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Google Using Bloom Box, But Not in Data Center
Google was the first customer for Bloom Energy, and is using the startup’s gas-powered fuel cells in its operations. But is Google using the “Bloom Box” units in one of its data centers? 60 Minutes reported Sunday that Google has been using four Bloom Boxes to power one of its data centers for the last 18 months.
It turns out that’s not quite correct. “These fuel cells aren’t powering any off-site data centers,” said a Google spokesperson. “Instead, Bloom fuel cells are powering a portion of Google’s energy needs at our headquarters right here in Mountain View. This is another on-site renewable energy source that we’re exploring to help power our facilities. We have a 400kW installation on Google’s main campus. Over the first 18 months the project has had 98% availability and delivered 3.8 million kWh of electricity.”
The Bloom Energy units run on methane or other hydrocarbons. The machine produces electricity, as well as some heat, carbon dioxide and water. While 400 kilowatts is a lot of power for some commercial buildings, it’s a fraction of what would be needed for a major data center. The same goes for the 98 percent availability, as data centers typically shoot for at least “four nines” (99.99 percent uptime) and beyond.
Despite those issues, there are a number of data center projects that have incorporated fuel cells using natural gas or biogas. Some previous examples:
- T-Systems is using a “hot module” fuel cell to provide power for a server room in a facility in Munich, Germany, which runs on biogas supplied by a planet in nearby Pliening.
- Fujitsu has used a fuel cell in its Sunnyvale data center. The fuel cell produce 200 kilowatts of power, which is enough to power half of the cooling needed in Fujitsu’s data center.
- A Syracuse University data center is susing gas-powered microturbines, which generate electricity, while the hot exhaust is piped to the chiller room, where it is used to generate cooling for the servers and both heat and cooling for an adjacent office building.
- Verizon has been using fuel cell technology to power one of its facilities in Garden City, N.Y., on Long Island. Seven fuel cells generate power for a 292,000-square-foot facility that provides telephone and data services to some 35,000 customers on Long Island
The primary barrier to use of fuel cells in data centers has been the up-front cost of the units. 60 Minutes reports that each Bloom unit costs $700,000 to $800,000. Venture capitalist John Doerr of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers, one of Bloom Energy’s backers, said the Bloom Box is intended to replace the grid for its customers. “It’s cheaper than the grid, (and) it’s cleaner than the grid,” Doerr told 60 Minutes.
We’ll no doubt hear more in a Wednesday press conference to officially launch Bloom Energy.
About Rich Miller
Rich Miller is the founder and editor-in-chief of Data Center Knowledge, and has been reporting on the data center sector since 2000. He has tracked the growing impact of high-density computing on the power and cooling of data centers, and the resulting push for improved energy efficiency in these facilities.
bryan
Posted February 22nd, 2010Can I create a REJIS PO for a couple of these…..
http://www.engadget.com/2010/02/22/the-bloom-box-a-power-plant-for-the-home-video/
Google News 2010-02-23 « The Best Software Softsters's Blog
Posted February 23rd, 2010[...] Google was the first customer for Bloom Energy, and is using the startup’s gas-powered fuel cells in its operations. But is Google using the “Bloom Box” units in one of its data centers? 60 Minutes reported Sunday that Google has been using four Bloom Boxes to power one of its data centers for the last 18 months read more [...]
Regarding Bloom Box, with Google using 400kW unit, that would most likely represent only 1/50th of their total data center load. The cost savings for this type of application are still questionable. They may be paying less per kw/Hr, but when you add in the upfront costs of the units, these installations don’t typically cross the financial justification hurdle. The “cleaner” than the grid statement may be true, but the unit is still burning natural gas and expelling carbon into the atmosphere. Finally, the 98% availability is horrible at this point. Even the worst sectors of the electric grid in the US deliver higher than 98% availability. The bottom line is that Google may be trying something in order to get out ahead of the curve, but their true benefits of the technology will mainly be in the public image.
Bob L
Posted February 23rd, 2010First National Bank of Omaha has four 225 KVA United Technologies fuel cells in their DC since 1999.
Fuel cells still need fossel fuels (natural gas in most cases). The 60 Minutes piece was one of the worst I have seen them do. Vague with many missing pieces. It came across as a infomercial more than a good news piece.
There have been many fuel cells before, just look up Plug Power out of NY. They were going to change the world. GE even was going to distribute them. Fuel cells make a lot of sense for office/schools/etc where power and heat can be used. DC’s not so much unless the total costs would make them equal to or lower than grid power.
An Off-Grid Future « Cultivating Heaven
Posted March 23rd, 2010[...] called technologies’ newest darling, perhaps in part to early high-profile customers like Google and e-bay. This fuel cell device is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, and it takes [...]
Top 5 Myths about Google’s Data Centers « One Joule at a Time
Posted May 2nd, 2010[...] When Bloom Energy revealed the Bloom Box, they noted that Google has been testing the system for 18 months. The test was at their Mountain View headquarters, and they found the Bloom Box to be 98% reliable (available). While this is a great step forward for fuel cells in scalability and reliability, one 9 of reliability simply isn’t sufficient to power any data center. Many journalists, when they found out that Google was a customer, immediately jumped to the conclusion that Google must be using it for their data center. No, not true, as Data Center Knowledge quickly pointed out. [...]
Bloom Energy attracts data center operators in Cali — Cleantech News and Analysis
Posted July 28th, 2011[...] nines” (99.999 percent). Google has said that the Bloom Box it was using on its campus had an availability rating of 98 percent, which translates into around seven days of downtime a year. No good for a stand alone power source [...]
Bloom Energy attracts data center operators in Cali | Information Technology | Technology News
Posted July 28th, 2011[...] “five nines” (99.999 percent). Google has said the Bloom Box it was using on its campus had an availability rating of 98 percent[5], which translates into around seven days of downtime a year: no good for a stand alone power [...]
Bloom Energy attracts data center operators in Cali | Smart Energy Magazine
Posted July 28th, 2011[...] “five nines” (99.999 percent). Google has said the Bloom Box it was using on its campus had an availability rating of 98 percent, which translates into around seven days of downtime a year: no good for a stand alone power source [...]
Fuel cell makers eye data centers — Cleantech News and Analysis
Posted August 2nd, 2011[...] almost never shut down. Google has said the Bloom Box that it has been using on its campus had an availability rating of 98 percent, which translates into around seven days of downtime a year, which is not so good for a stand alone [...]
Fuel cell makers eye data centers | Smart Energy Magazine
Posted August 3rd, 2011[...] almost never shut down. Google has said the Bloom Box that it has been using on its campus had an availability rating of 98 percent, which translates into around seven days of downtime a year. That is not so good for a stand-alone [...]
ClearEdge Designs Fuel Cells To Replace Power From The Grid - Alternative Renewable Energies
Posted December 5th, 2011[...] each, installed a 400-kilowatt system at Google’s headquarters in Silicon Valley, but Google has said it doesn’t use it to run its data center [...]
Bloom Energy launches data center focus for its fuel cells — Cleantech News and Analysis
Posted March 14th, 2012[...] supply can never shut down. Google has said the Bloom Box it has been using on its campus had an availability rating of 98 percent, which translates into around seven days of downtime a [...]
Bloom Energy launches data center focus for its fuel cells | Apple Related
Posted March 14th, 2012[...] supply can never shut down. Google has said the Bloom Box it has been using on its campus had an availability rating of 98 percent, which translates into around seven days of downtime a [...]
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February 22nd, 2010