Hydrogen-Fueled Generators Chosen for Clean Backup Energy in Data Centers

Christine Kjær Jacobsen • August 28, 2025

Fredericia, 21 August 2025 -  The Net Zero Innovation Hub for Data Centers, the leading global consortium of data center stakeholders, including Danfoss, Data4, Google, Microsoft, Vertiv, and Schneider Electric, has selected hydrogen-fuelled internal combustion engine (ICE) generators as a key technology to accelerate the transition to net-zero operations of the data center industry.

As part of this initiative, MW-scale testing of INNIO Jenbacher generators running on 100% hydrogen will be conducted at INNIO Jenbacher’s research facility in Austria.


Technical experts from Microsoft, Google, and Data4 will witness the tests, which will follow standard start-up protocols as well as specialized load profiles reflecting AI training workloads.


These tests aim to validate the readiness of hydrogen ICE generators to support current and future data center loads.

 

Hydrogen-powered on-site generation offers the potential to become a breakthrough solution, not only for clean backup power but also for enabling faster data center deployment, grid integration, and grid stabilization.

 

INNIO Jenbacher and the Net Zero Innovation Hub will collaborate to scale this solution, focusing on critical enablers such as fuel storage, permitting, and dual-fuel capabilities using both natural gas and hydrogen.

 

For more information, please contact

Alberto Ravagni

CEO

AR@netzerodatacenters.com

 

Christine Kjær Jacobsen

Head of PR & Communication

chja@netzerodatacenters.com

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