eBay’s flagship Utah data centre will be primarily powered by biogas, using solid oxide fuel cell technology.
The new data centre will feature 30 Bloom Energy Servers, distributed power generators that use solid oxide fuel cell technology to convert biogas into electricity through an electro-chemical process, rather than combustion.
A single Bloom Energy Server consists of thousands of fuel cells, each cell capable of producing 25 kilowatts (kW).
The six megawatt, 30-server installation at the new eBay data centre will be the biggest non-utility fuel cell installation in the U.S.
This will mark eBay’s fifth and largest renewable energy installation. The online retailer already operates:
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a 665 kW solar array at its Utah data centre,
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a 100 kW solar array at its Denver data centre,
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a 650 kW solar array and a 500 kW Bloom fuel cell installation at its San Jose headquarters.
Meanwhile, following an exemption from the city payroll tax, micro-blogging giant Twitter will move into redeveloped Market Square in San Francisco.
Market Square comprises two buildings, with a total of 82,684 sqm of office space and 18,580 sqm of retail space.
Since acquiring the 1937 art deco building, owner Shorenstein Properties has completed a major capital improvement program.
Before signing the least at Market Square 14 months ago, Twitter was expected to leave San Francisco unless it was made exempt from the payroll tax.
The San Francisco Board of Supervisors approved a six year exemption from the 1.5 percent city payroll tax, for businesses located in Central Market Street and Tenderloin areas.
Following Twitter’s move to Market Square, online home furnishing retailer One Kings Lane signed a lease for 4,645 sqm at Market Square. And international call services centre, CallSocket, will take 2,787 sqm.
Shorenstein has leased almost 27,870 sqm of office space in the building over the past 12 months.
Market Square:
