-
missioncriticalpower.uk
ISSUE 4: April 2016
10 Zero sum: Could super-conductivity make the internet
sustainable?
14UPS and downs: Should you pay heed to the Energy Technology
List?
20 Smarter grid: Battery assets stand to gain from government
push
See cover story, page 12
www.enersys.com/XE
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IN THIS ISSUE 3
missioncriticalpower.uk April 2016 MCP
Cover StoryEnerSys introduces DataSafe
XE batteries power for modern critical UPS applications
missioncriticalpower.uk
ISSUE 4: April 2016
10 Zero sum: Could super-conductivity make the internet
sustainable?
14UPS and downs: Should you pay heed to the Energy Technology
List?
20 Smarter grid: Battery assets stand to gain from government
push
See cover story, page 12
www.enersys.com/XE
InsightExponential data growth
means vast swathes of computation will
relocate to the edge, according to its disciples
Energy ManagementCan and should data centres be powered by solar
energy?
Energy StorageThe National Infrastructure Commission has
recommended building a smarter grid without delay. For those with
lots of batteries, that could be lucrative.
Energy Management
Is selecting a UPS from the governments Energy
Technology List always a good buy?
Viewpoint Could superconductivity make
the internet sustainable, asks Professor Ian Bitterlin
14
16
12
208
Cooling & Air MovementCooling Tier IV data centres and
achieving energy eff iciency - even at partial loads
10
40
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Comment 4
News 6
Insight 8
Energy Management 14
Infrastructure Management 22
Asset Resilience 24
UPS 28
Standby Generators 32
Connectivity & Cabling 38
Cooling & Air Movement 40
Data Centre World 2016 44
Products 48
Q&A 50
-
COMMENT4
missioncriticalpower.uk
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MCP April 2016
Mission critical sites have many things to worry about,
particularly resilience and energy use. However, one that is moving
up the agenda is water use. While Scotland already has competition,
England will follow in April 2017 and there are things that you can
do now so that you are prepared.
Saving water makes good business sense; if you pay for something
then using less is one sure way to increase profitability. The
other reason to save water is resource efficiency. Unlike the
problems that exist in the energy market water is slightly
different in that it cannot be created. London is drier than
Istanbul, and the south east of England has less water available
per capita than the Sudan, so it is important to conserve this
essential resource. As Benjamin Franklin said: When the well is
dry, we know the worth of water. Understanding the worth of water
now before its intrinsic value is forced upon us is essential.
Efficiency will reduce water bills quickest but another method
to look at after this is water reuse. Much of the water we use for
heating, cooling, process applications, washing and sanitation
neednt be of drinking water quality. This could be reused water or
grey water. The effect of this would be to reduce water costs
further, allow more potable water to be available for drinking and
food preparation purposes and it also reduces the strain on the
drainage system that can be caused by excess rainfall.
The Department of Healths Water management and water efficiency
best practice advice for the healthcare sector says: Financial
savings of up to 20% may be achieved through water-efficiency
measures, with little or no cost in investment. This translates to
a possible saving of 9.5m per year for the NHS. No small amount for
little or no outlay.
Water reuse was targeted at East Kent and Canterbury Trust. It
produced a significant amount of wastewater in the hospitals
reverse osmosis plant. The project installed holding tanks and
pipework that allowed the wastewater to be reused for urinal and WC
flushing in the main operating theatres and the emergency care
department, topped up with mains water when needed. The project
reduced mains water consumption by 33%, saving 7,000 a year. This
allowed project costs to be recovered in less than three years.
Data centres are also big consumers of water and similar to the
PUE (power usage effectiveness) WUE (water usage effectiveness) has
been developed. There is a lot of uncertainty and variability
around the different processes using water in data centres, but
their combined water footprint can be as high as 200 litres per
gigabyte of outbound data. This means it can take the same amount
of water to get a GB of data to you as it takes to deliver a kg of
tomatoes, states says Bora Ristic, in the The Water Footprint of
Data Centers, published in the journal Sustainability.
With the advent of competition it may be time to focus a little
on water use and how it can be reduced. An advantage of this is
that those who know their water profile will also be able to
negotiate a better deal when competition does arrive.
Water you going to do?
using water in data centres, but their combined water footprint
can be as high as 200 litres per gigabyte of outbound data. This
means it can take the same amount of water to get a GB of data to
you as it takes to deliver a kg of tomatoes, states says Bora
The Water Footprint , published in
Sustainability.
With the advent of competition it may be time to focus a
little
-
NEWS & COMMENT6
missioncriticalpower.ukMCP April 2016
Organisations with diesel back-up generators have been warned
that changes the government is making to energy market policies
could add significant costs to their operations.
Decc has outlined sweeping changes to the capacity market, the
mechanism intended to ensure the UK has sufficient power over
winter peaks.
Significantly, Decc also flagged plans to change the
distribution charging regime for embedded generators, which
industry experts have warned could have serious consequences for UK
industry.
Decc wants to buy more power earlier, and will bring the start
date for the mechanism forward a year. Capacity providers both
power stations and demand response units will now start delivering
power if needed from winter 2017/18.
Decc wants to incentivise the building of new gas plant, which
the capacity market in its current form has failed to do. What it
has rewarded are rafts of small-scale diesel generators. The effect
of those diesel farms is to undercut new gas power stations.
So Decc intends to make life harder for diesel generators via
tougher emissions legislation
Grid tenders for superfast responseNational Grid will invite
tenders for its new superfast frequency response service on 15
April. The system operator is seeking an initial 200MW but sees the
service as an enduring regime as the UK power system continues to
lose inertia.
Successful bidders will receive four-year contracts. National
Grid believes this strikes a balance between risk and reward for
those looking to own and operate assets, which in the main are
likely to be batteries.
However, the auction is technology-neutral. Interconnectors,
other forms of energy storage and even aggregated domestic
batteries will not be prevented from making a bid, provided they
meet the 1MW minimum requirement, can connect to Grids systems and
have the relevant data.
How those assets will impact distribution networks and what the
implications may be for operators connection agreements is
something the national and local grid operators are set to thrash
out.
National Grid is also set to broaden the scope of Enhanced
Frequency Response (which requires sub-second responses to
deviations from the power systems standard 50Hz to prevent faults)
so that its definition also covers primary and secondary response.
While the system operator originally mooted a nine-second minimum
response duration, that may now be extended.
National Grid says it may also develop in parallel another
service for short duration, fast-response characteristics for
post-fault frequency control.
Details of the proposed timelines for the EFR service, alongside
an FAQ document, tender criteria and how service providers may work
with other balancing mechanisms can be found at
missioncriticalpower.uk
Changes to capacity market could hit back-up generators
While larger UK businesses are being moved to half hourly
settlement for their electricity use, it is likely that all firms
will soon follow, according to recommendations published in March
by the competition watchdog.
The Competition & Markets Authority has told Decc and Ofgem
to improve settlement rules and procedures for both gas and
electricity. Currently, most businesses are settled according to a
profile class for electricity, rather than their actual
consumption. By moving to half hourly metering and settlement,
businesses will face more reflective time-of use charges for power.
That is,
expensive power in the morning and evening peak periods, but
cheaper during the late morning and mid-afternoon and very cheap
overnight.
The proposals would therefore expose all businesses to much
sharper price signals.
Gas settlement has other issues, but essentially the CMA is
concerned inefficient allocation of costs leads to gas firms gaming
the system and businesses paying more than they need to as a
result.
The CMA said it wants to see Ofgems reforms of gas settlement
implemented by October this year and additional security measures
developed as soon as possible.
Blanket time-of-use tariffs proposed
that Defra will consult on later this year. However, Tim
Rotheray,head of the Association for Decentralised Energy, has
warned that the move could inadvertently penalise back-up
generation.
The new rules would not simply limit operating hours but would
apply to diesel generators (or aggregators of diesel gensets) from
1 MW to 50 MW, irrespective of their number of hours of operation
during any given year.
The mention of this Medium Plant Combustion Directive could land
hospitals, data centres, industrial users with back-up generation
with very significant costs, said Rotheray. [Decc] is absolutely
right to stop diesel farms, but diesel back-up has a role to play
to ensure security of electricity supply to those sites. The
proposals for the MPCD need more thinking through.
The department has also outlined changes for demand-response
providers. Proposals mooted include only allowing demand-side
response from load shifting into the transitional capacity
auctions, as opposed to allowing small generators to bid. Or
specifying a minimum amount within each auction that comes from
demand reduction. Decc also plans to lower the minimum entry size
from 2MW to 500kW.
Significantly, Decc also flagged plans to change the
distribution charging regime for embedded generators, which experts
warn could have serious consequences for UK industry.
Decc is right to look at security of supply and new diesel farms
are a bad thing, said Rotheray. But the mention of the embedded
benefit [within the consultation] is completely inappropriate. It
has nothing to do with capacity or security of supply. If the
embedded benefit were to go, we would see industrial plants
shutting. It would be very significant.
Rotheray said the proposal was a fundamental change to the
principles of electricity charging.
Move could add costs
-
7missioncriticalpower.uk April 2016 MCP
The government has confirmed that the Carbon Reduction
Commitment (CRC) is to be scrapped following the 2018/19 compliance
year. The move was expected under the review of business energy
taxes.
The Treasury acknowledged the CRC had been complex, bureaucratic
and costly for participants. It said the new landscape would see
businesses only charged one energy tax administered by suppliers
rather than being required to forecast energy use, buy and
surrender allowances.
To recoup the CRC money, the chancellor has said that the
Climate Change Levy (CCL) will rise by 2019 and
Osborne confirms CRC axe with CCL set to rise
News in briefModular UPS winsRiello UPS has scooped a global
award for its new modular product, the Multi Power. Riello UPS
received the New Product Innovation Frost & Sullivan award for
setting new standards in the modular UPS market.
Designed to protect critical high-density computers and IT
environments, the Multi Power combines the high levels of
reliability and performance in a scalable solution. Using up to 28
power modules of 42kW each, the Multi Power scales from 42kW to
1176kW. It also maintains efficiency in online mode operation of up
to 96.5% even at loads of 20%.
Edge white paperA new white paper from Schneider Electric, #226
The Drivers and Benefits of Edge Computing, describes how internet
usage trends, including high-bandwidth applications such as video
on demand, and the proliferation devices spurred on by the Internet
of Things impact upon the technical limitations of key elements
such as Internet Protocol (IP) and Border Gateway Protocol (BGP).
Edge computing is an answer to this. schneider-electric.com/
whitepapers
Ian Bitterlin, consulting engineer and visiting professor at
Leeds University, on the latest ASHRAE Thermal Guidelines
The 4th Edition (late 2015) of the ASHRAE Thermal Guidelines has
been published for a few months now. The significant change has
been in the recommended lower humidity limit which, in simple
terms, means that humidification will never be required in data
centres containing ICT hardware of any generation since 2004 (the
publication year of the first
Thermal Guidelines).Purchasing the Guidelines (less
than 60 to download) represents excellent value for money as it
is packed with valuable information from the only global resource
covering ICT hardware but the detail concerning the lower limit is
that it has been changed to a dew point of -9C (yes, below
freezing) so that bone-dry air will not cause any problems from
static discharges under any circumstances.
This change enables cash to be saved, both capital in the
purchase price of CRACs etc and operational costs in energy use and
humidifier element replacements (which has
never been a cheap exercise).However, despite it seeming to
be
a no-brainer, why do I ask if you are a gambler? Well, the 2011
Guidelines are now five years old and yet the industry has not
jumped onto the widened temperature and humidity windows with
relish and enthusiasm, with many still regarding the 2008 edition
as edge and avant-garde. So I wonder how long will it be before we
see no humidification in all data centres?
Given the extremely conservative nature of our industry, I would
not bet the farm on the 4th Edition being 100% adopted any time
before 2020
Fancy a wager?
that charges will change to incentivise businesses to use less
gas. That will affect business energy bills and represents further
bad news for the renewable energy industry.
The CCL is essentially a carbon tax. Up until last August,
businesses were taxed for using fossil-generated power with
exemptions for those using renewable power. However, the chancellor
removed that exemption in his 2015 Budget statement, with Treasury
stating the move would save 3.9bn by 2020.
The Treasury said it would change charges for different fuel
types under the CCL, moving to a ratio of 2.5:1
(electricity:gas)
from April 2019. It wants a ratio of 1:1 (electricity:gas) rates
by 2025 to incentivise reductions in the use of gas.
The government said it will keep existing Climate Change
Agreement scheme eligibility criteria in place until at least 2023
with the discount rate increasing from 2019. The Treasury stated
that a Decc-led target review would begin this year to ensure
agreements deliver on their energy efficiency goals.
Carbon Price Support rate will remain at 18 t/CO2 from 2016-17
to 2019-20 with a long-term plan for carbon prices expected in the
Autumn Statement.
Equinix and Telecity were among the first organisations in the
UK to complete energy efficiency audits required by the government.
The Environment Agency has published fresh data on the firms that
submitted energy audits ahead of the Energy Savings Obligation
Scheme (Esos) deadline.
The list of 5,939 organisations that made the cutoff is
published under the governments open data
initiative. While some doubt remains over how many organisations
actually qualify for the scheme (the EA sent out some 14,000
reminder letters last year), the agency will not be publishing a
list of those that may now face potential enforcement action.
The data suggests that as little as 13% of organisations (794
out of 5,939) have a quantitative target to reduce energy. Equinix
was in the minority of firms that
disclosed a target, stating that was to work towards a PUE of
1.6 for electricity.
Meanwhile, only about a quarter of respondents (1,400
organisations), said their board had discussed the results of the
Esos assessment. Those figures support findings by Mission Critical
Power publisher Energyst Media that energy efficiency remains too
low on board priorities although it is moving up the agenda.
Ahead of the Esos deadline
-
Advantages at the cutting edgeWith the colossal increase in data
from the Internet of Things and the explosion of big data, cloud
computing may not always be the best solution. Processing is moving
to the edge and with it the need to crunch data. That might now
mean thinking inside the box. Tim McManan-Smith looks at one such
example at the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona and how it used
Schneider Electrics prefabricated data centre solution
The proliferation of big data arising from smart applications
necessitates a rise in processing capability by data centres. The
Internet of Things (IoT) means that more and more devices use the
web to communicate alongside the increasing use of video and other
data-intensive activities. Although cloud computing is one way of
dealing with this, practicality and costs mean that processing
cabilities are moving to the edge of the network.
Edge computing is all about pushing processing for certain
data-intensive, remotely isolated applications away from the core
of the data
demand is too high for remote processing in a data centre far
away from where the video is being watched, for example.
A piece of research conducted by Wikibon compared a cloud-only
approach with edge computing working with a little cloud
computing.
The case study for this research was a remote wind-farm with
security cameras and other sensors. Figure 1, right, is a summary
of the findings. It compares the three-year management and
processing costs of a cloud-only solution using AWSs IoT services
compared with an Edge + cloud solution using a Pivot3 Server SAN
with an Open Source Time-series Database together
INSIGHT8
missioncriticalpower.ukMCP April 2016
centre to the outer edges of the network where the actual
processing needs to take place. Fundamentally, this is where the
action is, so it makes sense for computing at the edge to evolve.
This will not replace the need for cloud computing but complement
in situations when the data is further away from the data
centre.
Although cloud data storage decreases the upfront capital costs
of big data and allows on-demand increases in data size that
encourages people to store more and more, there are cost
implications. Billions of connected devices consuming rich media
also cause bandwidth problems; trending videos can mean
50bnThe amount of Internet of Things devices by 2020
-
with AWS IoT services. With a distance of 200 miles between the
wind farm and the cloud, and with an assumed 95% reduction in
traffic from using the edge computing capabilities, the total cost
is reduced from about $81,000 to $29,000 over three years. The
authors suggest that even with much shorter distances, the
advantage of Edge computing is likely to be overwhelming.
Edge computing is going to be a prevealent force in the future,
not only in industrial and IT applications but places such as
retail centres and even churches. An example of this is the
Gaudi-designed Sagrada Familia, a Catholic Basilica in Barcelona
and Unesco world heritage site. It might be thought that processing
capability of a church would be adequate to use the internet and
have cloud-based processing capability. However, as well as being a
working church it has more than 3 million visitors per year and is
also still a construction site, aiming to be completed by 2026, 100
years after Gaudis death.
Sagrada Familia had been running its IT service in a server room
with inadequate space for expansion. To accommodate the need for
increased digitisation of its business processes such as point of
sale for the many vistors and for more security, Sagrada Familia
was compelled to expand.
The IoT makes equipment that in the past was just a consumer of
content a device that produces it. It creates content at the edge,
comments Schneider Electrics vice-president, IT and data centre
business Arun Shenoy.
By 2020 there will be 50 billion IoT devices. Cloud and service
provider markets are dominating growth and change but can the
re-architecture of the internet happen quickly enough to support
IoT? We need edge computing. We need both hyperscale and edge, its
not a question of either.
The great thing about the
9
missioncriticalpower.uk
edge is that you gather data from local things and compute it
there and therefore deliver high bandwidth in local areas, says
Matthew Baynes, Schneider Electrics datacentre strategy and
business development director, UK and Ireland.
The Sagrada Familias new data centre was needed to manage
ticketing admissions, retail operations, video surveillance and
ongoing engineering design and construction for the next phases of
the building project. Moving the data centre offsite was not an
option due to concerns with latency and security; but building a
data centre within an active construction site introduced the
additional risk of downtime
April 2016 MCP
which would impact business processes.
In 16 weeks, Schneider Electric designed, manufactured and
delivered a turnkey data centre infrastructure solution, complete
with IT, racks, UPS, power distribution, precision cooling,
environmental management and fire suppression system.
The data centre was transported as two separate prefabricated
modules with racks, containment, power, cooling, security and
management systems pre-installed and then ganged together on site
to create a functional and spacious room. The units were delivered
and installed outside of peak times to minimise visitor and
congregation disruption.
Another advantage of the Sagrada Familia having a prefabricated
data centre is that it is movable. This would reduce construction
costs by eliminating the need to build two different sites.
Schneider Electric says the data centre has been built with the
future in mind and will accommodate Sagrada Familias IT
infrastructure growth. l
schneider-electric.com
The Internet of Things makes equipment that in the past was just
a consumer of content a device that produces it. It creates content
at the edge
Inside the Sagrada Familias prefabricated data centre
Figure 1: Comparison of total three-year management and
processing costs of Cloud only vs. Edge + Cloud with 95% Edge Data
Reduction (200 miles distance)
Cloud-only Edge + Cloud
$80,581
$28,927
000s ($)
Th
ree-y
ear
co
st o
f m
anag
ing
an
d p
roce
ssin
g d
ata 90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
Source: Wikibon IoT Project
-
Could superconductivity make the internet sustainable?There are
three steps to classically defined sustainability and they are
meant to be taken in strict order: reduce consumption; improve
efficiency; and then power from a renewable source. If you do them
in reverse then you are just wasting a valuable and finite
resource, says Ian Bitterlin
As I wrote in October, power consumption in the internet,
particularly data centres, is growing at least 15% compound annual
growth rate on a global basis fuelled mainly by mobile phone
access, social networking, gaming, gambling and video
entertainment. This growth is exacerbated by faster access and the
superfast broadband polices of governments with an effect driven by
Jevons Paradox. In some ICT mature markets, with near 100% mobile
phone penetration, the growth in traffic is slowing but the
video-based demand of recent years will be replaced by the
Internet-of-Things and is likely to continue unabated.
The exponential growth in data has been well demonstrated (see
the data for 15 years 4% (compound monthly) growth in a major
European internet exchange, right) and can be regarded as a proxy
for the power required to generate, transport, process, store,
regurgitate and consume. Most estimates for Europe put data centre
power consumption at between 2-3% of the electrical utility
capacity and if the 15% growth rate were to continue then, clearly,
the future is unsustainable as ICT would consume the entire utility
capacity in less than 30 years, with data centres alone consuming
30%.
However, Pandoras Box has long been opened and the chances of
our society actually using the internet
performance when compared with traditional solutions: Power
transmitted via
superconducting cables does so at extremely low losses
Data transmitted via superconducting interconnections does so at
extremely lower power and speed close to the speed of light
Superconductivity applied to micro- and nano-electronic
computing decreases the Watts/FLOP (power per unit of computation)
by more than 100x
Taking these attributes in turn leads to an interesting scenario
for the internet or data centres. Firstly, superconducting cable is
more applicable to bulk power transfer over long distances rather
than specifically to data centres (eg bringing Peta-Watts of solar
power from the Sahara to Europe) at minimal losses.
Secondly, the physical infrastructure required to house
super-conducting (eg copper instead of fibre) data interconnections
over long distances is not unsubstantial and a paradigm shift in
network photonics may well provide a normal temperature solution
that approaches similar energy consumption. However the third
application seems to have great potential for giant cloud-centric
data centres.
As an example we could consider the fastest supercomputer in the
world
VIEWPOINT10
missioncriticalpower.ukMCP April 2016
We could foresee that a Europe-wide network of these
superconducting clusters could be ultimately connected via a
super-conducting mesh network integrated with fibre optics-based
technology. This would reduce our current European data centre
utility demand from more than 3% to less than 0.03%
less are highly unlikely, especially when we remind ourselves
that 60% of the worlds population doesnt have an internet
connection but wants one. So, the first step to sustainability
(reduced consumption) doesnt look like a viable strategy.
So what, other than restricting access to digital services that
are not vital to society via tax (the only solution according to
Jevons) can be done towards the second step; improving resource
effectiveness? A possible answer may lay in superconductivity.
Superconductivity is a low temperature phenomenon extensively
studied in the last decades, with mature and well known
applications in the fields of material science and electronics. In
general, superconductivity leads to dramatically improved
TB input/month
No
v 0
1
50,000
0
100,000
150,000
200,000
250,000
300,000
350,000
400,000
450,000
500,000
550,000
No
v 0
2
No
v 0
3
No
v 0
4
No
v 0
5
No
v 0
6
Nov
07
No
v 0
8
No
v 0
9
No
v 1
0
No
v 1
1
No
v 1
2
No
v 1
3
Amsterdam Internet Exchange monthly ISP input traffic July 2001
to January 2014
Source: ams-ix.net
-
11
missioncriticalpower.uk
combined action with superconducting electronics (SCE) can
represent an effective solution for high data rate network
switches. SCE technology can offer >200Gbs cables by direct
electrical connections between corresponding cable ends, and by
embedding optics and/or superconducting electronics within the
connectors it can overcome
April 2016 MCP
some of the limitations of passive cables. In particular,
between cryogenic modules SCE technology will have the highest
energy efficiency, highest data rate (100-200Gb/s per line) by
entirely superconducting coaxial or superconducting multi-bit
stripline. Between cryo and non-cryo racks, hybrid
superconducting-optical cables with a data rate of
60-80Gb/s per line can be developed, each cable
accommodating
many transmission channels. In addition,
wave division multiplexing (WDM) can be used
for each optical fibre to increase the aggregate
data rate even further.The future of
superconductivity is highly attractive in many applications and
now including powering the internet and potentially enabling a
major part of its sustainability. Clearly strategic partnering is
an important component in promoting successfully energy-efficient
electronics and cabling products and organisations are working
together to pioneer progress in this field of application (see
box), so I am indebted to them for the ideas explored here. l Ian
Bitterlin is a consulting engineer and visiting professor at Leeds
University
30%of entire electrical utility capacity will be consumed by
data centres alone in less than 30 years
Pioneers in super-conductivityUniversity of Naples Federico II
and CNR SPIN: Experimental and theoretical groups having a highly
qualified expertise in studying weak superconductivity including
materials science skills, exploitation of Josephson Effect for
novel quantum devices and a new generation of hybrids with
superconductivity being interfaced to magnetic, electric or other
functional degrees of freedom. The team benefits from a large
number of international collaborations including a consolidated
consortium of EU universities and research centres involved in
research into novel solutions for superconducting based
electronics.
Hypres, Inc.: An integrated cryo-electronics company with
in-depth expertise in design, fabrication, evaluation,
cryo-packaging, and system integration
of superconductor integrated circuits and cryo-cooled systems.
Hypres runs the worlds most reliable commercial superconductor
integrated circuits (IC) foundry, and engages in the development of
energy efficient SFQ logic circuits for computing applications and
research and development activities in superconducting spintronics
and quantum computing.
Columbus Superconductors SpA: A world-leading company in
cutting-edge magnesium diboride (MgB2) technology and the
transformation of this superconducting material into long,
versatile and highly reliable superconducting wires for various
applications including a possible application in computing systems
and data centres. The company vertically integrates the entire
development cycle from R&D to applications and from production
to sales.
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that, according to the Top500 website, is currently in China,
can reach 33 PetaFLOPs while consuming 18MW. This could be replaced
by a superconducting cluster consuming only 2-300kW. Then we could
foresee that a Europe-wide network of these superconducting
clusters could be ultimately connected via a superconducting mesh
network integrated with fibre optics based technology. This would
reduce our current European data centre utility demand from more
than 3% to less than 0.03%, take enormous strain off of the utility
system, reduce redundancy requirements, solve all problems of
latency and permit data sovereignty. An then we can see a path
towards enabling the internet for all the planet, not just us in
the lucky minority.
However, we can go one step further (see the article in the
December 2015 edition of MCP) and consider the reuse of waste heat;
no longer would we find it desirable or beneficial to locate data
centres in remote cold climates, they could be close the ICT load
with 100% of the energy reused, for example in district water
heating of a smart-city.
Outside of the data centre cryogenic superconducting cables can
impact power distribution, and the
-
Rethink UPS. We did!EnerSys introduces DataSafe XE batteries
power for modern critical UPS applications
When mainframe computers were historically the norm, two factors
drove uninterruptible power supply (UPS) runtime: 1. the time
needed to complete
an orderly shutdown of the computer system to prevent/mitigate
the loss of data; and
2. the standby generator to become fully operational and capable
of assuming the supported load. The
COVER STORY12
missioncriticalpower.ukMCP April 2016
15-minute UPS runtime rate was the merging of these two
requirements.
Today, the UPS world is a different place. We have
interconnected servers, flash memory, automatic transfer of gensets
and phase sync in seconds. This means for a large and growing
portion of the UPS market the 15-minute standard is excessive and
is being replaced by autonomy
times of five minutes or less. Furthermore, greater
flexibility and improved efficiency of assets and in some cases,
cost savings due to reduced capital costs related to energy
consumption and mechanical and electrical infrastructure are a
must!
DataSafe XE batteries: A breakthrough in runtimes of five
minutes or lessEnerSys has designed
DataSafe XE batteries to be the first to meet the evolving
requirements of todays modern critical UPS applications. As such,
these unique Absorbed Glass Mat (AGM) batteries feature advanced
Thin Plate Pure Lead (TPPL) technology and superior manufacturing
processes to provide high power, short duration runtimes of less
than five minutes. The proprietary energy dense
-
13
missioncriticalpower.uk
Rethink UPS. We did!
April 2016 MCP
design provides for longer service life and for enhanced
efficiency, even at higher temperatures.
Advantages of TPPL Technology The TPPL technology in DataSafe XE
batteries provides superior performance characteristics to overcome
many of the key failure modes associated with standard Valve
Regulated Lead Acid (VRLA) batteries. This makes them uniquely
suited to the modern critical UPS market.
Technology provides a number of important advantages:
Less corrosion, longer life: Positive grid corrosion is always
present in VRLA AGM batteries but not all VRLA AGM batteries are
the same. Both life and performance of batteries are greatly
impacted by their design. Most VRLA batteries employ a calcium
alloy. Calcium is added to provide additional strength to the grid
during the manufacturing process. However, impurities such as
calcium additives accelerate the corrosion process and increase the
size of the grain leading to accelerated grid growth and higher
internal resistance. DataSafe XE batteries do not include
In addition, providing the charge voltage is properly regulated,
they do not require current limitation, which allows for more rapid
recharging.
Low float current: The high purity materials in AGM TPPL
batteries require low float current when compared to standard AGM
batteries. This results in lower gas emissions, minimal grid
corrosion, optimum conductivity and enhanced energy efficiency.
Lower total cost of ownership (TCO): Finally, with DataSafe XE
batteries, EnerSys has provided a product to meet the needs of
todays mission critical UPS market. AGM batteries with TPPL
technology have set a new industry standard by delivering high
power, short duration runtimes in a power-dense, energy-efficient
design. The ability to operate datacenters at higher temperatures
together with the lower energy consumption of TPPL batteries can
reduce the total cost of ownership up to 25% compared with
conventional VRLA batteries.
For more information on EnerSys and its full line of products,
systems and support, visit www.enersys.com
calcium. Even though positive grid corrosion is inevitable in
VRLA AGM batteries, the very high purity lead and grade of acid
used by EnerSys has a much lower corrosion rate than lead with
alloys. EnerSys TPPL technology greatly delays corrosion, which
enhances conductivity, performance and longevity. The DataSafe XE
battery also reduces costs through its longer operational and
storage life.
Greater power density during short runtimes: Using thicker
plates can extend the life of alloyed grids. However, thicker
plates do not discharge as efficiently as thinner ones that utilise
the active material better. Greater plate density provides more
power in the same space or allows for smaller battery installation
thus providing space saving benefits. The deeper the discharge, the
more effective EnerSys TPPL technology becomes, providing greater
power density without sacrificing battery life.
Rapid recharge capability: The power-dense structure and greater
active material utilisation enable AGM TPPL batteries to recharge
more rapidly and have higher cycling capability.
The DataSafe XE battery offering
The DataSafe XE battery product range includes the following 12
volt, front terminal models:
Dimensions (mm) (kg)
Battery type Length Width Height Weight
12XE1010F-FR 561 125 283 48.7
12XE1110F-FR 561 125 283 51.7
12XE1150F-FR 561 125 316 58.6
About EnerSysEnerSys, the global leader in stored energy
solutions for industrial applications, manufactures and distributes
reserve power and motive power batteries, battery chargers, power
equipment, battery accessories and outdoor equipment enclosure
solutions to customers worldwide. Motive power batteries and
chargers are utilised in electric forklift trucks and other
commercial electric powered vehicles. Reserve power batteries are
used in the telecommunication and utility industries,
uninterruptible power supplies, and numerous applications requiring
stored solutions including medical, aerospace and defense systems.
Outdoor equipment enclosure products are utilised in the
telecommunication, cable, utility, transportation industries and by
government and defense customers. The company also provides
aftermarket and customer support services to its customers from
over 100 countries through its sales and manufacturing locations
around the world.
-
Does the ETL help when selecting an efficient UPS?Riellos
general manager Leo Craig discusses the benefits or otherwise of
the governments Energy Technology List (ETL) and Enhanced Capital
Allowances (ECAs) when specifying a UPS
With the cost of energy rising and increasing pressures from
government to reduce energy as part of the 20-20-20 by 2020
commitment, it is no wonder that making energy savings is becoming
more and more important to business and industry. In the data
centre environment, in fact in any mission critical application,
selecting an efficient UPS system that will save money on energy
costs is becoming as important as resilience and continued
uptime.
However, selecting the most efficient, reliable product for each
individual application can be a minefield; with marketers using
smoke and mirrors to make their
ENERGY MANAGEMENT14
terms of efficiency arent I?The simple answer is no,
maybe not
Crunching the numbers The reason for this is the way the
efficiency targets have been set by the Carbon Trust and the
reality in which we use UPSs in our critical environments.
If you have a standalone capacity UPS system, best practice is
to run the UPS to around 80% utilisation, leaving some head room
for demand surges and load changes. If youre running a parallel
redundant system, then this figure falls to 40% load on each
UPS.
Comparing best practice figures and real world figures and it is
more like 60-70% for a capacity system and 25-35%
offering appear to tick all the efficiency boxes. I is no wonder
that the Carbon Trusts Engineering Technology List (ETL) of energy
efficient products is being relied on by more and more businesses
looking to select energy efficient UPS systems, especially as the
government incentivises this through the Enhanced Capital Allowance
(ECA) scheme.
The way the system works is the Carbon Trust and the Decc set
the efficiency levels that must be reached for the equipment to be
eligible for the ECA tax break. This seems straightforward and easy
to understand, leading the buyer to believe that if I select a UPS
from the ETL, I must be buying the best of breed in
MCP April 2016
If I select a UPS from the ETL, I must be buying the best of
breed in terms of efficiency arent I?
-
missioncriticalpower.uk
meet the targets set, but only just, and if youre running your
UPS between 30 and 80% load you may well not have the most
efficient system for the load you are actually
using. This means that whatever you may gain with the ECA tax
relief in the
first year, you could well lose
in greater energy costs over the
lifespan of the UPS.
A good decision is based on knowledge, not numbersSo while the
ETL is a good starting point, further investigations should be
carried out with
the potential UPS manufacturer. Dont be afraid to ask for a copy
of the efficiency test results, or even better, if a large UPS
system is being purchased, insist on a factory acceptance test,
where you can see for yourself the efficiency figures being proved.
Then if you find the system does not perform to the published
figures, you will have some direct redress with the manufacturer
especially as a 2% difference in efficiency figures on a 1MVA UPS
could add well over 15K/annum onto your electricity costs, and
thats not counting the addition to the cooling bill.
riello.co.uk
for a parallel. This is because when a UPS is sized initially,
everyone allows for expansion, which rarely happens short term and
sometimes not even in the long term. We can therefore make a strong
statement that no one runs a UPS at 100% load. It is bad practice
and very risky if you consider a slight increase in load will put
the UPS into bypass and leave the load unprotected.
This is where the ETL List comes into question, as its
efficiency requirement figures start at 93% at 25% load, 94.5 per
cent at 50% load and rise to 95% at 75% and 100% load.
Now consider this: most UPS manufacturers design their UPSs to
work in real life situations. They design the UPS to have maximum
efficiency between 20 and 80%, with the efficiency slightly
dropping at 100% because one should never be run continuously at
100% load. Therefore, there are a lot of UPS manufacturers out
there that not only meet, but actually exceed, the 25-75%
efficiency requirements but just miss the 100% target. The reason
for this is in the design of the UPS to give high efficiency at low
loads.
Therefore, current UPSs listed on the ETL might well
lifespan of the UPS.
A good decision is based on knowledge, not numbersSo while the
ETL is a good starting point, further investigations should be
carried out with
Sponsored column
Colin Green, UK Head of Regulatory Affairs and Technology, ABB
Power Grids division
The UKs power industry is entering a period of dramatic change,
as we shift away from the traditional top-down model of power
generation, transmission and distribution to one where generation
resources are widely distributed, increasingly intermittent and
counted in the thousands rather than the hundreds. This shift will
demand previously unheard of levels of system flexibility in order
to allow both demand and supply to flex in response to changes in
power generation and consumption.
The recently published Smart Power report from the
Infrastructure Commission sets out the challenges and opportunities
facing the UK power industry very well. The report highlights the
three key areas in which the UK needs to innovate over the coming
decades in order to take full advantage of what it calls the smart
power revolution: interconnection, storage and demand
flexibility.
When it comes to demand flexibility, a whole raft of
sophisticated energy management solutions are coming on stream that
will help enterprise and residential consumers optimise their
electricity usage in ways that both
reduce overall costs and balance supply and demand.
Traditionally, power network operators have had the flexibility
to balance supply and demand mostly through controlling the output
of large, centralised generation resources in real time. As we make
the shift towards a far greater number of smaller, distributed
generation resources, with a far greater proportion of renewable
energy sources, balancing supply and demand becomes a much more
complex challenge.
The future power network may well be a collection of thousands
of semi-autonomous micro- and nano-grids, featuring a mixture of
renewable and non-renewable energy sources and energy storage
systems in a variety of forms, complemented by multiple
interconnects to other power grids. This will demand sophisticated
management systems to control and dispatch the multiple energy
resources at regional and local levels.
However, for ABB, this is not a futuristic possibility but a
development of field-proven technology solutions that we have
already deployed in dozens of installations around the world over
the past 15 years. ABB is already delivering stabilisation,
automation and intelligent control solutions that manage renewable
energy generation in microgrids, ensuring utility-grade power
quality and grid stability.
Power system flexibility for future UK energy needs
-
Data centres powered by the sun why more sustainable servers are
a true necessityThe carbon footprint of data centres is coming
under increasing scrutiny. Solarsenses head of sales and marketing
David Snape explains how solar could provide a sustainable
solution
Todays digital storage needs are rising by degrees of magnitude,
and the carbon impacts of social media are unprecedented.
Therefore, a stark choice confronts the sector; green up server
farms: or impose payments and restrictions on tomorrows uploads to
curb demand and fund solutions
At Solarsense, weve realised that energy use in data centres has
rarely been so scrutinised. The Independent newspaper recently
estimated energy consumed by the worlds data centres, repositories
for billions
powered; Japan would have no energy left to run its centres by
2030 on present rates.
At that point, social media fans certainly would sit up and take
notice, demanding action. They would ask: how did the industry let
things get so bad?
Responses and solutions Action is therefore being taken. The
European Commission has set out its vision for data centres to be
at least 80% renewably powered by 2020.
Ricky Cooper, vice-president for Europe Middle East and Africa
(EMEA) at Digital Realty, has said the data centre
ENERGY MANAGEMENT16
missioncriticalpower.ukMCP April 2016
of gigabytes of information, will treble in the next decade.
Already, the 416.2 terawatt hours of electricity the worlds data
centres used last year was more than the UKs total consumption.
Every like and every selfie comes with a largely unconsidered
carbon cost, which doesnt, for now anyway, bother the billions of
social media users.
But soon the issue might concern them. The truth today is more
uncomfortable for energy managers: data centre and social media
growth, without sustainable intervention, simply cant be
Every like and every selfie comes with a largely unconsidered
carbon cost, which doesnt, for now anyway, bother the billions of
social media users
Without sustainable intervention, data centre and
social media growth simply cant be powered
-
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-
missioncriticalpower.ukMCP April 2016
industrys emission levels are at a point where the it can expect
regulators to sit up and take notice.
That alone should be a wake up call, but todays reality remains
that for many data centres, cutting costs and maintaining 24/7
functionality trounces sustainability concerns. This state of
affairs cannot continue. The Independent says some internet
companies, such as Facebook, Google and Apple, are leading efforts
to be more environmentally responsible.
However, more must be done; for a start it is often more
commercially attractive to pre-empt environmental regulation on
carbon than to adapt to rules at the last minute. Branding
opportunities and positive CSR are obvious further benefits to stem
from proactively tackling the issue.
Whats needed is a step change both in willingness to seek
sustainable, renewable power for data centres, and the
understanding of the options out there.
Sustainable solutions There are some complex questions to
consider when it comes to embedding sustainable power for data
centres. What will the options cost, and how reliable are they?
What are the issues in terms of payback time, maintenance and
overall impacts on business operations?
Answering these questions requires some rigorous interrogation
of the best technologies out there. Every data centre is different,
but all share the requirement for immediate and long lasting
alternatives to fossil-based electricity.
Of all the renewables options out there for data centres, solar
is a very worthy contender. There are many reasons for this. One is
obvious. Most data centres have one thing in common: large, unused
roof spaces ideal for solar PV.
Illustrating the scope of solar, Forbes commented on Apples news
it would buy
$848m worth of solar from a 130MW power plant created by First
Solar in 2015.
Forbes argues that solar provides long-term stability in
pricing; In 2013, Google said it had already saved over $1bn on
datacenter energy initiatives, it writes.
The magazine made some very telling predictions: Solar will
shift from something thats nice to do to something that should have
been done yesterday. Companies like First Solar will graduate from
being panel makers and solar developers to being seen as primary
infrastructure providers.
But data centres need not just buy solar power from others. They
can make their own power.
Benefits of owned solarWithout miring the reader in technical
detail, here are some of the key positives behind going solar. For
a start, solar can offer fast payback compared with other renewable
technologies. In other words, it isnt long before the cost of the
panels is won back in terms of energy savings.
Secondly, solar panels are very reliable and low
maintenance, and are becoming more so. They are long lasting and
as such are almost an install and forget technology. Once they are
in place, there is little that is going to damage them whilst they
quietly get to work on the rooftop.
Speaking of rooftops, this is of course unused space. Solar
doesnt require additional land, additional buildings or additional
towers like wind. The lower business impacts of solar put it high
on the list, ideal for data centres looking to install sustainable
power options but unsure of the simplest place to start.
Of course, getting solar panels in place requires work and
investment but it need not be challenging or expensive.
What will be pricey is failure to act. Catching up with greener
laws is always expensive. Charging users to upload, simply because
data centres are slow to shift to renewables is a marketing
nightmare.
All this can be avoided, and emissions can be limited by taking
steps toward solar early. It seems to me there is nothing not to
like about powering data centres using the sun. l
solarsense-uk.com
ENERGY MANAGEMENT18
Getting solar panels in place requires work and investment
414.2Electricity in terawatt hours used by the worlds data
centres last year more than the UKs total consumption
-
Batteries included: government backs smart grid switchThe
National Infrastructure Commission has recommended building a
smarter grid without delay. The Treasury has backed the plans.
Those with battery assets could stand to gain, writes Brendan
Coyne
The government has backed recommendations to speed the
development of a much smarter power system. The plan is to bring
down market barriers for battery storage and demand side response,
which could provide significant revenue gains for operators of
mission critical infrastructure.
George Osbornes March Budget gave the green light to the
recommendations published a few days earlier by the National
Infrastructure Commission. It stated: The government will implement
the commissions recommendations, and will
the economics of that type of storage.
In the past few months energy suppliers have launched schemes
that will effectively pay or subsidise the cost of electricity to
those that use power when the wind is blowing. That is because
changes to industry rules for energy suppliers make it much more
punitive for them to be out of balance. So-called cash-out changes
mean it is now more expensive for them to generate or consumer more
power then they contracted for.
That means companies can charge storage assets at a subsidised
rate. They can also get paid to discharge
ENERGY MANAGEMENT20
missioncriticalpower.ukMCP April 2016
plant and developers are not rushing to build new ones. National
Grid therefore needs more companies to respond to signals and
switch to back-up plant or adjust consumption in order to meet peak
demand.
Over the coming years, it will need many more companies to sign
up to balancing services in order to keep a more weather-dependent
and leaner power system stable.
Paid twiceBattery assets and UPS systems, which provide the
fastest response times, will therefore become increasingly
valuable. Recent market economics are starting to alter
work with Ofgem to remove regulatory and policy barriers,
positioning the UK to become a world leader in flexibility and
smart technologies, including electricity storage.
While all political statements should be viewed with a degree of
scepticism, it is clear from National Grids market signals that UK
energy infrastructure is already headed in that direction.
With more intermittent renewable generation and less thermal
plant on the system, capacity margins are thin. The disruption of
intermittent wind and solar has effected wholesale market power
prices and the economics of thermal
Harnessing battery storage will become crucial
-
their assets to perform grid balancing services when there is
not enough power to meet demand.
Contracting assets into both of those types of schemes may prove
challenging. But, if possible, would fundamentally change the
economics of battery storage, from getting paid once, to getting
paid twice.
There are also arbitrage opportunities for operators able to
charge batteries when power prices are cheaper and discharge them
when it is more expensive. It is worth noting that analysts predict
power prices will become spikier within-day over the next few years
(see December issue of MCP).
Key prioritiesIn its report, the National Infrastructure
Commission outlined key priorities for UK energy infrastructure. It
said smart grid development harnessing battery storage and
demand-side response and better interconnection with the continent
would play a crucial role in keeping the grid stable and the lights
on. It recommended that regulator Ofgem and policy department Decc
lose no time in making the necessary new market rules.
21
missioncriticalpower.uk
Big shift, big bucksThe commission noted that the need for grid
balancing services could increase up to ten-fold as intermittent
power replaces baseload plant.
It stated that investors were queuing up to invest in storage,
and that storage would not require subsidy. That is largely because
payments for the fastest forms of demand response are likely
sufficient incentive for operators to build, own and operate those
assets.
Those who do not have to build assets, and already have grid
connections, will therefore have an advantage in the tenders
currently being run by National Grid and potentially in future,
also by distribution network operators. Given that National Grids
tender for 200MW of sub-second enhanced frequency response is six
times oversubscribed, that advantage could prove crucial.
Breaking down barriersThe commission recommended a regulatory
overhaul of the market to bring more electricity storage capacity
to market. Currently, storage is treated is treated as both
generation and consumption. That means storage operators are
charged twice for using the electricity network. The commission
thinks they should be classified as a distinct asset to remove
double charging.
This approach ignores the other benefits that storage can play
in the electricity system and creates barriers to investment in
storage assets, the report states. For
April 2016 MCP
example, it increases costs for storage asset owners by
requiring storage to be charged twice for using the electricity
network once as a generator when exporting electricity and again as
a consumer when electricity is being taken from the network to be
stored.
While storage technologies are clearly making use of the network
both as a consumer and producer, charging in this way takes no
account of the fact that storage assets are likely to be exporting
power at times of peak load, and drawing power at times of peak
generation, reducing the stresses faced by the network rather than
increasing them.
Storage assets also take a double hit on government levies such
as the Contract for Difference scheme under which low carbon and
renewable generators are given a guaranteed price for their power.
The price of that support is smeared across all electricity
bills.
The commission said those operating storage assets should not
pay that levy when charging, and then have the levy added again
when their power is exported.
A better approach would be to charge these levies on the basis
of the electricity actually used, reflecting that no storage
technology is 100% efficient, rather than on both inflows and
outflows. Not only would this be a fairer treatment, creating a
level playing field with other technologies, but it would also
incentivise more efficient storage technologies, the report stated.
l
Battery assets and UPS systems, which provide the fastest
response times, will therefore become increasingly valuable
Prepare for higher bills and spikier pricesAlso in March, Decc
said it would bring the capacity market forward a year and proposed
rule changes to bring in more demand-side response providers to the
market.
Thats good news for those with flexible onsite generation and
consumption, as they can bid for contracts that will pay them to
make their asset flexibility available to cover shortfalls in
winter capacity.
However, it will add cost to every energy bill as the money paid
to those providers appears on bills as a levy, and Decc also
published proposals that could have serious implications for use of
diesel back-up generators (see news, p6).
Meanwhile, the National Infrastructure Commission report
contained one ominous line for those that do not, or cannot,
consider more flexible power use. We see a case for sharper
allocation of the costs of the capacity market to incentivise
consumers to reduce demand at peak times, it stated.
Making the marketDecc will consult on the energy storage market
this spring with the aim of creating a level playing field.
Government will respond to the consultation in autumn, which could
make next year an interesting one for companies considering how
they can make money from battery storage assets. Participating in
balancing services, for example, could fund investment in new UPS
infrastructure, or more UPS infrastructure, increasing redundancy
as well as income.
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High visibility of data centre assetsSiemens provides first
European data centre with 3D visualisation DCIM platform
Cofely Services Agility data centre is located in the south of
Belgium and serves both in-house GDF SUEZ Group clients and
external customers with an independent ICT infrastructure.
The centre is the first in Europe to offer Datacenter Clarity LC
with 3D visualisation, which offers a virtual tour through the data
centre infrastructure while managing and monitoring remotely. The
flexible 3D visualisation adds transparency to the data centre
infrastructure resulting in accessible reporting, optimised
automated workplace mitigates the risk of human error for a
business-critical resource such as a data centre.
As data centres need to consume significant amounts of energy,
Cofely Services decided to focus on large-scale sustainability. One
of the basic requirements for the Agility data centre was a DCIM
platform that would provide a comprehensive overview of all assets.
Datacenter Clarity LC optimises energy consumption thereby
facilitating the cost effective operations that the Agility data
centre required.
Alexandre Gera, data centre manager for Cofely Services
INFRASTRUCTURE MANAGEMENT22
missioncriticalpower.ukMCP April 2016
We did not plan on a standard platform but we really needed a
very flexible and high-performance DCIM that could handle multiple
features in order to tour through the data storage
operations, smarter decision, higher flexibility and
future-proof architecture.
Bridging the gapDatacenter Clarity LC is an advanced software
solution that delivers data centre infrastructure management (DCIM)
and guarantees a scalable, secure, seamless, resilient and
intelligent data centre. It monitors and evaluates the performance
of a data centre but also and most importantly bridges the gap
between the two distinct areas of IT and facilities management. As
a result, the creation of a systematic and
Cofely Services Agility data centre in Belgium
-
in Belgium and its Agility data centre, describes the decision
making process: We definitely needed a software tool that could
monitor, manage and measure our data centre performance, usage and
energy consumption in relation to our building management system
(BMS). As such, the platform also had to be configured for power
usage effectiveness (PUE) as well as water and carbon usage
effectiveness (WUE and CUE).
By delivering a guaranteed level of efficiency, it qualified as
a green data centre. We did not plan on a standard platform but we
really needed a very flexible and high-performance DCIM that could
handle multiple features in order to tour through the data storage.
It had to provide an overview of all assets, like usage parameters,
capacity numbers and energy consumption.
The clarity solutionGera adds: Siemens offered us the Datacenter
Clarity LC software tool with a complete package of features, which
were flexible enough to be evaluated and modified during the
rollout of the project. It also allowed us to insert additional
features like a ticketing module or a maintenance tool at any
stage.
Siemens designed the solution and architecture
23
missioncriticalpower.uk
of the Datacenter Clarity LC platform, installed and deployed it
and arranged the integration with the existing building management
system used by Cofely Services.
Datacenter Clarity LC at our Agility data centre is the key to
any facility information, whether it concerns our own data or that
of our clients, Gera continues.
It offers all information and knowledge related to the IT assets
and the technical infrastructure and can be tracked daily. Clients
can rely on a high-end environment for their IT infrastructure, and
the overall view is managed and monitored with only one dedicated
software tool. We are the first in Europe to offer a DCIM platform
with 3D visualisation.
April 2016 MCP
Centre meets target PUE Cofelys Agility data centre exemplifies
the movement towards green computing and energy efficiency.
Gera confirms: Our Agility data centre is a Tier III+ with an
excellent PUE score. This is a key metric that compares energy use
for the overall facility to that of the IT equipment. An ideal
metric would be a 1.0 score, where all energy is used for IT
equipment and there is no additional waste. A typical data centres
PUE is 2.0. Cofely Services has designed and met its target of PUE
1.3, which represents a strong performance for a Tier III+ data
centre requiring high resilience and redundancies. l
siemens.com/buildingtechnologies
1.0is the ideal PUE score metric where all energy is used for IT
equipment and there is no additional waste. Cofely Services has
designed and met its target of PUE 1.3
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How resilient are your assets?Company assets such as data
centres, important plant and machinery must be kept in good working
order, with ongoing maintenance and upgrade key to keeping
organisations operational as well as resilient in terms of their
inherent value and in the event of disaster. Adler and Allans Alan
Scrafton looks at how to become a High Reliability Organisation
Essential assets must in the first place be installed correctly,
with an awareness of their ongoing usage and impact on the
environment, be kept in good working order and upgraded where
necessary to ensure their value is safeguarded. The expensive
machinery that keeps our businesses running is a key part of an
organisations intrinsic worth and should be regarded as important
budget control, and profits.
When disaster strikes, such as flooding or cyber-attack, assets
must prove their resilience by getting back to operations as
quickly as possible. To achieve this, planned preventative
maintenance (PPM) and asset improvement through cashing in old
assets for newer, more efficient versions, is key to ensuring these
value items, which have worth in their own right and are also
essential for operations, remain in-tact.
Where these assets can potentially cause harm to the
environment, such as fuel storage tanks and oil-based machinery,
asset failure can have even more implications. Beyond maintenance,
these assets and the surrounding area they could pollute, need
protecting.
And, as all businesses want to keep running, back-up power
supplies to prevent downtime even when issues with the main energy
source have arisen, are essential. Problems lie in the fact that
these power sources, usually oil-fired generators, are seldom used
and therefore ignored in terms of maintenance and fuel quality.
Organisations that are able to avoid losses most of the
moving essential equipment if flood water rises.
Planned preventative maintenance: Regularly maintain and service
essential equipment, based on actual usage, rather than a generic
or at worst, reactive approach. A good PPM scheme has proven to
reduce the costs of unnecessary equipment replacement, while
preventing business downtime. PPM covers fuel too; where fuel sits
for a long time, in the case of back-up generators, regular testing
and where necessary, fuel polishing, will help maintain
quality.
Extra protection: Assets, such as fuel tanks and DNO
substations, can be given extra protection and life extension
through the latest coatings and linings. Sprayed directly onto
practically any surface (these coatings can also work well on roofs
and floors), they will repel water, contain spills and make the
coated assets more robust and resistant to corrosion and
degradation.Dont leave it to chance,
maintain and enhance the value items of your business to ensure
efficient and continuous business operations. By becoming an HRO,
new opportunities and greater customer satisfaction may also be
achieved.
Adler and Allan supplies a range of asset resilience services:
PPM, fuel polishing, flood mitigation and protective coating and
linings, including Adalline 400, which is hydrocarbon resistant and
gives structural integrity to any surface. l
adlerandallan.co.uk
ASSET RESILIENCE24
missioncriticalpower.ukMCP April 2016
Dont leave it to chance, maintain and enhance the value items of
your business to ensure efficient and continuous business
operations
time, despite operating in environments where there is a high
potential for error, are identified as High Reliability
Organisations (HROs). As an HRO, business streams will increase,
with potential customers more likely to put their trust in a
company that has a good asset resilience track record.
A sustainable HRO will be one with a clear asset performance
management (APM) plan in place, so that physical assets are kept
safe and efficient in a practical and sustainable way, meeting
investment targets without extensive capital injection. Foresight
and planning at the installation stage and going forward is
essential.
Asset resilience essentials: Flood mitigation: Assess
your organisations risk through a flood risk assessment, which
can predict flooding up to 60 years in the future. If you are at
risk take appropriate steps; from physical flood defences to robust
disaster plans, such as
Adalline 400 protective coating being demonstrated at Adler
& Allan's demo centre in Brize Norton
-
Lets face it, no one business or space is going to have the same
requirements for a data centre, so design flexibility is vital. In
a generation where every aspect of life involves being agile and
instant, a data centre must have the ability to adapt to these
requirements and not impede progress, further complicated by making
sure it does what it actually needs to do. So an agile design
approach is critical in achieving an efficient, future proofed data
centre.
Our reliance on electricity supply has never been greater, so
the requirement for dependable, resilient power protection, energy
management and cooling has also never been so essential. Turnkey
methods will resolve the many diverse challenges to be faced and
ensure continuous uptime but there is a constant need to keep an
eye on the long-term future flexibility, while accelerating return
on investment and offering the lowest total cost of ownership over
the systems lifetime. This is why one data centre design approach
does not work.
Manufacture independence removes the constraints Being tied to a
particular brand is limiting. Using a manufacturer independent
power protection supplier means you are assured of absolutely the
right solution for your situation, rather than the one that is the
closest match (and will just about do) from what can be offered
from a particular brand a company is tied into.
Mix and match approach creates the perfect power systemThis
independence creates a mix-and-match ability, which adds to the
flexibility, while being able to adapt and respond to the changes
in project scope which inevitably arise. Regardless of brand, every
aspect of equipment is assessed for suitability from
Site survey whether for an existing or new data centre
installation, this should reveal the scope and complexities of the
work involved, explore the type of electrical loads, power quality
issues, the electrical distribution and harmonics. Ideally,
including load bank testing with a full physical inspection
(including terminal connections) and optional thermal imaging to
locate potential hot-spots. The results of which enables
comparisons to be made between the actual results and the design
specifications, so recommendations can be made to ensure the
battery set and the entire operation is suitably optimised. Power
continuity planning and design careful system design incorporating
the need to balance resilience with the Total Cost of Ownership
(TCO), the need for N+1 redundancy and addressing the fine balance
between operating efficiencies, energy usage, running costs and
scalable cooling systems. Installation and commissioning a data
centre must be properly installed and commissioned in accordance
with the manufacturers guidelines and recommendation to ensure a
trouble-free working life, while integrating with existing building
management systems. Monitoring the ability to monitor bandwidth
use, as well as energy, storage and physical
rack space gives valuable insights into how the system is
operating, and sends alerts when outages or low thresholds are
breached to ensure uptime and long-term health of the system. The
use of DCIM software will enhance this insight by giving data
centre operators the ability to run operations efficiently, while
providing the ability to better manage assets, change and capacity.
All wrapped up within one dashboard, DCIM software also enables
power monitoring, environmental monitoring and energy management.
Maintenance perceptions may be that maintenance is a nice to have
rather than an essential; but the reality is by having this peace
of mind and spending money initially, will ultimately result in
money saved. However, be wary of the generator fuel trap, which
might look more appealing than battery protection, but does not
really work out cheaper in the long run.
Primed to minimise downtime, improve efficiency and reduce
environmental impact, agile data centre design addresses the vital
need for sustainable uptime, optimised energy consumption and power
continuity in todays business environments. One approach will not
suit all and using an independent specialist provider of power
protection accredited to all the relevant standards (OHSAS 18001,
SAFEcontractor, ISO 9001 and ISO 14001) means they will take the
time to understand your power continuity planning and design needs
and choose absolutely the right solution for your data centre,
whatever your industry.
Martin PearceSales Director, Critical PowerMob : 07791 110385
DDI : 01844 340345Email :
martin.pearce@criticalpowersupplies.co.ukwww.criticalpowersupplies.co.uk
Advertorial
Agile data centre design why one approach does not work for
all
switchgear, transformers and cooling technologies, and all
integrated to provide a data centre with an uninterruptible power
supply primed and ready to use. Rapidly advancing technologies
means that these can also easily be incorporated, whether it is the
latest alternative energy products, including grid tied inverters
from SMA, PV panels from Kyocera and Moser Baer or selecting
materials with favourable thermal mass or light dispersing
properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate air.
Existing or new, this mix and match approach should flow from
end to end of the project and be further enhanced post installation
through a range of monitoring and maintenance programmes to provide
extensive visibility and control. Combined with the ability to work
with the most competent and most relevant specialists, a
manufacturer independent supplier ensures that only the best
experienced and trained technicians are involved on a particular
project for a particular sector.
A clear, concise methodology to efficient data centre
designWhile the intricacies of power protection are complex and one
strict approach does not suit all, there are some key elements that
should be incorporated:
-
Assuring uninterrupted clean power a practical
perspectiveUninterruptible Power Supplies technical manager Mike
Elms looks at the practical aspects when installing a UPS, showing
the importance of setting up a new UPS and its role in the
installations ultimate success
Whenever a designer specifies a UPS for their critical data
centre or office load, their first priorities will logically relate
to the functionality and performance of the UPS itself: does it
have sufficient capacity and battery autonomy for the loads
requirements? Does it offer high enough availability and sufficient
resilience to faults? Will TCO be reasonable, together with a
sufficiently green footprint and can the system easily be scaled
for future expansion?
While these are perfectly legitimate and indeed critical
considerations, there are other factors that are less publicised
but nevertheless equally critical to the ultimate smooth
performance and success of any UPS installation. These relate to
the practical aspects of setting up a UPS, from its initial
transport and delivery to site, through to installation and
commissioning, and then arranging an effective preventative
maintenance and emergency response contract.
In this article, I want to focus on the setup factors in
chronological order, so that their role in the UPS installations
ultimate success becomes clearly visible. We start by preparing for
delivery of the UPS equipment, and move forward from there.
Weight and space considerationsModern UPS systems allow
considerably more latitude in delivery than their earlier
counterparts, as they are far more compact and lightweight; bulky
and heavy
expansion as well. While modern modular UPS systems facilitate
scalability without impacting on footprint by allowing modules to
be added to an existing frame, further expansion may eventually
call for more frames to be installed.
While resolving sizing issues, the location should also be
checked for other aspects of suitability. The floor must be able to
bear the weight of the equipment, which should be positioned to
avoid disruption and concern to nearby staff and business
operations. At the same time, access to the equipment for servicing
should be easy and convenient. The environment should meet any
requirements specified by the UPS manufacturer, while the UPS
installation itself should have minimal impact on air conditioning
systems and airflow.
Other points to consider when siting the UPS include providing a
safe, adequately sized location for the battery set, and the
accommodation of any controlling switchgear.
Cabling and electrical installationOnce the equipment has been
located on site, attention can turn to cable entry and termination.
Most medium to large UPSs require bottom cable entry; this must be
accommodated whether the system is to be installed in a plant room,
which typically has a solid floor, or a computer room, where raised
floors are more likely.
For a solid floor, a trench can be cut to lay the input and
output AC cables and
UPS28
missioncriticalpower.ukMCP April 2016
input transformers have been eliminated. Systems such as
Uninterruptible Power Supplies PowerWAVE 5000/TP can deliver up to
50kVA from a 0.4m footprint, so are fairly straightforward to
handle. As capacity, size and weight increase, though, more careful
planning is required.
Irrespective of their size, UPS systems contain computer-type
electronic components that require protection during transport. The
UPS supplier should be able to recommend experienced removal
contractors that can offer the air-ride suspension vehicles and
specialist lifting equipment necessary.
The target location should be sufficiently sized for immediate
UPS delivery, and for future
50kVAPower the PowerWAVE 5000/TP system can deliver from a 0.4m2
footprint
Computer rooms often have raised flooring, permitting
containment and access for computer equipment network and power
cabling
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battery DC cables, and run them beneath the cabinet for
connection to the UPS terminals. Alternatively, the UPS cabinet can
be mounted on a steel plinth of sufficient height to allow
satisfactory cable bend radii through 90. This is particularly
important for sizeable UPSs with large cross sectional area
cables.
Computer rooms often have raised flooring, permitting
containment and access for computer equipment network and power
cabling, and sometimes to facilitate underfloor cooling. These
provide convenient routes for the UPS power and battery cables,
which can be brought into the UPS cabinets via bottom access. The
UPSs weight, especially if it contains batteries, may be enough to
require a steel plinth to distribute the load. The plinth stands on
the subfloor and is adjusted until its upper surface is flush with
the raised floor surface.
Performing the electrical installation is a task for experienced
and qualified electrical contractors, employed either from
recommendation or by the UPS supplier. In either case, references
and evidence of previous successful installations should be sought
and obtained. All installation work must be carried out in strict
accordance with the manufacturers instructions and strict
compliance with prevailing local electrical installation
legislation.
The electricity supply required by high power UPS equipment will
have a significant impact on the existing cabling and switchgear,
so careful integration with these will be necessary. However,
detailed planning at this stage will be rewarded by time and cost
savings in the future if it ensures adequate provision for any
potential business growth and extra UPS capacity. An integrated,
purpose-designed panel incorporating input and output switchgear
for each UPS cabinet, together with a system
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missioncriticalpower.uk
isolator and wrap-around bypass switch can reduce the system
design burden, simplify cabling and shorten cable runs. It also
minimises design and implementation complexity, saving time and
costs.
When designing the power feeds from the UPS units to the
distributed components of the critical load, it is important to
choose electrical circuit routes and circuit breaker sizing that
provide satisfactory discrimination downstream of the UPS system.
This is to ensure that a single load fault only trips its local
protection device, without unnecessarily shutting down wider
sections of the power system and needlessly losing
productivity.
An external maintenance bypass switch should also be provided,
allowing the entire UPS system to be physically and electrically
isolated for a swap-out or move without interrupting power to the
load.
April 2016 MCP
Also, to ensure personnel safety and equipment protection,
correct earthing is essential. All earthing points within the UPS
circuits must be connected to a properly planned and secure
earthing system (see below).
Commissioning and load bank testingThese steps to UPS
installation should be complemented by equal care with
commissioning. The small additional investment necessary to use the
UPS suppliers trained and experienced technicians is more than
offset by a number of benefits. These include a thorough check of
the entire system installation, acceptance of environmental
conditions and complete warranty cover on all UPS equipment. All
equipment serial numbers will be registered with the supplier, and
the UPS user will be trained in the operation of their system.
Load bank testing should be used to validate operational
performance and prove battery autonomy under full load. It is
recommended to perform the load bank test one week after
commissioning as voltages across the battery blocks have equalised
and the battery is fully charged.
The steps above are logical, and, provided qualified technicians
are available, simple to perform. However in Uninterruptible Power
Supplies experience of helping customers specify and install UPS
systems, they provide a vital complement to the UPSs technological
features in establishing a successful and durable power protection
solution.
Accordingly, from a projects outset, discussions between UPS
users and potential suppliers should encompass not only the
equipments technical specifications and maintenance support
contracts, but also the practical aspects of how the UPS system is
to be set up on the users premises, and how the supplier can advise
and help with this process. l
upspower.co.uk
Discussions should encompass not only the e