On-Prem

Systems

Not just AI datacenters needing own power: Taiwanese server-maker Quanta has bought microgrids

California utilities couldn't deliver for hyperscalers' favorite hardware slinger


It's not just datacenters running AI that need their own energy sources. Taiwanese hardware manufacturer to the clouds Quanta has revealed the purchase of three sets of fuel cell microgrid systems to power one of its California plants, after purchasing two in April of this year.

Quanta this week revealed it bought the fuel cells at a cost of just under $80 million, after buying others in April for around $50 million.

At the time, Bloom Energy – the vendor of the kit Quanta acquired – touted the purchase as necessary after a local utility company indicated it would take several years before it could provide the necessary electricity for a planned manufacturing facility in Fremont, California.

AI's energy appetite too big for Texas grid, regulators warn

READ MORE

"By leveraging Bloom Energy's innovative and modular microgrid solution, Quanta is circumventing the lengthy delays and conditions associated with traditional utility constraints to maintain its competitive edge in the fast-paced Silicon Valley market," explained a canned statement.

"This project not only addresses Quanta's immediate energy needs but also exemplifies a broader trend across the technology industry: as AI-driven applications proliferate, demand for electricity-intensive computing resources continues to surge," added Bloom Energy.

Fuel cell microgrids, like those produced by Bloom Energy, generate electricity through an electrochemical process and are designed to operate independently from the power grid. They require natural gas, biogas, or hydrogen as fuel.

Quanta's announcement didn't detail what it has acquired, but Bloom Energy's microgrid systems can range from 200kW to 20MW.

Bloom's Series 10 offering, which includes a 10MW fuel cell microgrid, is priced from 9.9 cents per kWh.

Datacenter operators across the world have voiced concern over their ability to source sufficient power for their operations – especially new infrastructure using power-hungry GPUs to run AI workloads.

Many are turning to nuclear power. Indeed, Microsoft recently made a deal to reactivate a reactor at the famed Three Mile Island plant to get the juice it needs. ®

Send us news
5 Comments

Amazon to cough $75B on capex in 2024, more next year

Despite extending server lifespans, AI's power demands drive more datacenter builds

Softbank CEO says 'super AI' will arrive in 2035 and cost $9T

Oh, and it'll need the total current US power output

AI firms and civil society groups plead for passage of federal AI law ASAP

Congress urged to act before year's end to support US competitiveness

Killer app for AI is still years away, says industry analyst

IT spend set to rise nonetheless and it's not all about wundertech

Watchdog finds AI tools can be used unlawfully to filter candidates by race, gender

UK data regulator says some devs and providers are operating without a 'lawful basis'

Single-platform approach may fall short for AI data management

Data platform vendors can't meet all your needs, warns Gartner

The best use for those latest manycore chips? AI, say server vendors

PC makers might not be able to sell the idea - big iron has a better chance

Meta gives nod to weaponizing Llama – but only for the good guys

Change of mind follows discovery China was playing with it uninvited?

Microsoft rolls out AI-enabled Notepad to Windows Insiders

Rewrite 'please leave my text editor alone'

Microsoft still not said anything about unexpected Windows Server 2025 installs

Affected business calls situation 'mindbogglingly dangerous' as sysadmins reminded to check backup and restore strategies

Sysadmin shock as Windows Server 2025 installs itself after update labeling error

Screens sprayed with coffee after techies find Microsoft's latest OS in unexpected places

Linus Torvalds: 90% of AI marketing is hype

Linux kernel creator says let's see which workloads use GenAI in five years