Keppel and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to research hydrogen power plants for data centres

Singapore-based designer and operator behind floating data centre project signs MoU with MHI to explore hydrogen data centre infrastructure

Keppel Data Centres and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries are to research the viability of tri-generation hydrogen power plants for data centres in a bid to improve the environmental footprint of Singapore’s digital infrastructure.

The companies will research the potential benefits of hydrogen power plants for data centres and explore their implementation in Singapore data centres.

As a tri-generation plant produces heat, power and cooling, the companies ultimately hope to develop a power plant that can feed electricity and chilled water to data centre systems and facilities.

Hydrogen has been long-touted as an environmentally friendly energy source as its combustion does not produce greenhouse gas emissions, but the fuel’s environmental credentials depend on how much carbon was used to produce it.

Keppel and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries said they will explore a steam methane reforming process for hydrogen production. The companies said this process combined with carbon capture and storage technologies should make the production process carbon neutral.

Keppel is known for its innovative and sustainability-focused data centre designs, including its mooted floating data centre park project off the coast of Singapore, a project Keppel said could benefit from hydrogen infrastructure.

“As a leading designer, developer and operator of data centres across Asia Pacific and Europe, Keppel Data Centres is committed to drive sustainable solutions for the industry,” said Wong Wai Meng, Chief Executive Officer of Keppel Data Centres.

“The exploration of hydrogen infrastructure is part of our strategy to work towards decarbonisation. We are happy to collaborate with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and tap on their vast experience and technology capabilities in our journey.”

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, meanwhile, is considered a world leader in hydrogen manufacturing and transportation.