Schneider Electric makes green play with super-efficient UPS

Source: Andy Patrizio · NETWORK WORLD · | June 24, 2021

The APC Smart-UPS Ultra from Schneider Electric is designed to deliver greater power density and longer life.

Source: GETTY IMAGES

Data-center operators, perhaps stung by accusations that they're power hogs, are making a major push to be green. Both Microsoft and Google have promised their data centers will be carbon neutral by 2030, while AWS is targeting 2040.

I’m sure this is driven by good intentions, even as the cynic in me remembers that every dollar saved in the power bill goes right to the bottom line. So every effort helps, even if some are more creative than others.

For its part, Schneider Electric is making a green pitch with a new line of uninterruptable power supplies (UPS) from its American Power Conversion subsidiary. The company has introduced the APC Smart-UPS Ultra, which it says is the smallest, lightest single-phase 3kW UPS on the market.

Schneider bases its green claim on the UPS on its power efficiency and long life. The APC Smart-UPS Ultra’s design is up to 50% smaller and lighter than comparable UPS solutions on the market today, meaning more power in a smaller space.

The lithium-ion battery is said to last up to three times longer than a traditional valve regulated lead acid (VRLA) powered UPS and will not need to be replaced under normal operating conditions, another facet of Schneider's green push. The APC Smart-UPS Ultra can save up to 15% on TCO over 10 years, Schneider Electric says, and it comes with a 5-year warranty.