Datum Datacentres goes the HVO route for backup generators

Datum Datacentres is the latest data center company to announce it's switching to hydrogenated vegetable oil (HVO) to replace its diesel for its backup generators, and is working with Keysource to help its transition to this more sustainable energy option. This comes as a wider commitment to the company's pledge to become carbon neutral by 2030. It joins the likes of Kao, Digital Realty and Compass, which are also seeing HVO as a greener alternative to more traditional backup generator fuels.

The company has outlined that its move to HVO means it will cut emissions by up to 90%, NOx emissions by as much as 27 percent, and Particulate Matter emissions by as much as 84 percent in comparison to conventional diesel.

Dominic Phillips, Managing Director at Datum, said: "Sustainability is very much in our DNA and with our ongoing partnership with Keysource, which spans over 15 years, we are confident in our strategy and roadmap. This move to introduce HVO fuel at our Farnborough facility is part of that and has meant that we can reduce our GHG emissions almost immediately."

Jon Healy, Operations Director at Keysource, added: "As sustainability and ESG have been catapulted to the forefront, turning to HVO fuel is a natural step for Datum to reduce their impact on the environment. Importantly, the Keysource role enables Datum to do this confidently without disruption or impact to performance and is just one initiative planned to reduce whole life-cycle carbon emissions."