Could platinum become the solution for powering data centers?
Washington University professor Gong Wu is developing platinum-based hydrogen fuel-cell catalysts that could allow data centers to generate their own electricity instead of relying on the traditional power grid. The research is being pursued in response to rising energy demand from projects such as Google and Amazon data centers in Montgomery County, Missouri.
Washington University professor Gong Wu and his research team are adapting hydrogen fuel-cell technology for data centers, which require increasing amounts of electricity for computing and cooling. The video cites a $15 billion Google complex and a $10 billion Amazon data center under construction in Montgomery County, Missouri, as examples of the region's rapid development and the resulting pressure on the electric grid.
Wu's team is investigating platinum-based intermetallic nanoparticle catalysts that can improve the efficiency and durability of fuel cells. The proposed system would use electricity from sources such as sunlight to split water into hydrogen, store the hydrogen, and generate electricity independently of fossil fuels and the grid. Wu has filed a patent through the Washington University Office of Technology Management and said the research may produce more promising results within three to four years as the team seeks industry partners.