Solid Oxide Fuel Cells: Top 10 Projects and Companies for Data Centers Application

The Silent Powerhouse: How Solid Oxide Fuel Cells are Solving the Data Center Energy Crisis

The digital world is built on an insatiable appetite for energy. Every AI-powered search, cloud-based application, and data-driven decision happens inside a data center—and these digital factories are pushing our electrical grids to the breaking point. In places like Ohio and Ireland, a new data center can demand as much power as a small city, leaving utilities scrambling to keep up. But in the race to power the future, a quiet, transformative technology is emerging not just as a backup plan, but as the primary solution. Imagine a power source that sits right beside the servers it fuels, operating 24/7 with high efficiency and lower emissions, independent of grid disruptions. This isn’t a distant dream; it’s the reality being built today with solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs), and the world’s biggest technology and energy players are betting big on them.

Recent SOFC Installations for Data Centers

The shift towards SOFCs is no longer theoretical. Major contracts are being signed and installations are underway, signaling a profound change in how we power critical digital infrastructure. The following projects highlight the scale and speed of this adoption, driven by industry leaders like Bloom Energy and SK ecoplant, and embraced by hyperscalers, utilities, and data center operators alike.

1. AEP Orders up to 1 GW in Fuel Cells to Meet Data Center Demand

Company: American Electric Power (AEP), Bloom Energy
Installation Capacity: Up to 1 GW over the coming decade, starting with an initial 100 MW order.
Applications: Powering data centers
Source: AEP Orders up to 1 GW in Fuel Cells to Meet Data Center Demand

2. Equinix Expands Data Center Power Agreement with Bloom Energy Surpassing 100MW

Company: Equinix, Bloom Energy
Installation Capacity: Over 100 MW
Applications: Providing reliable and cleaner onsite energy for 19 data centers across six states.
Source: Bloom Energy Expands Data Center Power Agreement with Equinix Surpassing 100MW

3. AEP Ohio Proposes Onsite Fuel-Cell Power Generation for AWS, Cologix Data Centers

Company: AEP Ohio, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Cologix, Bloom Energy
Installation Capacity: Not specified
Applications: Onsite power generation for data centers to meet growing energy demands.
Source: Ohio Data Centers Get Onsite Fuel Cell Power as Grid Strains

4. Bloom Energy Bringing Fuel Cell Power to CoreWeave Data Center Project in Illinois

Company: Bloom Energy, CoreWeave
Installation Capacity: Not specified
Applications: Powering CoreWeave’s data center project
Source: Bloom Energy Bringing Fuel Cell Power to CoreWeave Data Center Project in Illinois

5. Bloom Energy Announces Largest Silicon Valley Data Center Power Capacity Agreement

Company: Bloom Energy, Intel Corporation
Installation Capacity: Not specified
Applications: Powering Intel’s High-Performance Computing Data Center.
Source: Bloom Energy Announces Largest Silicon Valley Data Center Power Capacity Agreement

6. SK ecoplant pioneers Singapore’s First SOFC-based Data Center

Company: SK ecoplant, GDS
Installation Capacity: Not specified
Applications: Providing eco-friendly power supply solutions for data centers in Southeast Asia
Source: SK ecoplant pioneers Singapore’s First SOFC-based Data Center in …

7. AEP Leveraging Fuel Cell Technology to Power Data Center Growth

Company: AEP, Bloom Energy
Installation Capacity: Up to 1 GW
Applications: Powering data centers
Source: AEP Leveraging Fuel Cell Technology to Power Data Center Growth

8. Bloom Energy signs fuel cell power capacity agreement for Intel data center

Company: Bloom Energy, Intel Corporation
Installation Capacity: Not specified
Applications: Resulting in Silicon Valley’s largest fuel cell-powered high-performance computing data center
Source: Bloom Energy signs fuel cell power capacity agreement for Intel data …

9. Ohio Data Centers to Get Onsite Fuel Cell Power as Grid Strains

Company: AEP Ohio, Bloom Energy, Amazon, Cologix
Installation Capacity: Not specified
Applications: To meet the growing energy demands of two large data centers.
Source: Ohio Data Centers Get Onsite Fuel Cell Power as Grid Strains

10. Ireland, the European Data Center “Hub,” Addresses Its Power Woes with SOFCs

Company: SK ecoplant
Installation Capacity: Not specified
Applications: Providing solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) to an upcoming data center in Ireland.
Source: Ireland, the European Data Center “Hub,” Addresses Its Power …

Table: Summary of Recent SOFC Projects for Data Centers

Beyond the Grid: A Strategic Alliance for Digital Growth

These installations reveal a sophisticated, multi-layered adoption strategy. This isn’t just about data centers going green; it’s about securing a future where digital growth is not capped by grid capacity. The diversity of adopters is the most telling sign. We see established data center operators like Equinix deploying SOFCs across their portfolio for broad-based reliability. More significantly, hyperscalers like Amazon Web Services (AWS) and Intel are turning to SOFCs. Intel’s project in Silicon Valley is specifically for a high-performance computing (HPC) data center, the kind needed for intensive AI workloads, which require immense, uninterrupted power. This signals that SOFCs meet the stringent reliability demands of the most critical and power-dense applications.

Perhaps the most strategic pattern is the entry of utilities like American Electric Power (AEP). The AEP Ohio project, serving AWS and Cologix, demonstrates a new business model: utility-owned onsite generation. Instead of viewing distributed generation as a threat, AEP is embracing it as a service to retain and support its largest customers. This approach solves the data centers’ need for rapid, scalable power and the utility’s challenge of grid congestion, turning a potential conflict into a partnership.

From Silicon Valley to Singapore: A Global Power Play

The geographic spread of these projects is not accidental; it maps directly onto the world’s most critical—and strained—data center hubs. The United States, particularly Ohio and Silicon Valley, emerges as a clear leader. Ohio’s “Data Center Alley” is experiencing explosive growth, and the proactive engagement from AEP shows that SOFCs are a core part of the state’s strategy to attract and sustain this development without overburdening the grid. Silicon Valley’s adoption, driven by tech giants like Intel, is a response to the need for premium power quality and reliability in a dense, competitive market.

Internationally, the projects in Ireland and Singapore are equally strategic. Both are major data center gateways for Europe and Southeast Asia, respectively. Both face severe grid constraints. Ireland’s grid stability has been a national conversation, directly tied to data center power consumption. SK ecoplant’s entry there shows SOFCs are being deployed to solve one of the country’s most pressing infrastructure challenges. Similarly, in land-scarce and highly regulated Singapore, SK ecoplant’s project with GDS provides an “eco-friendly” power solution that aligns with national sustainability goals while enabling digital expansion. This global pattern proves that SOFCs are a targeted solution for a worldwide problem.

Primetime Power: SOFCs Move from Lab to Gigawatt-Scale

The scale of these installations confirms that SOFC technology has graduated from demonstration to commercial prime time. We are no longer talking about small, pilot-scale projects. AEP’s commitment of “up to 1 GW” and Equinix’s deployment of “over 100 MW” are massive undertakings that represent deep confidence in the technology’s performance, reliability, and economic viability. A gigawatt is utility-scale power, and these long-term agreements signal that SOFCs are now a bankable, mainstream asset class for critical infrastructure.

The market has also matured around key technology providers. The repeated appearance of Bloom Energy in the US projects and SK ecoplant in the international ones shows that the market is consolidating around companies with proven, scalable platforms. Data center customers are not taking chances on unproven tech; they are partnering with established leaders who can deliver. Furthermore, the application has matured beyond simple backup. These SOFCs are being installed for primary, continuous power, essentially allowing data centers to operate as self-sufficient microgrids. This shift from a supporting role to a leading role is the ultimate testament to the technology’s readiness.

The Future is Fueled: A New Paradigm for Powering AI

These projects are more than just a collection of deals; they are a clear signal of the future direction for both the data center and energy industries. The insatiable power demand driven by the AI revolution requires a new power paradigm, and SOFCs are at its center. Looking forward, we can see several key trends emerging. First, the concept of the “grid as backup” will become more common for critical facilities, fundamentally inverting the traditional power reliability model. Second, the fuel flexibility of SOFCs—capable of using natural gas today and transitioning to renewable natural gas or green hydrogen in the future—provides a practical, built-in path to achieving net-zero goals without sacrificing reliability. Finally, the innovative utility-as-a-service model pioneered by AEP will likely be replicated, creating a new collaborative framework between utilities and their largest customers.

In summary, solid oxide fuel cells have become a critical enabling technology, ensuring that the growth of our digital world and the expansion of artificial intelligence are not short-circuited by the limitations of our legacy power grids. They are the silent, reliable powerhouses fueling the next industrial revolution.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why are data centers adopting Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) now?
According to the article, the explosive growth of AI and cloud computing is causing data centers to consume enormous amounts of energy, straining local electrical grids. SOFCs offer a reliable, highly efficient, and lower-emission onsite power source that can operate 24/7, independent of the grid, allowing data centers to expand without being limited by grid capacity.

Are these fuel cells used for backup or primary power?
The article makes it clear that SOFCs are increasingly being used for primary, continuous power, not just as a backup system. This shift allows data centers to operate as self-sufficient microgrids, sometimes even treating the traditional grid as the backup, which is a reversal of the traditional power model.

Who are the main companies involved in this shift to SOFCs?
The key technology providers mentioned are Bloom Energy, which is leading many projects in the U.S., and SK ecoplant, which is handling major installations in Singapore and Ireland. The adopters include utilities like American Electric Power (AEP), data center operators like Equinix and Cologix, and hyperscalers like Amazon Web Services (AWS), Intel, and CoreWeave.

What is the scale of these new SOFC installations?
The projects are utility-scale, demonstrating that the technology is commercially mature. The article highlights American Electric Power’s (AEP) agreement for up to 1 gigawatt (GW) of power and Equinix’s deployment of over 100 megawatts (MW) across 19 data centers. This shows deep confidence in SOFCs for powering critical infrastructure.

How do SOFCs help with environmental goals if they use natural gas?
The article explains that SOFCs offer a practical path towards sustainability. While they can use natural gas today with higher efficiency and lower emissions than many grid sources, their key advantage is fuel flexibility. They are designed to be able to transition to renewable fuels like renewable natural gas or green hydrogen in the future, providing a built-in path to achieving net-zero goals without sacrificing reliability.