Keppel, Mitsubishi explore trigeneration plant concept for data centres

The concept might benefit Keppel’s floating data centre park project in Singapore.

Keppel Data Centres and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Asia Pacific (MHI-AP) have inked a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to jointly explore the implementation of a hydrogen-powered trigeneration plant concept for data centres in Singapore, a press release revealed.

Together, the parties will study how a hydrogen-powered trigeneration plant-supported data centre can meet the expanding needs of the digital economy. Firstly, the use of hydrogen as an energy source can potentially be more environmentally friendly as the combustion of hydrogen does not produce greenhouse gas emissions, the release stated.

Secondly, as a trigeneration plant produces heat, power and cooling, a trigeneration plant supported data centre can not only tap on the electricity produced by the plant, thereby reducing its reliance on the national grid, but also tap on the chilled water produced by the plant to cool the data centre’s systems and facilities.

As part of the MOU, Keppel Data Centres and MHI-AP will also explore producing hydrogen fuel for the trigeneration plant through the steam methane reforming (SMR) process. By incorporating carbon capture and storage capabilities, both parties will seek to ensure that the process is carbon neutral.

One of the possible data centre projects that might benefit from the hydrogen powered trigeneration plant concept is the floating data centre park project in Singapore that Keppel Data Centres is currently pursuing.