High efficiency UPS solution for data & IT application

250KVA standalone UPS with AEG PS building block capability up to 1000KVA

To ensure the continuity of IT services and reduce risk of downtime caused by power outages, AEG Power Solutions has announced PROTECT Blue, its next-generation 3-phase UPS family. Designed and built for maximum flexibility, efficiency and availability, PROTECT Blue is also part of AEG’s Combination Architecture: The new UPS is compatible with renewable and alternative energy storage and sources as well as tomorrow’s SMART Grid and Micro Grid technology

Engineered around AEG Power Solutions building block concept, up to four 250KVA PROTECT Blue UPS can be connected together to support data center loads up to 1MW. PROTECT Blue provides an Eco-friendly UPS solution with low total cost of ownership (TCO) and low carbon impact. PROTECT Blue offers a high performance, compact footprint, competitively priced power protection solution.


“PROTECT Blue has been developed to fulfil the need for high efficiency, high reliability power protection devices for today’s data center and computer room requirements;” Comments Michael Adams, VP Data & IT at AEG Power Solutions. “As a component of our growing Combination Architecture portfolio, its flexible design is optimised for future integration into Micro Grids and other sustainable and renewable systems such as SuperCaps, solar and wind energy.”

PROTECT Blue employs a VFI topology, transformerless design providing high efficiency, greater than 95% under all load conditions, and very low THDI at less than 3%. This class leading performance is obtained by using state of the art IGBT switching and custom designed microprocessors to seamlessly offer N+1 redundant operation. Designed and developed to AEG Power Solutions own requirements these dedicated microprocessors control the UPS rectifier, inverter and static-bypass concurrently.

Local control is via a large, user friendly touch-screen which also displays available battery autonomy and runtime. 3 front panel LEDs are provided to indicate UPS status and an audible alarm sounds if a fault condition occurs. Remote signalling is available from up to 2 stackable cards with user selected configuration. Connection may be via internal modem, RS485, Profibus, Ethernet, SCADA interface or SNMP adapter and PROTECT Blue is supplied with the CompuWatch software suite for remote status control and monitoring.

Solar inverter's shining efficiency

A report jointly issued by the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems (ISE) and Bureau Veritas shows that AEG Power Solutions’ Protect PV.250 solar inverter offers remarkable efficiency. Energy conversion efficiency testing conducted according to European Standard EN 50530 yielded a very high efficiency grade of 98.7%.

Energy conversion efficiency testing was conducted at eight different power levels, nine DC voltage levels and for two module technologies (thin film and crystalline technology, both used in solar farms). MPPT testing, performed by ISE according to the same European EN 50530 standard, yielded a Maximum Power Point (MPP) efficiency grade of 99.99%. ISE also reported that the PV.250 inverter, launched in Sept. 2009, successfully complied with EN 50530 dynamic requirements.

Testing was conducted by Fraunhofer ISE, the largest solar energy research institute in Europe, and by Bureau Veritas, an international group specialized in the inspection, analysis, audit, and certification of products, infrastructure and management systems according to regulatory or voluntary standards. Designed for power plants generating from one to several hundred megawatts, the AEG Power Solutions Protect PV.250 inverter was developed and is manufactured in Warstein-Belecke, Germany.

Orders totalling 40 MW were already booked at the end of the second quarter, mainly for Germany, the Czech Republic and Italy, but also for Belgium and France. Certification for Italian grid operator ENEL has also been achieved. This means PV 250 will soon be included in the ENEL listing, a very promising achievement for AEG
Power Solutions on this market.
One of the first Protect PV.250 installed is part of the equipment of the solar farm of the city of Hungen in Germany. “The performance of the solar park is considerably higher than what the forecast and the efficiency study calculated. We are very satisfied.” Technical Manager Thomas Weichmann comments; "With the PV.250 technology in general, and especially with the infrastructure of the plant in Warstein-Belecke, AEG Power Solutions is very well positioned to fulfil all photovoltaic power plant requirements – today and in the future, in Germany and elsewhere,” said Enrique de la Cruz, VP Solar Strategic Business Unit . With DC voltage capability up to 1000 V, the Protect PV.250 enables customers to achieve optimal power efficiency thanks to its field-programmable gate array (FPGA) control system. Specifically engineered to meet the requirements of utility-grade applications, the Protect PV.250 can be customized to each application thanks to a range of available options and its unique container design.

AEG PS has started developing solar activity and products based on its sound power expertise two years ago. Its sales in solar inverters should be multiplied by 10 this year.

Standby power for mission-critical facilities

“Balancing continuing demands for greater and more reliable computing capacity in a world facing ever-tightening regulation of carbon emissions and the challenge of controlling power costs is now a major concern for everyone involved in the Data Centre industry” according to Michael Adams, Global Vice President, Data & IT, AEG Power Solutions.

With UPS systems accounting for a substantial part of the energy used by today’s facilities, AEG Power Solutions understand that optimising efficiency is a critical step forward in rising to meet these challenges.

Accordingly, they believe the launch of Combination Architecture© will provide the basis for a new generation of standby power systems capable of harnessing renewable and alternative energy sources. The new solutions will utilise low-impact, cost-efficient technologies as sources of power or energy storage in order to increase system efficiency and reduce carbon footprint. These technologies include ultra capacitors, fuel cells, solar cell and wind power energy.
Adams continues. "Our unique Combination Architecture© systems will deliver what our customers need most - a way to drive down infrastructure operating costs, provide additional energy to boost computing capacity and reduce Data Centre carbon footprint to help make our world greener and cleaner.”

One example of the application of Combination Architecture is a SuperCaps UPS which the company will be previewing at CeBIT, 2nd March 2010. The new product allows the whole or partial replacement of traditional lead acid battery banks with a more environmentally-friendly solution which requires less maintenance, provides faster recycling and eliminates the need for additional cooling.

"A clean and secure supply of power is critical to today’s data centres and IT facilities. Any power failure can have a devastating impact on mission-critical computers, communications and data resulting in costly downtime.” Adds Adams. “Combination Architecture is the next step forward to more efficient, environmentally responsible standby power and it’s only available from AEG Power Solutions. Just ask us how we can design a solution, incorporating fuel cell, SuperCap or battery storage to help reduce the environmental impact of any facility and reduce its running costs.”

Typical IT applications for Combination Architecture include Data Centres, networks, workstations, internet servers and telecommunication applications. Host computers, file servers and computer centres as well as their integration in complex networks in industrial companies, banks and insurance companies.

These standby power systems are also suitable for building control systems, equipment and systems for air traffic control, petrochemical installations offshore, onshore and pipelines, power generation, transmission, distribution, desalination treatment and industrial processes in chemicals, mining steel and paper.

New EMEA channel manager

AEG Power Solutions has appointed Gary Browning to the role of EMEA Channel Development Director. Gary has a BA (Hons) degree in Business Studies, specialising in International Marketing Pathways and 10 years practical experience of the IT industry with a proven track record in developing IT channel business for market leader APC.

Michael Adams, Global VP Data & IT for AEG Power Solutions commented, "With over a decade of hands-on experience and a proven track record in our industry, Gary will play an important role in developing channel strategy for AEG Power Solutions and taking us to greater heights in the Compact UPS channel business.”

Gary Browning added, “This is a new role at AEG Power Solutions and I am really looking forward to establishing the AEG Power Solutions brand in the Data and IT channel. I genuinely believe that we can provide a real alternative to the other major vendors currently operating in the market place. We have already established a strong reputation with our UPS products in a number of key industrial applications and the plan is now to replicate this success within the Data and IT arena.”

“The AEG Power Solutions brand represents more than 60 years of German engineering and UPS manufacture. We provide a reliable, premium product at an affordable price, and we continue to develop new product solutions that are relevant to the market.” Browning continued, “We will shortly be launching a channel partner programme in the UK, and through this and other initiatives we will work closely with the channel to develop long-term, mutually beneficial relationships.”

AEG Power Solutions offers the Protect series of UPS products for channel resellers, providing uninterruptible security for PC’s, workstations, telephone systems and multimedia applications. Standard features include line-interactive UPS technology, automatic voltage regulation (AVR), double mains filter, USB and RS232 communication interfaces and includes data line protection.

New VP

Appointment announced in major power solution provider

AEG Power Solutions, has announced the appointment of Michael Adams as Global VP for Data & IT. This is a new role for the company and signifies its intention to increase its penetration into this important sector. In addition to its existing product line-up, the company is developing new standby power solutions to meet modern requirements for higher efficiency and lower carbon footprint infrastructure.

Adams was chosen for the role because of his technical background as well as his long-term experience in the UPS industry and knowledge of the IT business. Under his guidance, AEG will focus on strengthening channels to market for its stand-alone UPS systems for computer networks and servers, as well as developing specific product and service solutions for computer rooms and data centres.

Born and educated in South Africa, Michael Adams began his career as a design engineer before starting his own standby power business. Following a move to Britain he took on the role of Great Britain and Ireland Country Manager for American Power Conversion (now APC by Schneider Electric), becoming Managing Director in the summer of 2004 and subsequently filling the post of EMEA Director of Professional Services.

Adams left APC in 2007 to lead a start-up business and prior to joining AEG Power Solutions, was providing business consultancy to a range of blue chip organisations linked by their dependence upon IT services and an ongoing need to reliably process large volumes of data. A well-known figure in the data centre market, Adams has successfully advised customers experiencing rising facility operating costs and power and cooling challenges.

Michael Adams says “The Data & IT sector has come under scrutiny for its high energy use and carbon footprint. IT is a key facilitator of business growth and therefore it is unlikely that in the immediate future there will be a reversal of the upward trend of server and storage equipment requirements. It is therefore incumbent on manufacturers to provide energy efficient products together with dependable guidance to ensure they are operated to gain the maximum benefit. AEG is investing in the future of the standby power industry to supply solutions which are renewable-ready; to reduce environmental impact while still meeting the ongoing need for IT service availability.”