Rolls-Royce delivers first emergency power generators for data centres with Environmental Product Declarations

• Rolls-Royce is one of the first engine manufacturers to verify and publish the environmental footprint of emergency power generators
• The entire life cycle of the systems is taken into account – from raw material extraction to end of life
• mtu gensets can be operated with sustainable fuels, reducing CO2 emissions by up to 90%

Rolls-Royce has delivered mtu emergency power generators with verified environmental product declarations (EPDs) to a European data center operator for the first time. The company is setting a new standard for transparency and sustainability in the supply of energy to critical infrastructure.

In collaboration with sustainability expert Sphera, Rolls-Royce is one of the first engine manufacturers to develop externally verified EPDs for emergency power generators and publish them in the international EPD system (Environdec). The reports document the entire environmental life cycle of the mtu 16V 4000 DS2500 and 10V 1600 systems – from raw material extraction to production and use, to end-of-life recycling. 

“With these environmental product declarations, we set a new industry standard for environmental transparency in the field of energy systems,” said Tobias Ostermaier, President Stationary Power Solutions at Rolls-Royce’s Power Systems division. “This is our response to growing demand from our customers, and we are actively supporting them in reducing their carbon footprint.”

mtu emergency power generators can be operated with 90% fewer emissions

mtu emergency power generators are already approved for operation with sustainable fuels such as hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO) and e-fuels. HVO can be used as a full replacement for fossil diesel without any technical modifications.

In addition, Rolls-Royce’s certified service offering enables longer maintenance intervals: instead of monthly checks, operators only need to test their emergency power systems every quarter – significantly reducing both costs and emissions.

Modern mtu exhaust gas aftertreatment also reduces pollutants such as nitrogen oxides and particulate matter to a minimum. In combination with sustainable fuels, CO2, NOx, and particulate emissions can be reduced by over 90%.

EPD – Environmental transparency according to global standards

The EPD International System is an independent, globally recognized organization based on the ISO 14025 and EN 50693 standards. The declarations registered there provide detailed data on resource consumption, emissions, waste generation, and recyclability.

They describe all phases of the product life cycle – from the supply chain to transport, assembly and operation, to maintenance and decommissioning. They are based on real production and operating data from Rolls-Royce manufacturing facilities and suppliers, supplemented by life cycle assessment data from Sphera. “Our EPDs create transparency for customers, authorities, and partners – and prove that sustainability is measurable and verifiable,” said Ostermaier.