A Comprehensive Guide to the U.S. Codes and Standards for Energy Storage Systems (ESS)

June 28, 2024

Description

This white paper provides an informational guide to the United States Codes and Standards regarding Energy Storage Systems (ESS), including battery storage systems for uninterruptible power supplies and other battery backup systems. There are several ESS technologies in use today, and several that are still in various stages of development.

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Introduction

While various technologies, such as flywheels, fuel cells, compressed gas, and others, are either in use or development, the primary focus of most of the jurisdictional Authority Having Jurisdiction (AHJ) is currently being placed on electrochemical storage systems.

These same Codes – and many of the Standards cited – cover all of the currently available ESS technologies, and in some cases, there are additional Codes and Standards cited to cover those specific technologies. For the sake of brevity, electrochemical technologies will be the primary focus of this paper due to being the ESS choice of the vast majority of users. Technologies such as pumped hydro, compressed gas, fuel cells, and various methods of gravity storage are not covered in this paper.

Why do we have Codes and Standards?

A code repository is necessary to increase awareness and improve safety in the energy storage industry. Electrochemical energy storage has a reputation for concerns regarding the ventilation of hazardous gases, poor reliability, short product life, substantial cooling requirements, and high levels of periodic maintenance.

Like the newer lithium battery technologies, the traditional lead-acid technology has developed a stigma. While generally a safe product, damage presents the risk of fire. When damaged, lead-acid, lithium, and some other battery technologies may also leach corrosive chemicals such as mercury, cadmium, and lead into landfills and may contaminate water supplies and ecosystems. These chemicals are dangerous to human health and are expensive to clean up. Users desire a safe, cost-effective alternative that requires less maintenance and is environmentally sustainable.

Definition of Codes and Standards

What differentiates Codes from Standards is the usage. Codes are an overarching statement of best (and safest) practices for an entire industry or technology.

Fire Codes

(noun) source: Wiktionary

A set of building and property regulations designed to establish a mandatory standard for a building’s structural integrity and the ability to resist the start and spread of a fire as well as facilitating the prompt and safe evacuation of the occupants.
Set of Standards established and enforced by the government for fire prevention and safety in case of fire, as in fire escapes, etc.

Standards

(adjective) source: American Heritage Dictionary

Serving as or conforming to an established or accepted measurement or value.
Widely recognized or employed as a model of authority or excellence.
Acceptable but of less than top quality.

As seen in the provided definitions, a Code is a set (or collection) of mandatory regulations that are established and enforced by a governmental authority. This is generally a collection of safety practices and other associated Standards enforced for the purposes of safety and reliability.

Standards, on the other hand, are technology or product specific, and provide a method to verify that the technology or product meets or exceeds the minimum acceptable level of safety.

What we refer to as “Codes” are actually model Codes, published by one of several nationally recognized organizations, with the purpose of presenting the “best practice” for subjects covered by the intended area of application. Each model code presents the latest consensus information on its related subject. These model Codes are then reviewed and adopted by the various jurisdictions, and when accepted become the legal Code for that jurisdiction. There are several separate model Codes, covering a variety of applications. For the purposes of this paper, only the applicable fire Codes and their related Standards will be considered.

In some cases, these Codes are adopted on a statewide basis. In others, they may be adopted on a county-by-county, or city-by-city basis. In county and local cases, the jurisdiction is allowed to amend the Code to make it more stringent, but in no case may the jurisdiction reduce the Code if it is adopted in full by a higher authority.

There are two primary organizations in the United States that publish these model Codes:

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

The first to be organized was the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), which was organized in 1896 by several men associated with fire insurance companies. Currently, NFPA sponsors over 300 consensus Codes and Standards covering many safety related areas.

International Code Council (ICC)

The second is the International Code Council (ICC). ICC was organized by merging three separate regional code writing organizations. In 1972, the Building Officials Code Administrators International (BOCA), the Southern Building Code Council International (SBCCI), and the International Conference of Building Officials (ICBO) created the Council of American Building Officials (CABO) and published a single cooperative code for residential construction. This code was not well received but led to the formation of a more comprehensive set of building Codes. In 1994, these three organizations merged to form ICC, and created a single set of Codes that had no regional limitations. The first “I-Codes” were published in 2000.

Every jurisdiction in the US has adopted either the NFPA Codes or International Code Council’s I-Codes. Currently (2023), there are eight states that adopt the NFPA 1 Fire Code, and forty-two that adopt the International Fire Code. Interestingly, although there are much more advanced Codes available, there are still several jurisdictions that are using the 2015 revisions of the Codes, and at least one that is still using the 2009 revision.

As one gains understanding of the increasing number of new battery chemistries, and the associated risk factors, it is hard to justify maintaining an outdated Code base unless that Code is regularly amended to maintain the intended safety aspects of the more recent Codes.

Storage Technologies and Electrochemistries

There are several basic groups of ESS technologies in use today. They are usually broken into categories such as Mechanical, Gravity, Electrical and Electrochemical. While some of these may somewhat bridge gaps between technology groups, these are generally recognized as the major categories for Code purposes. It should be noted that technologies falling under the “Gravity” section have very little mention in the Fire Codes.

National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)

Electrical

Electrochemical Double Layer Capacitors (EDLC) – The EDLC is considered a “supercapacitor” or an “ultracapacitor.” It is an electrostatic-based system with two electrodes producing electrostatic effects with activated carbons. These ultracapacitors can store or deliver energy at tremendous rates.
Supercapacitors – This is a general term for electrochemical double-layer capacitors.

Electrochemistries

Sources: Ricardo Consulting, AABC, National Academy of Sciences, and ZincFive estimates

Lead-Acid (LA)

The Lead-Acid battery utilizes the chemical reaction between lead and sulfuric acid. During discharge, lead and sulfuric acid react to form lead sulfate and hydrogen ions. During charging, the lead sulfate and hydrogen ions recombine into lead and sulfuric acid. This cycle of chemical reactions between lead and acid allows the battery to store and release electrical energy.

Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd)

The Nickel-Cadmium battery is based on the redox reaction between nickel hydroxide (NiOOH) and cadmium (Cd). Nickel hydroxide is the anode in the battery, and cadmium is the cathode. When the battery is charging, the reaction is reversed, nickel hydroxide is reduced to metallic nickel, and cadmium is oxidized to cadmium oxide (CdO).

Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH)

The Nickel-Metal Hydride battery is based on a chemical reaction between nickel and hydrogen. When the battery is discharged, the nickel is oxidized, and hydrogen is reduced, releasing electrons to provide electrical power. The reversed reaction occurs when the battery is being charged, which causes the hydrogen to oxidize and the nickel to reduce, allowing electrons to be absorbed from an external source.

Nickel-Zinc (NiZn)

The Nickel-Zinc battery is the process of chemical reactions between the anode (nickel) and the cathode (zinc) to produce electrical energy. Specifically, the nickel anode reacts with hydroxide ions during discharge, releasing electrons and forming nickel hydroxide. These electrons then travel to the zinc cathode, which reacts with zinc ions, releasing more electrons and forming zinc hydroxide. This process is reversed during charging.

Zinc-Manganese Dioxide (ZnMnO²)

The Zinc-Manganese Dioxide battery is also known as a zinc-carbon or alkaline battery, a secondary battery that can be recharged and reused multiple times. It is an improved version of the non-rechargeable zinc-carbon battery commonly used in household devices like remote controls, flashlights, and toys. The primary components of a rechargeable zinc-manganese dioxide battery are the anode, cathode, and electrolyte.

The battery’s anode is composed of zinc metal or a zinc alloy. During the recharging process, an electrical charge is applied to the battery, and the anode’s zinc ions combine with the electrolyte’s hydroxide ions, thus producing zinc hydroxide. The manganese oxide on the cathode is then changed back to manganese dioxide. During the battery operation (and discharge when the battery is in use), the zinc atoms at the anode undergo an oxidation reaction, releasing electrons and forming positively charged zinc ions

Sodium (High Temperature)

The electrochemistry of sodium batteries is based on the intercalation of sodium ions in graphite anodes and the reduction of sodium ions at a metal-oxide cathode. During charge, sodium ions are inserted into the graphite anode, and during discharge, the sodium ions are released and reduced at the metal-oxide cathode. The main advantage of using sodium instead of lithium is cost, as sodium is much more abundant and less expensive than lithium.

Sodium Sulfur (NaS) – Sodium sulfur batteries are based on the redox reaction between sodium (Na) and sulfur (S). The reaction occurs in a cell with an anode
of sodium, a sulfur cathode, and a molten lithium and sodium chloride electrolyte. When the battery is charged, sodium ions move from the anode to the cathode and react with sulfur to produce sodium sulfide. During discharge, the reaction reverses, and the sodium sulfide is converted back into sodium and sulfur. The electrochemistry of sodium sulfur batteries makes them very efficient and can store large amounts of energy. They are also highly durable and have a long life span.
Sodium Metal Chloride (Na NiCl2) – Sodium metal chloride batteries involve the transfer of electrons between the anode and cathode, resulting in the oxidation of sodium at the anode and chlorine reduction at the cathode. The electrolyte is actually a solid beta-alumina that separates the liquid electrodes. This process is reversed during charging.

Flow

Flow batteries are electrochemical cells that use two different liquid electrolytes stored in separate tanks and pumped through the cell. The electrolytes are typically held in flow cells and separated by a membrane that allows ions to pass through. During operation, the two electrolytes react in the cell, generating electrical energy. This energy can power various loads, including motors, pumps, and lights. The process can be reversed, allowing a flow battery to act as a generator and store energy for later use.

Vanadium Redox (VRFB) – Vanadium redox flow batteries are electrochemical energy storage systems that use a vanadium-based electrolyte solution. The vanadium electrolyte is stored in two tanks and is circulated through a cell stack. The cell stack consists of a series of electrochemical cells where oxidation and
reduction reactions take place. During charging, oxidation occurs in the cell stack, causing the vanadium in the electrolyte to be oxidized. During discharge, the vanadium is reduced. This cycle allows the battery to store and release electrical energy as needed.
Zinc-Air (ZnO₂) – The zinc-air flow batteries use zinc metal as the anode and air-breathing cathodes. The zinc metal is oxidized at the anode, releasing electrons that travel through the external circuit to the cathode. Oxygen from the air is reduced at the cathode, forming hydroxide ions. The hydroxide ions react with zinc ions in the electrolyte to form zincate ions, which are then released into the electrolyte. The zincate ions are then re-oxidized at the anode, and the cycle is repeated. This process is powered by the flow of electrons from the anode to the cathode, generating electrical energy.
Zinc-Bromine (ZnBr) – Zinc-Bromine flow batteries are based on the redox reaction between zinc and bromide ions in an aqueous electrolyte stored in two tanks separated by a membrane. During charging, zinc is oxidized at the anode, and bromide is reduced at the cathode, forming a zinc bromide complex. During discharge, the reaction is reversed. The energy is stored in the zinc bromide complex, which can be recharged several times.

Lithium

Lithium batteries are rechargeable batteries that utilize lithium metal or compounds’ electrochemical properties to store energy. They are the most common type of rechargeable battery used in consumer electronics such as cell phones, tablets, and laptops. Lithium batteries are also used in electric vehicles, medical devices, and military applications. The electrochemistry of lithium batteries is based on the redox reaction between lithium and an electrolyte solution. In a lithium battery, lithium ions are stored in the cathode material and are released into the electrolyte solution during charging. As the lithium ions travel through the electrolyte solution, they react with the anode material to form lithium metal, releasing electrons. During discharge, the lithium ions travel back to the cathode and take electrons from the anode, creating an electric current. (There are over 20 “lithium” chemistries. These are the most widely used in stationary applications.)

Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) – Lithium Iron Phosphate (LFP) batteries rely on a reversible redox reaction between the active materials, lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO₄), and carbon. Upon charge, lithium ions (Li+) are inserted into the anode (negative electrode) while electrons are supplied to the cathode (positive electrode). When the battery is discharged, the lithium ions are extracted from the anode and travel through the electrolyte to the cathode. This is where the electrons are recombined to form the LiFePO₄ compound. During this process, the battery releases energy in the form of electricity.

Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (NMC) – Lithium Nickel Manganese Cobalt Oxide (LiNiMnCoO₂ or NMC) batteries are rechargeable lithium-ion batteries that have become increasingly popular recently. In these batteries, the positive electrode, or anode, is made of lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2). The negative electrode, or cathode, is made of a combination of nickel, manganese, and cobalt oxides (NMC). Lithium ions move from the anode to the cathode during charging, depositing onto the negative electrode. During discharging, the lithium ions move from the cathode to the anode in the opposite direction. This process of shuttling lithium ions back and forth between the anode and cathode provides power for the battery.
Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide (NCA) – Lithium Nickel Cobalt Aluminum Oxide (NCA) is a rechargeable lithium-ion battery that utilizes a specific combination of materials in its cathode, including lithium, nickel, cobalt, and aluminum oxides to store and release electrical energy. During discharge, lithium ions move from the anode to the cathode through the electrolyte, creating an electric current. Nickel and cobalt are known for their high energy densities, while aluminum helps stabilize the cathode structure. The NCA cathode chemistry offers several advantages, including increased energy density, a long life cycle, high operating voltage, quick charging, and thermal stability. NCA batteries are commonly used in electric vehicles, power tools, and portable electronics.
Lithium Titanate (LTO) – Lithium Titanate anodes have been known since the 1980’s. The cathode can be lithium nickel manganese oxide (LMO) or nickel manganese cobalt oxide (NMC) compound, while the anode replaces the graphite with lithium titanate formed in a spinel arrangement. During charging, lithium ions move from the anode to the cathode. During discharge, lithium ions move from the cathode to the anode. This movement of ions creates an electric current, which is used to power a device. Lithium titanate has good fast charge characteristics and performs well at low temperatures but exhibits lower energy density than other technologies and is safer than most lithium batteries. LTO is expensive when compared to other lithium batteries.

How Codes Are Applied

Starting with the NFPA 1-2018 and IFC 2018, the Codes introduced some measure of regulation to ensure the safety of installed Energy Storage Systems (ESS). Although there was limited regulation regarding batteries and their installation, maintenance, and explosion/fire control in earlier revisions of the Codes, it was relatively rudimentary compared to later Codes.

As the adoption of newer battery technologies increased, both NFPA and ICC recognized that these technologies required more stringent regulation. The AHJs were unfamiliar with lithium, sodium, and other new technologies and had limited or no understanding of their potential problems. NFPA had several conflicting Codes and Standards cited in their fire code and recognized that creating a unified Energy Storage System (ESS) Standard was the best way to deal with that issue. This led to NFPA 855, the single ESS Standard NFPA now recognizes. The IFC 2021 revision deals with ESS slightly differently but has a chapter (Chapter 12) dedicated to Energy Systems and a section (Section 1207) dedicated to Electrical Energy Storage Systems. The IFC 2021 essentially copies the Maximum Allowable Quantities table (1206.9) from the IFC 2018, adds Nickel-Metal Hydride and Flow batteries to the table, and reprints almost the same data. There are additional stipulations in the requirements of the IFC 2021, but ICC did not go to the same lengths as NFPA in their 2021 edition. The 2024 edition of the IFC is anticipated to be more closely aligned with NFPA 855-2023.

Both the NFPA 1 National Fire Code and the ICC International Fire Code have adopted significant enhancements to the earlier code language in their 2021 revisions. Many jurisdictions still utilize the 2018 and earlier revisions of the Fire Codes. Still, many jurisdictions with high data center density are adopting the 2021 revisions and/or implementing NFPA 855-2020 as their ESS standard. While the 2021 revisions of the International Fire Code is the most recent available today (Q3, 2023), the new NFPA 1-2024 Fire Code has just been released in September of 2023, and NFPA 855 has already been updated with the NFPA 855-2023 Standard.

In the case of a jurisdiction adopting either of these Fire Codes and their related Standards, there are significant restrictions on some Energy Storage technologies. Any technology not explicitly listed in the relevant tables (Table 9.4.1 in NFPA 855-2023, and Table 1207.5 in IFC 2021), and even some of those listed but not specified as having an unlimited allowable quantity in a given fire area, will have to be approved on a case-by-case basis. Some jurisdictions will not allow a lithium battery to be installed under any circumstances. In contrast, some will allow them with severe restrictions on where they are installed, how much capacity is allowed, and what type of lithium battery is being proposed.

As mentioned earlier, the cited Standards significantly influence the Codes and their implementation. It is necessary to highlight some of these Standards (other than NFPA 855) due to their importance to both Codes. Three of particular importance are UL 1973, UL 9540, and UL 9540A.

List of Major U.S Codes and Standards

This section provides a comprehensive list of major U.S. Codes and Standards. See Appendix A for a concise cheat sheet for Codes and Appendix B for Standards.

Building Codes

International Building Code (IBC)

IBC 2018 – The International Building Code (IBC) 2018 is the most widely used in the United States. It is a model code developed by the International Code Council (ICC) that establishes minimum regulations for building design, construction, occupancy, and use to ensure public health, safety, and welfare. The IBC 2018 contains regulations for building materials, energy efficiency, fire safety, structural design, and more.

IBC 2021 – The 2021 version of the IBC is the sixth edition of the code, first published in 2000. The IBC establishes minimum regulations for the construction and maintenance of buildings and structures and addresses areas such as the design of structural elements, the installation of mechanical systems, fire protection and life safety systems, and energy conservation. The IBC is the basis for local and state building Codes throughout the United States.

Life Safety Code (NFPA)

A set of Standards developed by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) to protect people from fire dangers. The purpose of the NFPA Life Safety Code is to provide a uniform set of Standards for fire prevention and safety in all types of buildings, including schools, hospitals, hotels, and other public and private structures. Most states and localities have adopted the NFPA Life Safety Code throughout the United States.

NFPA 101 – The NFPA Life Safety Code addresses minimum building design, construction, operation, and maintenance requirements necessary to protect building occupants from danger caused by fire, smoke, and toxic fumes.

Fire Codes

NFPA 1 National Fire Code (varies by jurisdiction)

NFPA 1 offers a comprehensive, integrated approach to fire code regulation and hazard management, covering everything from fire alarms and sprinkler systems to building and process hazards and life safety issues.

NFPA 1 – 2015 – The Fire Code, 2015 (NFPA 1, 2015), produced by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), is the foundation for many state and
city Codes. The NFPA 1, 2015, and local jurisdiction amendments form the state Codes. Adopting jurisdictions include Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Massachusetts, Detroit, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Texas, and Vermont.

NFPA 1 – 2018 – The Fire Code, 2018 (NFPA 1, 2018) is produced by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA). This document provides the foundation for many state and city Codes. The state Codes form the NFPA 1, 2018, and local jurisdiction amendments. Adopting jurisdictions include Florida, Hawaii, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Nashville and Davidson County, and West Virginia.

NFPA 1 – 2021 – The Fire Code 2021 (NFPA 1, 2021), produced by the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), provides the foundation for many state and
city Codes. The NFPA 1, 2021, and local jurisdiction amendments form the state Codes. Adopting jurisdictions include Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, and
West Virginia.

NFPA 70 National Electrical Code

NFPA 70, National Electrical Code (NEC) is the benchmark for safe electrical design, installation, and inspection to protect people and property from electrical hazards. The NEC has been adopted in all 50 states.

NFPA 70 – 2017 – The 2017 edition of the code includes safety requirements for electric vehicles, solar photovoltaic systems, and more.

NFPA 70 – 2020 – The 2020 edition of the electrical code includes requirements for various electrical systems-related topics, such as conductor protection, grounding and bonding, overcurrent protection, and more.

NFPA 70 – 2023 – The 2023 edition includes the latest electrical safety requirements.

International Fire Code (IFC)

This model code developed by the International Code Council (ICC) provides fire safety regulations for constructing, protecting, and occupying new and existing buildings, structures, and premises. The IFC covers many topics, including fire prevention, fire protection systems, flammable and combustible liquids, hazardous materials storage, means of egress, and emergency planning. The IFC also includes provisions for testing, inspection, and maintenance of fire protection systems and requirements for fire safety in high-rise buildings. IFC – 2015 IFC – 2018 IFC – 2021

NFPA 1 National Fire Code (varies by jurisdiction)

The National Fire Protection Association. It is a non-profit organization that develops, publishes, and disseminates over 300 consensus Codes and Standards to minimize the possibility and effects of fire and other risks.

(This is a sub-set. There are too many individual Standards to list all of them.)

NFPA 12 – The NFPA standard on carbon dioxide extinguishing systems. This document provides requirements and guidelines for designing, installing, maintaining, inspecting, and testing carbon dioxide extinguishing systems.

NFPA 13 – The NFPA standard for installing sprinkler systems. It outlines requirements for designing, installing, and maintaining automatic sprinkler systems for fire protection.

NFPA 15 – The NFPA standard for water spray fixed systems for fire protection. This standard guides the design, installation, operation, and maintenance of water spray systems used for fire protection.

NFPA 17 – the NFPA standard providing safety requirements for installing, maintaining, and using gaseous fire suppression systems. The standard applies to systems that use halocarbon agents, CO2, or inert gas gaseous fire suppression chemicals to extinguish fires.

NFPA 68 – The NFPAs standard on the design, installation, maintenance, testing, and use of explosion protection systems. It is intended to minimize the effects of
explosions caused by releasing flammable gases, vapors, and dust.

NFPA 69 – The NFPA standard for preventing fire and explosions in hazardous locations. It covers the design, installation, testing, and maintenance of systems and equipment used in hazardous locations.

NFPA 110 – The NFPA standard for emergency and standby power systems. The purpose of this standard is to provide requirements for the proper installation and maintenance of emergency and standby power systems to ensure their safe and reliable operation during an emergency.

NFPA 111 – The NFPA standard for stored electrical energy emergency and standby power systems. This standard covers the design, installation, maintenance, and testing requirements of emergency and standby power systems used in healthcare facilities, industrial facilities, and other commercial and institutional buildings.

NFPA 750 – The NFPA standard on installing, inspecting, and maintaining water-based fire protection systems. The standard includes information on the design, installation, and maintenance of fire sprinkler systems, fire pumps, fire hydrants, and other water-based fire protection equipment.

NFPA 855 – The NFPA standard for designing, installing, and maintaining fire protection systems. It establishes requirements for the identification, inspection, testing, and maintenance of fire protection systems and assessing the fire protection system’s performance.

Standards

ICC – International Code Council

ASHRAE/ICC Std. 240 – ASHRAE/ICC Standard 240 is a standard developed by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) and the International Code Council (ICC) that provides requirements for fire-resistance ratings of roof/ceiling assemblies and roof/ceiling decks. It offers valuable guidance for protection from the spread of fire from one building to another and from the spread of smoke and heat from one area to another within the same building.

UL – Underwriters’ Laboratories

UL 94 – This standard outlines the flammability test procedures for materials used to manufacture components and parts in devices and appliances. It is a commonly used standard for testing the flammability of materials and products used in the electronics industry.

UL 263 – This standard provides for the safety of Fire Tests of Building Construction and Materials. It requires that building materials and products be tested and certified to meet specific fire safety requirements. The tests determine the material’s flame spread and smoke development characteristics, and the results are used to classify the material as either Class A or Class B.

UL 1741 – This standard applies to all types of inverters and other power conversion equipment operating photovoltaic (PV) systems. UL1741 ensures that inverters and related systems comply with the National Electrical Code (NEC) safety requirements. It also provides that the equipment is designed, tested, and labeled correctly to reduce potential PV system operating risks.

UL 1778 – This voluntary standard applies to installing Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) and other related power systems. It outlines requirements for installing and operating such systems, including testing and maintenance, to ensure safe operation.

UL 1973 – ANSI/CAN/UL 1973:2022 Standard for Safety – Batteries for Use in Stationary and Motive Auxiliary Power Applications

Scope

These requirements cover battery systems as defined by this standard for use as energy storage for stationary applications such as for PV, wind turbine storage or for UPS, etc. applications. These systems shall be installed in accordance with NFPA 70, C22.1, or other applicable installation Codes.
The basis for UL 1973 is battery system safety testing and analysis, which determines if the battery system has any operational safety issues that must be managed or controlled to ensure safe operation. All electronics and/or software used to ensure safe operation must be tested to demonstrate that they can reliably manage the battery system safety
aspects.

There have been two CRDs issued for compliance with UL 1973. These include:

i1973_3_20220902, dated 9/2/2022, which adds nickel-zinc batteries to the technologies covered by UL 1973 and specifies the testing parameters for all monobloc batteries in Annex H.
i1973_3_20230323, dated 3/23/2023, provides testing exceptions for nickel-based batteries tested per Section 7.12.1.

These CRDs are specific to nickel-based batteries used in typical stationary applications such as UPS, PV, etc.

UL 1974 – This standard is for fire protection systems, including fire alarm systems, emergency voice/alarm communication systems, and high-rise evacuation systems. The standard ensures the safety of occupants in buildings where fire protection systems are installed.

UL 2075 – This standard certifies that products used in hazardous locations are safe to use. The standard covers the construction, installation, and operation of devices used in hazardous locations, such as those with flammable gases, vapors, and liquids.

UL 9540 – ANSI/CAN/UL 9540:2023 Standard for Safety – Energy Storage Systems and Equipment

Scope

These requirements cover an energy storage system (ESS) that is intended to receive and store energy in some form so that the ESS can provide electrical energy to loads or to the local/area electric power system (EPS) when needed. Electrochemical, chemical, mechanical, and thermal ESS are covered by this Standard. The ESS shall be constructed either as one unitary complete piece of equipment or as matched assemblies, that when connected, in accordance with the manufacturer’s installation instructions,form the ESS. An ESS consists of at least an energy storage function and energy storage protective function. If the ESS includes multiple parts that are housed in separate enclosures, it shall be considered as a multi-part ESS covered by this Standard. Individual parts (e.g. power conversion equipment, a battery, etc.) of an ESS are not considered an ESS on their own. This Standard evaluates the compatibility and safety of these various components and parts integrated into an ESS. The ESS can be an AC ESS or a DC ESS as defined in this Standard.

NOTE:

As can be seen in the italicized section of the Scope statement, Individual components of an ESS do not require a UL 9540 listing. These components may be tested as part of a UL 9540 system and then be recognized or listed as a UL 9540 component.

The UL 9540 listing is applied only to a complete system, including the charging, storage, and inverter in a single system (even if it is in multiple modules).

System components, such as batteries, safety control electronics, etc., have to be tested (as in the case of batteries undergoing the UL 9540A Test Method) or tested/listed under UL 1973 or other relevant Standards.

UL 9540A – ANSI/CAN/UL 9540A:2109 Standard for Safety – Test Method for Evaluating Thermal Runaway Fire Propagation in Battery Energy Storage Systems

Scope

1.1.

The test methodology in this standard determines the capability of a battery technology to undergo thermal runaway and then evaluates the fire and explosion hazard characteristics of those battery energy storage systems that have demonstrated a capability to undergo thermal runaway.

1.2

The data generated will be used to determine the fire and explosion
protection required for an installation of a battery energy storage system intended for installation, operation and maintenance in accordance with ICC IFC, NFPA 1, NFPA 70, IEEE C2, CAN/CSA C22.2 No. 0, and other codes affecting energy storage systems, and the manufacturer’s installation instructions.

1.3

Fire protection requirements not related to battery energy storage system equipment are covered by appropriate installation codes.

NOTE: This is NOT a Pass/Fail test!

As stated in the Scope of the document, the data collected during the testing will be evaluated and used to determine the appropriate level of fire and explosion protection required by the specific product. The testing follows a progressive test-level methodology, where a single cell (or monobloc, i.e., the smallest unit manufactured) is tested, and if no propagation is noted, the testing ends. If propagation occurs, the product advances to the next testing level (module) and is retested. This testing continues through the unit and installation levels until the propagation is controlled; the fire and explosion requirements are determined at this point. This, then, is the data that the AHJ uses to determine the requirements for installation in the applicable jurisdiction.

There have been ten CRDs issued for UL 9540A. In the interest of space, those will not be listed here, but it is recommended that the reader should familiarize himself with them. As seen by the number of CRDs published, UL 9540A is an actively evolving Standard that has (and will continue to) changed as new chemistries come into the marketplace and as experience proves that more aspects of the testing need to be explored.

UL 60950-1 – This is an international safety standard for Information Technology Equipment (ITE). This standard is used to test and certify ITE for safety compliance and is administered by Underwriters Laboratories (UL). This standard covers safety requirements for ITE, ranging from power supplies and cables to servers and other computer components.

UL 62368-1 – This safety standard includes audio/video, information, and communication technology equipment. This standard was published in 2017 and outlines safety requirements for various equipment, from consumer electronics to professional audio/video equipment. This standard replaces UL60065 and UL60950-1.

Looking Ahead

New Codes and Upcoming Code Updates

Many Codes are due for updated releases next year, which are very important in the ESS world. Among these are the NFPA 1 National Fire Code and the ICC International Fire Code, International Building Code, International Mechanical Code, and several more from ICC, all expected to be released late in 2023. In addition, the NFPA 101 Life Safety Code will be released in late 2023.

Many of the NFPA and UL Standards are either due for a revision release or are in the development cycle for release soon.

As a reminder, checking for the latest amendments or additions to the existing Codes and Standards is extremely important. For example, NFPA will issue Technical Interim Amendments (TIA), which supersede the language in the published document. UL issues Certification Requirement Decisions (CRD) to update the language in their Standards and add or remove requirements for compliance with the Standard in question. In both cases, these changes will be resolved by the Technical Committee responsible for the specific document and incorporated in the document’s next release.

Conclusion

In Summary

It is difficult to overemphasize the importance of maintaining an awareness and understanding of the relevant Codes and Standards affecting modern ESS systems’ selection, use, installation, and maintenance. There are many choices from a broad spectrum of solutions available. Some of these may present challenges in being acceptable to the local AHJ having jurisdiction over Fire Code enforcement, or potentially, even with the AHJ having jurisdiction over the Building Code that applies to their jurisdiction.

Knowing and understanding these Codes and Standards’ impact on implementing a given ESS could have significant financial and scheduling issues for the end user. There is a value in maintaining a knowledge of the most recent revisions and additions to these documents, as this is a rapidly changing landscape, and what is considered acceptable in the Codes and Standards today may change to an unacceptable risk in a very short time.

Works Cited and Useful Links

International Code Council (ICC), https://www.iccsafe.org/
National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), https://www.nfpa.org/
American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE), https://www.ashrae.org/
Underwriters Laboratories (U.L.), https://www.ul.com/-Underwriter
Battery University, https://batteryuniversity.com/
Energy Systems and Energy Storage, http://www.eseslab.com/index
DOE/EPRI 2013 Electricity Storage Handbook in Collaboration with NRECA, https://www.sandia.gov/app/uploads/sites/163/2021/09/SAND2013-5131.pdf
Environmental and Energy Study Institute, https://www.eesi.org/papers/view/issue-brief-energy-storage

Appendix A: Codes

Org.	Document Number	Title	Publication Date	Next Revision Due
NFPA	1	National Fire Code	2021	2024
NFPA	30	Flammable and Combustible Liquids Code	2021	2024
NFPA	70	National Electrical Code	2023	2026
NFPA	72	National Fire Alarm and Signaling Code	2022	2025
NFPA	101	Life Safety Code	2021	2024
NFPA	400	Hazardous Materials Code	2022	2025

Org.	Document Number	Title	Publication Date	Next Revision Due
ICC	IBC 21	International Building Code	2021	2024
ICC	IEBC 21	International Existing Building Code	2021	2024
ICC	IFC 21	International Fire Code	2021	2024
ICC	IFGC 21	International Fuel Gas Code	2021	2024
ICC	IMC 21	International Mechanical Code	2021	2024
ICC	IPC 21	International Plumbing Code	2021	2024
ICC	IPMC 21	International Property Maintenance Code	2021	2024
ICC	IRC 21	International Residential Code	2021	2024
ICC	IWUIC 21	International Wildland-Urban Interface Code	2021	2024

Org.	Document Number	Title	Publication Date	Next Revision Due
IEEE	C2	National Electrical Safety Code	2023	2028

Appendix B: Standards

Org.	Document Number	Title	Publication Date	Next Revision Due
NFPA	12	Standard for Carbon Dioxide Extinguishing Systems	2022	2025
NFPA	12A	Standard for Halon 1301 Fire Extinguishing Systems	2022	2025
NFPA	13	Standard for Installation of Sprinkler Systems	2022	2025
NFPA	15	Standard for Water Spray Fixed Systems for Fire Protection	2022	2025
NFPA	17	Standard for Dry Chemical Extinguishing Systems	2024	2027
NFPA	68	Standard on Explosion Protection by Deflagration Venting	2023	2026
NFPA	69	Standard on Explosion Prevention Systems	2019	2024
NFPA	76	Standard for Fire Protection of Telecommunications Facilities	2020	2024
NFPA	110	Standard for Emergency and Standby Power Systems	2022	2025
NFPA	111	Standard on Stored Electrical Energy Emergency and Standby Power Systems	2022	2025
NFPA	750	Standard on Water Mist Fire Protection Systems	2023	2026
NFPA	770	Standard on Hybrid (Water and Inert Gas) Fire Extinguishing Systems	2021	2024
NFPA	855	Standard for the Installation of Stationary Energy Storage Systems	2023	2026

Org.	Document Number	Title	Publication Date	Next Revision Due
UL	263	Fire Test of Building Construction and Materials	2021	UL does not publish new editions on a schedule.
UL	268	Smoke Detectors for Fire Alarm Systems	2016
UL	1741	Inverters, Converters, Controllers and Interconnection Systems Equipment for Use with Distributed Energy Resources	2021
UL	1778	Uninterruptible Power Systems	2023
UL	1973	Batteries for Use in Stationary, Vehicle Auxiliary Power and Light Electrical Rai (LER) Applications	2022
UL	1974	Evaluation for Repurposing Batteries	2018
UL	9540	Energy Storage Systems and Equipment	2023
UL	9540A	Test Method for Evaluating Thermal Runaway Fire Propagation in Battery Energy Storage Systems	2019

Org.	Document Number	Title	Publication Date	Next Revision Due
IEEE	1491	IEEE Guide for Selection and Use of Battery Monitoring Equipment in Stationary Applications	2012	IEEE documents are updated on a ten-year cycle unless there is an amendment or corrigenda published.
IEEE	1635	IEEE/ASHRAE Guide for the Ventilation and Thermal Management of Batteries for Stationary Applications	2012
IEEE	1657	Recommended Practice for Personnel Qualifications for Installation and Maintenance of Stationary Batteries	2018
IEEE	1679	IEEE Recommended Practice for the Characterization and Evaluation of Energy Storage Technologies in Stationary Applications	2020

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In this paper

Introduction

Definition of Codes and Standards

Storage Technologies and Electrochemistries

How Codes are Applied

Looking Ahead: New Codes and Upcoming Code Updates

Conclusion

Works Cited and Useful Links

Appendix A: Codes

Appendix B: Standards

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3 Strategies for Data Center Power Savings, Efficiency, and Sustainability

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June 26, 2024

Data centers have long been known as energy-intensive market players. And thanks to the expansion of remote work, high-speed streaming and the proliferation of many digital and AI tools, U.S. demand for data center capacity has skyrocketed over recent years and expects a 10% increase per year until 2030.

While data center operators are implementing aggressive actions like efficiency-focused retrofits to help curb energy usage, future-focused data centers must be able to support the increasing demand for more data, faster service, AI, cloud solutions, and more while minimizing their physical footprint. The larger a data center’s footprint, the more expensive it is to build it, maintain it, and manage its environmental impact.

The Rising Demand vs. Cost Management Challenge

With this demand increase comes many caveats. Today, data centers are grappling with various obstacles, potentially impacting their ability to operate reliably, manage costs and demonstrate resilience when it matters most. Several factors affecting these data hubs include:

Limited access to power in several locations
Rising energy prices due to increased energy consumption
Increased pressure from investors, customers and regulatory bodies to reduce carbon emissions
The rise in frequency and severity of power outages

Data centers must meet rising compute power demands while practicing operational efficiency and sustainability to aid ambitious clean energy usage targets, drive down costs, tackle corporate responsibility, and improve disaster resilience.

Here are three ways data centers can save money and prepare themselves for workload-driven energy consumption in 2024:

1. Do More with Less Space

The more power an operator can fit into a smaller real estate footprint, the lower real estate costs are relative to the revenue generated. Data centers typically categorize space into two categories: ‘white space,’ indicating areas with equipment that increases capacity and so directly makes a profit, and ‘gray space,’ back-end support systems that do not directly generate profit – for instance, generators and uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems.

Minimizing gray space with smaller, power-dense equipment allows operators to maximize the profit-driving white space. Profitable upgrades include replacing older, less efficient infrastructure equipment with newer, more efficient technologies. While the initial investment may seem high, upgrading to more efficient equipment will ultimately lower long-term costs.

Upgrading the UPS battery system is a great place to start. Choosing a UPS battery with a higher power density reduces the gray space required, because fewer battery cabinets are needed to meet the data center’s power demand. Look for a battery cabinet with the smallest linear footprint per watt so you can pack more power in less space and free up room for additional servers – or even a smaller overall facility. Non-flammable chemistries, such as nickel-zinc, also eliminate the need for additional safety equipment, permitting, and space considerations required by lithium-ion batteries. This can further lower battery system footprints.

2. Avoid Expensive Outages

Research from The Uptime Institute has found that outages are becoming longer and more costly, with one in five organizations reportedly experiencing a significant outage in the past three years.

However, 43 percent of outages in a data center are caused by the failure of the UPS system itself. Many batteries can fail open or with a high impedance path, which prevents the battery from supporting the critical UPS load.

Nickel-zinc batteries’ greater reliability makes them ideal for use in a data center. In contrast to other battery chemistries, a weak or depleted cell in the battery string will continue to discharge and carry the load. All that’s needed is a simple battery replacement at the next planned maintenance cycle: little cost, and no operational impact. Nickel-zinc batteries help data centers protect themselves against the high costs of power backup failures.

Nickel-zinc batteries also do not go into thermal runaway. This safety advantage reduces site risk, which addresses potential insurance concerns and eases the approval process by Authorities Having Jurisdiction (AHJ). As a result, NiZn batteries don’t need the safety equipment for greenfield or retrofits required for lithium-ion batteries. Instead, they are a convenient drop-in replacement for lead-acid batteries in data centers.

3. Run equipment at higher operating temperatures to reduce the need for cooling

Today, data centers dedicate a significant portion of their operating budgets toward facility cooling. Recently, data center operators including colocation giant Equinix, Meta, and Microsoft have begun employing flexible temperature strategiesand operating at higher temperatures to reduce costs.

While operating cooling systems at higher temperatures can lower energy load and reduce costs, it requires a balancing act to avoid the risk of shortened equipment lifespan, safety issues, and voided product warranties. Fortunately, current technology allows data centers to reduce cooling system investments, improve sustainability, and lower costs while maintaining operational reliability and safety.

For instance, nickel-zinc UPS battery cabinets can operate at higher temperatures than their counterparts. Modular designs pose an opportunity to create climate-specific environments for the UPS and battery systems. By utilizing nickel-zinc batteries, these rooms can operate at higher temperatures and offer the combined benefits of lower CapEx for lower-capacity cooling systems, and reduced OpEx over the life of the cooling system. As high-temperature events increase in frequency due to climate change, investing in battery systems that can withstand harsher environments in 10-15 years is a distinct advantage for facilities being built today.

More Resilient, Cost-Effective Data Centers

As data center demand skyrockets, facilities must prioritize actions that will help drive down costs, increase operational efficiency, and help meet sustainability targets. Those who do this first can enjoy the advantages of meeting the growing appetite for data while converting savings and efficiencies into profits.

Previously Published by Intelligent Data Centres

Author

Tim Hysell

Co-Founder & CEO, ZincFive

Tim has over three decades of entrepreneurial success in founding, owning, and directing profitable business operations in renewable energy, banking, manufacturing, and medical devices. His companies partnered with global giants such as Siemens, Phillips, and Hewlett-Packard. Prior to owning his own businesses, Tim worked for General Electric, Hewlett-Packard, and Providence Health Systems. Tim is also a co-founder and board member of Pacific West Bank in Oregon.

Uninterrupted Blog

Rethinking Resilience: Preparing Data Centers for the Next AI Wave

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Nickel-Zinc Batteries

June 4, 2024

Recent high-profile outages have underscored the critical importance of data center resilience. Twitter’s (now X) outage during Rihanna’s Super Bowl Halftime Show and Microsoft’s eight-hour outage affecting Teams, Outlook, and M365 caused widespread disruptions for millions of users. Even more alarming was the outage experienced by Australian telecommunications provider Optus, which led to transport delays, banking issues, and cut hospital phone lines for 12 hours, affecting over 10 million users (nearly 40% of the population) and 400,000 businesses.

The consequences of data center outages are further emphasized by Uptime Intelligence’s 2024 data center outage report. The report reveals that 55% of operators experienced an outage in the past three years, with more than half of respondents reporting that their most recent significant outage cost over $100,000 and 16% stating that these outages cost more than $1 million.

As AI pushes data center energy consumption to unprecedented levels, the need for a resilient power infrastructure has never been more pressing. The International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that data center electricity usage will double by 2026, while training newer AI models consumes 50 times more electricity than previous generations. As various sectors further integrate AI into their operations, the need for the facilities that power these services to maintain resilience grows both in importance and difficulty.

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Faced with these challenges, data center operators must take decisive action to enhance their resilience and adjust to the demanding requirements of AI. By addressing the most common causes of outages, specifically power issues and human error, including inadequate regular, comprehensive uninterruptible power supply (UPS) testing, data center operators can ensure the reliability and stability of their facilities in an increasingly complex and demanding technological landscape.

Resolving these issues requires examining their causes first. Power issues consistently emerge as the most common cause of serious outages, according to Uptime Intelligence’s March 2024 report. A staggering 42% of respondents pointed to UPS failure as the leading cause of power-related outages, while 30% of incidents involved issues with the transfer switch to a generator, and 20% were attributed to generator failure itself.

Human error also plays a significant role in nearly 40% of data outages, highlighting the critical importance of proper training and adherence to established procedures. Among those who reported a human error-caused outage, 48% cited failure of staff to follow procedures, while 45% pointed to incorrect procedures.

These findings underscore the urgent need for data center operators to prioritize both the modernization and upkeep of their power infrastructure and their staff’s ongoing training and education. Implementing comprehensive staff training and process reviews presents a significant opportunity to reduce human error-related outages.

To limit the risk of power-related outages, data center operators should regularly perform maintenance and rigorous testing under real-world conditions of backup power systems. They can also adopt more advanced and reliable UPS battery technologies, such as nickel-zinc. Unlike lead-acid and lithium-ion backup batteries, nickel-zinc batteries continue to discharge and carry the load even when a cell in the battery string becomes weak or depleted. This allows the battery string to continue operating and makes what would otherwise be an emergency into a simple note for replacement at the next planned maintenance cycle – no added maintenance costs or operational impact.

ZincFive BC 2 UPS Battery Cabinets powered by nickel-zinc

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Nickel-zinc batteries offer several additional benefits to increase data centers’ reliability and efficiency. Unlike lithium-ion batteries, they are incapable of thermal runaway at the cell level and can operate reliably at higher temperatures – which can also lead to lower cooling costs. They also boast a greater power density than their counterparts, delivering the same amount of power in a significantly smaller footprint. This allows operators to save valuable space for income-generating equipment like servers and racks, while still providing ample backup power for intensive AI applications. Nickel-zinc batteries are also more sustainable than lead-acid and lithium batteries and can serve as a convenient drop-in replacement for lead-acid batteries, making a seamless transition to this more advanced technology.

As data center energy consumption continues to soar due to the increasing demands of AI and other power-intensive applications, ensuring a resilient power infrastructure has become more critical than ever. By embracing comprehensive staff training, rigorous testing and maintenance practices, and safe, reliable and sustainable battery technologies like nickel-zinc, data center operators can significantly bolster the resilience of their facilities and ensure they are well-equipped to handle the ever-increasing demands of the digital landscape. Taking proactive steps to address the root causes of outages and implementing innovative solutions helps facility operators ensure that customers can rely on them – no matter what the future holds.

Previously published by Data Center Frontier

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AI,
batteries,
data centers,
immediate power,
nickel-zinc

Author

Tim Hysell

Co-Founder & CEO, ZincFive

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The Race to Reduce UPS Runtime: Why Backup Battery Selection Matters More Than Ever

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May 20, 2024

In the high-stakes world of data centers, where downtime can spell disaster, the quest for reliable, uninterrupted power is crucial. When utility power goes down, data center Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) systems immediately turn to backup batteries to provide power until the generators come online. This ensures business continuity for servers housed at that facility and prevents costly downtime, loss of revenue, and potential damage to the company’s reputation.

Known as “battery backup runtime,” this transitional period has been slashed from 30 minutes to under 5 minutes within the last decade by advanced generator technologies and power architectures. Now, many new designs plan to shift their facilities to generator power in 3 minutes or less. The reduction in battery runtime provides a valuable opportunity for data center owners to optimize their UPS systems for reliability and cost savings.

For instance, many data center UPS systems currently rely on lead-acid batteries – which typically are not optimized for runtimes under 5 minutes. Re-evaluating the “tried and true” backup battery chemistries can reveal better options with greater reliability and safety during short-term, high-power discharges, a reduced footprint, and lower total cost of ownership.

Harry Handlin, U.S. Data Center Segment Leaders at ABB says: “Many data centers are selecting runtimes less than 5 minutes to optimize cost and minimize footprint. These customers have realized long ago that 5 minutes of UPS battery runtime does not provide added protection. If a generator fails to start, the problem cannot be corrected in 5 minutes or even 15 minutes.”

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Due to their chemistries, traditional lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries require data center owners to purchase more cabinets than ultimately needed to provide adequate short-term power. In a lead-acid or lithium-ion battery string, a single failed cell impedes the current flow from surrounding cells in the string, creating an increased voltage drop or open circuit that can bring down the entire string in an outage. Compensating for this weak point requires data center owners to purchase additional redundant battery strings, increasing the overall cost of ownership and taking up valuable real estate within the data center.

In addition, lithium batteries’ risk of thermal runaway requires their Battery Management System (BMS) to disconnect them if even a single battery cell is out of tolerance. While necessary to prevent safety hazards, this precaution can prevent a battery system from providing runtime for the data center.

Newer battery technologies, such as nickel-zinc chemistries, eliminate this need for extra space and costs. Unlike lithium-ion and lead-acid cells, a weak or depleted nickel-zinc cell remains conductive and allows the rest of the battery string to continue delivering power. Nickel-zinc batteries are also incapable of thermal runaway, so they don’t need to be disconnected in case of a cell failure – allowing them to provide runtime without any concern of the BMS automatically shutting down a battery string. This inherent reliability reduces the need for (and costs of) redundant battery strings.

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Nickel-zinc batteries also boast a winning combination for short–term, high-discharge applications: high power density and a high discharge rate. This allows them to reliably provide vast amounts of short-term power in smaller footprints than lead-acid and lithium battery systems. In contrast, lead-acid batteries have a high discharge rate but relatively low power density, requiring more or larger batteries to handle an equivalent load. Meanwhile, lithium-ion battery cabinets are limited to a low discharge rate, since the BMS shuts them down if their discharge current goes above the level needed to prevent fire hazards. These overcurrent protection limits increase the risk of cutting off the system during use.

Nickel-zinc batteries offer three times the power density of lead-acid, twice the current carrying capability of industry-leading lithium-ion batteries, and a BMS that won’t interrupt runtime operations (since there’s no risk of thermal runaway). This further reduces the cabinets needed and the UPS room’s space requirements, allowing more room within the data center for revenue-generating equipment like servers.

For instance, a 3-minute high-power discharge for a 1 MW UPS load would only require 3 cabinets of nickel-zinc batteries, compared to 5 lithium-ion cabinets and 6 lead-acid cabinets. Since nickel-zinc batteries can be optimally sized for runtimes of 5 minutes or less and offer greater reliability, data center operators only need to buy the minimum number of battery cabinets to support their load and runtime requirements – decreasing their UPS systems’ total cost of ownership.

As data center owners adopt data center designs with faster automatic failover from UPS to generator, they will need a battery that can be right-sized and optimized for shorter runtimes while still delivering a high-power discharge. When choosing these batteries, they should invest in a battery that provides reliable, safe short-term power bursts in a small footprint with cost-of-ownership savings. With higher power density, reliability, safety, and reduced runtime capabilities, nickel-zinc batteries are a smart and cost-effective choice for the future of data center backup power.

Runtime Optimization: As Data Centers Reduce UPS Runtimes, The Right Batteries Become More Critical

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Tags:

batteries,
high power density,
immediate power,
nickel-zinc,
uninterruptible power supply

Author

Tod Higinbotham

CEO, ZincFive

Tod has a strong track record of successfully growing advanced materials companies in the energy storage, semiconductor, and solar markets. He served as Executive VP/GM for ATMI and led the rapid growth of the company, which sold more than $1 billion. Tod was an executive member of the leadership team at Advanced Silicon Materials, a world leader in high-purity silicon materials, the business that was sold to REC to form their solar materials business. He was formerly the CEO of PowerGenix, the company that pioneered the novel nickel-zinc battery technology that has become the core of ZincFive’s solution portfolio.

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Bridging the Gap: Enterprise Strategies in the Age of Hyperscaler Dominance

Data Center Solutions
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April 30, 2024

Every modern data center, whether in the hands of the hyperscalers or the enterprise, will have to reimagine the way power is managed and backed up as part of a broader innovation strategy.

The AI era is poised to reshape the data center landscape. Businesses of every size are looking for ways to leverage generative AI. That means they’ll need more data centers – ones that are higher performing, safer, and more efficient.

The hyperscalers are the ones setting expectations for modern data centers. They have the resources to pursue greenfield opportunities, building new infrastructure with the best technology the market has to offer.

But that doesn’t mean enterprises have to settle for less. With the right technologies that optimize the use of real estate, it’s possible to retrofit a smaller-scale data center for the AI era. This means careful consideration of compute infrastructure to power AI applications, new approaches to rack configurations, cooling technologies, and data storage.

It also means strategically looking at a data center’s power backup systems to ensure a balanced power strategy for brownfield retrofit. Every data needs backup power, but it’s likely your existing power equipment is hogging floor space – without adding a dime of revenue. New technology innovations like nickel-zinc (NiZn) batteries offer more density in power backup, potentially ramping backup capacity while freeing up valuable floor space for increased productivity.

Centralized or Distributed Backup Power

To understand the scale of change occurring, consider the numbers. McKinsey forecasts that data center demand will grow by about 10% a year until 2030. By then, demand will reach a total of 35 GW in the US market alone.

As it stands, data center customers are eating up more real estate than data centers can support. For both hyperscalers building new data centers and enterprises making upgrades, one answer is to drive up density delivering more compute per square foot. It’s no surprise, then, that even major cloud service providers are concerned with the amount of real estate their backup power systems are claiming from income-producing assets.

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Typically, data centers have centralized uninterruptible power supply (UPS) backup systems. In the world of hyperscalers, there’s a move toward distributed backup systems – server rack battery backup units (BBUs).

Non-profits such as the Open Compute Project are pushing new standards that take this distributed approach to backup power. While it’s an approach that has several advantages for hyperscalers, it’s less optimal for colocation facilities or the enterprise. This is because colocation facilities need to accommodate different tenant configurations, making it less feasible. Meanwhile, a decentralized approach would be overkill for enterprise-grade workloads.

There’s also in-server backup power, which ensures the server shuts down properly in the event of an outage.

These backup systems can be complementary to one another, or not. The key is to find the right combination to ensure your power-hungry AI workloads can keep running. Many modern data center retrofits involve modular infrastructure, giving existing facilities the flexibility to add what equipment they need, in an iterative fashion and a constrained space.

The Move Away From Lead-Acid

Unfortunately, the lead-acid batteries that have supported data centers for decades are inefficient and hogging valuable real estate. They also have a limited operating temperature range, requiring even more space for cooling technology.

Lead-acid batteries are relatively cheap at the outset, but more modern battery technologies are worth the investment. Lithium-ion batteries hit the market less than a decade ago, but they already account for a sizable share of the market in new data center construction. They’re more efficient – thus taking up less valuable floor space – and don’t have to be replaced as often as lead-acid.

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Nickel-zinc battery technology is not volatile like both lead-acid and lithium-ion. In fact, it has no thermal runaway and can operate at a wider temperature range than either competing battery chemistry. While lithium-ion batteries offer high energy density, nickel-zinc batters deliver high power density – meaning it has a higher power discharge rate. In a backup scenario, when the sole goal is to run a battery for anywhere from 15 to five minutes or less, you want a small battery that can quickly discharge a large amount of power.

Compatibility With Older Equipment

While hyperscalers have the luxury of starting fresh, the enterprise can’t ignore the incumbent equipment populating its data centers. Up until the introduction of lithium-ion, lead-acid batteries were in every data center.

Utilizing the same UPS charging system, data center operators can more easily retrofit nickel-zinc batteries with existing UPS equipment via drop-in replacements.

Meanwhile, replacing lead-acid batteries with nickel-zinc may be easier than purchasing new lithium batteries, due to the additional safeguards that lithium batteries require. The volatile chemistry of lithium creates more costs around venting, high-capacity fire suppression, enhanced room burn ratings, and other safety features that aren’t necessary for nickel-zinc batteries.

Data center growth with nickel-zinc battery cabinets

Tomorrow’s Growth, Today’s Challenges: The Next Frontier for Data Centers

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The bottom line is that all businesses, of every size, will need to modernize their data center strategy to keep up with the promise of AI. The opportunity to simply build new data centers doesn’t always exist, but the right retrofitting strategy will give the enterprise the transformative power it needs.

Previously Published by Data Center Knowledge

Tags:

AI,
batteries,
data centers,
immediate power,
uninterruptible power supply

Author

Tod Higinbotham

CEO, ZincFive

Uninterrupted Blog

Tomorrow’s Growth, Today’s Challenges: The Next Frontier for Data Centers

Battery Industry Trends
Nickel-Zinc Batteries

March 15, 2024

The digital economy is growing – that’s indisputably good news. Developments in AI and growing compute power are creating room for new opportunities and innovations of all kinds.

This growth, however, hasn’t come easily. The global data center market is stretched to its limits. That doesn’t just mean that demand for capacity is outpacing supply. It also means that IT operators are left with overworked equipment, unable to replace it or acquire new equipment quickly enough – and that leads to critical system outages. In the worst-case scenarios, an overworked data center leads to risky scenarios.

While there have been bumps in the road, progress isn’t stopping. The demand for data center capacity remains robust, with hyperscalers – cloud titans like Amazon, Google, Meta and Microsoft – leading the way in greenfield deployments. Why are hyperscalers starting from scratch? First, existing infrastructure clearly can’t keep up with demand. Just as critically, hyperscalers have the resources and opportunity now to shape infrastructure to their needs, setting the stage for decades of innovation and economic growth.

Meeting capacity needs

Hyperscalers already operate approximately 900 data centers worldwide, Synergy Research Group reported earlier this year – accounting for about 37% of worldwide capacity. By contrast, just five years ago, nearly 60% of data center capacity was in on-premise facilities. In another five years, according to Synergy, overall capacity is expected to double, with hyperscalers claiming more than half of it.

By one estimate, the global data construction market should grow from $50.34 billion (as of 2022) to $73.43 billion by 2028. The buildout continues, even amid economic headwinds, global political uncertainty and continued supply chain challenges.

Broadly speaking, this growth continues thanks to the ever-expanding digital world. Commerce, communication and just about all facets of everyday life are increasingly digital. Major business sectors like healthcare, transportation and manufacturing continue to digitize their operations, demanding more data center capacity.

Meanwhile, the burgeoning possibilities of generative AI are driving demand for more processing power and more storage. Only about one year has passed since the release of OpenAI’s ChatGPT, yet according to one recent survey, 80% of chief data officers believe generative AI is likely to transform their organizations.

ZincFive BC 2 UPS Battery Cabinet with door open showcasing ZincFive's nickel-zinc batteries

Powering the Future: Nickel-Zinc Batteries Unlock Data Centers AI Potential

The demand for greenfield facilities is also coming from organizations running workloads at the edge. Small yet mighty data centers are powering digital services for retailers, hospitals and countless other entities with distributed operations.

Agile, efficient, sustainable

Organizations pursuing greenfield projects aren’t just looking for more capacity. Along with more computing power, there’s a whole range of advanced capabilities that new data centers offer.

For one thing, the data centers of the future have to be exceptionally agile. Unlike the resources found in older facilities, new infrastructure can scale up and scale down as needed to meet the fluctuating requirements of modern workloads.

Additionally, new infrastructure can offer real-time monitoring and automated maintenance, helping IT administrators maintain seamless operations with less effort. The global data center automation market was valued at $7.6 billion in 2022, according to data from Grand View Research, and it’s expected to hit a whopping $20.9 billion by 2030.

Meanwhile, organizations are facing more and more pressure to build more sustainable data centers. That means building facilities with lower emissions and lower water usage. For instance, Google last year acknowledged that its data centers used 4.3 billion gallons of water in 2021. By Sept. 2023, the company was hyping new facilities (in the desert of Mesa, Arizona, no less) that use innovative air-cooling solutions to drastically cut back on its water usage.

Then there are advancements in battery technology that can help improve a facility’s power density – a key factor when you want to minimize a data center’s physical footprint while supporting power-hungry workloads.

Since their initial availability about a decade ago, data center designers have increasingly turned to lithium-ion batteries in lieu of lead-acid batteries. They’re more efficient – thus taking up less of the valuable floor space – and don’t have to be replaced as often as lead-acid. The downside is that lithium-ion batteries are relatively volatile, creating a greater risk of data center fires.

The latest battery technology, nickel-zinc batteries, takes up even less floor space than lithium. Additionally, while lithium-ion batteries offer high energy density, nickel-zinc batteries deliver high power density – meaning it has a higher power discharge rate. In a backup scenario, when the sole goal is to run a battery for just about five minutes, you want a small battery that can quickly discharge a large amount of power. This combination – a higher power discharge rate combined with a smaller footprint – will be key to the future of data centers.

Data center technician working on nickel-zinc battery cabinet

Choosing the Right Battery for your Data Center

Meanwhile, the nickel-zinc batteries developed by ZincFive aren’t volatile, like lead-acid and lithium-ion. In fact, it has no thermal runaway at the fundamental cell level and can operate at a wider temperature range. Nickel-zinc batteries also have an operating life up to 3x longer than that of lead-acid batteries, making them significantly more sustainable. All told, nickel-zinc batteries are safer, more reliable, longer lasting and offer a smaller footprint than the competition – and that amounts to a low total cost of ownership.

A better future for everyone

Building the data center of the future will take a great deal of innovation – traditional infrastructure and designs won’t cut it in tomorrow’s world. There will be greater demands for capacity and power, but budgetary realities will require an efficient use of space and more nimble operations. Meanwhile, political pressure and the realities of a warming planet will require safer, more efficient and more sustainable operations. The industry’s hyperscalers are already embarking on the massive projects that will set the standards for decades of digital infrastructure. Let’s hope they get it right.

Previously published by Data Center Post

batteries,
data centers,
high power density,
nickel-zinc,
safety,
small footprint,
sustainability,
uninterruptible power supply

Author

Tod Higinbotham

CEO, ZincFive

Uninterrupted Blog

Efficient and Flexible: The Power of Modular Construction in Data Centers

Data Center Solutions
Nickel-Zinc Batteries

February 27, 2024

Driven by the need for increased efficiency, flexibility, and sustainability, the data center industry is pivoting to modular data centers. As modular construction becomes the new standard, facilities are under pressure to take full advantage of the benefits offered by this paradigm shift. Those who are late to embrace these advantages risk losing their edge to competitors in attracting customers, investors, and employees.

Modular vs. Traditional Data Centers: Understanding the Differences

Modular data centers are pre-fabricated, scalable units that can be easily assembled, modified, and reconfigured as needed. These units consist of standardized modules including power, cooling, and IT systems, which allow quick deployment and hassle-free expansion.

In contrast, traditional data centers are custom-built, fixed structures that require significant time, resources, and planning for construction and expansion. A recent survey of 228 data center executives found that over half had already deployed modular facilities, while 99% shared that they have plans to use modular data center designs in the coming years.

Designing for AI: Advancing Modular Builds to Accommodate Higher Demand

The Key Advantages: Efficiency and Scalability

Modular data centers’ inherent efficiency is one of their primary benefits. By using standardized components, operators can optimize modular data centers for specific power, cooling, and space requirements. These adaptations lower both operational costs and the amount of waste. From the beginning, modular data centers are easier to work with: they can be built off-site in a controlled, indoor environment, which reduces delays and eliminates weather concerns.

Modular data centers also offer unparalleled scalability. As a company’s IT needs grow, it can rapidly deploy additional modules without disrupting existing operations. This flexibility not only saves time and money, but also ensures that businesses can adapt to changing demands with minimal downtime.

Upgrading UPS Systems and Alternative Battery Chemistries

A critical component of any data center is the Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) system, which ensures continuous operation during power outages or fluctuations. Modular data centers provide a significant advantage when it comes to upgrading UPS systems, as they can easily accommodate alternative battery chemistries such as lithium-ion and nickel-zinc. These alternative chemistries offer higher power density, smaller footprints, lower weight, and faster recharge times compared to traditional lead-acid batteries.

Choosing the Right Battery for Your Data Center

For instance, nickel-zinc battery chemistries’ high power density allows operators to reduce the space (and associated costs) needed for backup power supplies. Some nickel-zinc UPS battery cabinets can deliver the same power as lead-acid battery cabinets twice their size and weight, which significantly reduces the number of cabinets required and the linear size of the overall container. Nickel-zinc batteries can also operate at higher temperatures, which enables a lower-capacity cooling system with lower up-front and operating costs. Since they can’t go into thermal runaway, nickel-zinc batteries don’t need the additional safety infrastructure that lithium-ion batteries require – making them ideal for modular data centers.

Environmental Impact and Sustainability: The Green Benefits of Modular Data Centers

Increased demands for scope 3 emissions transparency are gaining momentum, driven by pressure from investors, regulators and the general public. Data centers that stay ahead of the competition in reporting and addressing scope 3 emissions will attract customers and investors who are seeking comprehensive disclosure and commitments to sustainability. This applies to the climate impact of both the data center companies and their customers (as happens with colocation facilities).

Modular data centers have a significantly smaller environmental footprint compared to traditional data centers. Due to their scalable nature, modular data centers can be tailored to meet specific energy requirements, resulting in reduced energy consumption and lower greenhouse gas emissions. They can be also easily upgraded to incorporate technologies with lower environmental footprints, such as the previously discussed sustaimable batteries for UPS systems.

The manufacturing of containerized/modular data centers

Why Modular Data Centers are Good for the Environment

The Bottom Line: Embracing the Future of Data Center Infrastructure

With greater efficiency, scalability, flexibility, and sustainability, modular data centers are the new norm for data center infrastructure. As the demand for data storage and processing grows, savvy enterprises will recognize and act on the benefits of adopting modular data center solutions to remain competitive, reduce costs, and minimize their environmental impact. By not only adopting modular construction, but fully embracing its advantages, businesses can ensure that they are well-equipped to adapt to the ever-changing technological landscape while contributing to a greener, more sustainable future.

Previously published by Digitalisation World

Tags:

high power density,
modular data center,
safety,
small footprint,
sustainability

Author

Tod Higinbotham

CEO, ZincFive

Uninterrupted Blog

How to achieve sustainable data center backup systems

Data Center Solutions
Nickel-Zinc Batteries

February 26, 2024

Data center reliability and resilience are non-negotiable. These facilities, which house vital digital assets and support critical business operations, must maintain high uptime to meet the demands of an increasingly connected world.

At the heart of this reliability is the center’s uninterruptible power supply (UPS) system, which ensures consistent power flow and protects against potentially catastrophic downtime.

A UPS system failure can lead to significant financial losses, damage to equipment, loss of data, and erosion of customer trust. According to the Uptime Institute, more than two-thirds of all outages cost data centers over $100,000.

Backup power systems have another increasingly urgent imperative: sustainability. Investors, customers, and regulators are exerting pressure on industries, including the data center sector, to adopt environmentally friendly practices and ultimately achieve net zero GHG emissions.

The failure to embrace sustainability carries risks that extend beyond environmental harm. Reputational damage, regulatory penalties, and loss of business from eco-conscious clients can all impact the bottom line.

Conversely, the adoption of sustainable practices can enhance a company’s reputation, attract investment, and provide a competitive edge in an increasingly green market. Sustainable UPS systems can help data centers achieve these goals by reducing their environmental impact.

Choosing the Right Battery for your Data Center

So how can UPS systems be made more sustainable? One key lies in the choice of batteries used in these systems. Traditional UPS systems often rely on valve-regulated lead-acid (VRLA) batteries.

While these technologies have long been considered a standard, alternative battery chemistries can offer a path to more sustainable UPS systems, taking into consideration a variety of characteristics:

Material use: The materials used in different battery chemistries vary in their lifecycle environmental impact. For instance, nickel and zinc are safe and abundant materials that mitigate battery hazards, health risks, and scarcity concerns compared to the lead and lithium used in lead-acid and lithium batteries. This advantage carries through to the end of the battery lifecycle; recycling nickel and zinc batteries uses less energy than lead, which requires energy-intensive high heat smelting.

Greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions: The production, use, and disposal of batteries all contribute to GHG emissions, which drive climate change. Certain battery chemistries and designs, such as nickel-zinc batteries, have a lower manufacturing carbon footprint than other battery types. They’re also energy-efficient with a long lifespan, further reducing these emissions.

Carbon payback time: This is the time it takes for a product to ‘pay back’ the carbon emitted during its production through its operational life. A shorter carbon payback time means the product used less carbon in its manufacture and is more beneficial for the environment.

Volatile organic compounds (VOCs): VOCs are often used during the production of batteries and can contribute to air pollution and health problems. Batteries that minimize the use of VOCs in their production processes are more sustainable.

Water footprint: This refers to the total volume of freshwater used to produce a product. Battery manufacturing can be water-intensive, so choosing batteries that prioritize water efficiency in their manufacturing processes contributes to their sustainability.

Energy footprint: This is the total energy consumed over a product’s lifecycle, including its manufacturing process. The less energy used over the battery’s lifecycle, the lower its energy footprint and the more environmentally friendly it is.

These characteristics play a crucial role in determining the sustainability of UPS batteries in data centers. By understanding these factors, data center operators can make informed choices that favor sustainability, reducing their environmental impact while maintaining reliable power supply.

For instance, nickel-zinc (NiZn) batteries fulfill all these requirements by using abundant raw materials with a low carbon manufacturing footprint, yielding a shorter carbon payback time than lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries.

ZincFive paper on NiZn battery climate impact

Nickel-Zinc Climate Impact Profile

Over their lifetime, nickel-zinc batteries use 95 percent less water than lithium batteries, and 22-33 percent less energy than lithium-ion and lead batteries.

Data center operators including Corscale and Wyoming Hyperscale have chosen to utilize NiZn-powered UPS systems for their facilities, driven in large part by their sustainability metrics.

According to Boundless Impact Research and Analytics’ analysis, nickel-zinc batteries have achieved the highest climate rating of 9.4 out of 10, making them an ideal option for data centers looking to reduce their scope 3 emissions and reach their sustainability goals.

Considering sustainability when implementing resilience strategies is not just good for the environment – it’s good for business. Environmental responsibility is becoming a necessity rather than a choice.

By choosing sustainable UPS energy storage systems, data centers can improve their environmental performance, meet growing stakeholder expectations, and ensure their operations remain resilient and reliable.

Previously published by Data Center Dynamics.

Tags:

batteries,
nickel-zinc,
safety,
small footprint,
sustainability

Author

Tim Hysell

Co-Founder & CEO, ZincFive

Uninterrupted Blog

Designing for AI: Advancing Modular Builds to Accommodate Higher Demand

Data Center Solutions
Nickel-Zinc Batteries

February 6, 2024

“Modular design has taken off in the past decade – but the demands of AI and machine learning mean we need to innovate even faster for smarter, more sustainable data centers,” declared ZincFive’s Director of Product Management Aaron Schott as he kicked off an insightful panel at the recent 7×24 Exchange Conference. Aaron and data center experts from Skybox Data Centers, Integra Mission Critical, and Telios Engineering explored how cutting-edge designs for modular data centers can power sustainable growth amid surging demand.

As data centers face escalating power needs driven by AI and numerous other emerging technologies, rack densities continue to climb and force data center operators to adjust. Luckily, modular data centers are perfectly positioned for such adjustments.

Modular data centers are a design approach in which prefabricated units are assembled and outfitted with preselected, preconfigured equipment. This approach allows more flexibility in location and timing, and easier as-needed scaling and replacement of the center’s equipment and systems over time – perfect for the ever-shifting needs of data centers. Additionally, modular design also supports sustainable construction and operation of a data center.

Density Strains Traditional Designs

The panel began by discussing one of the biggest new challenges for modular data centers: the sheer amount of data needed for burgeoning applications such as generative AI.

You have these large, large demands. New chips drive densities beyond what’s been cooled before – or even considered possible.”
Gordon Kellerman, Skybox Data Centers

While modular designs are inherently more flexible than traditional data center designs, they must adapt even further to sustainably support spiking compute power needs. Megawatt demands from users are increasing yearly. Gordon noted how “in the past, a 1 MW deal was great; now, many customers require 150-300 MW and beyond.”

Cooling Innovations Accommodate Capacity and Lower Footprint

Greg MacNeill of Integra Mission Critical offered cooling techniques, such as immersion cooling, as examples of ways data centers are meeting this skyrocketing compute density demand without exceeding budgets and sacrificing sustainability goals.

“As densities increase, I recommend planning a facility evolution to fluid cooling,” Greg shared. “A planned shift to integrate more powerful cooling strategies can help prevent rip-and-replace retrofitting down the line, helping future-proof modular data centers for rising density.”

More powerful cooling strategies allow data centers to reduce their shell size by 15-20 percent. By packing more equipment into modular power and cooling yards, over 35% more capacity fits in less land. This smaller physical footprint is both more sustainable, and more cost-effective in terms of real estate costs. Ambient cooling solutions can also deliver major infrastructure savings.

“The time is now to consider hybrid environments that combine air and liquid cooling,” agreed Gordon. “Immersion cooling enables massive space savings compared to traditional cooling strategies.”

Mason McPike of Telios Engineering also supported these techniques and suggested incorporating modular electrical rings underneath facilities to enable easy future cooling expansions, since “modular power infrastructure enables component replacement without full shutdowns.”

Why Modular Data Centers are Good for the Environment

Read Post

Building on Mason’s point, Greg McNeil added how “modular design lets us phase in infrastructure as the facility grows. Designing for scalability is more sustainable, since growing the data center won’t result in discarded materials from reconstruction.”

Modular power rooms enable flexible equipment deployment, and allow for renewable energy connections anywhere.

Enhancing Resiliency and Sustainability Despite Demand

While meeting data demand is paramount for data centers, the ability to do so without sacrificing resiliency and sustainability will set successful data centers apart. Investor pressure to disclose scope 3 emissions is growing, and as companies look to reduce their emissions, data centers are increasingly under the microscope as an opportunity for impactful reductions, considering they are one of the most energy-intensive components of their customers’ supply chains.

Meanwhile, the cost of data center outages is rising, with a quarter of data center operators responding to an Uptime Institute survey stating that their most recent downtime incident cost them over one million dollars in both direct and indirect costs.

Aaron Schott explained that backup battery innovations like ZincFive’s nickel-zinc battery cabinets help data centers simultaneously increase server space, meet resiliency goals, and improve sustainability.

Sustainable Backup Power with Uncompromised Safety and Reliability

Read Post

Nickel-zinc batteries have the highest power density on the market, which frees up valuable real estate for data centers by allowing them to pack the same runtime capacity into a significantly smaller space than lead-acid or lithium-ion solutions. Their 15-20-year lifespan is double that of lead-acid batteries, which reduces replacement needs and costs. And since they’re incapable of thermal runaway, they don’t need the same bulky safety equipment that lithium-ion batteries need to protect from fire hazards.

Nickel-zinc batteries also provide greater resiliency against power failures and shutdowns, which can cost data servers hundreds of thousands per event. Nickel-zinc battery cells allow full conductivity even when depleted, which guards against the string failure and emergency maintenance visits that lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries can require.

Greg MacNeill added that nickel-zinc batteries’ resilience against heat can help data centers save on costs and energy as well.

We’re always exploring innovations across electrical systems, including pushing for increased operating temperatures, that help data centers save energy and cooling costs. For a long time, backup batteries limited data centers to lower temperatures to avoid lead-acid and lithium battery failure. By removing that constraint, new chemistries like nickel-zinc allow us to operate at higher temperatures and save energy.”
Greg MacNeil, Integra Mission Critical

Collaboration Is Key

As Gordon Kellerman of Skybox Data Centers stated, collaborating across manufacturers, operators, and clients is key going forward. Innovations like immersion cooling and nickel-zinc batteries boost efficiency, resiliency, and energy savings.

The panelists all concluded that reaching the next level of high-density, high-efficiency modular data centers requires partnership and optimization. By collaborating across data center operators, manufacturers, integrators, and consultants to integrate expertise while optimizing components like nickel-zinc batteries for reliability and sustainability, modular innovation can achieve unprecedented new heights.

AI,
batteries,
modular data center,
nickel-zinc,
small footprint

Uninterrupted Blog

Sustainable Backup Power with Uncompromised Safety and Reliability

Battery Industry Trends
Data Center Solutions
Nickel-Zinc Batteries

January 4, 2024

As AI becomes mainstream, rack server density demands are increasing more than ever before – just as growing climate awareness is putting pressure on data centers to become more sustainable. How can operators balance all these challenges without compromising uptime?

ZincFive’s Aaron Schott joined Carsten Baumann, the Director of Strategic Initiatives of Schneider Electric, and Alex Dickins of Datacenter Dynamics (DCD), to discuss this very question in the DCD event, “Choosing sustainable backup power without compromising on safety & reliability.” They dove into solutions that can help data centers both provide reliable increased server rack density and meet sustainability goals.

Listen to the entire session to explore how robust battery solutions can allow data centers to navigate market pressures to advance towards net-zero, and read on for our chief insights and takeaways:

Sustainability Is a Top Priority for Data Center Customers

The data center industry is confronting a sustainability imperative as capacity expands rapidly. Currently, data centers consume around 2% of global energy demand.

By 2040, just 16 years from now, global data center capacity will double. If we double capacity, this becomes a bigger portion, so creating a more sustainable data center is critical.”
Schneider Electric’s Carsten Baumann

In response, leading companies, including Schneider Electric, are evaluating their entire supply chain and product lifecycles. Baumann disclosed that in 2022, over 99% of Schneider Electric’s 61 million tonnes of emissions stemmed from scope three, or supply chain, emissions. In response, they initiated a Zero Carbon Project with their top thousand suppliers, encouraging them to review and reduce emissions by 50% by 2025 for Schneider Electric to continue sourcing from them. Such initiatives indicate that large clients are seeking ESG-conscious suppliers – including data centers – that can prove lower emissions.

Standard ISO sustainability metrics are also emerging to drive improvements. “Having an internationally standardized framework to measure against is very valuable, since we can evaluate suppliers based on the same consistent ISO standards,” said Baumann.

If we make sustainability metrics easy and standardized, data centers will optimize and compete to be the most sustainable, and quickly move the industry forward.”
ZincFive’s Aaron Schott

Nickel-Zinc Batteries Can Help Quantify Sustainability from Cradle to Grave

One area in which data centers can prove greater sustainability to clients lies in their UPS battery sourcing. For instance, Baumann noted that while lead-acid and lithium batteries rely on materials with limited supply chains and intensive, controversial mining practices (including cobalt and lithium), ZincFive batteries rely on abundant metals like nickel and zinc.

Schott added that ZincFive batteries score well – literally – across their full lifetime environmental impact, from sourcing to manufacturing to deployment. A third-party study analyzed ZincFive batteries’ climate impact metrics, including greenhouse gas production, water usage in manufacturing, volatile organic compounds, and other sustainability factors. He pointed out that, with 10 representing the highest positive environmental impact, ZincFive’s NiZn batteries scored a 9.4 – significantly higher than lead-acid and lithium-ion batteries.

Closing the Emissions Gap: Data Center Sustainability

More Than Sustainable: Reliable and Space-Efficient

Of course, sustainability isn’t the only priority for data centers considering UPS solutions. To be competitive, batteries must also address other concerns as well: safety, reliability, and – as data centers try to pack more capacity to support growing client needs – efficient use of space.

Fortunately, nickel-zinc batteries specialize in those areas too. Nickel-zinc chemistry enables power-dense designs, which enables fewer, smaller cabinets and footprint – bolstering sustainability while maintaining backup time.

“As data centers scale up with 1.5-2MW+ UPS units, we increased battery power density in our recently expanded BC 2 battery cabinet line,” Schott shared. “This reduces their installation size while continuing to support growing UPS power. With increased cabinet power density, our footprint can now be 50% of lithium-ion batteries’, which is already 40-50% less than lead acid.”

“Safe Enough” is not Safe: Assessing Battery Tradeoffs in Data Centers

These higher-density designs reduce batteries’ data center footprint, materials, and costs all at once. As facilities grow larger, examining aspects to cut size helps greatly. “For a 100MW facility with 50 modular UPS buildings, even stacked for space efficiency – if we can shrink each one by a foot, we save substantial materials,” shared Schott.

Nickel-zinc batteries are not only incapable of thermal runaway, but can also reliably operate at higher temperatures than lead-acid and lithium batteries – reducing cooling costs. “It’s advantageous to design data centers to safely run hotter without warranty concerns,” said Schott. “This efficiency gained from higher battery operating temperatures enables more free cooling.”

One consideration for data centers when choosing batteries is that UPS batteries generally only need to operate for a few minutes at a time. Aaron recommended matching higher power density batteries to this shorter runtime need. This helps them meet runtime needs with fewer cabinets, preventing oversized solutions and improving efficiency.

Holistic Metrics Show the Way to Net Zero

All three panelists agreed that achieving more sustainable data centers requires a holistic approach.

We need to address the sustainability challenge collectively across disciplines – batteries, UPS, cement, steel, IT equipment, etc. Looking at all these components can get us closer to net zero data centers,” said Baumann. “Collectively we’re setting data center baselines now. Once established, we can make incremental improvements towards a net zero future.”

Schneider Electric’s Carsten Baumann

AI,
batteries,
data centers,
nickel-zinc,
reliability,
safety,
sustainability

A Comprehensive Guide to the U.S. Codes and Standards for Energy Storage Systems (ESS)

Description

Register to read full paper

TAKEAWAYS

Introduction

Why do we have Codes and Standards?

Definition of Codes and Standards

Fire Codes

Standards

There are two primary organizations in the United States that publish these model Codes:

Storage Technologies and Electrochemistries

How Codes Are Applied

List of Major U.S Codes and Standards

Looking Ahead

New Codes and Upcoming Code Updates

Conclusion

In Summary

Works Cited and Useful Links

Appendix A: Codes

Appendix B: Standards

In this paper

3 Strategies for Data Center Power Savings, Efficiency, and Sustainability

The Rising Demand vs. Cost Management Challenge

1. Do More with Less Space

2. Avoid Expensive Outages

3. Run equipment at higher operating temperatures to reduce the need for cooling

More Resilient, Cost-Effective Data Centers

Rethinking Resilience: Preparing Data Centers for the Next AI Wave

Bridging the Gap: Enterprise Strategies in the Age of Hyperscaler Dominance

Powering the Future: Nickel-Zinc Batteries Unlock Data Centers’ AI Potential

The Race to Reduce UPS Runtime: Why Backup Battery Selection Matters More Than Ever

How ABB and Their Customers Future-Proof Construction Supply Chain with NiZn Technology

“Safe enough” is not safe: Assessing battery tradeoffs in data centers

Runtime Optimization: As Data Centers Reduce UPS Runtimes, The Right Batteries Become More Critical

Bridging the Gap: Enterprise Strategies in the Age of Hyperscaler Dominance

Centralized or Distributed Backup Power

Designing for AI: Advancing Modular Builds to Accommodate Higher Demand

The Move Away From Lead-Acid

Sustainable Backup Power with Uncompromised Safety and Reliability

Compatibility With Older Equipment

Tomorrow’s Growth, Today’s Challenges: The Next Frontier for Data Centers

Tomorrow’s Growth, Today’s Challenges: The Next Frontier for Data Centers

Meeting capacity needs

Powering the Future: Nickel-Zinc Batteries Unlock Data Centers AI Potential

Agile, efficient, sustainable

Choosing the Right Battery for your Data Center

A better future for everyone

Efficient and Flexible: The Power of Modular Construction in Data Centers

Modular vs. Traditional Data Centers: Understanding the Differences

Designing for AI: Advancing Modular Builds to Accommodate Higher Demand

The Key Advantages: Efficiency and Scalability

Upgrading UPS Systems and Alternative Battery Chemistries

Choosing the Right Battery for Your Data Center

Environmental Impact and Sustainability: The Green Benefits of Modular Data Centers

Why Modular Data Centers are Good for the Environment

The Bottom Line: Embracing the Future of Data Center Infrastructure

How to achieve sustainable data center backup systems

Choosing the Right Battery for your Data Center

Nickel-Zinc Climate Impact Profile

Designing for AI: Advancing Modular Builds to Accommodate Higher Demand

Density Strains Traditional Designs

Cooling Innovations Accommodate Capacity and Lower Footprint

Why Modular Data Centers are Good for the Environment

Enhancing Resiliency and Sustainability Despite Demand

Sustainable Backup Power with Uncompromised Safety and Reliability

Collaboration Is Key

Sustainable Backup Power with Uncompromised Safety and Reliability

Sustainability Is a Top Priority for Data Center Customers

Nickel-Zinc Batteries Can Help Quantify Sustainability from Cradle to Grave

Closing the Emissions Gap: Data Center Sustainability

More Than Sustainable: Reliable and Space-Efficient

“Safe Enough” is not Safe: Assessing Battery Tradeoffs in Data Centers

Holistic Metrics Show the Way to Net Zero