Supercapacitors are emerging as one of the technologies poised to address this problem thanks to their ability to supply and absorb large amounts of power in very short periods. According to IDTechEx forecasts, the market for supercapacitors intended for data centers could exceed $950 million by 2037.
The consultancy analyzes this evolution in its report "Supercapacitors for Data Centers 2027-2037: Technologies, Applications, Players and Forecasts", in which it studies both the available technologies and one of the fundamental aspects for their adoption: at what point in the electrical infrastructure of the data center it is most convenient to install these devices.
AI introduces a new electricity consumption profile
Data centers dedicated to artificial intelligence have different demand profiles than traditional facilities. Large accelerator clusters can generate transient loads and very rapid power variations when certain computing operations begin or end.
The most extreme peaks can produce momentary voltage drops which, if not managed correctly, can affect the operation of servers and other equipment and transfer disturbances to the electrical infrastructure.
This situation necessitates adapting both the power distribution and backup systems. The storage used to compensate for these variations must respond on very short timescales—which can reach the order of milliseconds—and withstand a high number of charge and discharge cycles.
Also important are high power density, to limit the space occupied when handling large loads, and the possibility of integrating the solution into existing electrical architectures.
These characteristics explain the growing interest in supercapacitors. Unlike energy storage systems designed primarily to provide energy over extended periods, supercapacitors stand out for their ability to deliver or absorb power very quickly and withstand a high number of cycles.
Where to install supercapacitors?
The specific architecture varies between data centers, but there are several levels at which these storage systems can be incorporated.
Servers, switches, routers, and storage systems are typically grouped in racks, which may incorporate their own battery backup units (BBUs). Several racks form computing aisles, powered by power distribution units (PDUs).
At a higher level is the building's central electrical infrastructure, responsible for distributing power from the grid and housing the uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems. These systems maintain power during outages and cover, among other functions, the time needed until backup generators come online.
According to IDTechEx's analysis, supercapacitors can be installed at three main levels: within the rack itself, in the aisle, or alongside central UPS systems. Each option offers different advantages in terms of protection, density, cost, and ease of deployment.
Supercapacitors inside the rack
Rack integration, for example as part of the BBU, could be particularly suitable for newly built AI data centers.
The proximity between the storage system and the load allows for direct stabilization of the power supply to low-voltage equipment and local response to variations in the consumption of servers and accelerators.
This architecture also allows supercapacitors to be deployed only where needed. In installations where only certain racks are dedicated to AI training or inference, high-power storage could be concentrated in those areas instead of being sized for the entire facility.
The downside is that incorporating more power components inside the rack reduces the space available for computing equipment and can increase the complexity of the infrastructure.
UPS installation in hallways and rooms
Aisle-level configurations offer advantages when upgrading existing data centers. Since they don't necessarily require modifications to each rack, they can facilitate retrofitting and maintain a higher density of servers and accelerators.
For this reason, IDTechEx anticipates that aisle-level and room-level UPS installations may have a greater presence in the short term, especially in colocation data centers.
The installation next to the UPS system offers another advantage: it allows protection of loads that are outside the scope of a system installed exclusively in the racks.
These include the higher voltage electrical infrastructure and certain auxiliary systems, such as cooling, whose continuity is critical for the overall operation of a high-density data center.
IDTechEx believes that, by 2037, rack-level and UPS room configurations could become the two predominant locations for supercapacitors within data centers.
Supplementing batteries to respond in milliseconds
The arrival of supercapacitors does not necessarily mean replacing the batteries currently used in uninterruptible power supply systems. Both technologies address different needs within the energy infrastructure.
While batteries are suitable for storing larger amounts of energy and providing autonomy for longer periods, supercapacitors can intervene in response to extremely rapid power variations and repeat these charge and discharge cycles with high frequency.
This combination becomes especially relevant as the power of racks dedicated to artificial intelligence increases. The energy infrastructure no longer has to respond solely to potential power outages, but also manage sudden changes in demand during normal data center operation.
The optimal location will ultimately depend on factors such as the facility design, the percentage of loads intended for AI, the possibility of modifying the racks, and the need to protect other electrical and cooling systems.
With a market that IDTechEx predicts will exceed $950 million by 2037, supercapacitors could thus become a new element of the energy architecture of data centers, especially in facilities where AI loads require managing increasingly rapid and larger power variations.
Author: Daniel Parr, Technology Analyst, IDTechEx
