Optimizing space, energy, and sustainability with advanced battery technology

Information facilities are the spine of the digital economic system, however their excessive power consumption and area wants pose vital challenges. In 2022, information facilities globally consumed roughly 460 TWh of electrical energy, accounting for about two % of the world’s electrical energy utilization (Electricity 2024: Analysis and forecast to 2026).

With AI, cryptocurrency, and cloud companies driving excessive demand, operators face growing strain to scale back power consumption, optimize operational area, and adjust to stringent sustainability rules.

At a brand new multi-building information middle close to Milan – located in one in every of Europe’s fastest-growing cloud markets – these pressures had been compounded by the necessity to present low-latency companies to hyperscalers and enterprise purchasers. The ability required progressive options.

Overcoming area and power challenges

Like many information facilities, the Milan facility would have struggled with conventional backup energy techniques. Typical lead-calcium batteries take up substantial bodily area, limiting room for extra servers that would generate income.

Power effectivity was one other concern, as excessive electrical energy prices and strict EU sustainability rules required vital reductions in consumption with out compromising reliability. Lastly, the power wanted to make sure operational continuity throughout energy fluctuations, an ongoing problem given the area’s excessive power demand.

Superior battery know-how from EnerSys offered an answer that addressed these intersecting challenges. By combining elevated power density, improved effectivity, and versatile purposes, new battery techniques supplied the Milan facility the instruments it wanted to optimize area, minimize prices, and improve resilience.

Delivering measurable outcomes

Adopting superior skinny plate pure lead (TPPL) know-how enabled the Milan information middle to realize a number of essential outcomes. The batteries’ greater power density decreased their bodily footprint by 25 %, liberating up room for extra servers and boosting income potential.

Power effectivity can also be projected to enhance, with the power anticipated to realize a 30 % discount in electrical energy consumption in comparison with conventional lead-calcium batteries, as a result of TPPL batteries’ decrease float present and superior electrochemical efficiency.

Reliability was enhanced by way of sooner recharge capabilities, making certain the system was able to deal with energy fluctuations with minimal downtime. These operational enhancements had been complemented by sustainability advantages, together with an extended battery lifespan – as much as 25 % longer than typical techniques – and 99 % recyclability, lowering each waste and environmental influence.

Future-proofing information middle operations

Along with addressing speedy wants, the superior battery know-how positioned the Milan facility to undertake forward-looking power methods. By utilizing batteries outfitted with TPPL know-how, the power gained the flexibility to help grid balancing by storing power throughout off-peak intervals and discharging it throughout high-demand occasions, stabilizing grid fluctuations and chopping prices. These techniques are additionally appropriate with quick frequency response (FFR), which delivers quick bursts of power to steadiness grid frequency with minimal put on.