Technology,
Media, and
Telecommunications
Bloom is a trusted onsite power partner to technology, media, and telecommunications companies, with over 100 MW installed across the sector
Industry at
a Glance
Just as the networking world has moved from a centralized to distributed edge model, so too has the critical power infrastructure that supports it. The future of reliable, resilient connectivity depends on solutions that address the energy challenges of today.
Resilient and highly-efficient distributed generation technologies like microgrids enable new opportunities for TMT companies in their quest to navigate and accelerate the energy transition to a lower-carbon future and help build a stronger, smarter electric system for us all.
Quick Facts About
Technology, Media, and Telecommunications
- As of April 26, 2021, the combined annual green power use of EPA’s Top 30 tech & telcom partners amounts to nearly 32 billion kilowatt-hours — that is equivalent to the annual electricity use of nearly 3 million average American homes.
- Energy costs for telecom operators around the world are high: at the end of 2018, they accounted, on average, for around 5 percent of total operating expenditures.
- In emerging markets, where low grid coverage often means operators must supply their own power with a generator set, energy can account for as much as 7 percent of expenditures.
- A 5G site requires 2-3x more power than the 4G-equivalent site, according to industry estimates.
- At the same time, as more services are provided at the edge, the number of data centers will need to rise.
- Telecom operators already account for 2-3 percent of total global energy demand,3often making them some of the most energy-intensive companies in their geographic markets.
Key Energy Considerations in
Technology, Media, and Telecommunications
Overcoming Energy
Challenges
Maximizing Uptime
Many technology and telecom hubs (e.g., Silicon Valley, Austin TX, New York) are located in regions particularly susceptible to extreme weather, elevating the need for resilient power solutions that can provide coverage through outages.
Resilient Solution
Bloom provides a highly available always-on primary power source with up to 6-9s reliability, eliminating the need to invest in operating and maintaining legacy equipment that tends to fail during transitional events such as loss of utility power.
Lowering Emissions
Sustainability is central to TMT companies’ missions. Many put these strategies at the forefront of their brands and are constantly innovating across the value chain to reduce environmental impacts.
Sustainable Solution
Fuel cells generate electricity though an electrochemical process rather than combustion. This avoids emitting harmful criteria air pollutants that cause severe respiratory diseases and poor air quality worldwide. Fuel cells reduce carbon emissions compared to the grid and combustion-based technologies, and are also fuel flexible with the ability to run on biogas or hydrogen for carbon neutral emissions options.
Controlling Costs
Given the enormous amount of data processing and transmission happening in the TMT industry, energy cost represents a significant share of OPEX and a cost item that managers are trying to control closely.
Predictable Solution
In addition to avoiding outage-related costs that can reach into the millions of dollars, Bloom’s solution enables customers to hedge against volatility and price escalation by fixing a large portion of their electricity cost, providing multiple financing options and flexible term lengths.