Welcome to the May edition of Power Systems Design Europe. Even before the AI boom, the roll out of data centres were happening extremely quickly. Data centres enable some of the most essential services we use today, for example hosting web sites, and running IoT applications. That importance will only grow in our personal lives and workplaces in the near future as AI comes online. The demand for these services is so high that the energy used to power data centres is now putting strain on the electrical grids of the countries in which they are situated. Several of those countries have even put moratoriums in place to stop new data centres coming online until the grid is capable of handling the extra demand. Others are encouraging data centre operators to set up their own power generation facilities to power the facilities, which has started a rush to commercialize initiatives such as micro nuclear reactors.
Some countries that are allowing new data centres are also putting restrictions in place. For example, the British government operates on a “first ready and needed” basis, meaning that operators who can demonstrate their readiness will be connected, operating, and earning back their investment before others. To show readiness, they must prove their design has maturity, and risk controls and credible delivery plans are in place, including for a robust power and protection strategy. The first article in this month’s data centre Special Report looks at a solution to ensure that new data centres are ready for operation before being connected, helping them skip the queue. The article, written by Cressal, investigates how high-resistance grounding can help meet readiness demands and ensure data centres operate predictably, reduce downtime, protect equipment and demonstrate grid-friendly behaviour from day one.
Once the data centre has been connected to the grid, the innovation doesn’t halt there. There is an ongoing move to an 800V intermediate bus to provide higher efficiency and lower costs. This means that a whole new architecture is required. Data centre operators still want all the usual features, even with the move. At the top of the list is hot swap functionality. Operators lose money when the data centre is offline, which means that hot swap is an essential feature to ensure server trays can be swapped in and out without disrupting operation. The next article in this month’s Special Report goes into detail on how hot-swap functionality can be achieved in an 800V environment. The article, contributed by Analog Devices, gives an overview of the technology requirements, and how the company has not only implemented the hot-swap feature, but at the same time added value for operators.
As well as the Special Report, this month’s magazine will also contain features of general interest to those working in power electronics in our Tech Focus section, as well as the latest news and views from the industry.
Best Regards,
Ally Winning
European Editor, PSD
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