UPS

Uninterruptable Power Supply

UPS systems provide the ability to draw power from batteries while they're being charged. These units are used to protect critical devices that cannot lose power for even a very brief time, such as a life support system or a computer server.

To understand the benefits of a UPS system, think of it as you would a water tower. First, as long as there is water in the tower, the flow will be constant. Second, the tower can be filled and used simultaneously. A UPS system operates in much the same way. All energy flows through the unit battery so any short-term disruption in supply will not impact the flow of energy.

While UPS systems are useful for preventing power disruptions, the hardware is expensive, and these systems consume 3–4% of the energy that passes through them. When a customer has little or no tolerance for voltage dips, a UPS unit is a good tool to allow an energy system to seamlessly transition to or from the grid.