Caterpillar provides standby power for Microsoft data centres

Microsoft will use Cat® C175-20 and C18 generator sets to provide complete standby power solutions in the first phase of data centers under construction in Sweden. All the generator sets can be powered by Preem Evolution Diesel Plus, a renewable liquid fuel. The facilities will be among Microsoft’s most advanced and sustainable data centers, featuring energy-saving designs, power from 100% renewable energy sources, and ambitions for zero-waste operations.

Installed and commissioned by the local Cat dealer, the Cat generator sets will align with Microsoft’s sustainability goals by enabling operation on a co-processed synthetic diesel fuel that contains more than 50% renewable raw materials. Manufactured at the Preem refinery in Gothenburg, Sweden, it is the first eco-labelled liquid fuel in the world. Cat engines have allowed the use of various hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) fuel products for more than a decade. Preem’s Evolution Diesel Plus was evaluated and tested by Caterpillar and Microsoft at a data center in Dublin, Ireland.

“Microsoft is a valued Caterpillar customer, and we are delighted to collaborate with them and support their goals for carbon reduction.” said Bart Myers, general manager, Caterpillar Large Electric Power. “This project has presented us with an ideal opportunity to demonstrate the flexibility and versatility of the products in our electric power portfolio and our expertise in sustainable power generation.”

Caterpillar supports sustainability with a broad portfolio of advanced power offerings:

•         Caterpillar’s hybrid energy solutions technology suite includes photovoltaic (PV) solar modules, bi-directional power (BDP) inverters, energy storage system (ESS) modules, advanced microgrid controllers and full digital monitoring.

•         Cat cogeneration combined heat and power (CHP) systems simultaneously provide power for electrical loads as well as high-efficiency heating and cooling.

•         Cat generator sets can be configured to operate on numerous biogas fuels, including coal mine methane, landfill gas and wastewater biogas.

Myers added, “More and more of our customers seek to lessen their impacts on the environment while pursuing economic goals.  Caterpillar has supported the use of hybrid and renewable fuels in our power solutions for many years as part of our own strategic investment in sustainability.”

The standby power solution at each of the data centers at Gävle, Sandviken and Staffanstorp consists of multiple Cat C175-20 generator sets for critical operations and Cat C18 generator sets that support administrative functions. Additionally, all the generator sets will be equipped with sound-attenuating enclosures that deliver optimal performance in ambient temperatures that can range from minus 30 degrees to more than 40 degrees Celsius (minus 22 to more than 104 degrees Fahrenheit). Packaged at Caterpillar’s manufacturing facility at Larne, Northern Ireland, the installations provide complete, vertically integrated solutions backed by a full Caterpillar warranty.

“We have worked extensively to ensure that our new data centers in Sweden will be among our most sustainably designed and operated in the world,” said Noelle Walsh, corporate vice president, Cloud Operations and Innovation at Microsoft. “Caterpillar and the Cat dealer network have developed innovative power solutions that support Microsoft and our unwavering commitment to carbon reductions. Cat generator sets at Microsoft data centers help us keep availability promises to our customers even when grid power fails, providing continuous energy and uninterrupted cloud services.”