Uninterruptible Power Supplies
Last Updated: 10/01/19


Combination of convertors, switches, and energy storage devices (such as batteries) constituting a power system for maintaining continuity of load power in case of input power failure.
Product Details
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Federal agencies are required by statute to purchase products as designated or specified under this program.
Federal agencies are required to purchase sustainable products and services meeting EPA’s Recommendations to the maximum extent practicable.
Procurement Info
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Where to Buy
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Legal Requirements
Lists federal requirements related to the purchase of this item, including applicable Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requirements
Life Cycle Cost Savings
Life Cycle Costing (LCC) aims to quantify the financial impact of a product over its entire life cycle to assist consumers in making decisions that will save them money over the long term.
ENERGY STAR Version 2.0 certified Uninterruptible Power Supplies will use, on average, approximately 52% less energy than standard Uninterruptible Power Supplies. If all Uninterruptible Power Supplies sold in the United States were ENERGY STAR certified, the cost savings would grow to more than $3.0 billion each year and more than 65.3 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions would be prevented, equivalent to the emissions from over 6.2 million vehicles.
For most applications, energy-efficient uninterruptible power supply (UPS) devices have the lowest life-cycle cost. For example, FEMP has estimated that a typical federal agency purchasing 100 Energy Star-qualified voltage and frequency dependent (VFD) UPS devices could save $2,500 in energy costs over the life of the devices, compared to less efficient units. Additionally, FEMP has estimated that a typical federal agency purchasing 10 Energy Star-qualified voltage independent (VI) UPS devices could save $1,340 in energy costs over the life of the devices.
An efficient product is cost effective when the energy costs saved over the life of the product exceed the additional upfront cost (if any) of the more efficient model. Energy Star considers both upfront costs and lifetime energy cost savings when setting required efficiency levels. Federal purchasers may assume that Energy Star-qualified products and products meeting FEMP-designated efficiency requirements are life-cycle cost effective.
Guiding Principles
Contributes to meeting The Guiding Principles for Sustainable Federal Buildings
Additional Guidance
Energy Star suggests that buyers consider UPSs that come with software which shuts down and backs up computers, include surge protectors on input and communication lines, and perform automatic battery tests to warn whenever the batteries should be replaced. Energy Star also suggests considering the next higher UPS size to increase backup time.
Version 2.0 ENERGY STAR Uninterruptible Power Supply Specification takes effect on January 1, 2019. Any Uninterruptible Power Supply manufactured as of January 1, 2019, must meet the Version 2.0 requirements to bear the ENERGY STAR mark. All certifications of products to the Version 1.1 specification will be invalid for purposes of ENERGY STAR and CBs will only submit product models certified to Version 2.0 to EPA. Static and Rotary Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPSs) and Ac-output UPSs and Dc-output UPSs/Rectifiers are eligible for ENERGY STAR certification.
The following products are not eligible for certification under this V 2.0 specification:
- Products that are internal to a computer or another end-use load (e.g., battery supplemented internal power supplies or battery backup for modems, security systems, etc.);
- Industrial UPSs specifically designed to protect critical control, manufacturing, or production processes or operations;
- Utility UPSs designed for use as part of electrical transmission and distribution systems (e.g. electrical substation or neighborhood-level UPSs);
- Cable TV (CATV) UPSs designed to power the cable signal distribution system outside plant equipment and connected directly or indirectly to the cable itself. The “cable” may be coaxial cable (metallic wire), fiber-optic, or wireless (e.g., “Wi-Fi”);
- UPSs designed to comply with specific UL safety standards for safety-related applications, such as emergency lighting, operations or egress, or medical diagnostic equipment; and,
- UPSs designed for mobile, ship board, marine or airborne applications.
- Hybrid UPSs that can deliver more than 10% of their rated output power through both ac and dc outputs.
Potential LEED Contributions
This product may contribute* toward points in multiple LEED v4 rating systems, including areas required for LEED v4 building certification. It will mainly enable calculations for energy simulations and plug load calculations demonstrating energy use improvements over baseline estimates. Primarily, the credits will apply in the Building Design and Construction (BD+C) and Building Operations and Maintenance (O+M) categories. This includes the specialty areas of: New Construction and Major Renovation, Existing Buildings, Core & Shell, Schools, Retail, Data Centers, Warehouse and Distribution Centers, Hospitality, and Healthcare. Specific credits are:
- Energy & Atmosphere - Optimize Energy Performance
* It is important to note that no products, individually or collectively, can guarantee a specific number of points for LEED Category credit. Each credit will need to be matched to the product by a certified professional.