Hydrogen Fuel Cell – Edinburgh data centre refusal highlights the need for clean back-up generators
Edinburgh City Council has rejected plans for a new data centre at the former Royal Bank of Scotland headquarters site. While the decision covered a range of planning considerations, environmental impacts formed a significant part of the debate surrounding the proposal.
During the planning process, local campaigners questioned whether the development could genuinely be considered sustainable, drawing particular attention to the proposed use of conventional diesel back-up generators. Reporting by Data Centre Review highlighted claims that emissions from the back-up systems, if operated at scale, could be comparable to tens of thousands of cars idling simultaneously. For a dense urban location, this raised concerns around air quality and alignment with climate commitments.
Why diesel back-up power is becoming a planning risk
Data centres depend on uninterrupted power to protect data, maintain uptime and meet contractual obligations. Back-up generation is therefore essential. Diesel generators have traditionally fulfilled this role, but they are increasingly scrutinised during the planning process.
Diesel back-up systems emit carbon dioxide, nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. They also generate noise, require routine testing and can undermine wider sustainability claims. As planning authorities place greater weight on air quality, public health and net zero targets, diesel back-up power is becoming harder to justify, particularly in urban and peri-urban settings.
How hydrogen power units support clean back-up power
Hydrogen fuel cell technology provides a clean alternative to diesel back-up generators. GeoPura’s hydrogen power units (HPUs) convert green hydrogen into electricity through an electrochemical process, producing only electricity, heat and water at the point of use.
GeoPura’s flagship HPU is designed to replace diesel generators in critical applications, delivering reliable, zero-emission back-up power for data centres and other mission-critical infrastructure.
HPUs provide instant, reliable power with zero local emissions, making them well suited to urban data centres and sites with strict planning conditions. They can operate as true back-up generators, replace diesel entirely, or work alongside integrated battery systems to deliver longer-duration resilience where battery-only solutions fall short.
For sites with higher power demands or more complex resilience requirements, GeoPura’s HPU2 offers increased capacity and scalability (up to 50MW) while maintaining the same zero-emission performance.
The wider role of hydrogen in data centre energy strategies
Hydrogen has a broader role to play beyond emergency back-up power. It can support data centre operations where grid capacity is constrained or where expansion plans outpace available infrastructure.
Hydrogen power can supplement grid supply, provide temporary power during construction or commissioning, and support peak demand management. Unlike batteries alone, hydrogen enables longer run times without increasing on-site emissions or physical footprint.
We explore these applications in more detail in our dedicated blog on hydrogen for data centres, which looks at how hydrogen supports resilience, scalability and net zero objectives across the sector. Read the full article here.
Planning decisions are setting clearer expectations
The Edinburgh decision reflects a wider shift in how data centre developments are assessed. Sustainability claims are now examined across the whole energy system, not just grid connections and efficiency measures.
Similar tensions are emerging elsewhere in the UK and across Europe. In Buckinghamshire, a hyperscale data centre approval has faced legal challenge from campaign groups over whether its environmental impacts, including energy use and carbon implications, were properly assessed during the planning process.
In Ireland and the Netherlands, public opposition to data centre developments has intensified due to concerns around energy demand, fossil fuel reliance and pressure on local infrastructure, prompting tighter policy controls and, in some cases, moratoriums on new connections.
While these cases differ in detail, they point to a consistent trend: planning authorities, communities and regulators are examining the full energy footprint of data centres more closely, including how resilience and back-up power are delivered.
As campaigners, communities and planning authorities look more closely at back-up power strategies, clean, low-carbon alternatives to diesel are becoming essential. HPUs provide a practical route to meeting resilience requirements while aligning with environmental and air quality expectations, helping data centres future-proof their infrastructure.
Get in touch
If you’re planning a new data centre, expanding an existing site or reviewing your back-up power strategy, speak to GeoPura about how hydrogen and HPUs can support clean, reliable resilience. Our team can help assess where hydrogen fits within your energy system and provide a clear pathway away from diesel.
READ the latest news shaping the hydrogen market at Hydrogen Central
Hydrogen Fuel Cell – Edinburgh data centre refusal highlights the need for clean back-up generators, source
