Arguably one of the biggest challenges colos face in the coming years is power, or more specifically, not enough power.
The skyrocketing demand for artificial intelligence-driven technologies and high performance computing, which includes supercomputers as well as aggregated computer “clusters,” is creating an energy problem for the ages.
Significant amounts of electricity are needed not only to power the computers but also the cooling systems and other critical infrastructure in a data center.
The power gap facing the industry is sizable. In fact, Goldman Sachs estimates that by 2030 the U.S. could need to add as much as 47 GW of power generation capacity just to support new data centers coming online.
To ensure they have the power and the reliability they need, many data center operators are turning to both on- and off-grid microgrids. Not only do microgrids provide resilience, they can also reduce emissions, another major pain point for data centers.
The RPower microgrid for ViVa Center will utilize natural gas generators.
“Our natural gas backup generation system delivers the same reliability and performance as traditional diesel systems, but with a 98% reduction in emissions,” said Jeff Starcher, CEO of RPower.
Microgrid will support local power grid
The ViVa Center microgrid is expected to be commissioned by the end of the year and when it comes online, it will do more than provide resilience to ViVaVerse’s campus operations.
Starcher added that the microgrid would further enable the state’s energy transition to a carbon free future.
The microgrid will also support the Electric Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) market, providing additional capacity and ancillary services to the local grid and mitigating some of the volatility associated with renewable generation.
ERCOT, the grid operator for roughly 90% of the state, has significantly increased its integration of renewable energy in recent years.
A 2023 study found that Texas generated more renewable energy than any other state – and nearly 55% more than California, which came in second.
“RPower’s pioneering microgrid will not only deliver essential N+1 resiliency to our data center operations but will also contribute to the local community by supplying necessary capacity during peak demand periods when the electric grid is strained,” Morales said.
Wanda Parisien is a computing expert who navigates the vast landscape of hardware and software. With a focus on computer technology, software development, and industry trends, Wanda delivers informative content, tutorials, and analyses to keep readers updated on the latest in the world of computing.
