Real-Time Microgrid-Integrated Data Center: Serving As A Virtual Power Plant to Achieve Carbon Neutrality

Author: Tian Tom

Original publication date: 2024 May 21

Published: Sustainability, Digitalization and Globalization Volume 1 Number 1, July 2024

Keywords: Virtual power plant, microgrid, optimization

Paper DOI: https://doi.org/10.54825/IOLO61234 (Template for the demo)

License: CC-By Attribution 4.0 International

ABSTRACT:

The integration of data centers and microgrids into forming virtual power plants (VPPs) are strategic approaches aimed at sustainability and achieving carbon neutrality in the rapidly emerging domain of digital infrastructure. Data centers, significant in the digital economy, consume high amounts of energy, requiring solutions that meet their tremendous electricity demand and minimize environmental impact. Introducing microgrids makes data centers less dependent on the main grid, enhancing facility resilience and encouraging renewable energy use. Moreover, with VPP operation, data centers may contribute to the stability and efficiency of the entire energy network and transform from conventional energy consumers into dynamically integrated players in the energy market. This process becomes technologically improved by incorporating real-time control systems, power electronic converters, and blockchain for carbon and renewable energy credits transactions, offering diversified solutions to challenges in energy consumption, grid stability, and carbon emissions. This underscores the importance of collaboration among data centers, energy suppliers, technology developers, and policymakers towards managing regulatory, technological, and economic environments, which will underline successful integration of microgrids and VPPs. Benefits associated with this integration are not only pegged on environmental impacts but also bring forth economic gains accrued from dealing with energy markets and incentive programs and operational improvements related to power outages.