With more than 30 years ’ experience in the UK power protection business , Alex Emms , Operations Director at Kohler Uninterruptible Power , notes the strategic choices that should be made for competent power usage .

ata centres are estimated to be responsible for up to 3 % of

4 % by 2030 . The average hyperscale facility consumes 20 – 50MW annually – theoretically enough electricity to power up to 37,000 homes . With this massive power requirement and the need to look after our planet , government scrutiny has increased . In some places around

the world , including Dublin , Ireland and Singapore , steps to control data centre energy use among other carbon reduction objectives have already been put in place .

For many years , the efficiency of an Uninterruptible Power Supply ( UPS ) has been gradually improving but it has been the mechanical cooling systems that have attracted the most attention regarding the energy overheads reduction . Integrating more efficient , modular UPS systems that include Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistors ( IGBTs ) rather than transformers , power management systems and smart modes help to reduce energy loss and decrease an organisation ’ s Power Usage Effectiveness ( PUE ).

PUE can be defined as a measure of how efficiently power is used within a data centre . It is calculated by measuring the ratio of total amount of power used to the amount of power delivered to computing equipment .

Although a small cog in a larger environment , UPS power and built-in redundancy are crucial factors in bringing the PUE down . There are three key areas of innovations in technology and processes that are being implemented for sustainable UPS systems . These are : reducing power loss by choosing a highefficiency UPS ; matching the size to actual load by taking advantage of the correct load and smart running modes and reviewing battery technologies ; taking a wider view including management and recycling . By taking all three of these points into consideration , data centre managers can improve their energy efficiency with immediate effect .

However , choosing the most appropriate UPS solution for your site does need consideration as one size does not fit all . The choice must allow for the user ’ s business model as well as their site conditions . Accordingly , an in-depth discussion with an experienced supplier will pay dividends . Their experience , which equips them to explore the relevant issues , is backed by the know-how and the products needed to implement an appropriate solution – one that ensures reliability of power protection .

Transformerless versus legacy systems in UPS

There has been a lot of development in UPS design recently – and some of these have offered greater energy efficiencies . Energy savings first arose when the design moved to modern , transformerless technology made possible by advances

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