ABB, the leading power and automation technology group, will design and install an advanced, direct current (DC) power distribution system for green.ch, one of the top information and communications technology (ITC) service providers in Switzerland. DC technology trims power conversion losses and is 10 to 20 percent more energy efficient than traditional alternating current (AC) technology for electrical distribution in data centers. DC systems are also less complex and require less space, reducing equipment, installation, real estate and maintenance costs, resulting in a saving on total facility costs of up to 30 percent. ABB will install a fully redundant 1 megawatt DC power distribution solution for the 1,500 m2 expansion of the existing 3,300 m2 data center. It will be designed and engineered to green.ch's stringent ecological standards by Validus DC Systems, an ABB company. The order includes a service level agreement, and the expansion is scheduled to begin commercial operation in the first quarter of 2012. Located in the municipality of Lupfig, in north-central Switzerland, the green.ch data center provides customers with secure storage and data management capabilities. The green.ch data center has been selected as ABB's demonstration site for its new DC technology. It will be used as a showcase for international data center customers seeking to profit from this groundbreaking technology by reaching new benchmarks in energy efficiency for data center technologies. "A DC system not only increases efficiency of the electrical infrastructure but also increases efficiency in the IT room, because less cooling is required, and in the data center itself, since power losses will be reduced," said Tarak Mehta, head of ABB's Low Voltage Products division. "DC is an ideal solution for data centers as it minimizes footprint, installation and maintenance costs, without sacrificing reliability." Franz Grüter, the CEO of green.ch, added, "Our goal is to employ the most reliable and cost-effective technology while providing global data center services at the highest standards of output, security and environmental stewardship. ABB's experience with DC electrical solutions and skilled technical support means we are very confident of gaining an advantage in this fast-evolving market. Our company name is a statement for ecology. The new DC technology of ABB allows us to fulfill our environmental responsibilities as part of our long-term goals." The project underlines ABB's goal to expand DC power applications. In May 2011, ABB gained a controlling interest in Validus DC Systems, a leading provider of DC power infrastructure equipment. In 2010, ABB invested in Power Assure, a developer of power management and optimization software for data centers. www.abb.com
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