An indication undertaking led by Caterpillar at a Wyoming web site confirmed that large-format hydrogen gas cells may very well be used to provide backup energy to an information heart. Caterpillar on Jan. 19 introduced the undertaking, carried out in collaboration with Microsoft and Ballard Energy Methods, offered insights into the usage of hydrogen gas cells to help energy-intensive installations that want uninterrupted provides of electrical energy.
Caterpillar mentioned the demonstration simulated a 48-hour backup energy occasion at Microsoft’s information heart in Cheyenne. The group mentioned the it validated the system’s efficiency at excessive elevation—on this case 6,086 toes above sea stage—and in below-freezing temperatures. A hydrogen gas cell was built-in into the info heart’s electrical system to help essential load. A microgrid controller from Caterpillar was used to function a pair of Cat Energy Grid Stabilization (PGS) 1260 battery vitality storage programs, along with a 1.5-MW hydrogen gas cell.
“This profitable collaboration with Microsoft and Ballard demonstrates the potential of hydrogen gas cells to assist information facilities handle their essential energy wants whereas decreasing their emissions,” mentioned Jaime Mineart, senior vice chairman of Caterpillar Electrical Energy, which led the undertaking. The corporate offered the general system integration, energy electronics, and microgrid controls that kind the central construction of the hydrogen energy system.
“This undertaking’s success offers a possibility for hyperscale suppliers to drive improvements within the sustainability of energy technology applied sciences,” mentioned Sean James, senior director of information heart analysis at Microsoft. “The analysis and findings of the hydrogen gas cell demonstration will assist us in direction of our purpose of changing into carbon detrimental by 2030.”
The Wyoming undertaking is supported and partly funded by the U.S. Division of Power (DOE) Hydrogen and Gasoline Cell Applied sciences Workplace as a part of the H2@Scale initiative. That program brings collectively stakeholders to advance reasonably priced hydrogen manufacturing, transport, storage and utilization in a number of vitality sectors, in line with DOE. The DOE’s Colorado-based Nationwide Renewable Power Laboratory analyzed security, techno-economics, and greenhouse gasoline (GHG) impacts of the undertaking throughout the demonstration.
“We see the completion of this demonstration as an necessary proof level of the reliability and sturdiness of Ballard’s gas cells in offering zero-emission backup energy for information facilities,” mentioned David Mucciacciaro, chief industrial officer of Canada-based Ballard Energy Methods. “We’re excited in regards to the skill of our merchandise to fulfill the essential energy wants of information heart prospects on this quickly rising sector.”
—Darrell Proctor is a senior affiliate editor for POWER (@POWERmagazine).
