- Centrica and Delta Electronics announce a partnership to deliver scalable, on-site power for energy-intensive industries where electricity grids can’t keep pace with demand.
- Rapid growth in power demand from data centres and other energy intensive industries is outstripping grid capacity, creating a multi-gigawatt on-site power opportunity.
- The partnership delivers efficient, low-carbon power to drive economic growth in the UK and Europe.
Centrica and Delta Electronics, Inc. today announced an infrastructure partnership to serve the data centre market and energy intensive industries in the UK and Europe, launching with Solid Oxide Fuel Cells (SOFCs) for off-grid energy generation.
This partnership creates a pathway for offering customers competitively priced, on-site power generation, significantly reducing exposure to wholesale electricity market volatility and grid capacity constraints. The partners plan to establish a demonstration site in the UK within the next 12 months, with a medium-term goal of delivering MW-scale, rapidly deployable 'gas-to-power' solutions within the next three to five years.
Delta’s SOFCs, licensed by British solid oxide technology leader Ceres, provide stable, low-carbon energy fuelled by natural gas and reach 60% electrical efficiency - significantly higher than the open-cycle gas turbines typically used for on-site and back up generation (35%-42%). These cells are designed to meet the growing power demands of data-intensive digital infrastructure in the UK and Europe which underpin economic growth, digital sovereignty and the energy transition.
'This partnership brings together Centrica’s energy expertise, Delta’s world-class manufacturing and cutting-edge fuel cell technology to meet this growing energy demand with fast, reliable off-grid power at scale,' said Chris O'Shea, Group Chief Executive of Centrica.
The partnership enables Delta to penetrate the European energy infrastructure market while cementing Centrica’s leadership in the energy transition and giving customers access to cleaner, more resilient and lower cost power.
Chris O’Shea, CEO of Centrica, said: 'Businesses across the UK and Europe need more power, and they need it faster than the electricity grids can deliver. This partnership brings together Centrica’s energy expertise, Delta’s world-class manufacturing and cutting-edge fuel cell technology to meet this growing energy demand with fast, reliable off-grid power at scale.'
Charles Tsai, General Manager of Hydrogen Energy BD of Delta Electronics, said: 'We chose to partner with Centrica because they share our commitment to delivering reliable, energy-efficient solutions for the rapidly expanding energy market in the UK and Europe. Centrica’s deep energy system expertise, strong local presence and innovative approach to off-grid and flexible power make them an ideal partner as we support both data centre operators and high energy-intensive industries that demand resilience, sustainability and operational excellence.'
Source: Centrica
