
Lithium-ion batteries are remaking Google’s data centers
Sometimes the smallest of news items can point to bigger trends lurking beneath the surface. Case in point: Google announced late last month that it has installed 100 million lithium-ion cells across its data centers to provide backup power to its servers.
On its own, it’s not earth-shattering news. But it shines a light on a trend that’s rippling through the world. Batteries are everywhere, and thanks to the relentless push to slash costs for electric vehicles, they’re driving change in myriad parts of the economy.
Years ago, in Google’s data centers, server racks were anchored with lead-acid battery backup units. The old clunkers were reliable, but they were also bulky, heavy, and not all that powerful. But as Google has replaced them with lithium-ion cells, the benefits have been multiplying.
Source: https://techcrunch.com/2025/03/12/lithium-ion-batteries-are-remaking-googles-data-centers/