Institution news
Ultra-reliable and highly efficient fuel cells can turn on its head the strained relationship between data centres and the grid. Instead of relying on the grid for electricity and using diesel gensets (or other technologies) for back-up, on-site fuel cells can deliver primary power (and cooling using chillers since stationary fuel cells are a form of CHP), with the grid providing the back-up.
The relationship's dynamic is flipped but the requirement for ultra-high resilience which is fundamental to the operation of data centres and other critical power demands is still met. In N+1 language, fuel cells become N and the grid becomes 1. And strain is taken off the grid by taking such large loads off its hands. Added resilience is achieved by switching reliance from the overhead electricity grid, which can be affected by extreme weather events, to the underground gas grid, on which fuel cells rely.
This makes diesel gensets obsolete, so slashing both air pollution and carbon emissions as fuel cells involve no combustion. Cheap, abundant and low carbon natural gas or zero carbon biogas are the input fuels. Over time, the gas grid can be further decarbonised by carrying hydrogen which can be produced from renewables and which is suitable for fuel cells.
While the opportunity to earn payments from supplying the grid is understandably attractive, the direction of travel of legislation is against diesel gensets. A consultation on the introduction of the Medium Combustion Plant Directive (MCPD) by the UK Government has just closed (early February 2017). Fuel cells, as a non-combustion technology, are exempt from the MCPD and are also an investment against future, tighter legislation on air pollution which has such a devastating affect on public health.
While the Fuel Cells + Data Centre set-up is new to the UK, it is well-established in the US where banks, tech-companies, city-centre operations and others run their energy-hungry data centres and other critical applications using cost-effective fuel cells.
Quiet in operation, fuel cell technology is modular from sub-MW to multi-MW scale and comes with a small, unobtrusive (some might say appealing) appearance. This low impact benefit and the ease of installation of what is a plug-and-play technology is not to be underestimated when considering planning issues and community buy-in for energy infrastructure.
The UK-introduction of fuel cells from companies such as Doosan has implications for wider UK industrial strategy and energy security. With the burning question of "Where’s the power going to come from?" looming large in the mind of UK plc, fuel cells are a serious contender not only for data centres but other energy-hungry industries and for our cities too. Serious amounts of practical power can be delivered by fuel cells, where it’s needed, saving billions on the need to expand the hugely expensive HV grid network.
An unique combination of ultra-reliable, baseload, low carbon power; high efficiency; cost-effectiveness; swift deployment; and public acceptance; these all help make a compelling case for fuel cells. And no combustion means no pollution, so no more burning questions.