Microgrids Part 1: Make It a Grid, But Micro

by Alexander "D'Angelo" D'Angelo on 3/11/24 3:29 PM

Are you ready to revolutionize the way we power our communities and data centers? Picture a future where electricity isn't just distributed from centralized grids but generated and managed locally. Welcome to the world of microgrids, battery energy storage systems, and electronic isolation and controls. 

While it is fun to use these buzzwords and speak about the possibilities the future holds, why does this matter? Simply put, resources. Whether it is capital, space, power, water, or talent, we live in a resource constrained world. As our technology becomes more advanced, its demands for power and cooling will increase. This puts a large strain on our already fully loaded power grids, with the states ¹most at-risk being Texas, Michigan, Ohio, New York, and California. Texas is not interconnected to the national grid, which puts it at risk for downtime due to a lack of redundancy. New York and California, on the other hand, are strained due to their large populations and the decommissioning of traditional power plants. Additionally, with an increase in legislation supporting EV vehicles, the strain on the grid can be too large especially in inclement weather (i.e. hot and cold) increasing risk of downtime. 

Like it or not, soon we will have to supplement power and storage solutions that are smart and reliable enough to be treated as de-centralized grid assets. Let us dive deeper into the realm of Microgrids. 

What is a microgrid? 

Microgrids represent a paradigm shift in how we think about energy distribution. These localized grids can operate independently or in conjunction with the main grid, offering resilience and flexibility in the face of outages and disruptions.  

microgrid picSo, what are some of the basic components that we’d expect to see in a microgrid? Renewable energy, most commonly solar (PV), wind, or, in some cases, hydropower. Next, we would expect to see an inverter to convert the energy from the renewables to a usable form for the loads that are connected. After that, a BESS (Battery Energy Storage System), isolation with controls, a fuel cell, and/or hydrogen electrolyzer.  

While these individual components, alone, could not support an outage, when deployed together, the sky is the limit for “islanding” yourself from utility. These assets could be on a commercial site, outside of a housing community, a data center, and beyond. These are the building blocks for these locally deployed decentralized grids. 

Imagine a community powered by its own microgrid, seamlessly integrating renewable energy sources, like solar panels and battery storage systems, into its infrastructure. These technologies not only reduce reliance on fossil fuels but also pave the way for a more sustainable future.  

Outside of the communities, integrating renewables into their energy portfolio, there are mission critical operators who look to add redundancy to their utility connection and further control their uptime parameters. Mission critical operations are businesses that cannot suffer an outage even for a second. These customers are mostly data centers, healthcare providers, departments of transportation, utilities, etc.  

Furthering the point of living in a resource-constrained environment, these providers are seeing that the addition of high compute applications are driving their energy consumption up higher every year. To combat the risk associated with simply relying on utility, they deploy uninterruptible power supplies, generators, and, now, renewables and BESS systems to allow them even more flexibility during utility loss. 

Market Overview 

As AI and other high performance compute practices start becoming the norm in the market, the utilities won’t be able to adapt quick enough. Standard per rack power density in hyperscale and co-location data centers ranges from 10 - 20 kW of consumption. And, in the next 3-5 years, market analysis predicts for this to shoot to 50 - 300 kW/rack of consumption. While this can increase revenue per sq/ft tremendously in colocation data halls, it is also introducing challenges in cooling and power requirements. Liquid cooling, active rear door heat exchangers, and cold plates, are poised to address these challenges on the heat rejection side. However, the power requirements are an entirely different beast to deal with.  

ai-microgridEnter, the need to BYOP (Bring Your Own Power). This is a facility level strategy that is creating and managing your own distribution, generation, and energy asset deployment. This can be accomplished through a variety of solutions. Utilizing DERs (Distributed Energy Resources), which is a fancy terminology to describe the energy generating and storage assets that comprise a microgrid, facilities can manage peak demand, add layers of redundancy to their systems, and ultimately, completely island themselves from the grid.  

While a completely renewable and stand-alone data center is not happening in the next 1-2 years, it is just over the horizon, and it is critical to start having important conversations as these systems require large intellectual investment, planning, and capital to get them off the drawing boards and into the real world.  

While the matters mentioned above mainly concern data center providers, an energy intensive activity that more and more consumers are participating in, every day, is… Electric Vehicle (EV) charging. Subsequently, never have we seen before, parking garages and multifamily home developments requiring the addition of new transformers to support 1000 amp and above services. Super chargers and 220V standard EV chargers require a large amount of power to charge vehicles quickly. Understandably, this strains the utility provider, especially considering that most charging is occurring simultaneously. What this looks like is a large group of EV users who commute to work and charge during the day, and another other group of users who charge exclusively at home during the night. As adoption increases, these routinely popular charging times become more and more problematic for utility providers.  

So, as the US continues to push automakers to electrify their fleets, the demand on the grid and surrounding infrastructures cannot keep up. Critical equipment necessary to install these new services have lead times measured in years, while the cost to retrofit existing parking structures to support charging can add up quickly, pricing many providers out of the market.  

microgrid-products

The need for more readily available power is here, and we are just barely knocking on the door of what is possible, as we will need to, as an adapted society, further expand upon the utilization of already existing technologies. And, as mentioned, a BESS and PV Farm separately will not achieve much, but the value lies in linking them together into a smart controllable system. As we continue to be creative with implementing these already existing solutions together, then we can iterate and create more efficient systems, which allows for more of a mainstream adoption across the industry. 

Looking Ahead 

Plain and simple, for most operations these solutions are currently cost prohibitive. However, let’s keep in mind a key learning from the ramp up of the solar industry; Utilities and governments are willing to subsidize and incentivize companies that choose to implement these solutions ahead of the curve. Currently, in Utah, Rocky Mountain Power (RMP) is rolling out an incentive program that is either per kWh or a one-time upfront incentive for the installation of a BESS. These are not small sums either, with some programs covering up to 75% of the cost of the BESS.  

One may ask, what is the angle for RMP? In short, the more DERs that are connected to the grid, the more redundancy is built into the utility framework. In the case of a contingency, these assets can all be controlled as one, spinning reserve for RMP. During normal operation, owners can enjoy peak shaving benefits, as well as outage protection. A truly rare “win-win” scenario. As peak demand charges continue to increase, ROI numbers start to make sense on 12- and 24-month timelines.  

Additionally, RMP is utilizing “Make-Ready” incentives to support the adoption and installation of EV charging. These incentives could cover up to 100% of the cost associated with powering EV chargers in commercial and residential applications. 

To further this discussion of the future, we can start to think of abstract solutions such as on-site hydrogen generation using natural gas. We can replace diesel gensets with hydrogen fuel cells, as hydrogen is three-times more energy dense/liter than diesel. We are even close to the deployment of small, self-contained, 300 – 500 MW nuclear reactors that can be deployed in remote environments and do not require service for 60 years.  

So, when it comes to reliability and cost savings, all signs point to BYOP. 

While the adoption of microgrid solutions may currently pose financial challenges, the tide is turning as incentives and awareness grow. Just as the solar industry witnessed exponential growth fueled by supportive policies, the trajectory of microgrids and BESS suggests a similar transformation in the energy landscape. As we stand on the cusp of this paradigm shift, it is necessary to initiate conversations and investments today for a more sustainable and resilient tomorrow. The journey towards decentralized, renewable energy is not merely an option; it's a strategic imperative for businesses and communities alike. 

If you enjoyed this high-level overview of the current market of microgrids, please join us for part two of this blog series, which will be released the last week of March. We'll do a deep dive on use/case and applications, and we’ll expand upon DVL’s current product offerings that support this infrastructure and qualify for utility incentives. Additionally, we will provide real-life applications to this equipment.

Have a question or comment about this blog?

Reach out to blog author Alexander "D'Angelo" D'Angelo, Power Systems Sales Engineer,  (based out of our Salt Lake City office) at ADangelo@DVLnet.com.

¹ https://www.generac.com/be-prepared/power-outages/top-5-states-where-power-outage-occur

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Topics: data center design, data center outages, sustainability, microgrids

Breaking Down the Cost Implications of a Data Center Outage

by Marissa Donatone on 7/23/14 10:35 AM

Emerson Network Power and the Ponemon Institute worked together to determine the full economic cost of unplanned data center outages. Below is a preview, for the full report CLICK HERE


The 2013 Cost of Data Center Outages is the only benchmark study that attempts to estimate the full costs associated with an unplanned data center outage. According to the study, the cost of a data center outage has increased since 2010.

The cost per square foot of data center outages now ranges from $45 to $95. Or, a minimum cost of $74,223 to a maximum of $1,734,433 per organization in our study. The overall average cost is $627,418 per incident.

This benchmark analysis focuses on representative samples of organizations in the U.S. that experienced at least one complete or partial unplanned data center outage during the past 12 months. The analysis was based on 67 independent data centers located in the United States. Following are the functional leaders within each organization who participated in the study:

  • Facility manager
  • Chief information officer
  • Data center management
  • Chief information security officer
  • IT compliance leader

Ponemon-infographic-cost-of-downtime-R11-13-final

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Topics: downtime, data center infrastructure, efficient data center, data center outages

Without Power? Rethink your Data Center Power Strategy

by Gary Hill, President of DVL, LLC on 2/7/14 1:47 PM

_MG_5485The last two weeks have likely been a challenging time for a server room manager to sleep at night.  With one snow storm, and one ice storm reliable power is the hot topic!

As power is slowly restored to the affected areas, it is interesting to see many empty parking lots along the Route 202 corridor.  Likely some of these businesses are having second thoughts about their IT preparedness strategy.  Losing power for a few hours is one thing, but being without power for days is a whole different challenge.

If you have a generator it probably took the load before your UPS batteries went dead.  For managers relying on rack-mounted UPS systems to carry them through probably experienced a few unwelcome surprises – shorter battery run-times than expected and unplanned server shutdowns, i.e. crashes.  Depending on the type of UPS technology you have, your lack of run-time may have you looking for better technology.  What type you have now doesn’t really matter because going forward, you want to only buy On-Line Double Conversion units, not Line Interactive.

UPS units – even rack-mounted ones – are designed to protect against fluctuations in the utility power quality as well as provide battery backup in the event of an outright failure.  Line interactive UPS units are very commonly used.  The problem is that they rely on the battery for more than just utility power loss.  Frequency or voltage variations trigger the load to shift to the battery, and even though it may only be energized for a short period of time these frequent ‘hits’ curtail their life.  Double-conversion UPS units, as the name implies converts the utility AC power feed to DC, and then regenerates a clean AC feed to the connected load (where it is them internally converted back to DC!).  The only time the battery pack is energized is if there is an outright power failure.  The benefit is longer battery runtimes. More Information Click Here.

UPS batteries however have a finite life.  Just like your flashlight or car battery, they degrade with time and load.  With all the tasks IT Managers have, maintain an updated UPS battery replacement schedule likely isn’t high on the list.  After experiences like this week – maybe it gets moved up but that is hindsight. 

After utility power is restored the next issue to deal with is replacing the batteries.  Replacing them will of course mean another shutdown. Here is an idea – invest in a Liebert MicroPod which allows you to externally bypass the UPS and not have to shutdown anything.  Here is a link to this remarkably inexpensive, highly useful UPS add on.

All this UPS discussion is good for minutes – maybe an hour of battery backup.  After this storm you may be more interested in hours rather than minutes.   For critical devices– like network switches now is the time to consider a DC UPS power solution.  Before telephony went IP, DC power was the de-facto power standard in the industry.  The small windowless telephone buildings you see were built to provide local switching for a DC-powered network.  It is tried and true technology that did not migrate quickly to the server room.  Now however nearly all manufacturers offer DC-powered equivalent products – particularly the switch manufacturers like Cisco.

The biggest advantage for making your network switch DC powered is you can economically power it for HOURS without spending a fortune on batteries or real estate.  IT Managers with disaster experience will deploy this technology if they do not have a backup generator.  The DC option is often overlooked by network designers when selecting a power system.

The Emerson Netsure family of products offers a rack-mounted solution that has the same form factor as an AC-powered UPS. The DC systems offer the significant advantages of scalability and redundancy.  And a string of DC batteries at -48Vdc, is on tenth the number of jars used for an AC UPS with a 480Vdc battery system!  This means that you can get a lot of bang for your buck, meaning longer run times of 4 to 8 to 12 hours (depending on your load) without buying a lot of batteries.  And the rectifiers that convert the AC source to DC, are modular and hot swappable.  That means that you can have enough power to support your load, plus one rectifier for redundancy, and open slots in the chassis to add more rectifiers in the event that your load grows over time.

The DC Plant, distribution breakers, and the batteries can all fit into one rack!

And if some of your loads are AC only, a rack mounted inverter can be used to power those loads off of the DC plant (using the same extended battery backup).

DVL offers a complete line of Emerson Netsure DC systems ranging from 8 watts to 200 watts per rectifier and systems that range from 10 amps to 10,000 amps.  If you’re interested in learning more please download this Emerson Network Power whitepaper “DC Power Systems for Convergent Networks

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Topics: Data Center, data center outages, DC Power, 7x24 exchange, Battery, UPS

Can Building Codes Ensure Power Reliability?

by Mike Rinaldi on 6/14/13 1:33 PM

The impact of Hurricane Sandy gave U.S. power providers as well as code making bodies a wake-up call.  Why are facilities that must operate to provide services during disasters allowed to locate critical electrical system components in vulnerable areas? Although designs of this magnitude require a great deal of thought and planning, it’s difficult to include every possible scenario. Even codes and standards as extensive as they are can’t cover everything. 

hurricane

Click below to check out the white paper

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Topics: Emerson Network Power, data center infrastructure, reduce cost, Data Center, data center infrastructure management, efficient data center, electrical distribution, reduce downtime, data center outages, short circuit current ratings

Converting Retail to Data Centers?

by Mike Rinaldi on 5/30/13 8:32 AM

With Ubiquity, Sears is Turning Shuttered Stores into Data Centers

Ubiquity Critical Environments, a newly-created unit of Sears Holdings, will convert this Sears retail store in Chicago into data center space. (Photo: Ubiquity)

Will blinking blue lights of servers soon fill the aisles that previously offered the Blue Light Special? Sears Holdings has formed a new unit to market space from former Sears and Kmart retail stores as a home for data centers, disaster recovery space and wireless towers.

>> Read more here

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Topics: data center infrastructure, reduce cost, Data Center, Green IT, data center design, data center energy, data center infrastructure management, efficient data center, Green Technology, data center outages, Energy Star, cloud strategy, CIO

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