Equinix companions NUS to make use of hydrogen tech in information centres

Persevering with its efforts to advance the sustainability of digital infrastructure and attain its climate-neutral targets, Equinix has introduced a partnership with the Centre for Vitality Analysis and Know-how (CERT) beneath the Nationwide College of Singapore’s (NUS) Faculty of Design and Engineering. 

The partnership will discover applied sciences that allow the usage of hydrogen as a inexperienced gasoline supply for mission-critical information centre infrastructure.

Equinix and CERT will launch the world’s first analysis challenge to check the effectivity of proton-exchange membrane (PEM) gasoline cells and fuel-flexible linear generator applied sciences. 

PEM gasoline cells are a number one contender for hydrogen power. On the similar time, fuel-flexible linear mills allow operators to simply swap between numerous clear gasoline choices, together with hydrogen, biogas, and renewable liquid fuels. 

Adopting these applied sciences might permit information centres to cut back carbon emissions whereas assembly the rising demand for information, co-location and interconnection companies.

The analysis collaboration between Equinix and CERT will contain a holistic evaluation of the suitability of those applied sciences for tropical information centres, contemplating native weather conditions, website constraints, energy demand, provide chain, gasoline storage capabilities, and native regulatory insurance policies.  

This analysis initiative comes beneath a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed earlier this yr between the 2 companions. 

Below the MOU, CERT will conduct a complete evaluation of applied sciences recognized in collaboration with Equinix to find out the operational viability of the applied sciences at scale. 

Based mostly on the analysis outcomes, Equinix expects to develop proof-of-concept initiatives inside its international community of information centres for real-world testing and to help incorporation into future information centre designs. 

By driving innovation in Singapore, the Equinix and CERT partnership goals to speed up disruptive applied sciences that may cut back the carbon footprint of world information centres, significantly in tropical areas.

Notably, this partnership varieties a part of Equinix’s Future First technique, underscoring the corporate’s dedication to greening the digital financial system. 

Inexperienced hydrogen has been recognized as a viable supply of sustainable power for information centres. Nonetheless, hydrogen technology on an industrial scale stays a number of years away from being commercially viable, making it crucial to evaluate and undertake alternate options at the same time as international analysis and improvement proceed.

“Knowledge centres function the conduit powering the digital financial system, and greening their operations can drive the rise of sustainable enterprise all through the broader financial panorama. Working with companions just like the NUS empowers us advance the expansion of digital economies in keeping with environmental obligations, benefiting the info centre business, international economies, and the planet,” says Yee Might Leong, Managing Director, South Asia, Equinix.

Affiliate Professor Lee Poh Seng, Director, Centre for Vitality Analysis and Know-how, NUS Faculty of Design and Engineering, provides, “Sustainability is a key pillar of the worldwide financial system. To enhance the efforts made by the general public sector, well timed progress additionally requires collaboration with stakeholders within the non-public sector and academia. We’re eager to work with business companions resembling Equinix, which gives us entry to a world community of information centres. This in flip can function a test-bed for a extra correct evaluation of operational viability. Via this partnership, we stay up for taking part in a driving position for inexperienced information centre improvements which might be utilized in Singapore and globally.”