Are Hydrogen-Powered Data Centers the Future?

Some time back in 2022, Microsoft decided to take an ambitious step. They wanted to see if hydrogen could provide emission-free backup power at their data centers.

To no one’s surprise, Microsoft was successfully able to do what it had set out to achieve. The company then ran another trial earlier this year and received promising results this time as well.

Microsoft then came to the conclusion that hydrogen energy has the potential to help data centers address critical power needs while reducing their emissions. Of course, Microsoft isn’t the only company that’s been trying their luck with hydrogen-powered data centers.

Many established, as well as new, companies that work with vast volumes of data have shown their eagerness for such hydrogen-powered data centers.

Now, with sustainability at the forefront of global concerns, the question arises: Are hydrogen-powered data centers the future? Let’s find out.

Why Change is Necessary

Here’s an astonishing fact about data centers that you most likely did not know about. Data centers consume enormous amounts of electricity, with some estimates suggesting that they account for over 1% of the world’s total energy usage. This figure is only expected to rise as our reliance on digital infrastructure grows.

Traditionally, these centers have relied on grid power, often generated from fossil fuels, contributing to carbon emissions and environmental degradation. Hydrogen energy is emerging as a potential solution to this dilemma.

Unlike traditional batteries, hydrogen fuel cells can provide consistent power without being tied to the grid, and their only byproduct is water. This makes hydrogen-powered data centers an attractive option for those looking to reduce their carbon footprint.

How Hydrogen Technology Powers Data Centers

At the heart of this shift for data centers lies the hydrogen fuel cell.

If you want to unlock the full potential of hydrogen in data centers, you need to work out effective hydrogen storage solutions. Your usual batteries store electricity directly, but hydrogen storage systems store energy in the form of hydrogen gas.

Whenever the data centers are in need of energy, the stored hydrogen can be converted back into electricity using fuel cells.

The process of storing hydrogen can be done in various ways, including compressed gas and liquid hydrogen. However, as H2MOF points out, such hydrogen storage solutions can be inefficient.  

Solid-state hydrogen storage, however, is emerging as a promising alternative to traditional storage methods and could be a great option here, especially for data centers which consume a lot of power. These storage systems can offer a safe and efficient way to store hydrogen, at low pressure and ambient temperatures.

The Environmental Impact

We’ve already told you just how power-hungry data centers tend to be. Hence, the idea of hydrogen-powered data centers intrigues many, including environmentalists, as they are more environmentally friendly.

When you use hydrogen energy, you only get water as a byproduct. The same will happen in hydrogen-powered data centers; water will be the only byproduct. Hence, water gets released into the environment instead of CO2 emissions.

This reduction in CO2 emissions reduces the carbon footprint of data centers, especially when compared to fossil fuel-based power sources.

Is Hydrogen the Future of Data Centers?

Now we come back to the question we asked at the start of this discussion: is hydrogen the future of our global data centers. Several tech giants, including Microsoft, are already considering this shift to hydrogen-powered data centers. Hence, it’s only natural that most other tech companies do the same, right?

Well, switching to hydrogen energy, for data centers, is not that easy, as you can tell from our discussion. We’re not denying the potential of hydrogen-powered data centers, but we believe that several hurdles must be overcome before hydrogen power can become mainstream.

There are of course the high costs associated with hydrogen energy being used in data centers. Besides, the infrastructure for hydrogen storage and distribution is not yet as developed as it needs to be to support widespread adoption.

There is, however, some good news for companies looking to power their data centers using hydrogen tech. The technology around hydrogen energy is evolving, and more sustainable and cost-friendly hydrogen energy solutions are popping up. In fact, many hydrogen storage companies are leading the charge in this revolution for a greener planet.

Of course, companies that operate such data centers will still face many challenges along the way as they try to embrace hydrogen energy tech. Yet, the potential benefits that hydrogen energy offers for data centers are too good to turn down. Thus, it’s safe to say that the future of data centers may indeed be hydrogen-powered.