Kategori: Data Center Trends

Hello,

In recent days, we’ve been discussing BESS (Battery Energy Storage Systems) more frequently, but what exactly is it, and what role does it play in data centers?

Many people confuse BESS with UPS systems in data centers. While they may appear similar at first glance, they serve very different purposes. BESS is designed to be integrated with renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, or other green supply systems. However, it can also be connected to the utility grid. The main role of BESS is to store excess energy generated by renewable sources during periods of production, and then supply this energy when those sources are unavailable—such as at night or during outages.

Because of this capability, BESS has the potential to reduce or even replace the reliance on traditional generator (genset) systems in data centers. Although BESS may seem similar to UPS due to shared components like batteries and inverters, their purposes are fundamentally different.

UPS systems, on the other hand, provide instantaneous power transfer, typically within milliseconds. When a power outage or fluctuation occurs, the UPS immediately takes over to ensure continuous power to critical equipment. This switchover typically occurs within 0–10 milliseconds, preventing any data loss or hardware damage.

Additionally, UPS systems filter out electrical noise and harmonics, thereby protecting sensitive electronics and improving overall power quality.

In contrast, BESS is primarily focused on energy storage and load management, so functions like instantaneous transfer and harmonic filtering are not its main strengths.In addition to backup power, modern BESS solutions also provide advanced functionalities such as peak shaving, load shifting, frequency regulation, and other grid services. These capabilities make BESS a dynamic component in energy-efficient and resilient data center power architectures.

Moreover, while BESS can provide longer backup durations, UPS systems are usually designed for short-term backup—typically around 10–15 minutes—just enough time to allow generators or alternative systems to start up.

When we consider sustainable infrastructure design in data centers—especially as more facilities are now powered directly by solar PV, wind, or hybrid systems that combine renewables with the grid—the environmental impact of diesel or gas generators becomes a major concern.

Generators contribute to carbon emissions, air pollution, and noise, all of which negatively affect a data center’s sustainability profile. They also involve higher operational and maintenance costs due to fuel consumption and regular servicing needs.

For these reasons, reducing reliance on generator systems is becoming a technical and environmental priority. Integrating solutions like BESS, advanced power management platforms, and demand response mechanisms can improve sustainability, reduce emissions, lower operating costs, and enhance reliability—while also helping data centers comply with green standards and environmental regulations.

In Today’s post, I wanted to write this technical paper to help prevent confusion between BESS and UPS systems in data centers. I hope this paper finds you well.

Wishing you a smooth journey—may everything in your life run as smoothly and efficiently as a well-designed data center. Here’s to success and happiness!

Hello,

Today, I’d like to talk about the electricity demand in data centers and the future expectations surrounding this topic. What is driving this trend? What are the forecasts?

First of all, as we all know, the world has limited energy resources, and we must use every energy parameter more efficiently. According to the IEA (International Energy Agency) analysis, total data center electricity consumption is approximately 415 TWh (terawatt-hours) in 2024, which represents around 1.5% of global electricity consumption. Over the past five years, this figure has been growing at a rate of 12% annually.

The expectation is that by 2030, electricity consumption by data centers will reach around 945 TWh, accounting for about 3% of global electricity consumption. Based on these analyses, a 100% increase is expected over the next five years, clearly indicating that the demand and need for data centers will continue to grow significantly.

But what’s driving this growth?

The primary reason is the rise of AI and advanced IT technologies. According to IEA projections, with the rapid adoption of AI applications, the electricity consumption of accelerated servers is expected to grow by 30% annually. These servers alone are projected to account for around 50% of the total increase in data center electricity consumption between 2024 and 2030.

Of course, these conditions will create new challenges—both in terms of infrastructure capacity and general system requirements. In my upcoming blog posts, I will aim to explain the latest technologies, the characteristics of AI-driven workloads, and how these trends are expected to impact data center infrastructure.

When we consider that the United States and China are responsible for nearly 80% of global electricity consumption in data centers (with the U.S. at 240 TWh and China at 175 TWh), it becomes clear why modern data center design and equipment technologies are more critical than ever.

What awaits us in the future? How can we prepare starting today?

I will reach out to them in my upcoming blog posts. Wishing you a smooth path ahead—may everything in your life run as smoothly and beautifully as a well-designed data center. Here’s to success and happiness!g posts. Wishing you a smooth path ahead—may everything in your life run as smoothly and beautifully as a well-designed data center. Here’s to success and happiness!