Vertiv joins tech consortium to promote development of low-CO2 fuel cells in data centers

Vertiv joins tech consortium to promote development of low-CO2 fuel cells in data centers

Munich, Germany [December 14, 2021] – Vertiv (NYSE: VRT), a global provider of critical digital infrastructure and continuity solutions, today announced that the Clean Hydrogen Partnership will support a €2.5 million project to develop low-carbon fuel cells to power data centers. This is intended to reduceCO2 emissions from the operation of data centers by up to 100 percent. The EcoEdge PrimePower (E2P2) project is an innovative proof-of-concept initiative with the goal of developing low environmental impact fuel cells that represent the economical and reliable main power supply solution for data centers.

A consortium of seven companies – Equinix, InfraPrime, RISE, Snam, SolidPower, TEC4FUELS and Vertiv – will explore innovative integration of solid oxide fuel cells, uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and lithium-ion batteries. The aim is to supply data centres and other critical infrastructures with reliable and environmentally friendly primary energy.

“Digitalization and the data center industry are growing faster and faster. This makes it all the more important to drive the path to a sustainable future,” explains Giordano Albertazzi, EMEA President at Vertiv. “This can only be made possible through the development of clean, innovative technologies such as fuel cell solutions that provide a sustainable energy supply for the digital world. Vertiv is proud to be an active contributor to the E2P2 proof-of-concept initiative. We look forward to providing next-generation energy solutions to our customers around the world.”

A greener future for the industry

Fuel cells are recognized as a clean and quiet power solution that relieves the burden on conventional power grids. The E2P2 project is thus an exciting step towards a significant reduction inCO2 emissions, while at the same time keeping in mind the requirements for a highly resilient critical power supply for data centres. At the heart of this vision is a market-driven approach that combines innovation and stakeholder engagement to increase the acceptance and deployment of stationary fuel cells as reliable, efficient and distributed main power sources for other industrial applications.

The consortium hopes to develop a binding open standard for fuel cell applications. The aim is to pave the way for the commercialisation of fuel cell energy in data centres in Europe and to demonstrate the potential role of the industry as a whole in achieving the EU’sCO2 reduction targets.

Highlights:
  • E2P2 is a joint project between Equinix, InfraPrime, RISE, Snam, SolidPower, TEC4FUELS and Vertiv, funded in part by a grant from the Clean Hydrogen Partnership under the European Commission’s Horizon 2020 programme.
  • The consortium will work with organisations working on the development of European best practices and standards.
  • The objectives of the E2P2 project are aligned with the European Commission’s goals to accelerate the application of fuel cells to meet the needs of energy-intensive industries while creating a greener grid.
  • Vertiv will leverage its extensive experience in AC power systems and prefabricated modular data center solutions to develop an integrated fuel cell power module. This is to include the Vertiv™ Liebert® EXL S1 uninterruptible power supply (UPS) and Vertiv™ HPL lithium-ion batteries Close collaboration between the Vertiv™ AC Power division in Italy and the Integrated Modular Solutions division in Croatia will be critical to developing a 100 kW module as a proof-of-concept by 2023.

The E2P2 project is the latest in a series of initiatives Vertiv is implementing in the area of sustainability, environment, social and governance (ESG). Vertiv is also a member of the Sustainable Digital Infrastructure Alliance (SDIA) and the European Data Centre Association (EUDCA). It also contributes to the Datacenter Climate Neutral Pact.

To learn more about the E2P2 project, visit E2P2.eu and follow E2P2 on LinkedIn.

e2p2
Vertiv participates in the EcoEdge PrimePower (E2P2) project that will explore an innovative integration of solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFC) with uninterruptible power supply (UPS) technology and lithium-ion batteries to provide resilient and clean primary power to data centre deployments and other critical infrastructure. This will be instrumental to pave the way for the use of green hydrogen for fuel cells application, for both backup and prime power systems. © Vertiv

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