NEIL POTTER , CUSTOMER SOLUTIONS LEADER – LOW-VOLTAGE SWITCHGEAR ASSEMBLIES , EATON EMEA
BUILDING FUTURE- PROOFED DATA CENTRES , TO AVOID FACING THE SAME CHALLENGE IN ANOTHER 10 YEARS ’ TIME , REQUIRES A COMPLETE RETHINK IN THE WAY THEY ARE DESIGNED . power solutions during infrastructure upgrades , is so crucial .
E D I T O R ' S Q U E S T I O N
NEIL POTTER , CUSTOMER SOLUTIONS LEADER – LOW-VOLTAGE SWITCHGEAR ASSEMBLIES , EATON EMEA
Power infrastructure designed even a decade ago wasn ’ t built to meet the demands placed on it today . For example , the rising use of AI in business has seen energy demands on data centres soar – putting their out-of-date power infrastructure under pressure and sustainability questioned . And this pressure is only set to grow , with more businesses looking to capitalise on the technology .
To meet such rising demands , data centres must undergo key infrastructure
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BUILDING FUTURE- PROOFED DATA CENTRES , TO AVOID FACING THE SAME CHALLENGE IN ANOTHER 10 YEARS ’ TIME , REQUIRES A COMPLETE RETHINK IN THE WAY THEY ARE DESIGNED . power solutions during infrastructure upgrades , is so crucial .
Building future-proofed data centres , to avoid facing the same challenge in another 10 years ’ time , requires a complete rethink in the way they are designed – importantly , placing flexibility at their very core and keeping sustainability front of mind .
However , upgrading infrastructure comes with its own set of challenges and risks such as :
• Ensuring continuity of supply within a critical load environment
• Running temporary non-carbonfriendly diesel generators for long periods of time
• Any interaction with the grid will affect the supply and frequency fluctuations
• Increased waste management ( e-waste ) from any decommissioned equipment
This is why bridging power is so important . But how we go about it is just as important , particularly as we keep sustainability goals front of mind . For example , traditional generators being used as an alternative source of power , often running for prolonged periods of time , would have both a commercial and environmental impact .
We must look to utilise more renewable power generation , such as solar and wind . Coupling these with backup power technologies can make varying renewables much more reliable . For example , using frequency regulation , which Eaton ’ s EnergyAware UPS provides , and critically harvesting any excess power through Battery Energy Storage Systems ( BESS ) enables a more sustainable approach to bridging power . And as a result , prevents power infrastructure upgrades from harming progress towards sustainability goals , positively contributing to them instead . upgrades . But as our reliance on data centres grows , it is increasingly important we ensure they have a consistent source of power . That is why bridging , a means to provide temporary
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