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ARTICLE · 31 JULY 2020

Datacentres And Hydrogen: A New Dawn

Charles Russell Speechlys LLP
Charles Russell Speechlys LLP
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Charles Russell Speechlys LLP

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Diesel powered generators have long provided support to data centres if there are power outages or other disruptions to service – they are expensive and rarely used.

United KingdomEnergy and Natural Resources
Fiona Edmond
Fiona Edmond

Diesel powered generators have long provided support to data centres if there are power outages or other disruptions to service – they are expensive and rarely used. Microsoft's announcement on Monday that hydrogen fuel cells have powered a row of data centre servers for 48 consecutive hours has exciting possibilities both for the data centre sector as well as renewables.

Not only is using green hydrogen firmly in line with the sustainability policies of many datacentre operators, but the datacentre operators could put that hydrogen to good financial use. Microsoft say that with the right kit installed, a data centre could store renewable energy generated as hydrogen. That hydrogen could in turn generate electricity for the grid and be used in pumps for hydrogen-powered long-haul vehicles.

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