Rugged UPS Solutions for Enhancing Microgrid Performance
Reliable, clean, continuous power for the PLCs, SCADA, communications and protection systems that keep every microgrid running.
Microgrids are only as reliable as the controls that run them. While generators, solar, wind and battery energy storage (BESS) deliver the bulk power, it is the control layer—the PLCs, SCADA, communications, monitoring and protection systems—that keeps the entire system synchronized, safe and online. These loads are small, but a disturbance to them can affect the availability of the wider microgrid.
AMETEK IntelliPower designs IntelliShield rugged UPS to support this control layer. Rather than acting as a general microgrid power source, IntelliShield delivers clean, continuous, point-of-load power where critical controls live—including remote, isolated and non-conditioned environments where standard UPS equipment is often not rated to operate.
Industry Overview
As global demand for flexible, resilient and sustainable power grows, microgrids have become a critical technology in modern power distribution. They operate off-grid or in tandem with the utility grid, and can be powered by diesel and natural-gas generators, solar, wind, and large-scale battery storage in hybrid configurations that balance supply and demand.
Within these architectures sits a distributed set of control systems. Smart switchgear controllers, inverters, protection relays, communications gateways and energy-management controllers must remain operational during black-start and restoration sequences, source transitions and grid interruptions. The market focus is broadening from “power the whole site” to “maintain reliable control power”—and that is where a rugged, high-performance UPS earns its place.
- Not a bulk microgrid power source – IntelliShield supports the control layer.
- Point-of-load deployment – the UPS sits next to the equipment it powers.
- Built for the edge – rugged enough for remote, isolated and non-conditioned sites.
Challenges
Microgrid operators and integrators face a consistent set of control-power considerations that a general-purpose UPS may not address:
Switching between grid, generator, solar and BESS can create sags, surges and interruptions that may disrupt sensitive controls.
PLCs, relays and comms are spread across the site—often far from a conditioned electrical room.
Dust, vibration, wide temperature swings and limited environmental conditioning can defeat commercial-grade UPS units.
Critical controls must be energized to support black-start and restoration; availability of control power is a prerequisite for those sequences.
Modern controllers and communications need clean, low-THD sine power to avoid faults and data loss.
Centralized UPS architectures can require conditioned space and long cable runs to reach the load.
Download the Microgrid Infographic Sheet to learn more about how IntelliPower’s UPS systems maintain mission-critical infrastructure for facilities like remote data centers.
Our Solutions for the Industry
IntelliShield rugged UPS is engineered around three value propositions that map directly to the microgrid control layer:
Online double-conversion topology delivers clean, regulated, low-THD power with zero transfer time—protecting controls from disturbances and interruptions during normal operation and source transitions.
A compact, rugged 2U design lets the UPS be installed close to the controls it supports—which can reduce long protected-power runs and the need for dedicated conditioned space.
MIL-STD 810/461 construction, wide input tolerance (108–264 Vac, 47–440 Hz) and VRLA or LiFePO4 battery options provide reliable control power in remote, isolated and non-conditioned locations—even at temperatures up to +50 °C.
IntelliShield can black start and provide the power needed to energize critical controls during a black-start or restoration sequence. The ability of the wider microgrid to black start will depend on the overall system architecture.
Benefits
| Continuous control power | Mission-critical PLC, SCADA and protection loads stay online through outages and source transitions. |
| Lower installation cost | Point-of-load design can reduce the need for long protected-power runs and dedicated conditioned space or HVAC. |
| Survives the edge | MIL-STD rugged build handles dust, shock, vibration and –20 to +50 °C sites. |
| Clean, safe power | Low-THD online double-conversion protects sensitive electronics and communications. |
| Black-start control power | Can black start to energize critical controls during black-start and restoration sequences. |
| Battery flexibility | VRLA for cost or LiFePO4 for long cycle life, plus external packs for extended runtime. |
| Full visibility | SNMP / SCADA-compatible monitoring for remote diagnostics of distributed assets. |
| Proven & certified | Trusted by the U.S. military; MIL-STD certified and ISO 9001 compliant. |
Use Cases and Applications
IntelliShield rugged UPS is designed for applications where critical controls are distributed or located outside environments with reliable, conditioned power:
- Microgrid and distributed-generation controls
- BESS balance-of-plant, supporting and communications controls
- Generator and switchgear controls
- PLC, SCADA and communications systems
- Utility and renewable-energy infrastructure
- Industrial and campus microgrids
- Remote or isolated energy infrastructure
- Data-center microgrid and supporting energy infrastructure (beyond traditional white-space UPS)
Data & Insight
- Control loads are a small fraction of total microgrid load—yet control power availability is central to keeping the system online.
- Source transitions (grid ↔ generator ↔ BESS) are a common source of control-power disturbances.
- Point-of-load UPS placement can reduce long protected-power cable runs and the need for dedicated conditioned space.
- IntelliShield operates reliably in non-conditioned environments up to +50 °C, where commercial UPS units are often not rated to run.
Insight: Many BESS, solar and other stored-energy systems already include robust internal control-power redundancy. Where additional control-power opportunities may exist, they tend to be more specific—power quality, distributed and supporting controls, communications, and continuity during source transitions or abnormal operating conditions.
Download Related Resources
Go deeper on microgrid control power with these application notes, case studies and technical resources from AMETEK IntelliPower.
- Microgrid Application Note: Learn more about the rise of microgrids and how IntelliPower’s rugged UPS systems protect and power microgrid applications.
- Microgrid Case Study: Advanced Energy Management and Generation Company Chooses IntelliPower’s Rugged UPS Systems to Enhance Microgrid Power Resilience.
- Microgrid Infographic Sheet: Learn more about how IntelliPower’s UPS systems maintain mission-critical infrastructure for facilities such as remote data centers.
- Select the Right UPS for Harsh Environments | Free Whitepaper: Download our free whitepaper to learn how to protect critical loads in extreme conditions with rugged UPS solutions designed for mission-critical reliability.
- IntelliShield UPS Microgrid Resilience Snapshot: Learn how the IntelliShield UPS system delivers rugged, high-reliability power engineered for extreme environments, offering simplified system design, low maintenance, certified resilience, and dependable microgrid support even at temperatures up to +50 °C.
Watch: IntelliShield Rugged UPS Solutions for Mission-Critical Microgrids
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Frequently Asked Questions
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What is a microgrid control-power UPS?
Why not use a standard data-center UPS for a microgrid?
Does IntelliShield support black-start sequences?
Does IntelliShield remove the need for HVAC or conditioned space?
What power ratings and batteries are available?
Protect your microgrid controls
See how IntelliShield rugged UPS helps keep PLC, SCADA and protection systems online—anywhere.