Biogas To Power Experimental Microsoft Data Center

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Biogas To Power Experimental Microsoft Data Center

Posted by timothy on Tuesday November 20, 2012 @04:36AM from the wholly-excrement dept.

Nerval's Lobster writes "Microsoft, FuelCell Energy and a collection of local Cheyenne, Wyoming companies are collaborating on a project to supply one of Microsoft's local data centers with biogas, in a bid to determine if what we poop can be turned into power. FuelCell and Microsoft will test a small 200-kilowatt data center with a fuel cell that can produce up to 300 kilowatts in a carbon-neutral manner. Microsoft estimates the total carbon savings at about 1,833 pounds of carbon dioxide (CO2) per megawatt-hour, compared to a typical fossil fuel plant. Although other data centers rely on biogas as a power source, Microsoft claims this is the first time a biogas source — specifically, a wastewater treatment facility — will be integrated directly with a data center."

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New CEO by Nerdfest · 2012-11-20 04:38 · Score: 3, Funny

So that's what they're planning on doing with Balmer.
1. Re:New CEO by somersault · 2012-11-20 04:39 · Score: 2
  
  Microsoft claims this is the first time a biogas source â" specifically, a wastewater treatment facility â" will be integrated directly with a data center.
  They're definitely taking the piss this time.
  
  --
  which is totally what she said
2. Re:New CEO by chthon · 2012-11-20 04:52 · Score: 1
  
  That was also my first idea: powered by the gas of Ballmer!
3. Re:New CEO by MickyTheIdiot · 2012-11-20 05:01 · Score: 2
  
  The bullshit he spews is enough to run all the MS data centers AND the Google data centers as well.
  Sounds good to me.
The jokes write themselves by sideslash · 2012-11-20 04:40 · Score: 4, Funny

It almost seems cruel to comment.
1. Re:The jokes write themselves by Nerdfest · 2012-11-20 04:43 · Score: 1
  
  It's Microsoft. Have at it.
2. Re:The jokes write themselves by ColdWetDog · 2012-11-20 05:15 · Score: 1, Interesting
  
  Garbage In, Garbage Out.
  Come on folks, this should have been posted within 30 seconds.
  
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  Faster! Faster! Faster would be better!
3. Re:The jokes write themselves by alostpacket · 2012-11-20 06:02 · Score: 3, Funny
  
  I just tagged the story "brown" in addition to "green".
  
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  PocketPermissions Android Permission Guide
4. Re:The jokes write themselves by ByteSlicer · 2012-11-20 08:21 · Score: 1
  
  1. Release Windows 8
  2. Convert into biogas for use into data center
  3. Profit !!!
  OMG! They found the missing step!
I guess it's time by HaZardman27 · 2012-11-20 04:53 · Score: 1

You can only create so much shit before you need to find something to do with it!

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Apparently wizard is not a legitimate career path, so I chose programmer instead.
Don't believe the lie by emurphy42 · 2012-11-20 05:01 · Score: 1

You've gotta tell 'em! BIOGAS IS PEOPLE! We gotta stop them! Somehow! Listen! Listen to me, PLEASE!
Biogas? by nazrhyn · 2012-11-20 05:07 · Score: 1

Am I the only person who read "biogas" as the plural of "bioga" and wondered what a "bioga" was?
1. Re:Biogas? by Keith111 · 2012-11-20 06:53 · Score: 1
  
  Yeah. Biogas is not a word. I re-read the title like 5 times before I realized what it was supposed to be. Fail title is fail.
2. Re:Biogas? by somersault · 2012-11-20 10:53 · Score: 1
  
  Google to the rescue!
  http://finalfantasy.wikia.com/wiki/Bioga
  
  Bioga - the third spell on the Poison Magic Materia, after Bio and Bio 2. It takes 20,000 AP to master, costs 80 MP to cast, has a base spell power equal to 4.25x the base magic damage, and has a 72% chance of inflicting Poison
  I'm not sure how much base magic damage a nuclear power station does for example, but it sounds like you could definitely use a bunch of Biogas to power stuff.
  
  --
  which is totally what she said
Next Stop: Microsoft Marketing by Revotron · 2012-11-20 05:09 · Score: 1, Funny

Just think, a self-sustained marketing department - bullshit powered by bullshit!
1. Re:Next Stop: Microsoft Marketing by Revotron · 2012-11-20 06:24 · Score: 1
  
  It's one step above perpetual - it's Keynesian. For every pound of bullshit converted to power, they produce another 1.5 pounds. Microsoft Marketing is an efficient and hilarious beast.
Cafeterias by blind+biker · 2012-11-20 05:15 · Score: 1

I know that the Microsoft cafeterias don't quite measure up to Google's, but this is just ridiculous!

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"The agriculture ministry is not in charge of Gundam" - Japanese ministry official.
New badge for Surface by sjames · 2012-11-20 06:28 · Score: 1

Powered by poo gas.
Waste Queue by smitsco · 2012-11-20 06:41 · Score: 1

Example of Waste IN - Waste OUT.
Re:Been used for heating long time by mlts · 2012-11-20 07:09 · Score: 1

This gets me wondering if mixed right, biogas can be used in a diesel engine. There was a blog I read a while back about someone managing to get a mixture of 80% biogas and 20% diesel fuel to work in a generator.
If this could be refined, the usual conventional anti-particulate (DEF, DPF) and some anti-sulphur methods could be used.
Even more interesting would be if Hamworthy could get their biogas liquification technology out worldwide. In liquid form, it would be a lot more useful, especially for vehicles.
Finding fuel by thewiz · 2012-11-20 08:19 · Score: 1

Why does Microsoft need poop to power their datacenter?
The MS management should know that there is plenty of fuel: Bob, Clippy, Windows NT, Windows Millenium, Windows 8...

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If "disco" means "I learn" in Latin, does "discothèque" mean "I learn technology"?
Re:good luck with that by whizbang77045 · 2012-11-20 10:33 · Score: 1

Microsoft has been selling it to users for years, disguised in various ways.
Congress is already full of it. by whizbang77045 · 2012-11-20 10:34 · Score: 1

Just think of the results this could produce if Congress were to implement it. They're full of the necessary components.
Wast heat by Anonymous Coward · 2012-11-20 10:59 · Score: 1

Now if they use waste heat from the data center to accelerate the production of biogas, that might be interesting.
Re:good luck with that by cusco · 2012-11-20 11:07 · Score: 1

The same thing that Cheyenne currently does with its sludge.

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"Think about how stupid the average person is. Now, realise that half of them are dumber than that." - George Carlin