RYAN BAUMANN, Kohler Power Systems
Ryan Baumann: Our goal to create a resilient power delivery system that focuses on the future, and considers new energy sources that must be coupled with the power of today. Combining traditional sources, such as nuclear and hydro, along with sustainable regional systems of solar, wind, fuel cells and battery storage will be needed to deliver robust power with a refreshed and bolstered power grid.
Bringing together our current power system, the macro-grid, and joining with site microgrids (wind/solar/fuel cells/back up sources) designed to support one another can help support the power constrained regions as well. Bearing in mind, nearly every data center is designed with an emergency backup power system, typically Tier 2 diesel generators sets, ready to serve power at a moment’s notice.
These generator sets built today are cleaner and significantly more efficient than their earlier cousins. Leveraging cleaner fuels, such as Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil (HVO) or natural gas generators in lieu of diesel, we can begin walking clear of fossil fuels. Emissions reduction strategies for the diesel backup power generators could allow the data center clients to run more frequently, if needed, during the grid constrained events to reduce the strain the data center is putting on the power network. Interruptible rate programs were a very common practice and may be needed again, while we continue to make our power consumption within data centers ever more efficient and strengthen the grid power.