Test: Data Centers as Grid Battery Storage

What is happening? Microsoft is testing the use of a data center in Dublin, Ireland to serve as battery storage for the electric grid by supporting grids in need of more batteries to store energy produced by solar panels or wind farms.

Why is this important? Microsoft wants to provide backup power to electric grids transitioning to renewable energy. In 2021 Microsoft had 200 data centers. It announced it plans to build 50-100 new data centers per year.

How will this be important? The data centers’ lithium-ion batteries are part of the data center’s back up power or “uninterruptible power supply” (UPS) that usually only kicks in during an emergency. 

The Verge | Can Microsoft’s data centers become big batteries for the grid?