Digital Edge (Singapore) Holdings Pte. Ltd. (“Digital Edge”) has partnered with Donghwa ES to develop an energy storage system for data centre redundancy and sustainability. The Hybrid Super Capacitor (HSC) Energy Storage System presents a viable alternative to traditional batteries. It can potentially revolutionise data centre ancillary power generation for future AI and hyperscale workloads.
“Redundancy is critical to our customers, so we set out to explore ways to enhance the technology that underpins this,” Jay Park, chief construction and development officer at Digital Edge, said.
Future-proof alternative
The partnership involves developing a future-proof alternative to traditional lithium-ion or lead-acid batteries for backup generators and Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS) to improve energy efficiency and reduce carbon footprint.
Digital Edge’s data centre operations experience and Donghwa’s energy storage system engineering and design expertise birthed the HSC Energy Storage System technology. This technology uses a hybrid energy storage method that combines activated carbon from an electric double-layer capacitor with carbon from a lithium-ion battery.
Traditional vs. HSC
Compared to traditional batteries, the technology is designed to withstand higher temperatures up to 65°C, have a longer life span that more than doubles that of other battery products, can be recharged more quickly, and does not use metal oxide, reducing potential fire risks.
Ji-Won Suh, chief executive officer of Donghwa ES, said, “With the rapid advancement of AI, power-intensive data centres are growing rapidly. We have a vision to provide complete safety from incidents due to thermal runaway in the increasingly power-intensive data centre industry.”
Digital Edge has confirmed it plans to deploy the technology within specific new-build data centres after HSC’s successful initial testing.
