Kao Data has announced it has taken a further step towards its Net Zero ambitions by becoming the UK’s first data centre to transition all backup generators at its Harlow campus to HVO (hydrotreated vegetable oil) fuel. This move, made possible by partnering with Crown Oil, means they will eliminate up to 90 per cent of net CO2 from their backup generators and significantly reduce nitrogen oxide, particulate matter and carbon monoxide emissions.
The company also delivers one of the UK’s most sustainable colocation data centre campuses. Its existing initiatives include using 100 per cent renewable energy, utilising 100 per cent refrigerant-free indirect evaporative cooling technologies, and incorporating hyper-scale inspired design. In line with its commitments as a signatory of the Climate Neutral Data Centre Pact (CNDCP), the use of Crown Oil HVO fuel marks another significant step in the company’s plans to become a fully carbon-neutral data centre operator by 2030.
HVO is one of the cleanest fuels on the market and is a second-generation, advanced renewable diesel alternative. Synthesised from vegetable oils using a specialist hydrotreatment process, the fuel has been designed to combat the performance inadequacies of earlier biofuels. It offers improved burning efficiency, delivering the same level of resilience as traditional fossil fuels. The company will replace an initial 45,000 litres of diesel and switch to an HVO provision of more than 750,000 litres when the campus is fully developed. Using the fuel also offers a number of additional benefits in respect of infrastructure reliability. It eliminates microbial growth, which generates sludge that can contaminate fuel lines and potentially lead to engine shut down.
“The fuel is also dramatically better for the environment compared to traditional, mineral diesel as it is 100 per cent renewable, biodegradable, sustainable and non-toxic,” Simon Lawford, technical sales manager at Crown Oil, said. “We’re proud to have worked with Kao Data to initiate a first-of-its-kind project, which will be transformative for the data centre industry, and help point the way forward for significant reductions in industrial greenhouse gas emissions.”
