Haffner Energy launches biomass power-cooling system for data centers

French energy firm Haffner Energy has introduced a modular, biomass-based power-and-cooling offering designed specifically for the data center sector, aiming to help operators add computing capacity without waiting on grid upgrades.

The new system is built on the company's CORE100 platform and a new multi-module variant called C-iB. According to Haffner Energy, the solution delivers local, decarbonized power with guaranteed availability, while also supplying cooling services and reducing on-site water usage. The system operates alongside existing grid connections rather than replacing them, thereby reducing the volume of electricity a facility must draw from the grid.

The offering is powered by residual biomass, which can be stored on-site or nearby for several weeks. Haffner Energy said the technology is compatible with multiple biomass feedstocks, including forestry and agricultural residues, allowing individual projects to diversify their fuel supply. The process also co-produces biochar, which the company said creates a pathway to biogenic carbon removal.

The system is designed to scale into the tens of megawatts and beyond, with deployments configured in ten-module blocks, including two redundant modules and limited natural gas backup. Philippe Haffner, chairman and CEO of Haffner Energy, emphasized the economic appeal of the offering: "A single project can call for more than ten modules, with each module integrated into a full-service data center offering generating about €6m ($6.98m) in revenue – nearly three times what a module used solely for syngas production would bring in. That additional revenue doesn't require a proportional increase in our industrial capacity, since some of the complementary equipment is supplied by specialized partners."

The launch comes as data center operators face growing pressure to secure reliable, low-carbon power and cooling amid rising demand for AI and cloud services. Haffner Energy, headquartered in Vitry-le-François, France, is also a founding member of ÆTHER, a European consortium bidding for the European Commission's "AI Gigafactory" tender, with plans to develop an AI gigafactory in the Strasbourg region of France.