Atlanta-based data center developer T5 Data Centers is seeking to deploy fuel cells to power a planned data center project in Dulles, Virginia.

According to reporting from the Fairfax Real Estate Insider, the company is seeking an exemption from the local council to construct a 312,000 sq ft (28,985 sqm) data center at a 19-acre site at the intersection of Stonecroft Boulevard and Lee Road in the Westfields International Center at Dulles.

According to a letter filed with the county, the company is seeking clarification over whether the proposed fuel cell systems are allowed under the current zoning regulations. The operator is seeking to use the fuel cells as the facility's primary power source, with additional power from the grid during periods of high load. The letter states that the fuel cells will be powered by natural gas supplied via a nearby pipeline, approximately 4,000 feet from the property.

The company said that it intends to deploy 60MW of fuel cells at the site, with all the power produced utilized by the data center.

The letter states that the fuel cells would be located in a screened outdoor fuel cell yard, not inside the data center itself. The fuel cells will be less than 29 feet in height and are expected to occupy an area of approximately 290 feet by 285 feet, comprising 82,650 sq ft (7,680 sqm) of the property.

According to the filing, Fairfax County has not evaluated a data center or other facility that proposes to use on-site fuel cells to meet its energy needs. The provider of the fuel cells has not been disclosed.

Founded in 2008, T5 develops build-to-suit data centers across the US. It has a presence across Chicago, Illinois; Atlanta, Georgia; Los Angeles, California; Hillsboro, Oregon; Dallas, Texas; Charlotte, North Carolina; and beyond.

The company becomes the latest to explore the use of fuel cells to power its facility. The majority of the deals have been with Bloom Energy, a manufacturer of solid oxide fuel cells. The company has signed supply deals with Nebius, Equinix, and Oracle, as well as utility American Electric Power.