In an exclusive interview, our Managing Director Leo Craig talks Data Centre World 2020, smart grid-ready UPS and an exciting addition to our modular Multi Power range.
Leo spoke with Digitalisation World magazine in the run-up to this year’s DCW event earlier this month.
The discussion starts with a revamp to Riello UPS’s Multi Power series that will be officially unveiled at Data Centre World 2020.
Already an award-winning modular uninterruptible power supply, the extended Multi Power incorporates two new modules (15 and 25 kW) and a dedicated cabinet.
Leo explains the reasoning behind bolstering the existing 42 kW power modules and standard two-metre high cabinets.
These compact versions will enable smaller data centres to reap the same rewards high-end data centres do from modular UPS systems, namely performance, scalability and efficiency.
He also goes on to explain the Multi Power’s special Energy Saving Mode, which only activates the required number of modules needed to support the critical load.
All other modules remain inactive, which saves unnecessary energy use.
Data Centre Energy Use
The conversation turns to general energy use in our nation’s bit barns and server rooms.
While data centres do take great strides to mitigate their power consumption, it’s arguable that efficiency improvements are starting to plateau.
Then there’s the growing reliance on renewable energy sources to meet challenging zero-carbon targets.
Taking these two factors, Leo goes on to explore the concept of smart grid-ready UPS and how this offers energy-intensive data centres an opportunity to reassess their standby power systems.
He outlines the ongoing work between Riello UPS and RWE into developing a commercially-viable ‘Virtual Power Plant’ that can get involved with demand side response mechanisms used by National Grid to balance the network.
Crucially, the concept enhances rather than undermines system reliability thanks to its sophisticated battery monitoring and management capabilities.
This overcomes data centre operators’ main obstacle about participating in DSR – namely that using their UPS batteries for anything apart from emergency backup is too big a risk.
