Data center growth is reshaping domestic infrastructure & producing a staggering rise in energy consumption as power demand is expected to skyrocket by 160% by 2030. As power demands intensify, the time is now for data center operators to develop a future-proof UPS battery strategy.
Contact: Betsy Barry
Communication Manager
706.206.7271
betsy.barry@acculonenergy.com
AI, Hyperscalers, and Digital Infrastructure are driving the rampant growth in data centers. The data center market has doubled in size in under 4 years with the pace of construction increasing by 7x in the last 2 years. This growth coincides with new energy and power requirements needed to maintain system reliability. For example, a ChatGPT query requires roughly 10x as much electricity to process as a Google search. As such, it is estimated that by 2030, data center power demand will grow by 160%. The effectiveness of historical mission-critical power solutions must be balanced in light of these new requirements. Specifically, UPS (uninterruptible power supplies) previously designed to cycle <50 times in a year may now be called on to cycle on a near-daily basis due to these power demand spikes. The result is UPS batteries having a reduced useful life, exposing the data center to reliability risks.
Coinciding with these new challenges is an increase in new, commercially available battery chemistries such as NA+, Silicon-Anode NMC, LTO, LFP, and LiS. As with any new technology, choosing the right solution should be balanced with maximizing the customer’s value. As data centers become increasingly scrutinized as grid energy hogs, an opportunity exists to right-size UPS batteries for anticipated load requirements while preserving the option to also use those assets for grid flexibility, or as peak shaving assets. The time is now for data center operators to develop a UPS battery strategy to account for present and future power demands, centering around optimizing battery performance while also adhering to best-in-class safety practices.
Partnering with advanced energy storage providers that are domain experts across multiple battery technologies is crucial for data center operators as they navigate this evolving landscape. With numerous battery chemistries now commercially available, ranging from traditional lead-acid to advanced solutions like NA+, selecting the right technology is a complex but critical aspect of the evolution of data centers to meet growing demand. Providers like Acculon, which have deep expertise across these chemistries and a world-class battery testing laboratory, can guide operators and hyperscalers in identifying an optimized battery solution based on factors such as energy density, cycling capabilities, and longevity. This ensures that the data center’s unique power requirements are met while also offering flexibility for future growth as well as grid security.
Safety and risk mitigation are top priorities when equipping data centers with energy storage solutions optimized for mission-critical applications. This is especially important as we move to new and novel cell chemistries to meet current and future demands. When it comes to safety, there are specific certification requirements that adhere to industry standards such as UL 1973 (for stationary battery systems) and UL 9540 (for energy storage systems). These certifications ensure that batteries meet the strict safety and performance criteria needed for reliable data center operations.
UL 1973 compliance is critical because it dictates that in the event of a battery cell failure, the failure must be contained within the enclosure itself. This means that even if a cell fails catastrophically, resulting in flames or the ejection of other hazardous materials, these dangers should not escape the cabinet, thereby preventing damage to surrounding equipment and ensuring the safety of the data center environment. Thus, complying with UL 1973 only requires that thermal runaway and a resulting fire be contained at the cabinet level.
As power demands intensify, traditional solutions like UPS (uninterruptible power supplies) are being pushed to their limits. Partnering with advanced energy storage providers that are domain experts across multiple battery technologies is crucial for data center operators as they navigate this evolving landscape.
While this standard does provide a level of safety, it may not be sufficient for the high stakes of data center operations. Containing a failure within the cabinet is an approach that, while protecting the immediate environment, can still result in significant damage. Replacing an entire cabinet due to the failure of a single cell is an expensive and time-consuming process that could be avoided with more stringent safety measures–measures that ensure the failure does not go beyond the level of the cell and therefore, the level of the impacted module.
The primary objective of UL 9540A is to determine gas concentrations, gas volumes, and heat loads during a thermal event that could pose significant health risks to data center workers. To assess the risks of a potential full system failure and the associated health hazards, a series of progressively challenging tests were developed, forming the core of UL 9540A. These tests are categorized as cell level, module level, and cabinet level. However, even if an event is contained at the cabinet level and does not spread to the surrounding cabinets, the volume of toxic gas emitted from such a failure can pose significant health risks. Like UL 1973, while cabinet-level safety is required, safety and risk mitigation at the level of the module offers enhanced safety advantages, as well as economic incentives, for data centers and mission-critical facilities.
Data center project economics point toward a future where novel chemistry UPS batteries compliant with module-level thermal events will be the clear winner. As more dollars are funneled into developing emerging battery chemistries, and greater regulatory scrutiny is placed on minimizing thermal runaway. Data Center operators will need to rely on solutions partners who are conversant across both domains. Energy storage experts like Acculon who prioritize safety beyond standards can ensure that mission-critical facilities are protected from potential failures that could compromise their operations, while also extending the life of the battery systems, creating a win-win as these applications evolve to meet our growing power needs, both domestically and globally.