Equinix to Install Bloom Energy Fuel Cells at Silicon Valley Data Center

The one megawatt fuel cell fulfills part of Equinix's long-term goal of using 100 percent clean and renewable energy

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May 20, 2015, 08:00 ET

REDWOOD CITY, Calif., May 20, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX), the global interconnection and data center company, and Bloom Energy today announced a one megawatt (MW), biogas fuel cell project at its SV5 International Business Exchange™ (IBX^®) data center, located in Silicon Valley. The deployment of fuel cells supports Equinix's long-term sustainability goal of using 100 percent clean and renewable energy across its global platform of more than 100 data centers.

Highlights / Key Facts

The 1 MW Bloom Energy fuel cell will provide an estimated 8.3 million kilowatt-hours per year of clean, reliable electricity; powering a portion of the SV5 data center.
The fuel cell uses a proprietary solid oxide technology to generate electricity through a clean electrochemical process using air and fuel and resulting in only water and a small amount of carbon dioxide as by-products.
The installation utilizes no combustion and is associated with a 15 percent carbon dioxide reduction over the local PG&E grid or at least 1.6 million pounds of avoided CO2 emissions from the California grid and that is before the use of biogas.
Using 100 percent biogas to fuel the system will result 1 MW of 100 percent renewable energy; biogas is methane gas captured from decomposing organic matter such as that from landfills or animal waste. By using biogas Equinix avoids the use of natural gas—a fossil fuel.
SOx (sulfur oxides), NOx (nitrogen oxides) and other harmful smog-forming particulate emissions are virtually eliminated with the use of Bloom Energy fuel cells, and because 1 MW of demand at a local gas or coal-fired power plant is avoided, fuel cells are also associated with significant indirect water savings.
The project also includes uninterruptible power modules that are configured to protect a portion of the data center's energy load from electrical outages, reducing reliance on traditional back-up equipment.
Today, Equinix gets approximately 30 percent of its global energy from clean, renewable sources. Over time, Equinix plans to deliver on its long-term goal of using 100 percent clean and renewable energy by using a variety of mechanisms including fuel cells or solar panels, power purchase agreements, utility renewable energy programs, renewable energy credits and carbon offsets.

Quotes

Sam Kapoor, chief global operations officer, Equinix:
"This project demonstrates Equinix's commitment to find cost-effective ways to reduce our carbon footprint and move toward 100 percent renewable energy. By working with Bloom Energy to purchase 100 percent biogas and fuel cells, we're able to support the energy needs of our customers in an environmentally responsible way."
Peter Gross, vice president of mission critical systems, Bloom Energy:
"Companies are increasingly turning to data center colocation services in order to interconnect with other businesses and they want to do this in an environmentally responsible way. By deploying Bloom Energy fuel cells, Equinix is taking a leadership position in sustainability. The clean and modular nature of Bloom's technology makes us uniquely suited to meet the growing demand for renewable power to support cutting edge IT infrastructure."

Additional Resources

Living By Our Principles and a Commitment to 100% Renewable Energy Use [blog]
Equinix Continues to Progress on Green Data Center Initiatives [blog]
Green data centers [web page]
#Clickclean [Greenpeace 2015 Report]

About Bloom Energy
Bloom Energy is a provider of breakthrough solid oxide fuel cell technology generating clean, highly efficient onsite power from multiple fuel sources. Founded in 2001 with a mission to make clean, reliable energy affordable for everyone in the world, Bloom Energy Servers are currently producing power for many Fortune 500 companies including Google, Wal-Mart, AT&T, eBay, Staples, The Coca-Cola Company, as well as notable non-profit organizations such as Caltech and Kaiser Permanente. Also, with its Mission Critical Systems practice, Bloom Energy provides grid-independent power for critical loads in data centers and manufacturing. The company is headquartered in Sunnyvale, California. For more information, visit www.bloomenergy.com.

About Equinix
Equinix, Inc. (Nasdaq: EQIX) connects the world's leading businesses to their customers, employees and partners inside the most interconnected data centers. In 33 markets across five continents, Equinix is where companies come together to realize new opportunities and accelerate their business, IT and cloud strategies. www.equinix.com.

Forward Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially from expectations discussed in such forward-looking statements. Factors that might cause such differences include, but are not limited to, the challenges of acquiring, operating and constructing IBX centers and developing, deploying and delivering Equinix services; unanticipated costs or difficulties relating to the integration of companies we have acquired or will acquire into Equinix; a failure to receive significant revenue from customers in recently built out or acquired data centers; failure to complete any financing arrangements contemplated from time to time; competition from existing and new competitors; the ability to generate sufficient cash flow or otherwise obtain funds to repay new or outstanding indebtedness; the loss or decline in business from our key customers; and other risks described from time to time in Equinix's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In particular, see Equinix's recent quarterly and annual reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission, copies of which are available upon request from Equinix. Equinix does not assume any obligation to update the forward-looking information contained in this press release.

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SOURCE Equinix, Inc.