sing hydrogen as a fuel has mostly been
U discussed as a combustible solution for grid energy needs . Much press coverage has been devoted to its potential to provide zero-carbon energy where excess variable renewable power from wind or solar runs electrolysers to produce green hydrogen using clean energy that would otherwise go to waste .
But could hydrogen be produced effectively at a data centre scale to achieve carbon savings ? What is the potential for onsite production of low-carbon hydrogen ( hydrogen produced without associated carbon emissions ) for use as an energy carrier in data centres ? Could fuel cells powered with clean onsite produced hydrogen replace batteries for back-up or even additional power ?
Could the principles of developing such energy storage solutions assist Variable Renewable Energy ( VRE ) developments in proximity to new data centres , and in turn drive greater consumption of low-carbon renewable energy within those facilities ?
While the idea of finding alternative power solutions and tackling the challenge of reducing data centre carbon intensity may seem like tasks for the distant future , the imperative for progressive change begins today . Joe Sheehan , Technical Director at i3 Solutions Group , delves into the possibility of using hydrogen production and storage to offset carbon emissions in data centres , highlighting the importance of starting the journey towards sustainability now .
The fundamental characteristics of a medium to large data centre are high energy demand , energy storage and power generation . This can be combined with an urgent need to cut Green House Gas ( GHG ) emissions and a need to use more VRE as primary power sources .
The components of a hydrogen producing system , an energy generation source and an energy storage system already exist
IS ON-SITE HYDROGEN PRODUCTION , STORAGE AND USE AS A FUEL , A VIABLE CARBON-CUTTING ENERGY OPTION FOR DATA CENTRES ?
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