微軟作為全球數(shù)據(jù)中心的領(lǐng)軍企業(yè)之一，其在能源管理和技術(shù)創(chuàng)新方面一直走在行業(yè)前列。
近年來，微軟在其數(shù)據(jù)中心中采用鋰電池技術(shù)，這一轉(zhuǎn)變標志著清潔、節(jié)能、綠色、環(huán)保的理念在全球范圍內(nèi)的推廣和實踐。
鉛酸電池+ UPS的組合在過去雖然為數(shù)據(jù)中心提供了穩(wěn)定的電力保障，但隨著算力需求的提升，其能量密度、壽命、維護成本和環(huán)境影響等劣勢亦日益凸顯。
鉛酸電池已被視為過時的技術(shù)。
注：位于都柏林的 Microsoft 數(shù)據(jù)中心采用鋰電技術(shù)已經(jīng)在幫助公用事業(yè)公司避免燃燒化石燃料發(fā)電而排放二氧化碳和其他溫室氣體
海外科技巨頭為何高度重視數(shù)據(jù)中心能效優(yōu)化以及對環(huán)境的影響。
And this enormous consumption of energy means data centres are enormous emitters of greenhouse gases. Indeed, according to some analyses, global emissions from cloud computing range from 2.5 per cent to 3.7 per cent of all global greenhouse gas emissions, thereby exceeding emissions from commercial flights (which amount to around 2.4 per cent).
問題實質(zhì)在于：數(shù)據(jù)中心消耗了大量的能源，這種巨大的能源消耗意味著數(shù)據(jù)中心是溫室氣體的巨大排放者。事實上，根據(jù)一些分析，云計算的全球排放量占全球溫室氣體排放量的 2.5% 至 3.7%，從而超過了商業(yè)航班的排放量（約 2.4%）。
As a result, Battery storage materials is now becoming a major priority for the data centre industry and the sustainability of the energy storage systems that are used by the sector is becoming a key consideration.
因此，電池存儲材料現(xiàn)在正成為數(shù)據(jù)中心行業(yè)的主要優(yōu)先事項，該行業(yè)使用的儲能系統(tǒng)的可持續(xù)性正在成為一個關(guān)鍵考慮因素。
battery storage technology company zincFive said that the data centre industry is
"evolving rapidly with unprecedented speed and innovation,with battery storage
solutions emerging as a key focus".The report,which was based on a survey of more
than 100 data centre industry professionals, showed that 44 per cent of respondents
said that "sustainability targets/mandates were driving the changes respondents
considered for their energy storage technology".
根據(jù)一份報告顯示，對 100 多名數(shù)據(jù)中心行業(yè)專業(yè)人士的調(diào)查，44%的受訪者表示“可持續(xù)發(fā)展目標/要求正在推動受訪者考慮對數(shù)據(jù)中心儲能技術(shù)進行變革”。
事實上，早在2015年，海外發(fā)達國家的數(shù)據(jù)中心企業(yè)就致力于通過采用高效能源管理和清潔能源技術(shù)，來減少對環(huán)境的影響。
In the past decade, the pace of technological innovation in data centers in Europe, America, and Australia has accelerated, with one significant change being the gradual replacement of traditional lead-acid batteries with lithium batteries. Particularly in Australia, this trend has been quite pronounced.
在過去的十年間，歐美及澳大利亞的數(shù)據(jù)中心技術(shù)革新步伐加快，其中一項重要的變革便是鋰電池逐漸取代了傳統(tǒng)的鉛酸電池。特別是在澳大利亞，這一趨勢表現(xiàn)得尤為明顯。
About five years ago, data centers in Australia almost completely ceased purchasing lead-acid batteries, instead universally adopting more advanced, efficient, and environmentally friendly lithium batteries as their backup power solution.
大約五年前，澳大利亞的數(shù)據(jù)中心幾乎全面停止了對鉛酸電池的采購，轉(zhuǎn)而普遍采用更為先進、高效且環(huán)保的鋰電池作為備用電源解決方案。
海外數(shù)據(jù)中心運營商和客戶對能效、可靠性、靈活性和環(huán)境影響有更高的要求，因此更傾向于采用鋰電這樣的最新技術(shù)，他們認為接受新技術(shù)并加以應(yīng)用是一件理所當然的事情。
Banks of lithium-ion batteries at a Microsoft datacenter in Dublin will be a part of the solution to this problem later this year.
These batteries, which typically provide backup power for the datacenter in case of emergency, have been certified, tested and approved for connection to the grid in a way that helps grid operators provide uninterrupted service when demand exceeds the supply generated elsewhere on the grid by wind, solar and other sources.
Providing this grid service “is a way for us to unlock the value of the datacenter,” said Nur Bernhardt, a senior program manager for energy at Microsoft.
位于都柏林的 Microsoft 數(shù)據(jù)中心的鋰離子電池組通常在緊急情況下為數(shù)據(jù)中心提供備用電源，而這些鋰電池產(chǎn)品已經(jīng)過認證、測試和批準。
雖然鋰離子電池的初始成本高于鉛酸電池，但由于其更長的使用壽命、更低的維護成本和更高的能效，長期來看具有更好的總體擁有成本（TCO）。
If grid-interactive UPS systems replace the grid services currently provided by fossil fuel power plants in Ireland and Northern Ireland, about two million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions could be avoided in 2025, according to Baringa, an energy advisory firm that Microsoft commissioned to analyze the potential impact of the technology.
“This is definitely moving the dial on emissions at a national level,” said Mark Turner, a partner in Baringa’s energy practice who helped perform the analysis.
Two million metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions is about one-fifth of the total emissions expected across the island of Ireland from the power sector in 2025, he explained.
What’s more, by relying on grid-interactive UPS technology for grid services, end consumers across Ireland would save tens of millions of dollars on fuel and other costs required to maintain the spinning reserve at coal and natural gas fired power plants.
Microsoft負責人表示，如果Microsoft 都柏林數(shù)據(jù)中心使用鋰電技術(shù)為當?shù)靥峁┓⻊?wù)能力，到 2025 年可以避免約 200 萬噸的二氧化碳排放。
The main purpose of the UPS system is to provide power conditioning for the servers. The UPS system is always on, providing protection to the servers. In 2015, Microsoft started to explore the potential to leverage these assets.
在2015 年，Microsoft 開始探索利用鋰電創(chuàng)新技術(shù)的潛力（技術(shù)積累時間更早）為數(shù)據(jù)中心服務(wù)器提供保護，并持續(xù)至今。
微軟等國際巨頭采用鋰電池，不僅是為了提升自身數(shù)據(jù)中心的運行效率，更是為了響應(yīng)全球氣候變化，推動綠色低碳發(fā)展。 
