Originally planned as a two-part reflection, my series from the fantastic OCP Summit has grown into a series!
Up next: the topic of power.
Power
One of the most talked about topics at the conference was power. Generation, distribution and solutions for data centers, especially in the context of sustainability and efficiency, both inside and outside the data center, and unique solutions behind the meter.
Hydrogen’s Color Spectrum
Aaron Wemhoff's presentation taught me that hydrogen isn’t just hydrogen—it’s categorized by colors based on how it’s produced, each with different environmental impacts:
• Grey Hydrogen: Produced via steam-methane reforming, which is common but carbon-intensive.
• Blue Hydrogen: Essentially grey hydrogen but with carbon capture technology to reduce emissions.
• Green Hydrogen: Generated through electrolysis using electricity from renewable sources— making it the most sustainable option.
• Pink Hydrogen: Similar to green hydrogen but uses nuclear energy instead of renewables.
• Yellow Hydrogen: Like pink but produced using only solar energy.