John Roach (@byjohnroach) writes for Microsoft about how hydrogen fuel cells could provide emission-free backup power for data centers. He visits a hydrogen generator in New York state, where shipping containers house the 3-megawatt fuel cell system that recently came online for the first time, a “moon landing moment” for the data center industry, an employee said. The backup generators at data centers that ensure uninterrupted service typically burn fossil fuels, so a zero-emission generator is a notable improvement in the operation of these centers, which are a vital piece of infrastructure in our modern life. Roach delves into the development of these new fuel cells and discusses other fuel options the company is working on for low- and no-carbon emissions. Photo by John Brecher for Microsoft
