Integrated energy storage systems in computing facilities

A method of providing emergency power to servers interconnected by a computer network, the method comprising:

• receiving, at a heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (“HVAC”) system, electrical power from a utility power grid, the HVAC system including a motor-generator mechanically coupled to drive an air mover with blades in the HVAC system and a power regulator operatively coupled to the motor-generator, wherein the motor-generator includes a motor and a generator mechanically coupled to the motor via a shaft;
• rotating the blades of the air mover by utilizing the motor of the motor-generator to convert the received electrical power from the utility power grid into kinetic energy associated with rotation of the blades, thereby generating an air flow to an enclosure housing the servers and impart mechanical energy to the generator via the shaft;
• and
• during a power failure of the utility power grid,
• receiving a command instructing the HVAC system to provide emergency power to the servers;
• utilizing the generator of the motor-generator to convert the kinetic energy contained in the rotating blades of the air mover into electrical energy;
• and
• in response to receiving the command, switching the power regulator to electrically couple an output from the generator of the HVAC system to the servers to provide the generated electrical energy from the generator as emergency power to the servers, thereby allowing the servers to continue executing applications without interruption.

A heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (“HVAC”) system configured to provide heating, ventilation, and/or air conditioning to an enclosure housing multiple servers interconnected by a computer network, the HVAC system comprising:

• an air mover having multiple blades, rotation of the blades generating an air flow in the enclosure housing the multiple servers;
• a motor-generator mechanically coupled to the air mover to drive the blades of the air mover, the motor-generator having a motor and a generator mechanically coupled to the motor via a shaft;
• wherein:
• the motor is configured to rotate the blades of the air mover by converting electrical power received from a utility power grid into kinetic energy associated with rotation of the blades, thereby generating the air flow and impart mechanical energy to the generator;
• and
• the generator is configured to convert the kinetic energy contained in the rotating blades of the air mover into electrical energy via the shaft;
• and
• a power regulator operatively coupled to the motor-generator, wherein the power regulator is configured to:
• receive a command instructing the HVAC system to provide emergency power to the servers during a power failure of the utility power grid;
• and
• in response to receiving the command, switch an electrical connection to the servers from the utility power grid to an output from the generator of the HVAC system to provide the generated electrical energy from the generator to the servers as emergency power during the power failure of the utility power grid, thereby allowing the servers to continue executing applications without interruption.