Eco Edge Prime Power

Further digitalisation of society over the next decade demands infrastructure that is closer to the consumer as the shift in consumption requires data services at the edge of the digital networks. The key to meeting this demand is to rollout digital infrastructure that penetrates urban areas in support of this digital future. The problems associated with powering urban data centres hinges on the challenges of electrical power distribution within cities. This project aims to address these problems by creating a proof of concept (POC) alternative prime power source that employs fuel cell technologies for on-site power generation, which are efficient, quiet, showing reduced environmental impact and negligible demand on the electrical grid. Fuel cells have been around since the Apollo space program and can operate on different fuels like natural gas, hydrogen and propane (LPG). Fuel cells are electrochemical energy converters with efficiencies that exceed conventional power plants, already at small scale. The concept of connecting fuel cells to gas networks to power resilient urban and edge data centres overcomes the need to have backup generation in such areas, thus reducing the emissions and noise impact.

The main objectives of the proposed project are to:

1. Define the fuel cell prime power concept for data centres.
2. Create an authoritative open standard for fuel cell adaption to power data centres.
3. Demonstrate and validate a POC fuel cell based prime power module for data centres.
4. Collect extensive operational data from running fuel cells as prime power for data centres.
5. Analyse the combined social, environmental and commercial impact for the European market.
6. Evaluate opportunities for improved energy efficiency and waste heat recovery.

The project strongly anticipates opportunities for the European fuel cell suppliers to increase their uptake across multiple markets with improved energy efficiency and cost effectiveness.

Topic:

FCH-02-9-2020: Fuel cell for prime power in datacentres

Coordinator:

RISE RESEARCH INSTITUTES OF SWEDEN AB, SE

Other participating organisations: