NTT DATA agrees 900MW fuel-cell deployment

NTT DATA has agreed to deploy 900MW of onsite electricity generation using Bloom Energy fuel-cell systems across multiple international data centre developments, with the first equipment shipments scheduled to begin in 2027.

The agreement will see NTT Global Data Centers use modular solid oxide fuel-cell equipment as a source of primary electrical power. The installations are intended to support new computing capacity in markets where electricity network availability can constrain the construction and commissioning of large data centres.

Bloom Energy identifies the arrangement as its largest international project to date. The companies have not disclosed the individual sites, countries, allocation of generating capacity or dates when the completed installations are expected to enter service.

The 900MW figure represents the generating capacity covered by the agreement rather than equipment that has already been delivered or commissioned. Its eventual deployment will depend on project development, installation and the electrical and fuel infrastructure needed to support the power systems.

Electricity availability is an important consideration in data centre development, particularly where facilities are intended to accommodate high-density computing equipment. Servers, networking hardware and cooling equipment create substantial electrical loads that require suitable power distribution, protection and resilience arrangements.

Large developments may require new utility substations, transformers and high-capacity electricity connections. Where the existing network cannot support the proposed demand, reinforcement works can involve extended procurement and construction programmes before the facility can operate at its intended electrical load.

Onsite generation offers another way to supply that demand, provided the generating equipment can meet the facility’s operating requirements. NTT DATA intends to use the Bloom Energy systems as primary power rather than relying on them solely as emergency standby equipment.

That distinction changes the required operating profile. A primary generating installation must support the normal electricity demand of the connected facility over extended periods, with fuel availability, maintenance and equipment redundancy influencing its ability to provide continuous service.

Bloom Energy’s technology converts the chemical energy of fuel into electricity through an electrochemical process. Its solid oxide fuel cells operate without the conventional combustion process used in gas turbines or reciprocating engines, and they do not require a rotating generator to produce electrical power.

Each fuel cell uses a solid ceramic electrolyte positioned between electrodes. At elevated operating temperatures, oxygen ions pass through the electrolyte and react with fuel-derived species, allowing electrons to flow through an external circuit and produce electricity.

Individual fuel cells are combined into stacks, which are incorporated into modules and larger generating platforms. Bloom Energy’s modular arrangement allows generating capacity to be assembled in increments rather than requiring a single generating machine to provide the full electrical output of a development.

The fuel-cell system produces direct-current electricity. Where the connected data centre uses conventional alternating-current distribution, suitable power conditioning and inverter equipment is needed to establish the required electrical interface.

Electrical protection and control systems must also coordinate the generating modules with the facility’s distribution infrastructure. The equipment must maintain appropriate operating conditions while responding to changes in demand, equipment availability and any requirements associated with a parallel utility connection.

Bloom Energy’s solid oxide systems can operate using natural gas, biogas, hydrogen or compatible fuel blends, depending on the equipment configuration. The NTT DATA agreement does not identify the fuel intended for individual projects, making it premature to classify the proposed installations as hydrogen powered or carbon-free.

Fuel composition is important to the generating system’s environmental performance. Where carbon-containing fuels are used, electrochemical conversion can still produce carbon dioxide, even though the process does not involve conventional combustion.

Bloom Energy identifies low local air pollutant emissions, limited water consumption and relatively quiet operation among the characteristics of its equipment. Those properties can influence the suitability of onsite generation at developments where space, environmental conditions and proximity to other facilities must be considered.

The complete installation nevertheless requires infrastructure for fuel supply, electrical distribution, heat management and safe operation. Depending on the selected fuel and local regulations, additional storage, pipeline connections, processing equipment or environmental approvals may be required.

Fuel-cell modules also generate heat during operation. Their elevated operating temperature forms part of the electrochemical process, and the installation must provide appropriate thermal management to maintain equipment performance and protect surrounding infrastructure.

Modular deployment can allow generating capacity to expand alongside data centre construction. A development may bring additional computing halls into operation progressively, increasing electricity demand as servers and supporting equipment are installed.

Installing generation in corresponding increments could reduce the amount of unused electrical capacity required during early development phases. However, the achievable delivery timetable remains dependent on equipment manufacture, construction, fuel connections, electrical testing and commissioning.

Data centres also require resilience against equipment faults and interruptions to supply. A facility using onsite fuel cells as primary generation must establish how sufficient electrical availability will be maintained during planned maintenance or an unexpected failure affecting part of the generating installation.

The eventual architecture may include multiple fuel-cell modules, utility connections, uninterruptible power supplies and other generating equipment. The companies have not specified the redundancy arrangements, backup power configuration or operating relationship between fuel cells and utility supplies at the proposed sites.

Uninterruptible power systems remain distinct from primary generation. Their role is to maintain electrical continuity for critical loads during short disturbances or transfers between supply sources, while the generation infrastructure provides the sustained electricity required for normal operation.

The NTT DATA programme will therefore involve integrating the generating equipment with the wider electrical design of each data centre rather than simply installing fuel-cell modules beside completed buildings. Protection coordination, load management, maintenance arrangements and commissioning must be established for the relevant site configuration.

Bloom Energy manufactures its fuel-cell systems in the United States and supplies equipment for data centres, industrial facilities, healthcare installations and other critical electricity applications. The new agreement expands that activity through a large international customer portfolio.

NTT Global Data Centers operates computing infrastructure across multiple markets and is developing additional capacity to accommodate demand for artificial intelligence and other digital services. The proposed generation programme provides an alternative route to securing electrical power where conventional network connections cannot be delivered within the required project timetable.

The companies have not announced a common commissioning programme for the 900MW commitment. Initial shipments are expected in 2027, after which individual installations will need to complete their construction, fuel supply arrangements and electrical testing before providing primary power to operational data centres.