Omdia - Experts & Thought Leaders

A ground-breaking survey by research group Omdia showed that within the next four years data center operators will deploy uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) which can interact with the electric grid and support essential energy-management initiatives.  The use of renewable energy is growing on all fronts and is becoming the new normal in the data center industry. The integration of variable renewable energy resources into a more dynamic electric grid comes with new challenges and technical requirements. High efficiency Data centers are in a unique position to increase the reliability of the electric grid by allowing access to a part of their backup power systems. Datacenter UPSs have evolved to attain high efficiency, smaller footprints, improved battery energy storage systems (ESS), and monitoring systems.  Smart grid-ready UPSs incorporate technologies that enable the equipment to sense and interact with the electric grid, helping data centers to become smarter about the amount and timing of energy consumption, contributing to the pursuit of a more sustainable data center.  Integration of renewable energy The integration of renewable energy into the smart electric grid can benefit smart grid ready UPS" “The integration of renewable energy into the smart electric grid can benefit from smart grid ready UPS, to smooth out the unpredictability of renewable resources, balancing energy supply and demand, and to reduce or defer electric grid infrastructure investment”, said Moises Levy, Ph.D., Principal Analyst and lead of Omdia’s data center power, cooling and sustainability research practice. “Manufacturers like Eaton, Schneider Electric, and Vertiv are already offering UPSs with these capabilities.”  Contribution to sustainability To capture all viewpoints of this critical subject, Omdia surveyed a combination of data center operators, engineering, architecture, and consulting firms, as well as, utility companies, across North America, the Nordics, UK, Ireland, France, Germany, and Australia. The nearly 380 respondents indicated that the top driver for adopting smart grid-ready UPS is contributing to sustainability initiatives. This was followed by technology innovation pioneer, and reputation and competitive advantage. Importantly, the lion’s share of respondents indicates they are confident that using smart grid-ready UPS will not put their mission-critical workloads at risk. Smart grid ready UPS Cloud service providers were pointed out as the vertical that is most likely to benefit from smart grid-ready UPS by nearly half of the survey respondents. However, enterprises from all vertical industries are a part of the conversation as long as they operate a data center. From a regional perspective, the Nordics, the UK, and Ireland are the two regions leading the number of UPS with capabilities to interact with the grid being deployed. A benefit to microgrid applications 10-50% of the capacity of batteries in the data center is excess and can be used to support the electric grid About 80% of respondents estimated that 10-50% of the capacity of batteries in the data center today is excess and can be potentially used to support the electric grid. This would be a significant enabler to the integration of variable renewable energy sources into the electric grid. Most respondents indicated that solar and wind were the two microgrid applications that would most benefit from utilizing this technology. Sustainable transition “The data center industry is the backbone of the digital economy and has enabled significant efficiencies in how we conduct business, communicate with one another, and develop innovative technologies.” “From this perspective, the data centers are already a force for good which is making the world more sustainable. With emergence and proliferation of smart grid ready UPS technology data centers are enabling an even more sustainable world,” said Vlad Galabov, Research Director at Omdia’s Cloud and Data Center Research Practice. 

Infinitum Electric, the creator of the breakthrough air-core motor, has announced at the AHR Expo 2022, a new product line specifically built to support Canadian HVAC fan, pump, and general-purpose applications. The new product line is an extension of Infinitum Electric’s IEs Series motors and will be available in the 575V, 5-15 horsepower range in the second half of 2022. Ultra-high efficiency electric motors With the addition of Canadian products, Infinitum Electric is delivering the most comprehensive range of power and frame sizes for the North American HVAC market. The IEs Series offers 10 percent more efficiency and IoT capabilities in a package that is 50 percent lighter and smaller, and significantly quieter than traditional motors. Having a motor designed specifically for Canada greatly simplifies our engineering process" To date, Canadian HVAC applications requiring 575V power have largely relied on sub-optimal motor configurations, due to a lack of focus on the specific needs of the Canadian market. HVAC applications have, therefore, used either an EC motor or a transformer to convert power, which adds costs and reduces the overall efficiency, or a conventional, lower efficiency AC induction motor and VFD. Larry Hopkins, the Chief Technology Officer (CTO) at XNRGY, said “Having a motor designed specifically for Canada greatly simplifies our engineering process and will ultimately help us deliver better products. Infinitum Electric’s integrated motor and VFD Larry Hopkins adds, “Infinitum Electric’s integrated motor and VFD gives us the breakthrough levels of efficiency that our customers want, while its smaller size and lightweight design open new possibilities for our development team.” Ivan Campos, Research Analyst at Omdia, said “Infinitum Electric’s advancements in motor efficiency have the potential to spur innovation and reduce energy demand in Canadian HVAC and pump applications. Featuring PCB stator technology Ivan Campos adds, “As supply chain issues continue, Infinitum Electric’s simple motor design, materials and PCB stator technology make it easier to source, produce and assemble motors, close to their target market, reducing lead times.” Ben Schuler, the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at Infinitum Electric, said “We’re excited to expand our footprint and bring our proven IEs Series product line to Canada. We look forward to working with product manufacturers, who are looking to achieve new levels of sustainability for fan, pump and general purpose applications.” AHR Expo 2022 Infinitum Electric is exhibiting its full range of motors for HVAC fan and pump applications at the AHR Expo 2022, in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA, from Jan. 31 - Feb. 2, 2022, at booth C6103, where attendees will be able to speak with company experts on designing products for greater efficiency, reliability, and productivity.

Infinitum Electric, creator of the breakthrough air-core motor, announced at the AHR Expo 2022 - a new product line specifically built to support Canadian HVAC fan, pump, and general purpose applications. The new product line is an extension of Infinitum Electric’s IEs Series motors and will be available in the 575V, 5-15 horsepower range in second half of 2022. With the addition of the Canadian products, Infinitum Electric is delivering the most comprehensive range of power and frame sizes for the North American HVAC market. The IEs Series offers 10 percent more efficiency and IoT capabilities in a package that is 50 percent lighter and smaller, and significantly quieter than traditional motors. Understanding Canadian market needs To date, Canadian HVAC applications requiring 575V power have largely relied on suboptimal motor configurations, due to a lack of focus on the specific needs of the Canadian market. HVAC applications have, therefore, used either an EC motor and a transformer to convert power, which adds costs and reduces overall efficiency, or a conventional, lower efficiency AC induction motor and VFD. Simplifying engineering processes Infinitum Electric’s integrated motor and VFD can give breakthrough levels of efficiency “Having a motor designed specifically for Canada greatly simplifies our engineering process and will ultimately help us deliver better products,” said Larry Hopkins, Chief Technology Officer, XNRGY. He adds, “Infinitum Electric’s integrated motor and VFD gives us the breakthrough levels of efficiency our customers want, while its smaller size and light weight open new possibilities for our development team.” Spuring innovation and reducing energy demand “Infinitum Electric’s advancements in motor efficiency have the potential to spur innovation and reduce energy demand in Canadian HVAC and pump applications,” said Ivan Campos, Research Analyst, Omdia. He adds, “As supply chain issues continue, Infinitum Electric’s simple motor design, materials, and PCB stator technology make it easier to source, produce and assemble motors close to their target market, reducing lead times.” “We’re excited to expand our footprint and bring our proven IEs Series product line to Canada,” said Ben Schuler, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Infinitum Electric, adding "We look forward to working with product manufacturers who are looking to achieve new levels of sustainability for fan, pump, and general purpose applications.” Exhibiting full range of motors Infinitum Electric is exhibiting its full range of motors for HVAC fan and pump applications during the AHR Expo 2022, taking place in Las Vegas, Nevada, from Jan. 31 - Feb. 2, 2022, at booth C6103, where attendees will be able to speak with company experts on designing products for greater efficiency, reliability, and productivity.