New Hydrogen Fuel Cell Record
Full-scale ¼ megawatt (MW) data center load tested using Hydrogen Fuel Cells over 48 continuous hours

American Fork, Utah–Today, Power Innovations, a world-class leader in energy solutions, announced that it successfully powered a full data center server load, equivalent to ¼ MW, for 48 continuous hours with Hydrogen Fuel Cells (HFC). This doubles the previous mark of 24 hours set by Power Innovations last year. “This new benchmark demonstrates the emerging superiority of HFCs for widespread use not only in data centers but anywhere organizations need zero-carbon, reliable, grid-free power,” said Robert Mount, President, and CEO of Power Innovations. A New Hydrogen Fuel Cell Record To prove that Hydrogen power is a viable, long duration, pollution-free solution to data centers’ primary and backup power needs, Power Innovations embarked on this engineering and power management feat. The result? Power Innovation’s Hydrogen Fuel Cell Innovation Lab set a new record for hydrogen-generated computer backup power by running multiple automotive fuel cells in parallel to generate more than 10,560 kWh of pollution-free electricity in 48 hours. That’s enough to provide electricity for an average American home for a year. The HFC also generated 7,000+litersof pure water -enough to provide water for an average person for a month! [caption id="attachment_22637" align="alignnone" width="800"]

Figure 1: Clean, Pure Water from HFCs[/caption] A Data Center Global Energy Crisis –3% of the World’s Electricity and Growing In the United States alone, data centers consume 90 billion kW-hours of electricity every year, as much as is produced in 34 giant 500-megawatt coal-powered plants. At a global level, roughly 416 terawatts of electricity, roughly 3%of all of the electricity produced on the planet, is required to power data centers around the world. Datacenter capacity doubles every three years and electricity consumption from data centers doubles every four years. A Clean Solution for Data CentersClearly, a new power solution is needed. Currently, data centers typically rely on two sources of backup power an Uninterruptible Power System (UPS) and a diesel generator. The UPS device takes over in the case of a power outage and serves as a transitional power supply for the 5-10 minutes it takes to turn on a diesel generator. Well-maintained diesel generators can keep power flowing for as long as they have diesel fuel. However, they have significant drawbacks, including not starting when needed, being noisy and dirty, having high maintenance activities and costs, and producing an excessive amount of vibrations and unhealthy carbon emissions. Conversely, Hydrogen Fuel Cells offer multiple benefits over traditional UPS and diesel generator backup solutions. HFCs pack a traditional UPS and generator all in one unit –eliminating dual maintenance costs as well as floor space. HFCs are nearly maintenance-free, vibration-free, silent, and can produce abundant, clean power for days on end. [caption id="attachment_22638" align="alignnone" width="600"]

Hydrogen Fuel Cell System[/caption] “HFCs produce zero carbon emissions regardless of how long they are run. That means they can be safely used indoor or outdoor –a major advantage to current solutions,” noted Mount. Additionally, with HFCs you get power plus water and heating/cooling. “We’re not only delivering power to maintain the necessities of life and business, but we’re also providing significant amounts of pure water. When was the last time your diesel generator served you water?” Beyond the Data Center The environmentally friendly nature of hydrogen not only makes for a greener future for data centers but also opens up immense new possibilities. [caption id="attachment_22639" align="alignright" width="150"]

Hydrogen Fuel Cell Greenhouse Grid[/caption] “Imagine a neighborhood that is powered completely by hydrogen fuel cells where greenhouses use the typically wasted water and heat for year-round flowers, plants, and even playgrounds – a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Greenhouse Grid. Or businesses like transportation centers, apartment complexes, and office parks that are able to meet their long-range sustainability goals practically overnight by moving away from fossil fuels to Hydrogen Fuel Cells,” said Robert Mount. “This is sustainability like we’ve never seen before.” About Power Innovations Power Innovations, located in American Fork, Utah, is a supplier of power management and integrated hydrogen fuel cell solutions and ancillary products. For over twenty-three years, they have been delivering custom-designed systems to monitor, manage, and deliver quality power when the source is unavailable, unreliable or questionable. Over the last seven years, Power Innovations has been working with leaders across industry, academia, research, and coalitions to commercialize hydrogen fuel cells and accelerate its adoption. Find out more at www.PowerInnovations.com. To see the Hydrogen Fuel Cell system in action powering a datacenter, visit the Power Innovations Energy Innovation Lab outside of SaltLakeCity, UT.

Power Innovations Sets New Record for Data Center Operations Using Power Generated Exclusively From Hydrogen Fuel Cells