Vertiv cooling refurb delivers 70% saving 

SPAIN: The modernisation of the cooling infrastructure at the Madrid HQ of sustainable infrastructure solutions company Acciona is said to have delivered a 70% reduction in energy consumption.

The project, carried out by Vertiv, projected a return on investment in approximately three years, while maintaining full operational continuity.

Following a proactive assessment by Vertiv’s service team, opportunities were identified to further enhance the performance of cooling units that had been operating reliably for over a decade. The goal was clear: increase energy efficiency and available capacity without disrupting operations or compromising availability.

Rather than replacing existing assets, Vertiv says the initiative demonstrated how rethinking the performance of installed infrastructure through a lifecycle and growth‑oriented design approach can unlock significant efficiency gains and future capacity. 

The solution focused on upgrading from fixed-speed AC fans to high-efficiency, variable-speed EC fans, integrated with Vertiv Liebert iCOM controls for real-time optimisation of unit components and setpoints. Unlike conventional cooling units operating at constant speed, the upgraded system dynamically adjusts airflow based on actual demand, to enhance system responsiveness and contribute to an extended infrastructure life cycle.

Before full implementation, Vertiv and Acciona validated the solution through a pilot upgrade on two cooling units, confirming projected energy savings and system improvements. 

The full modernisation was executed during regular working operations by leveraging the existing N+1 redundancy to enable continuous operations with no downtime. In addition to energy efficiency gains, the optimisation also freed up cooling capacity and available power within the data centre, creating headroom for future IT expansion without requiring major capital investments.