Providing greater resilience at a critical UK Data Centre
Client: critical UK Data Centre
Location: London, United Kingdom
Sectors: Data centres
The challenge
Bridging the energy gap with temporary standby power solutions
A lack of available grid power was causing problems for our client, raising the threat of costly delays and disruption through power failure.
This generator-free site needed three separate power feeds, but at the time of commissioning, only two were available. Our client challenged us to deliver additional redundancy through a third feed. With sustainability high on the agenda, any solution would also have to comply with ESG, and local planning and permitting requirements – meaning standard diesel generators were not an option.
Project fact file
The solution
Switching on to critical, sustainable temporary power
Our engineers designed a 13 MW Stage V generator package to operate in place of one of the delayed grid supplies.
The full solution included:
- A temporary 15 MVA at 20 kV standby package
- 13 HVO fuelled PowerMX2 Stage V generator sets on standby
- All associated transformers, switchgear and fuel systems
- Highly customised SCADA Controls
- Cables, containment and all required ancillaries
- 5 MVA load bank for routine load testing of the package to ensure reliability
Our package was fully bespoke, complying with the clients commissioning regime:
Level 1: Factory Acceptance Testing, on our site in Lomondgate
Level 2: Package installed, cables connected and tested
Level 3: Start-up
Level 4: Running to ensure functionality on-site to meet client’s specifications ready for IST (Integrated System Test)
Level 5: Operators on-site to ensure IST completed satisfactorily
Preparing for success
Prior to site delivery we conducted a week-long Factory Acceptance Test (FAT test) of 13 MVA at our own depot. Giving our customer and all parties involved complete confidence in our solution. Knowing that the laydown area was extremely tight, we also designed a scale BIM model of the site, installing bespoke access gantries and highlighting the safest areas to double stack essential kit.
Reducing emissions and noise
Our solution had to be smarter and greener. Which is why we turned to Aggreko’s own Greener Upgrades. We commissioned PowerMX2 Stage V generators with advanced components including diesel particulate filters (DPF) and selective catalytic reduction (SCR) systems to reduce harmful emissions. The same generators were also fitted with noise reduction louvres to ensure sound output was maintained below local regulatory performance levels.
SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition) controls
We deployed SCADA Monitoring across essential equipment including generators, tanks and transformers. This encompassed a further client connection called EPMS (Energy Power Management System) enabling the data centre to see all equipment monitoring live.
This smart integration relies on complex conversion using modbus code, designed and applied by Aggreko in-house.The result
Reliable, greener power to meet every test
Our solution successfully delivered a standby power solution meeting our customers resiliency criteria, while providing confidence at every key milestone in this major data centre project. While work is still ongoing and final results are yet to be verified, initial projections indicate that by choosing a Greener Upgrades solution and using Stage V generators running with HVO, the client could save up to 221 tonnes of carbon per day and reduce fuel usage of 4,680 litres per day compared to a standard diesel generator*. This also comes with a notable reduction in noise output.
*The comparision was made using an unclassified 1250 kVA diesel generator as the baseline