Intelligent Data Centres Issue 51 | Page 51

Eaton transforms data centres into active drivers of the energy transition

The enormous global appetite for connectivity is creating the need for more data , storage and data centres – and , in turn , the need for more electricity and stronger reserves to protect critical operations for businesses , organisations and service providers . Intelligent power management company , Eaton , is using its Data Centers as a Grid approach to reimagine the role of the data centre as an active participant in the energy transition , putting critical infrastructure to work in new ways to generate new revenue streams , enhance resiliency and reduce carbon emissions . A key component of Eaton ’ s Everything as a Grid perspective , this application helps transform existing systems and enables data centres to work harder , smarter and more sustainably .

“ Data centres have an essential role to play in the energy transition as operators seek to reduce their environmental
footprint and meet regulatory and corporate sustainability goals ,” said Hervé Tardy , Eaton ’ s Vice President Marketing and Strategy for Critical Power and Digital Infrastructure . “ Our Data Centers as a Grid approach combines new energy management capabilities , data analytics and sophisticated controls with existing infrastructure to support a bi-directional flow of energy to and from the grid . Using this approach , data centres can efficiently and effectively coordinate multiple energy sources , adopt more renewables , anticipate energy needs and participate in grid programmes to earn new revenue streams .”
A recent study commissioned by Eaton , The intersection of digital transformation and the energy transition , points to the important role of new energy business models in improving the ways data centres view and manage power needs as operators seek to improve
sustainability . Among other findings , the research found that more than one-third of data centre operators are seeking to sell generated power back to the grid as they continue to grow investments in renewables and energy storage .
Eaton ’ s Data Centers as a Grid approach combines intelligent power management technology , such as uninterruptible power supplies ( UPSs ), with digital innovation to reshape existing infrastructure into an asset for the grid . By enabling a bi-directional power flow , data centres can better support renewable resources and offset the cost of infrastructure upgrades by earning revenue through frequency response and other grid services . This creates a grid-interactive data centre with infrastructure that increases sustainability , delivers more value , provides essential backup and substantially reduces operating costs . �
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