Driven by the surge in online services, consumer electronics, IoT, and AI adoption, our ever-increasing reliance on digital infrastructure makes data center uptime more crucial than ever. While meeting these rising demands, data center operators must also keep in mind workplace safety, manage rising property costs, and respond to increasing sustainability concerns from both regulators and clients.

Together, these factors signal a shift towards backup power solutions that offer greater reliability, space efficiency, and environmental stewardship.

The escalating demands on data centers underscore the need for a new category of energy storage: Immediate Power Solutions (IPS). This emerging classification responds to the evolving landscape of digital infrastructure, distinguishing it from traditional energy storage systems (ESS) by focusing on the immediate, high-rate power essential for critical operations.

Where ESS primarily serves long-duration energy storage with a focus on capacity, IPS zeroes in on delivering instant power for short durations and their acute need for reliability, workplace safety, efficient space utilization, and sustainability.

Examining available mission-critical backup applications through the lens of IPS provides clarity on which systems best suit that application. For instance, lead-acid battery technology relies on one of the older battery chemistries in use today. Although lead-acid batteries are often seen as the familiar, “safe” option by many data center operators in powering their uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems, their suitability for IPS – particularly considering current data center demands for safety, reliability, sustainability, and space efficiency – has been surpassed by other, more modern chemistries.

One alternative considered by data center operators for their UPS systems is lithium-ion. Lithium batteries’ energy density – their ability to release moderate amounts of energy over a long duration – make them well-suited for certain applications such as electric vehicles and cellular phones.

However, IPS solutions require greater power density: the ability to release massive amounts of energy within a short timeframe (for instance, the amount of energy needed to power a data center until backup generators come online). Lithium batteries’ potential for thermal runaway also requires specialized safety equipment, which complicates installation and takes up valuable space in data centers.

Fortunately, other technologies have been developed specifically for the needs of IPS.

For instance, nickel-zinc chemistries are significantly more power-dense than either lead-acid or lithium batteries. This power density allows them to immediately power an entire data center while taking up less than half the footprint of lead-acid battery systems – allowing greater space for revenue-generating equipment like servers.

Nickel-zinc batteries also offer more reliability than lead-acid and lithium batteries, whose battery strings cannot transmit power in the event of a cell failure. Depleted nickel-zinc battery cells maintain conductivity, allowing the battery system to continue operating and carry the electrical load. This feature significantly reduces the risk of complete system failures during critical power outages. Nickel-zinc batteries are also incapable of thermal runaway and more tolerant of higher temperatures than lithium and lead batteries, adding to their safety and reliability.

As sustainability standards rise for both clients and regulators, environmental impact has become a paramount consideration for immediate power applications – and once again, nickel-zinc batteries deliver. Their lifecycle emissions are 537 percent lower than lithium batteries, and 1,700 lower than lead-acid batteries.

A nickel-zinc battery’s life cycle demands 96 percent less water than a lithium-ion battery and 23-33 percent less energy than that of lithium-ion and lead-acid batteries. Instead of relying on controversial intensive mining practices for lead and lithium, they use the earth-abundant materials of nickel and zinc.

Innovative UPS battery technologies like this offer a more power and space-efficient, safer, and sustainable alternative to help data centers uphold their reliability standards.

Until recently, transitioning from lead-acid to advanced battery technologies has faced hurdles like compatibility and high retrofitting costs (often caused by lithium-ion’s need for specialized fire safety equipment). Today, some nickel-zinc UPS cabinets are designed with backward and forward compatibility for straightforward integration into existing UPS systems. This allows operators to easily swap out lead-acid batteries for nickel-zinc solutions and streamlines the upgrade process to more efficient, safer battery solutions without the need for extensive system redesigns.

As data centers power the global economy, the critical role of UPS systems in ensuring uninterrupted operations cannot be overstated. The transition towards IPS shows the demand for more reliable, space-efficient, and environmentally sustainable backup power solutions. Nickel-zinc batteries’ greater reliability, energy density, and safety profile both address immediate operational challenges and align with forward-looking sustainability goals.

By seamlessly integrating into existing systems, they pave the way for a smoother upgrade path to ensure that data centers remain robust and ready for the future.

Read the full paper here.