— Anoop Nanda, Managing Director-S.Asia, S.E.Asia & Japan,
Electrical Sector, Eaton Corporation
Eaton Corporation is a diversified power management
company clocking sales of $13.7 billion in 2011. Celebrating
its 100th anniversary in 2011, Eaton is a global technology
leader in electrical components and systems for power
quality, with a presence in more than 150 countries.
Anoop Nanda, in an exclusive interaction, talks at length
about Eaton's uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems.
Apart from making efficient products, Nanda emphasizes on
Eaton's consciousness towards making "green" products. An
interview by
Venugopal Pillai.
To begin with, tell us in brief about the various UPS products that Eaton makes for the
Indian market.
Eaton India offers complete basket of single-phase and three-phase products in the
various range starting from 600VA to 1,100kVA. These ratings can then be paralleled for
capacity and redundant operation to deliver total 4,400kVA.
What is Eaton's business outlook on the Indian UPS market and what do you regard as
the main business drivers for UPS products?
Based on IMS data, the Indian UPS market is approximately $651 million in 2012 and
expected to grow at 12 per cent.
The growth of three-phase products is likely to be more robust in the coming years
due to strong investment in the service and infrastructure verticals. The data
center/server room in the IT and manufacturing verticals are also the main drivers of
growth in the large capacity UPS systems.
What is Eaton's plan of penetrating the retail market (UPS for home use) where
domestic and even local brands appear to be stronger?
UPS ratings in less than or equal to 3kVA are mostly for SOHO segment and it constitutes
approximately one-third of the single-phase business. The easy availability, prompt
after sales support, value pricing, wide distribution channels and brand visibility are the
key drivers for this segment.
Eaton has recently appointed Tier-1 distributors and is focused on engaging,
appointing and developing channels in the untapped concentrated and
major commercial centers along with opening new sales locations to support
them. The product performance and basket along with partnership
with channels having good infrastructure and support capability will be the key differentiators and Eaton would continue to work in
this direction.
Tell us about how Eaton integrates software products with its
UPS product offerings to give more efficiency to users?
The way we make this happen has got two sides to it:
One is through our Power Xpert meters. Eaton offers a suite
of hardware and software products in its Power Xpert
Architecture program. It assists you in reducing your energy
consumption, minimizing environmental and economic
impacts associated with excessive energy use. Power Xpert
Software and Power Xpert Reporting combines to provide
aggregate information into understandable charts and graphs
that allow users to easily identify energy-saving opportunities
throughout their building.
Another way we do it is through our Eaton-proprietary
technology-Energy Saver System (ESS). ESS maximises UPS
efficiency and significantly reduces energy consumption,
environmental impact and power costs without compromising
reliability.
Eaton's innovative ESS technology enables the UPS to reach
an industry-leading efficiency level of 99 per cent by allowing
the UPS to safely provide mains current directly to a load when
the input is within acceptable voltage and frequency limits.
ESS's fast detection algorithms continuously monitor incoming
power quality. If the predefined limits are exceeded, ESS
immediately engages the UPS power converters, allowing
transition to full voltage and frequency independent (VFI)
double-conversion mode in less than two milliseconds.
ESS ensures clean power to the load while simultaneously
maximising efficiency. It drives electrical losses down to
almost zero, leading to significant energy and cost savings.
Compared to conventional 'eco-mode' capabilities available
with legacy products, ESS offers the best possible efficiency
and the fastest transition times to double conversion when
power disturbances occur.
Please elaborate on the Eaton 9395 UPS that recently won the
SMaRT Gold certification. What are the prospects for this
product in the Indian market?
The SMaRT Gold Certified 9395 can contribute to points in two
LEED Credit Categories for buildings and projects seeking
certification.
In Innovation and Design Credit: Using
SMaRT certified building materials and
products that account for 2.5 per cent of
the total value of all building materials and
products used in the project based on cost.
In Energy and Atmosphere Credit:
Demonstrating a percentage improvement
in the proposed building performance
rating compared with the baseline building
performance rating.
With Energy Saver System exceeding 99
per cent efficiency, the 9395 reduces total
energy losses by more than 80 per cent
when compared to legacy UPSs.
The energy saving parameters is
better vis-à-vis competition. It has a
power combination of power
performance, reliability and energy
savings going for it. Moreover the Green
Leaf product comes at a time, when the
customers are becoming conscious of the
impact their decisions have on the
environment. Many customers have
found immense value and low TCO in 9395
and this trend would continue. In India
too, the 9395 UPS has been a huge
success with many installations ranging
from airports, hospitals, hospitality to
data centers and IT enabled services.
Tell us about Eaton's growing
consciousness in making its UPS products
"greener".
Sustainability has always been at the heart
of Eaton business, which is clear in the
introduction of the new Eaton 9395 UPSone
of the first products designated as an
Eaton Green Leaf Solution.
The Eaton Green Leaf is used to identify
an Eaton product, solution or service that
offers proven exceptional environmental
benefits. It is important that our
commitment to the environment is credible
and substantiated.
Taking Eaton 9395 as an example in our
efforts in making Eaton UPS a greener UPS:
- Eaton UPS offers a much smaller
footprint than legacy systems
- Operating at greater than 94 per cent
efficiency, the 9395 requires less power,
which in turn creates cooler operating
conditions. This translates to reduced
facility air conditioning requirements,
while extending the life of UPS
components and batteries
Another Eaton UPS that has been
designated as an Eaton Green Leaf
Certified Solution is Eaton BladeUPS.
The Eaton BladeUPS is a data centrespecific
solution that provides scalable
backup power for blade servers, storage
devices and IT equipment.
Given that Indian grid power is often
unreliable in terms of quality or
availability, how do you assess, in broad
terms, the potential of Eaton's "Quality
Power" range of products and solutions
in India?
Product reliability, performance, solution
approach and prompt after sales would be
the key differentiator. Eaton has edge over
competitors' in these aspects.