Moji, a leading digital infrastructure provider, has announced that it is the first data center operator in France to deploy backup generators powered by natural gas. This advancement reflects a significant shift towards more sustainable energy solutions in the data center industry.
The company, which provides dark fiber and cloud services, has partnered with generator manufacturer Pramac and gas supplier GRDF to install a 300kVA Pramac generator at its data center located in Nanterre, a suburb west of Paris.
As many data center operators transition from traditional diesel generators to eco-friendly alternatives like hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO), Moji’s adoption of natural gas represents a notable, though less clean, step towards reducing environmental impact. Despite not being as green as HVO, Moji anticipates that the use of natural gas will significantly lower its carbon footprint.
Ferdinand Chevrant-Breton, Moji’s founder, highlighted the benefits of the new system in comments reported by DC Mag. “With this technology, we expect to save around 1,200 liters of fuel annually,” Chevrant-Breton stated. He also noted that the switch will result in a 20 percent reduction in CO2 emissions and a 90 percent decrease in NOx emissions compared to traditional fuel oil solutions.
The generator operates on gas from GRDF’s network and does not require a storage tank. It is designed to activate within 10 seconds if needed. Pramac, an Italian firm specializing in generators and industrial equipment, supplied the unit.
Florence Mourey, deputy director of territorial customers for GRDF in the Ile-de-France region, praised the initiative. “The equipment selected by Moji is a prime example of how gas can contribute to decarbonizing operations,” she said. “This pragmatic solution aligns the data center with broader decarbonization goals.”