E-fuels to supply backup power for German data centres

Rolls-Royce and German power-to-x plant developer INERATEC have launched a partnership to decarbonise emergency backup power systems for data centres with e-fuels.

The companies intend to use INERATEC's synthetic e-diesel, which is produced using green hydrogen and CO2, as an alternative to fossil diesel for Rolls-Royce Power Systems’ emergency power generators for data centres.

Initially, the focus will be on German data centres, with short delivery routes from INERATEC’s ERA ONE pioneer production facility in Frankfurt enabling rapid rollout.

Tobias Ostermaier, president Stationary Power Solutions at Rolls-Royce Power Systems, said the company is committed to the use of e-fuels in data centres together with INERATEC.

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“Mtu backup generators from Rolls-Royce are already approved for operation with sustainable fuels. Customers in the critical infrastructure sector, such as data centres, who are aiming to reduce their carbon footprint, will soon also able to use e-fuels.”

Maximilian Backhaus, Chief Commercial Officer at INERATEC, added that the secure energy supply for AI-powered data centres is one of the defining challenges of our time.

“Our e-fuels offer a climate-neutral solution that is scalable, dependable and ready for immediate deployment.”

The companies state that the collaboration opens up a new and largely overlooked use case for e-fuels in the digital age – powering critical infrastructure in an increasingly AI-driven world.

Driven largely by AI, data centres are fast growing consumers of energy, but at the same time, as a critical infrastructure, they require protection against outages.

INERATEC’s e-fuels are produced using renewable electricity and captured CO2 and comply with internationally recognised environmental standards such as ISCC.

In the long term, the two companies aim to extend their cooperation internationally.

Previously, INERATEC has entered a partnership with defence sector technology company Rheinmetall to deliver e-fuels for defence applications across Europe.

Originally published on smart-energy.com