OLD DOGS FOR THE FUTURE
THE NORTH AMERICAN POWER COLLABORATION
More and more, we’re hearing from innovators across the energy landscape who are taking their concepts to production through collaborations, from incorporating open-source design to leveling up by combining components from top specialists.
That approach was put to the test in Cheyenne, Wyoming, where Microsoft has a new data center. In frigid January temps, Caterpillar successfully demonstrated a hydrogen fuel cell backup power system, under the watchful eye of the Department of Energy, which analyzed safety, techno-economics and greenhouse gas impacts. A 1.5 MW hydrogen fuel cell from Ballard Power Systems went along for the revealing ride.
The goal of the 48-hour simulated event was to gain insight into system performance at both high elevations – 6,086 above sea level, in this case – and below-freezing temperatures, as Caterpillar Electric Power develops generators for energy-intensive operations that demand uninterrupted power supplies.
We know that cold can affect battery life. While it doesn’t bother hydrogen, testing reports generally show a small decrease in performance at altitudes, but Caterpillar is betting on that tech as a highly reliable backup to its backup. One of the reasons is trust in a fellow long-term innovator with a fully developed product on the leading edge.
Ballard has been around since 1979, when their development of lithium-ion battery technology made them pioneers. Caterpillar, a name synonymous with construction and mining equipment, is approaching a century. Call it old dogs learning new tricks, if you will, but there is a lot of inspiration and confidence to be found in that experience.
At Microsoft’s sprawling data center, Caterpillar used a microgrid controller to operate a pair of Cat Power Grid Stabilization (PGS) 1260 battery energy storage systems. Ballard’s hydrogen fuel cell was integrated into the data center’s electrical system to support critical load.
For Microsoft, the test outcomes are about staying on course for its 2030 carbon-neutral target.
“This project’s success provides an opportunity for hyperscale providers to drive innovations in the sustainability of power generation technologies,” Sean James, senior director of data center research at Microsoft stated in a press release.
OwlVoices spoke with Tim Sasseen, Director, of Market Development and Public Affairs North America for Ballard for an article in our upcoming magazine issue focused on Air. He provides an in-depth look at how the company evolved to hydrogen and has become a go-to supplier of fuel cell products for markets with heavy-duty applications like transit, including buses, trucks, trains and ships. It builds cost-effectiveness into its heavy-duty modules, that supply up to 200kW net power, to help drive the energy transition.
BTW - When it’s not on backup, that Wyoming data center is powered entirely by wind. Microsoft buys 59 megawatts worth of renewable energy credits from Black Hills Energy, with power supplied by the Happy Jack and Silver Sage projects. A contract with Allianz Risk Transfer brings another 178 megawatts from the new Bloom Wind project in Kansas.
