Data Microgrids on the Rise as the Colo Industry Deploys More Resilient Power Systems

June 18, 2020
The data center industry is on the lookout for ways to better meet society’s demand for “constant connectivity, content delivery, and a myriad of business and personal necessities.” That’s according to a new special report from Data Center Frontier in partnership with Microgrid Knowledge and distributer energy leader Enchanted Rock that explores the growing symbiotic relationship between microgrids and data centers.

The data center industry is on the lookout for ways to better meet society’s demand for “constant connectivity, content delivery, and a myriad of business and personal necessities.” That’s according to a new special report from Data Center Frontier in partnership with Microgrid Knowledge and distributer energy leader Enchanted Rock. The report explores how as the data center industry expands, data center leaders are looking for ways to deploy more resilient mission-critical operations. And this includes power systems. Compounding this need, severe weather events are becoming more frequent, and cybersecurity threats abound. Data microgrids are on the rise and growing in popularity.

Get the full report.

Ultimately, uptime and performance are key for data centers. The report contends these facilities cannot continue to rely on diesel generators for reliable backup power, especially as they respond to price pressure and environmental sensibilities.

According to the report, the answer is data microgrids.

Join us for “Microgrid Myths: Busted,” a free webinar on data center microgrids, 2 pm ET, Tuesday, June 23. Register today!

“Unlike traditional diesel backup generators, they offer data center and colocation operators a resiliency solution that reduces emissions, increases availability, and provides economic advantages that diesel cannot,” the report states, written by Data Center Frontier Editor Bill Kleyman.

The report explores how these data microgrids can improve resiliency, uptime, and a data center’s environmental profile. This is particularly important considering the data center industry consumes about as much power as the entire global airline industry, according to the report — and these levels of energy consumption are expected to continue to rise.

It also explains their economic value and the different purchasing models that can adapt to your facility’s needs.

“Designed to work in tandem with the grid, or in an island fashion, microgrids ensure you don’t incur million-dollar outage costs while keeping your critical infrastructure running efficiently,” the report states.

And there are unique ways to develop, finance and operate these systems, like microgrid-as-a-service, which allows you to focus on your business and not the operation or management of your microgrid.

In an environment when downtime is not an option, microgrids are a proven technology that allow data centers to adapt to the changing landscape of our new digital reality.

The report demonstrates how microgrids fundamentally change power delivery for primary and even edge users, and takes a look at real-world examples of microgrids in action.

Get the full report, “Data Center Microgrids Changing Energy Delivery for a Digital Economy,” courtesy of Enchanted Rock, to further explore the growing symbiotic relationship between microgrids and data centers. Or, Join us for “Microgrid Myths: Busted,” a free webinar on data center microgrids.

Sponsored Recommendations

Guide to Environmental Sustainability Metrics for Data Centers

Unlock the power of Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) reporting in the data center industry with our comprehensive guide, proposing 28 key metrics across five categories...

The AI Disruption: Challenges and Guidance for Data Center Design

From large training clusters to small edge inference servers, AI is becoming a larger percentage of data center workloads. Learn more.

A better approach to boost data center capacity – Supply capacity agreements

Explore a transformative approach to data center capacity planning with insights on supply capacity agreements, addressing the impact of COVID-19, the AI race, and the evolving...

How Modernizing Aging Data Center Infrastructure Improves Sustainability

Explore the path to improved sustainability in data centers by modernizing aging infrastructure, uncovering challenges, three effective approaches, and specific examples outlined...