As the demand for data processing, storage, and real-time computation continues to grow, the energy requirements for data centers have surged dramatically. Data centers, the backbone of modern cloud infrastructure, artificial intelligence (AI), and other digital services, now consume vast amounts of electricity to power their servers and maintain optimal environmental conditions. This growth is being driven by the increasing use of AI computation, machine learning, and big data analytics—technologies that require powerful, high-performance hardware, which also contributes to rising energy demands and higher operational costs.
As these technologies proliferate, data centers are forced to find ways to ensure the energy reliability needed for continuous operations while keeping costs under control. Many operators are also facing pressure to meet 100% renewable energy goals as part of corporate sustainability mandates, making energy management an even greater challenge.
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS) have become essential for data centers to manage these evolving energy needs. AI-specific hardware such as GPUs, TPUs, and high-density servers, have become more expensive due to their complex architectures and computational power, and data center fires pose significantly higher financial risk than in the past. Alsym for stationary storage offers a cutting-edge, non-flammable BESS solution designed to meet the safety, efficiency, and sustainability needs of modern data centers. From reducing fire risks to optimizing renewable energy usage and ensuring reliable backup power, Alsym batteries support a safe, robust solution for the increasingly complex energy landscape of data centers.
Safety and fire risk
Safety is one of the most critical concerns for data center operators, particularly when it comes to fire risk. Data centers house rows of high-performance servers, storage arrays, and networking equipment that must be kept running 24/7. Traditional lithium-ion batteries, often used in backup power systems, carry inherent risks of thermal runaway, where overheating can lead to fires or explosions. For a data center, a fire could result in catastrophic losses—not just to hardware but to critical customer data, leading to massive financial and reputational damage.
These concerns can be addressed head-on with Alsym’s inherently non-flammable chemistry. This eliminates the risk of thermal runaway and ensures that, even in extreme conditions or physical damage scenarios, the system will not catch fire. For data centers with large server farms and costly equipment, this is a significant safety advantage. With Alsym battery technology, operators can mitigate one of the greatest risks to their infrastructure and avoid costly downtime and damage.
Moreover, not requiring complex cooling systems in particularly cost-effective in data center environments. Alsym’s wide-temperature range capability not only enhances the safety profile of the BESS but also reduces the need for expensive fire suppression systems, such as sprinklers or chemical-based solutions.
100% renewable energy integration
As data center operators face increasing pressure from stakeholders and regulators to meet 100% renewable energy targets, the need for efficient energy storage solutions has become more urgent. Many companies, particularly in tech-driven industries, have committed to sourcing their data centers’ energy from renewable sources such as solar and wind. However, the intermittent nature of these energy sources presents significant challenges, as data centers require constant, reliable power 24/7, while renewable energy production can fluctuate based on weather conditions or time of day.
The wide-duration energy storage capabilities of Alsym batteries—ranging from 2 to 110 hours of discharge—allow data centers to smooth out the intermittency of renewable power sources, ensuring a stable supply of electricity even during lulls in production. This helps data center operators meet their renewable energy targets without compromising the reliability of their operations.
Energy reliability
For data centers, any power disruption can result in significant downtime, hardware damage, and lost data. Data center hardware has also become increasingly expensive, particularly with the rise of AI computation, which relies on advanced and power-hungry GPUs and TPUs. Ensuring a reliable, uninterrupted power supply is critical not only for maintaining server operations but also for protecting this valuable hardware.
Alsym batteries provide high-performance energy storage that ensures data centers remain operational even during grid outages or fluctuations in power supply. With its wide discharge range, power can be backed up for hours or even days, ensuring that servers, cooling systems, and other critical infrastructure stay online. In addition, its fast recharge time (as little as 4 hours) minimizes the risk of prolonged downtime in the event of multiple outages. With these capabilities, data center operators can ensure that their facilities are protected from grid instability, improve their energy resilience, and extend the lifespan of their hardware by preventing sudden power losses or surges.
Use cases
- Renewable Energy Backup: Data centers increasingly rely on renewable energy to meet sustainability goals, but the variable nature of solar and wind can lead to inconsistent power availability. Alsym batteries store excess renewable energy when it’s plentiful and release it during periods of high demand or low generation—enabling sustainable operations without compromising uptime.
- Support for Data Centers in Hot Climates: In warm regions, high ambient temperatures place extra strain on data center cooling systems and increase the risk of hardware failure. Alsym’s chemistry is engineered to operate reliably in elevated temperatures, ensuring safe, consistent power delivery while reducing the need to actively cool the battery storage system.
- Grid-Independent Operations: In remote or grid-unstable areas, data centers must ensure continuous uptime without depending on utility infrastructure. Alsym batteries integrate easily into microgrids, storing energy from renewable or grid sources and supplying power on demand. This reduces dependence on diesel generators, cutting costs and emissions while enhancing energy resilience.
- AI Workload Support: AI and machine learning workloads demand immense processing power, leading to significant spikes in energy use. Alsym batteries provide wide-duration storage to meet these high-performance demands, ensuring GPUs and TPUs remain fully powered even during grid instability or outages.
- Disaster Recovery: Severe weather or natural disasters can knock out grid power for extended periods, putting data and operations at risk. Alsym batteries offer long-duration backup power that keeps critical functions online until the grid is restored—safeguarding stored data and maintaining continuity of cloud and server-based services.
- Energy Cost Management: Electricity is a major operating cost for data centers, especially during peak demand periods. Alsym batteries help reduce costs through peak shaving—storing low-cost energy during off-peak hours and discharging it during high-price periods. This allows data centers to lower their energy bills without sacrificing performance or reliability.