Uninterruptible Power Supply Efficiency Yields Big Savings In Data Center Energy Costs

Small percentage increases in uninterruptible power supply (UPS) efficiency have the potential to add up to millions of dollars in energy cost savings for data centers, according to Brad Thrash, product manager, global AC power systems, GE's Critical Power business. That's the case articulated in a newly released white paper from GE on the energy efficiency of multi-mode UPS systems used in data centers around the globe.

According to Frost & Sullivan^[1], raising energy efficiency levels of UPS systems in data centers from 90 to 98 percent can save the United States $3B annually in energy costs.

"Many UPS units still operate at alternating-current-to-direct-current conversion efficiency levels of around 93 percent," said Thrash. "A small increase in efficiency from just 93 to 94 percent has the potential to yield up to $1.4M in energy costs over 10 years."

The white paper, UPS Efficiency---Why Energy Efficiency Numbers Add up, looks at these numbers and reviews the technology and market issues driving UPS multi-mode energy efficiency technologies, including GE's eBoost* UPS efficiency technology, and examines:

The impact of UPS power conversion technologies on the power efficiency of UPSs and the overall energy consumption of data centers.

Traditional double-conversion technology versus premium efficiency multi-mode, or eco-mode, power conversion technologies available for UPSs, which offer energy efficiencies of 98 to 99 percent.

The industry conversation about the reliability of conventional UPS double-conversion topologies versus the cost savings of highly efficient multi-mode conversion technologies.

The design and engineering approaches for advanced power disturbance detection and control and fast transfer switching technologies that enable UPS multi-mode operation and energy efficiency.

How total cost of ownership models demonstrate operating expense savings with just a few percentage points of improvement in UPS power conversion efficiency.

This white paper is available online at http://go.ge-energy.com/2014_eBoost_Whitepaper.html. An additional technical white paper, GE's eBoost Technology---Reducing Data Center Power Consumption, Ensuring Power Quality, also is available for download at http://go.ge-energy.com/2014_eBoost_Tech_Whitepaper.html.

GE's Critical Power business provides mission-critical applications with end-to-end power product and service solutions that help maximize uptime and power efficiency. The solutions add to GE's broader Industrial Solutions portfolio of leading technologies designed for the delivery, management and optimization of electrical power for customers across multiple industries. To learn more about GE's Critical Power business visit: www.gecriticalpower.com.

^*Trademark of the General Electric Company; may be registered in one or more countries.

^[1] Frost & Sullivan, Analysis of the Global Data Center Uninterruptible Power Supplies Market, Dec. 19, 2013.