Bloom Energy Supports Additional Capacity at Equinix’s IBX Data Centers

Bloom Energy and Equinix have expanded their partnership to support more than 100 MW of electricity capacity across Equinix’s U.S.-based International Business Exchange (IBX) data centers. The partners currently operate approximately 75 MW, with the expansion covering an additional 30 MW under construction.

IBX data centers are supported by Bloom Energy fuel cells, which generate clean on-site power with almost no air pollution or water usage—this offers greater sustainability than traditional grid-delivered energy. The fuel cells also provide redundancy when encountering capacity- or distribution-related grid constraints.

“Our fuel cells are supplementing grid power at 19 Equinix IBX data centers in six states with cleaner and reliable onsite power,” said Aman Joshi, Chief Commercial Officer at Bloom Energy. “With AI adoption accelerating and data center demand exploding, our ongoing relationship underscores the scalability and reliability of our fuel cell technology to support large and complex projects. We are delighted to work with Equinix to help drive the industry forward.”

Interior of IBX data center; image credit: Equinix

The partnership began as a pilot program in 2015, operating 1 MW of fuel cells at a single IBX data center in Silicon Valley. Since then, the collaboration has scaled-up significantly to support the critical digital infrastructure needed to fulfill the increased power requirements of AI-driven computing.

“As the demand for power increases, we anticipate innovation in alternative energy technologies increasingly playing a role in the availability of power going forward,” said David Rinard, Vice President of Energy Operations at Equinix. “Bloom’s fuel cells allow us to generate cleaner and reliable electricity onsite at our data centers in a cost-effective way. We’re proud to have continued to expand our relationship with Bloom over the last decade.”

More Bloom Energy News

In mid-November 2024, American Electric Power (AEP) signed a supply agreement with Bloom Energy for up to 1 GW of its products, including an order for 100 MW of fuel cells with additional expansion orders scheduled in 2025. The fuel cell solution will be installed at customer sites, allowing AEP to meet data centers’ increasing AI loads and corresponding power demand, as well as energy and economic development goals. Previously, Bloom Energy and AEP partnered to deploy solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) in commercial and industrial settings.

The company’s fuel cell products can be deployed quickly with high availability and high-power density: 100 MW per acre. It will generate power with 34% lower CO₂ emissions than modern displaced generation resources in the PJM Interconnection. The fuel cells can use 100% hydrogen or any hydrogen-natural gas blend, offering a flexible solution to lower carbon footprint. Also, when operating with natural gas, the product almost eliminates NOx and SOx emissions.

In August 2024, Bloom Energy offered a new SOFC platform that uses 100% hydrogen with approximately 60% electrical efficiency: the Bloom Energy Server power solution. Engineers achieved this efficiency rate at the company’s research and development facility in Fremont, CA. Bloom’s 60% electrical efficiency will allow wider adoption of hydrogen fuel, as hydrogen-natural gas blends reduce CO₂ emissions and future-proof the path toward a hydrogen economy.