Alfen’s storage solution ‘TheBattery’ based on Lithium-ion technology is offering six key advantages for data centers.
- Providing peak-shaving of energy consumption to mitigate bottlenecks in the grid connection
- Enabling self-consumption of rooftop solar or co-located wind energy
- Reducing the need for diesel generators as back-up power supply
- Reducing the need for traditional lead-acid batteries as uninterruptible power supply
- Enabling energy trading on the central power grid to further optimize storage economics
- Enabling new business models through virtual energy storage
An example of the use of data centers as virtual energy storage can be found in the Agriport area in the Netherlands, where Alfen has been providing its Smart grid solutions for many years. Here, a private grid operator facilitates an area of about 300 hectares of greenhouse horticulture, producing and consuming an enormous amount of energy. A large data center has been integrated in this complex energy system, providing useful synergies with the different energy demand patterns of the greenhouses. In addition, the greenhouses can facilitate demand management by turning their lights up or down when needed, providing further flexibility to the system. Connecting Alfen’s battery storage to such an integrated energy system equips operators with optimal flexibility to serve their local energy needs and benefit from trading opportunities.
To learn more about this new solution, please contact Andreas Plenk, Global Sales Director Energy Storage at a.plenk@alfen.com