by Brianna Crandall — November 19, 2014—Microsoft has partnered with FuelCell Energy and Siemens Energy Management to create what the companies say is the nation’s first zero-carbon, waste-to-energy data center, in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
The project uses methane biogas, a byproduct of municipal wastewater treatment at the nearby Dry Creek wastewater facility, to power the fuel cell system. FuelCell Energy’s Direct Fuel Cell system then converts the biogas into electricity to power the Microsoft data center.
FuelCell Energy developed the fuel cell technology to convert unused biogas into ultra-clean power generation solutions. The plant uses an electrochemical reaction to generate electricity and heat. Virtually no air pollutants are released because of the absence of combustion, claims the company.
Siemens worked with Microsoft and FuelCell Energy to design, engineer and install equipment and software, including a power monitoring solution, for the data center. This technology measures the performance and energy output of the fuel cell so enough consistent, high-quality power is delivered to run the data center 24/7.
By utilizing this intelligent software, alternative resources like biogas and technologies such as fuel cells can be a proven source of reliable energy for critical installations, say the companies. Other advantages reportedly include reliable base load power for continuous electricity and heat and on-site power production to improve reliability without the cost of electrical transmission and distribution.
How the power monitoring system works:
- The Siemens software and hardware monitors the amount of biogas being sent to the fuel cell, the conversion to usable energy, and the fuel cell output to ensure that enough electricity is created throughout this process to reliably power Microsoft’s datacenter.
- The technology also includes predictive demand alert capability so the data center operators are made immediately aware of any power quality or energy demand issues.
The Microsoft data center will operate completely off the grid and, based on measurements from Siemens’ power monitoring system, is expected to produce 250 kilowatts of renewable power and use approximately 100 kilowatts. The additional power will be sent back to the waste water treatment facility to reduce its electric bills.
As part of the integrated solution, Siemens also provided environmental controls for this project inside the data center to manage air temperature, flow, and humidity. Siemens also provided circuit breakers that deliver energy to the servers and protect power supply in cases of low or high energy levels within the container.
For further information on Siemens’ power monitoring solution for the Cheyenne data center and videos of the project and the technology behind it, visit the Siemens Web site.
