Google is investing in battery energy storage to serve as a backup power solution at one of its data centres, in a project described as a first step in changing data centres “from climate change problems to critical components in carbon-free systems”.

‘Liquid metal’ battery technology developed as a potential low-cost competitor for lithium-ion looks set to be used at a data centre under development near Reno, Nevada.

News in brief from around the world in energy storage.

Independent renewable energy asset producer Neoen will build a 30MW / 30MWh grid-connected battery energy storage system (BESS) in Finland to help integrate the growing capacity of local wind energy.

Global shares of renewable energy are increasing, while at the same time data centres become an ever-more important part of our daily lives. Emiliano Cevenini of Vertiv looks at some ways in which renewable energy can combine with UPS and energy storage systems at data centres to offer new possibilities for energy and environmental controls.