DATA CENTRE PREDICTIONS
are projected to approach 60 % of total power generation by 2030 . With these rising penetrations will come a greater need for flexibility . The study highlights the need for greater awareness of data centre flexibility not only among data centre operators and users , but also utilities and regulators .
Data centres could provide 16.9GW of flexibility in total across the five markets examined in the report from their on-site Uninterruptible Power Supply ( UPS ), backup generation , backup batteries and load-shifting . This is greater than the amount of power demand expected from the facilities themselves , because these resources in principle can each independently provide flexibility to the power system , either by reducing the amount of power the data centre draws , or by exporting power .
Michael Kenefick , Lead Author of the report and Decentralised Energy Analyst at BNEF , said : “ Data centres can be part of the solution for achieving higher renewable energy penetrations in Europe . Their on-site energy resources , such as uninterruptible power supplies and backup generators , could in future be brought to bear to help support the grid . And computing tasks could also be shifted to times – or locations – of high wind and solar resource .”
Of the resources considered , UPS systems appear to be the most promising source of flexibility in the immediate term . Based on battery technology , they are universally installed in data centres and are particularly well-suited to the task of providing Fast Frequency Response ( FFR ), a service designed to help grid operators maintain a stable operating frequency . In the UK , Ireland and Norway , data centre UPS systems could be more than enough to meet total FFR needs . Some data centre operators are already experimenting with providing such services using their UPS systems .
However , the report finds that data centre operators remain hesitant to bring these resources to bear to support the power system , citing service-level agreements with customers , a lack of visibility and transparency on the benefits of providing flexibility and a lack of know-how . For this reason , BNEF estimates that only 3.8GW of flexibility might materialise from data centres in these markets by 2030 . This is less than a quarter of the 16.9GW potential capacity and equates to 1.7 % of the expected peak load across the five markets in 2030 .
Karina Rigby , President , Critical Systems , Electrical Sector at Eaton in EMEA , said : “ Data centre facilities are unique and comparable to microgrids in the opportunities they offer through their computing power and physical infrastructure , particularly the vast amounts of battery energy storage attached to their existing backup power systems .
This study highlights the huge untapped potential of data centre flexibility to deliver economic , regulatory and climate benefits . We are calling on grid operators ,
THIS STUDY HIGHLIGHTS THE HUGE UNTAPPED POTENTIAL OF DATA CENTRE FLEXIBILITY TO DELIVER ECONOMIC , REGULATORY AND CLIMATE BENEFITS .
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