Interrupting Non-interruptible Energy Waste

March 8, 2010 - ENERGY STAR adds another new product group to its expanding stable of efficiency programs with the start of a development process for its first uninterruptible power supply (UPS) specification.

Targeting UPSs makes sense since they’re commonly used throughout the small office, home office and enterprise data center markets. Plus, they fit in nicely with the experience that ENERGY STAR previously acquired during program development for power supplies, battery chargers, and data center IT equipment.

The specification framework, published February 16th, includes a preliminary list of definitions, including system topologies, energy storage mechanisms, and operational states. One issue that should generate lots of discussion at future meetings is how to divide the specification limits by market segments. While output rating is typically used by manufacturers and researchers, ENERGY STAR states that there’s little consensus on output level categorization, and outputs can range from hundreds (home computer protection) to millions (full facility protection) of volt-amperes. Once it’s decided which products will be included, the work of identifying metrics relevant to UPS energy consumption, including estimating the time typically spent in the different operational states (normal, stored energy, and bypass), will begin.

Comments on the framework are requested by April 2, 2010. ENERGY STAR hopes to hold the first stakeholder meeting towards the end of March and finalize the efficiency specification during the fourth quarter of 2010.

If you want to get involved in the UPS spec development, email your contact information to UPS@energystar.gov to be added to the stakeholder list. For additional information, including a copy of the specification framework, go to: http://www.energystar.gov/index.cfm?c=new_specs.uninterruptible_power_supplies