Equinix tests hydrogen backup power at Dublin data centre

Equinix has begun a 12-week trial of hydrogen-powered backup generation at its DB3 data centre in Blanchardstown, Dublin.

The project, delivered with ESB and GeoPura, uses two hydrogen-powered generators developed by GeoPura, one of which is owned by ESB. The containerised units are being run in parallel and are currently supporting cooling systems at the facility. According to Equinix, the pilot has already helped bring DB3’s power usage effectiveness, or PUE, to below 1.3.

The units are designed to switch on through an uninterruptible power supply system and provide up to half a megawatt of continuous power when needed. GeoPura is supplying hydrogen from renewable sources for the pilot, with the fuel cell system producing water and heat as by-products at the point of use.

Of course, this isn’t the first time hydrogen has been touted as an alternative to diesel backup generators. It’s long been seen as the holy grail for decarbonising backup power, but we also need a reality check on how far away that reality is.

The International Energy Agency says low-emissions hydrogen production is on track to reach 1 Mt in 2025, but still accounts for less than 1% of global hydrogen production. It also notes that high costs, uncertain demand and slow infrastructure development continue to hold back uptake.

That means while, yes, hydrogen backup power will work – as no doubt Equinix will prove with its trial, mimicking Microsoft’s own findings from way back in 2024 – it will find that it’s not exactly commercially viable to roll out across its 280 sites around the world.

Until low-emissions hydrogen can realistically be produced in enough volumes to meet demand, then we’re still not expecting the backup power market to be dominated by the technology. Instead, firms will look at other solutions to limit emissions, such as using HVO fuel. That already eliminates up to 90% of net greenhouse gas emissions and for the most part can run in existing diesel generators. Sure, it’s not as clean as low-emissions hydrogen, but at least it’s readily available and not prohibitively expensive.

Do we expect hydrogen to one day become a serious option for grid-constrained and emissions-sensitive sites? Potentially, but I wouldn’t expect it before the 2030s outside of limited trials that are great for positive PR.