The automobile manufacturer, Honda, has recently found a new and improved use for what was originally intended to be an energy source in their fuel cells. By using the aging hydrogen fuel cells, the tech giant has recently introduced a new data center that provides carbon-free energy and cooling.
For many years, Honda has worked on developing fuel cells for their automobiles. Fuel Cells use the reaction between oxygen and hydrogen to produce electricity with the only byproduct being water. This system has been implemented in various Honda products such as their own fuel cell-powered vehicle, the Clarity Fuel Cell.
Although these fuel cells have seen success in the automobile industry, they are not quite fit for the rigors of transportation technology. This is why the tech giant has decided to repurpose the aging fuel cells by introducing them to the data center called FIT Hybrid Environment. This data center is one of the first of its kind, combining traditional metering systems with the innovative use of fuel cells to provide a carbon-free energy source for the center.
The FIT Hybrid Environment data center provides both power and cooling for its operations and uses the hydrogen fuel cells for both. The fuel cells provide a steady supply of electricity to the data center and the waste heat is then used to cool the electronics themselves. This process creates a closed-loop system which allows the data center to sustainably use the energy created by the fuel cells and conserve resources.
The introduction of the FIT Hybrid Environment data center is an important step towards introducing sustainable energy sources to the tech industry. With this step, Honda has shown that their fuel cells are not limited to only providing electricity to automobiles, but can be used in many different innovative ways. This new data center is just the beginning of Honda’s journey of exploring alternative uses for their energy sources and will no doubt set a precedent for other companies to follow.
