SolydEra, Europe's largest manufacturer of solid oxide stacks and a global leader in Solid Oxide Solutions, announces another breakthrough in sustainable energy supply. A new fuel cell system, specifically developed for data centres, has successfully passed a comprehensive testing phase: achieving efficiency rates of up to 60% and a capacity of 90 kW, thus paving the way for carbon-neutral operations in data centres. The two systems, developed within the European "Eco Edge Prime Power" project, have been delivered to Equinix's data centre in Milan.

Data centres have high energy demands. Reliability, efficiency, and scalability are crucial — they form the backbone of the digital economy, making a continuous, uninterrupted power supply essential. Simultaneously, data centres face the specific challenge of keeping up with the rapid growth of data volumes and associated energy requirements while simultaneously reducing latency and minimizing energy consumption and environmental impact. With growing risks to European grid stability, this has become a critical issue.

With the completion of the testing phase, a highly innovative fuel cell system for data centres will soon be available. The fuel cell stacks from SolydEra form the core element of a comprehensive energy solution. It primarily operates on a mix of natural gas and up to 20% hydrogen, paving the way for the use of green hydrogen in future fuel cell applications for both backup and primary power systems.

Impressive Performance

The fuel cell system achieved impressive efficiency rates of up to 60% in power production and demonstrated exceptional stability and reliability throughout the testing phase. It has been proven that even with the failure of an entire fuel cell stack, the overall system was able to maintain full power, ensuring nearly 100% supply reliability—a significant advancement over previous fuel cell applications. Key results include:

• Higher Energy Efficiency: Efficiency rates of up to 60% in power production.
• Dual Fuel Use: Operates on a mix of natural gas and up to 20% hydrogen – bio-methane can also be used.
• High Reliability: Modular design ensures nearly 100% reliability by maintaining stable function even if individual stacks fail.
• Scalability and Adaptability: Designed for 45 kW (per container), suitable for various urban and suburban environments.

This highly innovative system was developed in collaboration with the E2P2 consortium, including Equinix, InfraPrime, RISE, Snam, TEC4FUELS, and Vertiv. The project, funded by the European Community, aims to provide resilient and clean primary energy for data centres and other critical infrastructures. It bridges the gap to a CO2-neutral energy supply: once sufficient green hydrogen is available, the system can operate almost completely sustainably. Even now, the use of low-CO2 fuels and high energy efficiency can save up to 50% of the CO2 footprint.

The two systems have been delivered to Milan, where they have been deployed in the Equinix Data Center for a one-year operational phase. This phase will be used to further validate the long-term reliability and efficiency of the system.

"We are proud that the test results confirm the performance of our fuel cell system. This marks a significant advancement in providing sustainable energy options for the industry," states Alexander Liberov, CEO of SolydEra. "We are setting a new standard for environmentally friendly energy supply in critical infrastructures."

ABOUT SolydEra:

SolydEra is a key world player in the market of Solid Oxide Cells, Stacks and Solutions, with the largest annual production capacity in Europe. Its Solid Oxide Technology, developed over two decades, has a proven track record and delivers best in class performance and durability in both fuel cell and electrolysis mode. The company has research & development and industrial manufacturing facilities in Italy, Switzerland and Australia. Its headquarters is in Trentino Alto Adige, Italy. 

Visit www.solydera.com