DATA CENTRES
" The battery which underpins any UPS is a major consideration for any data centre owner or operator ," adds Marc Garner , VP , Secure Power Division for Schneider Electric UK & Ireland .
" Traditionally , the market has utilised VRLA batteries to ensure power continuity and continuous operation of the IT equipment and services they support . However , there are challenges with this technology in terms of their operating life , environmental requirements and monitoring ."
“ The battery that underpins any UPS is a major consideration for any data centre owner or operator ”
MARC GARNER VP OF SECURE POWER DIVISION , SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC UK & IRELAND
Li-ion batteries have developed significantly since their first introduction in 1985 . The case for their use as a substitute for valve-regulated lead-acid ( VRLA ) batteries within data centre uninterruptible power supplies ( UPS ) has been well documented during this time . But now , VRLA batteries are largely considered to be an inferior solution , with this traditional choice being increasingly being replaced by Li-ion batteries .
A greener energy solution – what makes Li-ion batteries more sustainable ? By deploying Li-ion batteries , data centres are striving towards the lowest level of carbon dioxide production across not only their products and supply chains , but also the operation of the equipment . One of the key reasons for Li-ion batteries ' high sustainability is their extended lifespan .
" Although the components of the system are more complex , Li-ion batteries have a far longer lifespan and therefore require servicing and replacement less often than lead-acid systems ," explains Garner .
" For the data centre operator , a battery which does not meet the design requirement of the load presents a major risk to service continuity . The alternative is that operators will sometimes oversize the system , with all the environmental impacts present in manufacture , installation and operations . By contrast , the characteristics of Li-ion cells mean that none of this will apply to it over the same 10-year period , and the longer lifespan of a Li-ion battery is perhaps its major advantage in terms of sustainability and TCO ."
A typical lead-acid battery will have a service life of between three to five years . In comparison , Li-ion models achieve ten or more . This improvement in performance helps the sustainability ( and reduces the
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