equinix became the first data centre company globally to commit to being climate neutral by 2030 for its entire global footprint aligned with an approved nearterm science-based target . � intelligent POWER AND COOLING www . intelligentdatacentres . com
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