(Kirchheim / London) – Rolls-Royce and Cellcentric want to promote the use of fuel cell modules. According to Rolls-Royce, it is one of the three largest suppliers of emergency power systems for data centers. The Power Systems division will now develop such systems based on Cellcentric hydrogen fuel cells under its MTU brand.
The modules have an output of around 150 kilowatts and serve as the basis for scalable fuel cell systems in the megawatt range. The chemical symbol for hydrogen “H” forms the front panel of the fairing.
Following the commissioning of a demonstration system this year, another system with 2022 kilowatt modules is scheduled to go into operation in 100. The first pilot systems for customers would be installed in 2023, and the commercial market launch of the series systems is planned for 2025.
Target group: Data center operators
RR sees operators of large data centers, through which data and telecommunications traffic runs, as an “important customer group”. “Generators based on fuel cells are the next big step towards the energy transition for us and our customers,” says Andreas Schell, CEO of Rolls-Royce Power Systems. “That is why we are investing a three-digit million amount in research and development over the next few years.” He would like governments and politicians to promote and support this “extremely climate-friendly technology”. 
This also includes the production of cost-effective, climate-friendly hydrogen using renewable sources and in the required quantities. In the future, “over half of the data centers should run on fuel cell-based emergency power and therefore emission-free,” explained Perry Kuiper, President of the Sustainable Power Solutions business unit at Rolls-Royce Power Systems. The CO2-free solutions for hydrogen technology are developed in the specially created Power Lab organizational unit.
The rapid use of a larger number of modules allows Cellcentric to quickly ramp up series production. Use for mobile applications is planned for the second half of the decade. Both companies are “convinced of the fuel cell and are working hard on its commercialization,” says Cellcentric managing director Matthias Jurytko.
Cellcentric GmbH&Co. KG develops, produces and markets fuel cell systems with a primary focus on heavy commercial vehicles. It was founded in 2021 as a joint venture between Daimler Truck AG and the Volvo Group. Rolls-Royce Power Systems, headquartered in Friedrichshafen, employs around 9.000 people. Under the MTU brand, the company sells engines and propulsion systems for ships, power generation, heavy land and rail vehicles, military vehicles and the oil and gas industry; also diesel and gas systems and battery containers for safety-critical applications, for continuous power generation, for combined heat and power and for microgrids. Rolls-Royce has both civil and military customers, including 160 armed forces and naval forces, as well as more than 5.000 energy and nuclear customers.
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Power Systems develops complete systems for emergency power supply for data centers based on Cellcentric hydrogen fuel cells. © Rolls Royce
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Rolls-Royce will purchase fuel cell modules from Cellcentric in the future. The contract has now been signed by (from left) Perry Kuiper (President Sustainable Power Solutions at Rolls-Royce Power Systems division), Andreas Schell (CEO of Rolls-Royce Power Systems), Matthias Jurytko (CEO Cellcentric) and Christian Mohrdieck (Chief Knowledge & Commercial Officer of Cellcentric). © Rolls Royce
