Schneider Electric is committed to helping its customers solve some of the major challenges they face when using UPS systems, including:
• Significantly reducing the UPS footprint and weight, enabling more efficient use of space: Lithium-ion batteries pack a large amount of energy into a much smaller size. They therefore occupy about one-third the space (or less) of a VRLA battery-based solution providing the same power. This allows customers to increase the available space for IT equipment while reducing cooling requirements, thus saving on capital and ongoing operating costs.
• Increased UPS battery life and reduced maintenance overhead: The long lifespan of the lithium-ion design significantly reduces charging and maintenance costs, thus avoiding frequent battery replacements.
“VRLA batteries remain the dominant UPS energy storage technology due to their low cost and high reliability, but lithium-ion batteries are becoming an attractive option for a growing number of customers,” says Pedro Robredo, Vice President of Power Protection Systems at Schneider Electric. “While the initial cost is still higher than that of VRLA batteries, the price difference has narrowed significantly in recent years. Depending on the application, the lithium-ion solution can offer projected total cost of ownership savings of 10% to 40%, depending on its lifespan.”
Lithium-ion battery solutions are already available for select projects such as the Symmetra MW, Galaxy, and Galaxy 7000 VM, and will be widely available in the second half of 2016. Additionally, three-phase product lines will be expanded throughout 2017.
To support this launch, Schneider Electric will showcase its lithium-ion battery solution at its technology center in Saint Louis.
