Microsoft has entered into an agreement with ESB that will see its data center power control and administration building in Dublin be powered by zero emissions green H₂ power. The landmark pilot project is the first time that H₂ fuel cells will be used to provide electricity to a Microsoft data center in Europe, supplying up to 250 kW of clean energy to Microsoft’s Dublin campus over an eight-week period.

ESB’s zero-emission H₂ fuel cells convert stored green H₂ to electricity, with the only byproduct being pure water. Designed to replace diesel generators, H₂ fuel cells produce no carbon emissions or harmful local air pollutants such as particulate matter, sulfur dioxide, and nitrogen oxides, which can have significant health and environmental impacts.

The groundbreaking pilot is part of a series planned by ESB in 2024 and 2025 to showcase the versatility of H₂ fuel cell technology in different power applications. The pilot is the first step in demonstrating the potential impact that H₂ energy can have in helping to decarbonize the strategically important data center sector in Ireland.

Commenting on the launch of the pilot, Eoin Doherty, Vice President, EMEA Regional Leader, Microsoft Cloud Operations + Innovation, said, “The green H₂ project we’re launching with ESB is a pioneering first for Microsoft in Europe, demonstrating how zero-emissions H₂ can be harnessed to power our digital lives. If scaled successfully, it could provide new ways of advancing sustainability in our sector and beyond.”

Lavinia Morris, General Manager, Microsoft’s EMEA Data Centre Operations, said, “This pilot project is another important step in our journey to transition to carbon-free electricity supply for our data centers, buildings, and campuses around the world. As we look to advance a more sustainable future, we hope to build on the success of this pilot project and continue to find innovative ways to decarbonize our operations.”

Jim Dollard, ESB Executive Director, Generation and Trading, said, “ESB believe green H₂ will play an important role in the net zero energy system of the future. We’re delighted to be working with Microsoft on this innovative pilot project that will showcase the potential for green H₂ as part of zero emission electricity generation for data centers.”

Microsoft’s H₂ fuel cell pilot project, in collaboration with ESB, is aligned with the ‘Principles for Sustainable Data Centre Development’ set out by Government in its 2022 policy statement by supporting the development of data centers that make efficient use of the electricity grid and delivering renewable energy.

The announcement to harness green H₂ is one of many steps and innovations that Microsoft is bringing to the data center sector to ensure the sustainability of its existing and future cloud and AI infrastructure. In 2020, Microsoft announced an ambitious set of goals, encompassing all global infrastructure and operations, to be a carbon negative, water positive, and zero waste company that protect ecosystems by 2030.

As well as investing in innovative technologies, Microsoft is playing a key role in helping to decarbonize the electricity grid. In November 2022, Microsoft announced new renewable energy contracts related to the development of more than 900 megawatts of onshore wind and solar energy projects in Ireland alone. The projects will see Microsoft significantly contribute to the Irish Government’s 2030 corporate power purchase agreement (CPPA) target.