ABB launches ultracapacitor storage system to help Irish data centers meet new grid code

Electrical systems manufacturer ABB has introduced a new ultracapacitor-based energy storage solution designed to provide real-time, coordinated grid support for data centers in Ireland. The system addresses a forthcoming EirGrid grid code requirement that will mandate active grid support during fault conditions for large demand facilities.

The new grid code, known as MPID345, will require data centers and other large electricity consumers to remain connected to the grid during fault events rather than disconnecting automatically. Once voltage recovers, affected facilities must restore 90 percent of their pre-fault power demand within 500 milliseconds—a requirement that ABB says fundamentally changes how data centers interact with the national grid.

ABB’s platform combines its ultracapacitor energy storage with grid-forming power conversion and digital control in a compact, modular, behind-the-meter system. According to the company, the system can respond to grid disturbances in milliseconds without requiring data centers to redesign their existing electrical infrastructure. Unlike conventional backup systems such as UPS units, diesel generators, and protection schemes—which typically isolate facilities from grid events—the new platform allows facilities to actively stabilize the grid while maintaining operational continuity.

The launch comes as data centers in Ireland consume approximately 24 percent of the country's total electricity supply, a share ABB projects will rise to 30 percent by 2032. The company also noted that load reduction during grid fault events in Ireland has grown from 74 MW in January 2022 to 387 MW in May 2025, underscoring the increasing strain data centers place on grid stability.

"This is a radical change in what the national grid demands of Ireland's data center operators," said Lee Todd, vice president of energy and carbon services, electrification service at ABB. "When large loads shed simultaneously during a disturbance, the resulting power imbalance can drive frequency excursions that cascade across the entire grid. That is why the country's data center operators will be required to provide grid support. And while Ireland is leading the way, other countries such as Spain and the US State of Texas are set to follow."

The move highlights a broader trend in which grid operators are increasingly looking to large electricity consumers, particularly data centers, to participate actively in grid stability. As Ireland continues to attract hyperscale data center investment, the ability to meet stricter grid compliance requirements is becoming a critical operational consideration. ABB’s solution is positioned as a way for operators to meet these obligations without compromising uptime or requiring extensive retrofits.