Data center energy management system using an energy flow configuration

A computing system configured to:

• determine an energy utilization forecast for a data center that includes a power generation system designed to be sufficient to meet normal energy needs of all systems within the data center, but insufficient to meet peak energy needs of the data center, and wherein the power generation system operates more efficiently when used at peak capacity than at less than peak capacity of the power generation system;
• monitor energy availability factors;
• determine, based on the energy utilization forecast and the monitored energy availability factors, an energy flow configuration defining energy flows involving an electrical power grid, the power generation system, a battery storage system, and the data center, wherein the energy flow configuration includes information identifying the power generation system as a primary source of power for the data center with the power generation system used at peak capacity, and wherein the energy flow configuration mandates that the data center is not to be powered by the electrical power grid even when power from the electrical power grid is available;
• provide power to the data center based on the energy flow configuration;
• and
• manage energy flows involving the battery storage system based on the energy flow configuration, wherein to manage the energy flows, the computing system meets peak energy needs of the data center by using power from both the power generation system and the battery storage system.

A method comprising:

• determining, by an energy management system, an energy utilization forecast for a data center that includes a power generation system sized to be sufficient to meet normal energy needs of all systems within the data center, but insufficient to meet peak energy needs of the data center, and wherein the power generation system operates more efficiently when used at peak capacity than at less than peak capacity of the power generation system;
• monitoring, by the energy management system, energy availability factors;
• determining, by the energy management system and based on the energy utilization forecast and the monitored energy availability factors, an energy flow configuration defining energy flows involving with an electrical power grid, the power generation system, a battery storage system, and the data center, wherein the energy flow configuration includes information identifying the power generation system as a primary source of power for the data center with the power generation system used at peak capacity, and wherein the energy flow configuration mandates that the data center is not to be powered by the electrical power grid even when power from the electrical power grid is available;
• providing, by the energy management system, power to the data center based on the energy flow configuration;
• and
• managing, by the energy management system, energy flows involving the battery storage system based on the energy flow configuration, wherein managing energy flows includes meeting peak energy needs of the data center by using power from both the power generation system and the battery storage system.

A non-transitory computer-readable storage medium comprising instructions that, when executed, configure processing circuitry of a computing system to:

• determine an energy utilization forecast for a data center that includes a power generation system sized to be sufficient to meet normal energy needs of all systems within the data center, but insufficient to meet peak energy needs of the data center, and wherein the power generation system operates more efficiently when used at peak capacity than at less than peak capacity of the power generation system;
• monitor energy availability factors;
• determine, based on the energy utilization forecast and the monitored energy availability factors, an energy flow configuration defining energy flows involving an electrical power grid, the power generation system, a battery storage system, and the data center, wherein the energy flow configuration includes information identifying the power generation system as a primary source of power for the data center with the power generation system used at peak capacity, and wherein the energy flow configuration mandates that the data center is not to be powered by the electrical power grid even when power from the electrical power grid is available;
• provide power to the data center based on the energy flow configuration;
• and
• manage energy flows involving the battery storage system based on the energy flow configuration, wherein managing energy flows includes meeting peak energy needs of the data center by using power from both the power generation system and the battery storage system.