Solving Data Centre Power Challenges with Elcogen’s Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Tech
As data centre energy demands surge, Elcogen enables clean, efficient, and resilient onsite power with its advanced solid oxide fuel cell technology. Here’s how!
The well-documented rapid growth of data centres worldwide has led to soaring power demands, driven by the explosion of digital services, cloud computing, artificial intelligence and big data processing. Last year, data centres consumed approx. 415 terawatt-hours of electricity. That’s 1.5% of global electricity demand and a figure that the IEA projects to more than double by 2030.
To meet these critical power needs, data centres have traditionally relied on the electrical grid for their primary supply, supplemented by diesel generators and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) to provide backup during outages. However, grid infrastructure is under increasing strain. The lag between data centre expansion (one to two years) and grid upgrades (often much longer), along with long wait times for new grid connections, is creating real barriers to development. This is especially so in high density regions. It’s reported that the U.S. energy grid faces a 42-gigawatt shortfall by 2028, driven in large part by AI-driven data centre initiatives.
In Ireland, according to the country’s Central Statistics Office, data centres already account for 22 percent of metered electricity consumption, up from just 5 percent in 2015. Moreover, the environmental footprint of data centres is under growing scrutiny. To meet EU climate targets, emissions from ICT, including data centres, must halve by 2030.
In this context, system developers and providers of power supply systems for prime power play a pivotal role in developing advanced onsite power supply solutions that combine efficiency, resilience and environmental responsibility. At Elcogen, we engineer solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) components (cells, stacks and modules) specifically to support system designers serving applications that require prime and reliable power supply such as data centres. Our high efficiency, fuel-flexible and modular components enable the creation of off-grid power systems that deliver continuous, reliable energy while aligning with the industry’s shift towards greener, smarter operations.
Six reasons to put Elcogen inside your system
1. Clean and Resilient Operation
Elcogen’s SOFCs generate electricity through electrochemical conversion, avoiding combustion and eliminating harmful emissions such as nitrogen oxides, sulphur dioxide and particulates. This is especially important as regulations such as the EU’s Energy Efficiency Directive now require data centre operators to report energy KPIs, while initiatives like the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact demand 75 percent renewable energy usage by 2025 and 100 percent by 2030. Unlike diesel generators, our fuel cells offer low emission (zero when green Hydrogen is used) and quiet operation. This makes them ideal for 24/7 mission critical infrastructure in urban areas where environmental and acoustic concerns are growing.
2. Flexible Fuel Options
Our technology operates on a wide range of fuels including hydrogen, natural gas, ammonia, biogas, methanol and syngas. This fuel flexibility allows data centre operators to adapt to local fuel availability while preparing for a cleaner future. As some operators begin to explore hydrogen and even small modular nuclear reactors to ensure energy resilience, Elcogen’s SOFCs provide a flexible and scalable bridge technology that works across both current and emerging fuel ecosystems. Elcogen’s SOFCs also offer superior tolerance to fuel impurities compared to other fuel cell types, which is essential for long-term reliability in real world conditions.
3. Exceptional Efficiency
With stack level electrical efficiency up to 75 percent, Elcogen’s technology outperforms conventional backup systems and even many other fuel cell technologies. When paired with heat recovery we can reach up to 90 percent total system efficiency. This level of performance directly contributes to lower operating costs, reduced fuel consumption and improved environmental credentials.
4. Reversible Operation for Energy Storage
As more data centres co locate with renewable generation sources such as wind, solar or hydro, storing excess electricity becomes a key challenge. Elcogen’s SOFCs enable reversible operation, allowing the systems to switch into electrolyser mode to generate green hydrogen when surplus renewable electricity is available. This capability supports energy storage and demand response strategies, which are increasingly important as data centres are asked to provide grid flexibility through intelligent load shifting or participation in virtual power plant programmes.
Something that is not often discussed is that Solid Oxide Electrolysers are about 30% more efficient than traditional alkaline systems. That means we use 30% less electricity to produce the same amount of green hydrogen. Which equates to 30% less upstream investment needed. In practical terms, you need 30% fewer wind turbines or solar panels – which cuts down your investment in renewables, land use, and infrastructure.
5. Scalable and Modular Architecture
From small edge data centres to large hyperscale facilities, our full range of cells, stacks and stack modules supports system designs of any size. This modular approach also makes it easier to integrate into existing infrastructure where grid connection constraints may limit expansion. As many data centre operators face delays or restrictions in accessing new grid connections, scalable onsite generation can unlock growth potential without waiting for costly and time-consuming grid upgrades.
6. Proven Technology with Full Technical Support
With over two decades of fuel cell innovation, Elcogen delivers both field proven technology and comprehensive technical support. We work closely with system developers from early-stage design and modelling through to commissioning, performance optimisation and long-term operational support. Given the increasingly complex regulatory and performance expectations on data centres, including energy reporting under EU law, improving power usage effectiveness (PUE) scores and achieving sustainability goals, a reliable technical partner has never been more important.
Data centres are fast becoming the factories of the digital economy and they are consuming power like it too. Traditional energy systems can no longer keep pace with the scale, speed and sustainability now required. Elcogen’s solid oxide fuel cell technology offers power supply system designers a proven, future ready solution. Clean, efficient, resilient and built for the hybrid energy environment we now face.
Get in touch with our team today to find out how Elcogen can help take your power supply system portfolio for data centres to the next level: sales@elcogen.com
Text: Laura Quinton
