On-site power generation to leverage maximum uptime

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On-site power generation to
leverage maximum uptime
How gas turbines make a difference
in reliable energy supply for data centers
siemens.com/industrial-energy
Executive summary
Content
Executive summary 1
1. Data centers and on-site
power generation 2
2. Gas turbine technology
customized to data
centers’ needs 4
3. Lifecycle management of
on-site power generation
solutions 10
4. Conclusion 15
Source-list / Impressum 16
Authors
Dr. Stefan Diezinger
Siemens Gas and Power
Erlangen, Germany
Dr. Thorsten Krol
Siemens Gas and Power
Mühlheim, Germany
Thomas Tiemeyer
Siemens Gas and Power
Erlangen, Germany
Siemens Gas and Power
@2019 | Unrestricted
There was a time when data center
operators, engineers, and consultants
could safely focus on their core areas
of data storage and data processing,
safe in the knowledge that their power
socket would deliver a sufficient and
stable supply of energy to maintain
and expand the data center business.
Now, ensuring sufficient power, its
reliable supply and steady quality from
the grid have become strategic con-
cerns.
Not only is the constant growth of
data center infrastructure with its
increasing demand for power outstrip-
ping grid capacity in some areas of the
world; due to the increasing share of
stochastic renewable in-feed, creating
volatility and fluctuation, the availabil-
ity and quality of power supply have
dropped and might pose a threat to
reliable data center operation.
One solution to this challenge facing
the data center industry is on-site
generation of electricity and cooling.
Diesel generators have long been the
go-to option for rapid backup power,
which resulted in increased emissions
of hazardous exhaust gases and pollut-
ant particles. However, with the latest
technological advances in highly
efficient gas turbine technology,
generating power on-site for the main
supply of data centers has become far
more attractive, solving grid challenges
today and also in the long-term. In the
future, these stable, low-emission
on-site power generation solutions will
be able to run exclusively on carbon-
free fuels such as e-hydrogen.
It is thus high time for operators to get
up to speed on how gas turbine power
generation can benefit the data center
business. To this end, this paper will
(1) shed light on the market trends and
challenges for on-site power genera-
tion for data centers, (2) provide
valuable insights into gas turbine
technology and power generation
design, and (3) make the case for gas
turbine lifecycle management, which
helps to maximize the value from gas
turbine power generation with fit-for-
purpose operation and maintenance
solutions.
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