FUTURE-PROOFING
how often is a UPS actually required? While it’s an essential
safety net that all data centres need to have, a UPS can
often be an expensive and underutilised asset sitting in the
background.
Embracing battery storage can transform this passive
piece of kit into a proactive asset that’s working 24/7 for
your data centre, reducing energy consumption, lowering
energy bills, and even offering additional revenue streams.
In an increasingly unpredictable and competitive world –
dare we even mention the dreaded ‘B-word’ (Brexit)? –Why
wouldn’t any data centre not want to capitalise on those
advantages? Particularly if their fears about resilience are
actually unfounded.
Battery storage in action
To participate in energy storage using a UPS, it’s advisable
to use the more expensive lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries
rather than the more common sealed lead-acid (SLA).
Although the cost of Li-ion cells has dropped by 79% since
2010 and is predicted to continue falling to around £50 per
kWh by 2030. Compared to SLA, Li-ion also offers several
performance advantages. It delivers the same power density
in less than half the space and weight, meaning more can
be installed in exactly the same footprint. It recharges much
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