Equinix says hydrogen is 15 years from commercialisation, urges government incentives to cut costs

Data center operator Equinix has told the Irish government that hydrogen fuel is still roughly 15 years away from being commercially viable for power generation. In a submission to the country's hydrogen strategy consultation, the company called for targeted incentives to bring down the cost of green hydrogen production and distribution. Equinix argues that without policy support, hydrogen will remain too expensive to replace diesel backup generators or natural gas for grid-connected data centers. The company is one of the largest operators of data centers in Ireland, a sector that has faced growing scrutiny over its electricity consumption and emissions. Equinix's position highlights a tension in climate policy: hydrogen is often promoted as a long-term solution for hard-to-abate sectors, but near-term costs and infrastructure gaps remain severe. The article notes that the Irish government is developing a national hydrogen strategy, and Equinix's input suggests that industrial users want clearer subsidy frameworks before committing to hydrogen investments. For the carbon credit and clean energy audience, this story underscores the gap between hydrogen hype and deployment reality. It also raises questions about how data center decarbonization will be achieved in the next decade, given that hydrogen is not expected to play a meaningful role until the 2040s. The article is behind a paywall, but the summary is sufficient to inform discussion on hydrogen policy and industrial decarbonization timelines.