The age of the internet has revolutionized so many day-to-day and business activities that it is hard to imagine life without it. Everything from online shopping, digital databases, and video conferencing to driving directions, social media platforms, and telehealth are activities previous generations could only dream of. The data centers tied to these activities play a vital, often hidden, role. These critical facilities at the heart of so many modern conveniences are expected to simply work without interruption — even in the face of natural disasters, power outages, and pandemics.
In the cable telecommunications industry, there has been a focus on electricity system resiliency to prevent power disruption during outages and ensure the rapid restoration of electricity to reduce the fallout of disruptions in critical facilities. While diesel generators are a viable solution for backup power, in the past five years, renewable energy (RE) has played an increasingly important role in building resiliency in these facilities.