WP#31 - Issues Relating to the Adoption of Higher Voltage Direct Current Power in the Data Center

Overview

WP#31 is a white paper prepared by The Green Grid's Power Sub Work Group, dated 20 October 2010. Its subject is the issues that must be resolved before higher-voltage direct current (HVdc) can become a primary distribution option in the data centre. Downloading the full text requires signing in with a free The Green Grid account and is governed by The Green Grid Terms of Use; the information in this record comes from the summary on the library's public landing page.

According to the abstract, HVdc distribution can reduce energy consumption and increase efficiency. For this potential to be realised, however, critical issues of cost-effectiveness, ease of adoption and safety must be resolved. The paper makes clear that these topics were not yet mature, meaning HVdc was not a ready alternative but an option that needed work. The paper should therefore be read as an assessment of the barriers to adoption rather than a product pitch, and the source text should be consulted for full detail.

An important recommendation of the paper is the establishment of global HVdc standards. The aim is to avoid the fragmentation seen with alternating current (AC) systems repeating on the DC side. Without common standards, equipment compatibility, protection and connectors could lead to supplier dependence and added cost. The record lists ETSI EN 300 132-3 and IEC 60364 among related documents.

The limits of the document are clear. It is a 2010 study, and HVdc technology, the product ecosystem and standards may have developed since. Only the public abstract is used here, so numerical detail on losses, cost or safety measures is not part of this record. The paper should therefore be used for the historical and conceptual framing of HVdc, and current decisions should rely on current standards and manufacturer data.

Key points

1. Dated 20 October 2010; authored by the Power Sub Work Group.
2. HVdc distribution can reduce energy consumption and increase efficiency.
3. Critical issues of cost-effectiveness, ease of adoption and safety must be resolved.
4. Recommends establishing global HVdc standards to avoid the fragmentation seen with AC.
5. Related documents: ETSI EN 300 132-3 and IEC 60364.

Using it in design

• If the tool offers 380 V DC topologies, flag them as requiring DC-rated protection devices and connectors.
• Compare conversion-stage counts of DC topologies against AC topologies.
• When assessing an HVdc option, record standards maturity and supplier diversity as a risk item.
• Review safety requirements (fault current interruption, earthing) separately for DC.

Who should read it

Designers evaluating electrical distribution architecture and engineers exploring the efficiency potential of DC power distribution.

Related standards

• ETSI EN 300 132-3
• IEC 60364

Publication details

Authors

The Green Grid Power Sub Work Group

Publisher

The Green Grid

Year

2010

Document number

WP 31

Document language

English

Source type

Industry body

Access

Citation only

Licence

Copyright retained; citation only — the publisher’s terms apply to the original document

Citation