Rolls-Royce supplies backup power to Colorado data center

Rolls-Royce announced it received an order from its distributor Smith Power Products to provide two 1,500-kW mtu Kinetic PowerPacks (KPPs) for NOVVA Data Centers, a provider of sustainable, secure colocation in the Western United States. The KPPs will provide emergency backup power for an expansion of NOVVA’s Colorado Springs data center.

Two mtu Kinetic PowerPacks will provide emergency backup power for an expansion at NOVVA’s Colorado Springs data center. The dynamic UPS will be provided in containers. (Photo: Rolls-Royce Power Systems)

KPPs are considered a dynamic UPS system, said Rolls-Royce. They use stored kinetic energy from the flywheel to power the synchronous machine and provide an immediate response until the engine comes online seconds later to take over the load. They feature a battery-free design and the ability to run on hydrotreated vegetable oil (HVO)/renewable diesel, which the company said fits with NOVVA’s emphasis on conservation and sustainability.

“The space and cost savings from the battery-free design of the KPP system were key considerations for NOVVA in deciding on this solution for an expansion at their Colorado Springs location,” said Nick Paolo, business development manager, Smith Power Products. “We have already installed over 50 MW of emergency standby power for NOVVA’s various locations based on mtu Series 4000 gen-sets, so we’re excited to demonstrate the same absolute reliability the KPP technology has to offer.”

The KPPs will be built at the Rolls-Royce competence center in Liege, Belgium, and are scheduled to be commissioned in Q4 2024. They will be supported locally by a full-service maintenance contract to ensure the system performs at the highest level for its 20+ year lifecycle.

In addition to the KPPs, Smith Power will provide a selective catalytic reduction (SCR) system, as well as custom enclosures for the units that include 24-hour fuel storage.