![](\"https:\/\/www.lovatoelectric.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/AdobeStock_859109994-scaled.jpeg\" "\\"Rows")
<\/span><\/div>Power continuity and energy efficiency in U.S. Data Centers<\/h2><\/div>U.S. data center electricity use has roughly tripled over the past decade, and the infrastructure behind that growth is under pressure.<\/span><\/p>\nAccording to the 2024 Report on U.S. Data Center Energy Use, total U.S. data center electricity usage climbed from 58 TWh in 2014 to 176 TWh in 2023 \u2014 about 4.4% of total U.S. electricity. By 2028, it is projected to reach 325 to 580 TWh, or roughly 6.7 to 12% of national electricity. The same report attributes much of the surge to AI.<\/p>\n
Between servers, cooling, backup power and lighting, energy costs can account for 30 to 50% of total operating expenses. At the same time, a single dropped load can trigger outage costs and SLA penalties that erode those savings, so operators have to control energy usage while still maintaining continuity.<\/p>\n
A data center\u2019s reliability and efficiency are decided in the same place \u2014 the switching and metering layer between the utility, generator and load \u2014 with real consequences for uptime, operating cost and carbon footprint. It pays to specify that layer as one integrated, intelligent system rather than a set of separately chosen parts.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
POWER CONTINUITY AND OPTIMIZING ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE<\/h2><\/div>A data center consumes 80 to 200 times more energy than a conventional commercial building, and in many facilities, energy costs represent nearly half of the operational budget. To operate properly, a facility must control temperature, maintain constant humidity and calibrate airflow, pressurization and electrical redundancy; any deviation can degrade performance or cause a costly outage. At the same time, due to tightening efficiency standards, operators must demonstrate rigorous energy management and reduce their carbon footprint.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n
Precise control of power distribution and cooling can help operators stabilize their expenses. Power outages, meanwhile, are among the most costly incidents in the digital industry, and a reliable electrical infrastructure reduces downtime risk, data loss and service interruptions.<\/p>\n
Tier ratings, defined by the Uptime Institute, determine how much continuity a facility must deliver and correspond to widely cited availability figures \u2014 about 99.982% for a Tier III facility, or about 1.6 hours of downtime per year, on an N+1 architecture. A Tier IV facility delivers 99.995%, or about 26.3 minutes per year, on a 2N or 2N+1 architecture with all distribution paths simultaneously active.<\/p>\n
Much of that downtime risk is concentrated in the switchover from utility to generator. The utility feed is the least reliable element in the path, so every critical facility pairs it with onsite generation the load can fall back to. When the utility falls out of tolerance, the UPS instantly carries the critical bus from its battery energy storage system (BESS) while the standby plant spins up. Standby diesel generators are expected to start and accept load within roughly ten seconds.<\/p>\n
The transfer switch controller detects the loss, orchestrates the generator start, and with the transfer switch moves the load and later returns it. A single failed transfer can cost more downtime than a Tier IV facility is allowed in a year. This solution is a small part of the facility by cost and footprint, but it decides whether the redundancy engineered everywhere else actually delivers.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
THE TRANSFER-SWITCHING LAYER<\/h2><\/div>A transfer arrangement is made up of two parts. The first is a dedicated automatic transfer switch controller that continuously monitors sources for voltage, frequency, phase and sequence. The transfer switch controller:<\/p>\n
\u2022 Declares a source failed against programmable thresholds and delays
\n\u2022 Commands the generator to start
\n\u2022 The transfer switch then executes the transfer once the incoming source is stable
\n\u2022 Re-transfers when the preferred source returns
\n\u2022 Lastly, the controller Reports its status upstream<\/p>\n
Building that logic into a purpose-built controller, rather than assembling it from discrete relays, makes the behavior repeatable, tunable to the site and auditable. Higher-tier controllers add direct current sensing on all phases plus neutral, so transfer strategy can be load-aware rather than voltage-aware alone.<\/p>\n
The second half of the transfer-switching layer is the switching device, whose reliability is characterized by mechanical and electrical endurance \u2014 i.e., the operating cycles it performs over its life \u2014 and by its ability to withstand fault current while maintaining isolation. Because the device cycles on every utility disturbance, scheduled test and re-transfer, its rated operating-cycle life is what determines how long it survives in service.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>
A2L REPLACEMENT REFRIGERANTS AT A GLANCE<\/h2><\/div>The ASHRAE A2L classification means lower toxicity (A), flammable (2) and low burning velocity at or below 10 cm\/s (L). The table below compares the leading A2L replacements against the legacy R-410A <\/span>they are displacing.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>ASHRAE Standard 34 classifications.<\/i><\/p>\n
The high LFL values \u2014 typically 10 to 19 percent volume in air compared to roughly 2 percent for propane \u2014 mean that a large concentration must accumulate before a flammable mixture forms.
\nThe high <\/span>minimum ignition energy means A2L gases need a powerful source to ignite. An electrical arc from <\/span>an electromechanical contactor or switch supplies more than enough energy, which is why switching <\/span>components are the primary focus of A2L compliance.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>LOVATO ELECTRIC SOLUTIONS FOR DATA CENTERS<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>Protection and distribution<\/u><\/b>. P5ME Series MCCBs (UL 489) protect against overloads and short circuits in critical installations, P1MB Series MCBs (UL 489 \/ UL 1077) protect secondary circuits and GA \/ GL disconnect switches provide safe isolation. The GA range spans 16\u2013125 A with 800 V rated insulation, 8 kV impulse withstand and 100,000-cycle endurance. GEF\/GMF fusible disconnects provide short circuit protection up to 100kA and range from 30-800A.<\/p>\n<\/div>Transfer and changeover switching.<\/u><\/b> The GLC \/ GLCMB changeover range is listed to UL 1008 in three- and four-pole, manual and motorized versions, with motor-control voltages including 24 VDC and 110\u2013277 VAC\/ DC, scaling through 100 A, 200 A, and 400 A frames. The enclosed ATP automatic transfer switches package four-pole contactors with an ATL controller, built to IEC 61439-2.<\/p>\n<\/div>Transfer switch controllers.<\/u><\/b> The ATL series spans the compact ATL100, the ATL500 (NFC programming, two sources), the ATL600\/610 (closed-transition capability, RS-485 via EXP\u2026 expansion modules) and the ATL800\/ATL900 (two- and three-source with tie-breaker control, built-in RS-485 and three-phaseplus- neutral current inputs for load-aware switching). All are listed to UL 508 and CSA C22.2 No. 14, alongside the relevant IEC 60947 standards.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>Load control and management.<\/u><\/b> BG-series mini-contactors (6\u201312 A, 3\u20137.5 HP at 480 V) and BF-series contactors (up to 630 A, up to 500 HP at 480 V) manage generators, ventilation and auxiliary equipment. Motor protection circuit breakers add proactive motor protection, and ADXL, ADXN and ADXT soft starters deliver smooth startup with reduced stress.<\/p>\n
Energy monitoring and analysis.<\/u><\/b> DMG series power analyzers deliver real-time measurement, harmonic and powerfactor analysis and anomaly detection. The Easy Branch system reduces wiring while extending visibility to individual circuits, and monitoring software provides dashboards, alarms and automated reports for continuous PUE management.<\/p>\n
Signaling, safety and communication.<\/u><\/b> Signal towers give fast visual alerts, BFS safety contactors manage emergency stop and critical applications, and RS-485\/ Modbus-RTU and Ethernet\/Modbus-TCP modules integrate the full range into existing Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) and building-management systems.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n\n\nTransition<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n
\nMechanism<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n
\nSource Overlap<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n
\nInterruption to Load<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n
\nTypical Application<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n\n\nOpen<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
\nOpens the connected source, then closes the incoming source after a short dead interval<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
\nNone<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
\nBrief dead time,
\nridden through by the UPS<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
\nStandard transfer of UPS-backed loads<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\nClosed<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
\nSynchronizes the two sources and briefly parallels them before opening the outgoing source<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
\nBrief momentary parallel<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
\nNone<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
\nRe-transfer to utility and scheduled tests<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
\n\nDeplayed\/in-phase<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
\nInserts a timed neutral dwell so residual motor voltage decays before reconnection<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
\nNone<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
\nControlled dead time<\/p>\n<\/td>\n
\nMotor and compressor loads<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>
U.S. data center electricity use has roughly tripled over the past decade, and the infrastructure behind that growth is under pressure.<\/span><\/p>\n According to the 2024 Report on U.S. Data Center Energy Use, total U.S. data center electricity usage climbed from 58 TWh in 2014 to 176 TWh in 2023 \u2014 about 4.4% of total U.S. electricity. By 2028, it is projected to reach 325 to 580 TWh, or roughly 6.7 to 12% of national electricity. The same report attributes much of the surge to AI.<\/p>\n Between servers, cooling, backup power and lighting, energy costs can account for 30 to 50% of total operating expenses. At the same time, a single dropped load can trigger outage costs and SLA penalties that erode those savings, so operators have to control energy usage while still maintaining continuity.<\/p>\n A data center\u2019s reliability and efficiency are decided in the same place \u2014 the switching and metering layer between the utility, generator and load \u2014 with real consequences for uptime, operating cost and carbon footprint. It pays to specify that layer as one integrated, intelligent system rather than a set of separately chosen parts.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> A data center consumes 80 to 200 times more energy than a conventional commercial building, and in many facilities, energy costs represent nearly half of the operational budget. To operate properly, a facility must control temperature, maintain constant humidity and calibrate airflow, pressurization and electrical redundancy; any deviation can degrade performance or cause a costly outage. At the same time, due to tightening efficiency standards, operators must demonstrate rigorous energy management and reduce their carbon footprint.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Precise control of power distribution and cooling can help operators stabilize their expenses. Power outages, meanwhile, are among the most costly incidents in the digital industry, and a reliable electrical infrastructure reduces downtime risk, data loss and service interruptions.<\/p>\n Tier ratings, defined by the Uptime Institute, determine how much continuity a facility must deliver and correspond to widely cited availability figures \u2014 about 99.982% for a Tier III facility, or about 1.6 hours of downtime per year, on an N+1 architecture. A Tier IV facility delivers 99.995%, or about 26.3 minutes per year, on a 2N or 2N+1 architecture with all distribution paths simultaneously active.<\/p>\n Much of that downtime risk is concentrated in the switchover from utility to generator. The utility feed is the least reliable element in the path, so every critical facility pairs it with onsite generation the load can fall back to. When the utility falls out of tolerance, the UPS instantly carries the critical bus from its battery energy storage system (BESS) while the standby plant spins up. Standby diesel generators are expected to start and accept load within roughly ten seconds.<\/p>\n The transfer switch controller detects the loss, orchestrates the generator start, and with the transfer switch moves the load and later returns it. A single failed transfer can cost more downtime than a Tier IV facility is allowed in a year. This solution is a small part of the facility by cost and footprint, but it decides whether the redundancy engineered everywhere else actually delivers.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> A transfer arrangement is made up of two parts. The first is a dedicated automatic transfer switch controller that continuously monitors sources for voltage, frequency, phase and sequence. The transfer switch controller:<\/p>\n \u2022 Declares a source failed against programmable thresholds and delays Building that logic into a purpose-built controller, rather than assembling it from discrete relays, makes the behavior repeatable, tunable to the site and auditable. Higher-tier controllers add direct current sensing on all phases plus neutral, so transfer strategy can be load-aware rather than voltage-aware alone.<\/p>\n The second half of the transfer-switching layer is the switching device, whose reliability is characterized by mechanical and electrical endurance \u2014 i.e., the operating cycles it performs over its life \u2014 and by its ability to withstand fault current while maintaining isolation. Because the device cycles on every utility disturbance, scheduled test and re-transfer, its rated operating-cycle life is what determines how long it survives in service.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> The ASHRAE A2L classification means lower toxicity (A), flammable (2) and low burning velocity at or below 10 cm\/s (L). The table below compares the leading A2L replacements against the legacy R-410A <\/span>they are displacing.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div> ASHRAE Standard 34 classifications.<\/i><\/p>\n The high LFL values \u2014 typically 10 to 19 percent volume in air compared to roughly 2 percent for propane \u2014 mean that a large concentration must accumulate before a flammable mixture forms. Protection and distribution<\/u><\/b>. P5ME Series MCCBs (UL 489) protect against overloads and short circuits in critical installations, P1MB Series MCBs (UL 489 \/ UL 1077) protect secondary circuits and GA \/ GL disconnect switches provide safe isolation. The GA range spans 16\u2013125 A with 800 V rated insulation, 8 kV impulse withstand and 100,000-cycle endurance. GEF\/GMF fusible disconnects provide short circuit protection up to 100kA and range from 30-800A.<\/p>\n<\/div> Transfer and changeover switching.<\/u><\/b> The GLC \/ GLCMB changeover range is listed to UL 1008 in three- and four-pole, manual and motorized versions, with motor-control voltages including 24 VDC and 110\u2013277 VAC\/ DC, scaling through 100 A, 200 A, and 400 A frames. The enclosed ATP automatic transfer switches package four-pole contactors with an ATL controller, built to IEC 61439-2.<\/p>\n<\/div> Transfer switch controllers.<\/u><\/b> The ATL series spans the compact ATL100, the ATL500 (NFC programming, two sources), the ATL600\/610 (closed-transition capability, RS-485 via EXP\u2026 expansion modules) and the ATL800\/ATL900 (two- and three-source with tie-breaker control, built-in RS-485 and three-phaseplus- neutral current inputs for load-aware switching). All are listed to UL 508 and CSA C22.2 No. 14, alongside the relevant IEC 60947 standards.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Load control and management.<\/u><\/b> BG-series mini-contactors (6\u201312 A, 3\u20137.5 HP at 480 V) and BF-series contactors (up to 630 A, up to 500 HP at 480 V) manage generators, ventilation and auxiliary equipment. Motor protection circuit breakers add proactive motor protection, and ADXL, ADXN and ADXT soft starters deliver smooth startup with reduced stress.<\/p>\n Energy monitoring and analysis.<\/u><\/b> DMG series power analyzers deliver real-time measurement, harmonic and powerfactor analysis and anomaly detection. The Easy Branch system reduces wiring while extending visibility to individual circuits, and monitoring software provides dashboards, alarms and automated reports for continuous PUE management.<\/p>\n Signaling, safety and communication.<\/u><\/b> Signal towers give fast visual alerts, BFS safety contactors manage emergency stop and critical applications, and RS-485\/ Modbus-RTU and Ethernet\/Modbus-TCP modules integrate the full range into existing Data Center Infrastructure Management (DCIM) and building-management systems.<\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div> Transition<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n Mechanism<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n Source Overlap<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n Interruption to Load<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n Typical Application<\/b><\/p>\n<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n\n Open<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Opens the connected source, then closes the incoming source after a short dead interval<\/p>\n<\/td>\n None<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Brief dead time, Standard transfer of UPS-backed loads<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Closed<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Synchronizes the two sources and briefly parallels them before opening the outgoing source<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Brief momentary parallel<\/p>\n<\/td>\n None<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Re-transfer to utility and scheduled tests<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n Deplayed\/in-phase<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Inserts a timed neutral dwell so residual motor voltage decays before reconnection<\/p>\n<\/td>\n None<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Controlled dead time<\/p>\n<\/td>\n Motor and compressor loads<\/p>\n<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>POWER CONTINUITY AND OPTIMIZING ELECTRICAL INFRASTRUCTURE<\/h2><\/div>
THE TRANSFER-SWITCHING LAYER<\/h2><\/div>
\n\u2022 Commands the generator to start
\n\u2022 The transfer switch then executes the transfer once the incoming source is stable
\n\u2022 Re-transfers when the preferred source returns
\n\u2022 Lastly, the controller Reports its status upstream<\/p>\nA2L REPLACEMENT REFRIGERANTS AT A GLANCE<\/h2><\/div>
\nThe high <\/span>minimum ignition energy means A2L gases need a powerful source to ignite. An electrical arc from <\/span>an electromechanical contactor or switch supplies more than enough energy, which is why switching <\/span>components are the primary focus of A2L compliance.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/div><\/div><\/div>LOVATO ELECTRIC SOLUTIONS FOR DATA CENTERS<\/h2><\/div><\/div><\/div>
\n\n
\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n
\nridden through by the UPS<\/p>\n<\/td>\n\n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n \n
![](\"https:\/\/www.lovatoelectric.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/2026-696_Lovato_WP_DataCenters_v1-1.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/span><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/www.lovatoelectric.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/sr2026-696_Lovato_WP_DataCenters_v1.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/span><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/www.lovatoelectric.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/adx2026-696_Lovato_WP_DataCenters_v1.jpeg\")
<\/a><\/span><\/div>![](\"https:\/\/www.lovatoelectric.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/11\/compo-datacenter.jpeg\" "\\"compo")
<\/span><\/div><\/div><\/div>