ABB has introduced a new power management solution designed to help data centers in Ireland meet emerging grid requirements while maintaining reliable operations. The technology combines ultracapacitor energy storage, grid-forming power conversion and real-time power control to allow large data centers to respond to grid disturbances within milliseconds.
The solution is designed for Ireland’s changing energy environment, where data centers are increasingly expected to move from being passive electricity consumers to actively supporting the stability of the national grid. Ireland’s data centers currently account for about 24% of the country’s electricity consumption, with their share expected to reach 30% by 2032. The rapid expansion of data center capacity, driven in part by artificial intelligence and digital services, has increased pressure on the country’s power infrastructure.
ABB said its new behind-the-meter platform provides a compact and modular approach to managing these challenges. By combining ultrafast energy storage with advanced power conversion and digital controls, the system can provide rapid support for frequency stability, voltage control and demand recovery. The technology is designed to help facilities remain connected during grid disturbances instead of relying solely on conventional backup systems that isolate a data center from the grid.
ABB has outlined the approach in its new whitepaper, Ireland’s Data Centers – Moving from Passive Consumption to Active Participation in Grid Stabilization. The document examines how data center operators can prepare for emerging grid requirements, including EirGrid’s proposed MPID345 grid code modification. The proposed requirements would require large demand facilities to remain connected during grid faults and restore 90% of pre-fault demand within 500 milliseconds after voltage recovery. Facilities would also need to withstand rapid frequency changes.
Lee Todd, Vice President, Energy & Carbon Services, Electrification Service at ABB, said the changing requirements represent a major shift in how data centers will interact with Ireland’s electricity network. He said simultaneous reduction in large loads during grid disturbances can create power imbalances and affect system frequency, making active grid support increasingly important.
ABB’s solution uses ultracapacitors to provide rapid power response without requiring the larger infrastructure traditionally associated with technologies such as synchronous condensers and STATCOM systems. For a representative 50 MW facility, the modular medium-voltage platform can use five 8.4 MVA compact power blocks, providing around 42 MVA of installed dynamic support capability.
Ireland’s Large Energy-User Action Plan also requires major data centers to provide dispatchable on-site or nearby generation and/or storage linked to their Maximum Import Capacity. New facilities are additionally expected to source at least 80% of annual energy from new locally developed renewable projects. ABB said early adoption of dynamic grid-support technologies could help data center operators improve regulatory compliance, operational resilience and participation in future flexibility and ancillary-services markets.
With a history spanning more than 140 years, ABB has built a strong global presence supported by approximately 110,000 employees worldwide. The company serves customers across a broad range of industries through its electrification and automation technologies and solutions. ABB’s shares are listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (ABBN) and Nasdaq Stockholm (ABB).
