Rolls-Royce Plc and Daimler Truck AG have announced plans to develop stationary fuel-cell generators as CO2-neutral emergency power generators for safety-critical facilities, such as datacentres. Promising emission-free alternatives to diesel engines, which are currently used as emergency power generators or to cover peak loads, a comprehensive agreement is expected by the end of this year.

Martin Daum, chairman of Daimler Truck AG said fuel-cell systems play a decisive role in achieving CO2-neutral transport – as a supplement to battery-electric drive.

"Only [at the end] of April, we announced our intention to establish a joint venture with the Volvo Group. With the agreement for stationary fuel-cell systems concluded, we are already demonstrating very concrete opportunities for the commercialisation of this technology through the joint venture,” he explained.

“We are delighted that Rolls-Royce is as convinced as we are of the future of fuel cells in the stationary sector and would like to enter into this long-term cooperation with us. On the one hand, this represents further impetus for the development of a hydrogen infrastructure across all sectors and applications; on the other hand, it will enable us to work together to further increase the economy of fuel cells, as well as society’s acceptance of and confidence in them."

Andreas Schell, CEO of Rolls-Royce Power Systems, added that, as global information and communication hubs, datacentres are of vital importance and their operation must be reliably safeguarded.

"The same applies to other safety-critical systems. Under our MTU brand, we develop customised solutions, thousands of which we have already installed, for datacenters’ individual, complex and growing energy needs. The decarbonisation of drive systems and power supply is one of our central strategic goals of our PS2030 strategy and fuel cells will play a key role in this. No other technology offers such high reliability, modular scalability and all the advantages of renewable energies without dependence on the conventional energy market."

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