Active Power

Active Power was an Austin, Texas-based power-equipment company that developed, manufactured, sold, and serviced flywheel-based uninterruptible power supply (UPS) systems. Its central proposition was to use kinetic energy stored in a high-speed flywheel rather than relying exclusively on chemical batteries. When utility power failed or power quality deteriorated, the flywheel system could release energy almost immediately, maintaining power to critical loads while standby generators started or utility service was restored. The company originated in 1992 as Magnetic Bearing Technologies, Inc., initially working on magnetic-bearing technology for multiple applications. It adopted the Active Power name in 1996 and moved toward commercial flywheel energy-storage products. In 1997, it introduced an early flywheel direct-current product, followed in 1999 by a flywheel UPS system integrating the energy-storage mechanism with power electronics. This development established the product category around which the company built its business. Active Power’s systems were intended for facilities where brief interruptions, voltage disturbances, or generator-startup delays could cause substantial operational or financial harm. Its customer and application sectors included data centers, industrial and manufacturing sites, healthcare facilities, transportation operations, broadcast organizations, government installations, and casino and gaming facilities. The company also developed modular, pre-engineered enclosures known as PowerHouse units, which combined critical-power components in a purpose-built package and could incorporate Active Power UPS equipment. The CleanSource product family became the company’s principal commercial UPS offering. It was positioned as a long-life, high-reliability alternative or complement to conventional battery-based UPS systems. Flywheel systems generally supplied short-duration bridging power rather than extended energy storage, making them particularly suitable for facilities equipped with standby generators. Active Power reported shipments of more than 6,200 flywheels in UPS systems and delivery of more than one gigawatt of critical backup capacity to customers in over 50 countries, although the cited reference does not provide a date for those cumulative figures. The company expanded its international presence during the 2000s, including the opening of an Asia-Pacific headquarters in China in 2007. During the following decade it secured deployments and orders involving organizations such as the University of Texas at Austin, Hewlett-Packard, Heineken, Capgemini, and Verizon Terremark. Product development continued with the CleanSource HD generation and later systems offering longer UPS runtime. Active Power was formerly traded on Nasdaq. In 2016, Germany-based Piller Power Systems acquired the company. The transaction ended Active Power’s period as an independent public company. Available reference material confirms the acquisition and subsequent integration context but does not establish whether the Active Power name continued as a standalone operating brand, so this dossier treats it as a historical corporate brand associated with technology and products absorbed into Piller’s business.

Active Power was established in Austin, Texas, in 1992 under the name Magnetic Bearing Technologies, Inc. Its early work focused on magnetic bearings used in a range of applications rather than on the finished UPS systems for which it later became known. In 1996, the company changed its name to Active Power, reflecting a shift toward power-related commercial opportunities and flywheel energy-storage technology. In 1997, Active Power introduced its first flywheel direct-current product. The company’s major early product-development step came in 1999, when it deployed its first flywheel UPS system integrating flywheel energy storage with power electronics. This architecture allowed the equipment to respond quickly to a utility interruption or power-quality event. Instead of storing energy chemically in a large battery bank, the system stored energy as rotational motion and released it for a short period. The intended role was commonly to bridge the gap until a standby generator reached operating speed or grid service returned. During the 2000s, Active Power built a business around flywheel UPS products and related critical-power infrastructure. The company’s systems were marketed to data centers, industrial and manufacturing facilities, healthcare organizations, transportation operations, broadcasters, government facilities, and casinos or gaming sites. These environments often require protection from momentary interruptions as well as longer outages, and they may value a long operating life and reduced dependence on conventional battery systems. Active Power also developed modular PowerHouse units that placed critical-power components inside pre-engineered enclosures, with the company’s UPS products available as part of the integrated configuration. International expansion became more visible in 2007, when Active Power opened an Asia-Pacific headquarters in China. The company later recorded deployments and customer wins in different regions and sectors. In 2010, the University of Texas at Austin selected Active Power UPS equipment for its university data center. In 2011, Active Power announced shipment of its 3,000th flywheel and received a multiple-unit PowerHouse order from Hewlett-Packard. In 2012, Heineken selected the company to provide critical-power protection for a bottling facility off the coast of Madagascar. The next phase included continued product development and larger deployments. In 2013, Active Power shipped its 4,000th flywheel and associated the milestone with its next-generation CleanSource HD UPS. In 2014, Capgemini selected the company for critical-power infrastructure supporting a UK data-center expansion, while Verizon Terremark deployed four PowerHouse units to expand the power capacity of a Silicon Valley data center. These projects illustrated the company’s focus on packaged infrastructure and critical-load protection rather than general-purpose electricity generation. Active Power was formerly a Nasdaq-listed company. In 2016, Germany-based Piller Power Systems acquired the business. The transaction concluded Active Power’s period as an independent public company and placed its technology and product activities within Piller’s broader power-protection organization. Reference material also describes a new system with longer UPS runtime around the acquisition period. It does not provide enough information to determine the precise later treatment of the Active Power name, product portfolio, or engineering operations. Accordingly, Active Power is best documented as a historical corporate brand whose independent corporate identity ended with the Piller acquisition.

• 2016

  Acquired by Piller Power Systems

  [1]Active Poweren.wikipedia.org

  Piller Power Systems acquired Active Power, ending the company’s independent public-company period.

• 2014

  Capgemini and Verizon Terremark deployments

  [1]Active Poweren.wikipedia.org

  Capgemini selected Active Power for a UK data-center expansion, while Verizon Terremark deployed four PowerHouse units in Silicon Valley.

• 2013

  4,000th flywheel shipment and CleanSource HD generation

  [1]Active Poweren.wikipedia.org

  The company shipped its 4,000th flywheel and introduced or deployed the next-generation CleanSource HD UPS product.

• 2012

  Heineken bottling-facility project

  [1]Active Poweren.wikipedia.org

  Heineken selected Active Power for critical-power protection at a bottling facility off the coast of Madagascar.

• 2011

  3,000th flywheel shipment and Hewlett-Packard order

  [1]Active Poweren.wikipedia.org

  Active Power marked shipment of its 3,000th flywheel and received a multiple-unit PowerHouse order from Hewlett-Packard.

• 2010

  University of Texas at Austin data-center deployment

  [1]Active Poweren.wikipedia.org

  The University of Texas at Austin selected Active Power UPS equipment for its university data center.

• 2007

  Asia-Pacific headquarters opened in China

  [1]Active Poweren.wikipedia.org

  Active Power expanded its international operating presence by opening an Asia-Pacific headquarters in China.

• 1999

  First integrated flywheel UPS deployed

  [1]Active Poweren.wikipedia.org

  The company deployed its first flywheel UPS product integrating flywheel storage and power electronics.

• 1997

  First flywheel direct-current product introduced

  [1]Active Poweren.wikipedia.org

  Active Power introduced its first flywheel DC product as it developed its energy-storage technology platform.

• 1996

  Company adopts the Active Power name

  [1]Active Poweren.wikipedia.org

  Magnetic Bearing Technologies changed its corporate name to Active Power.

• 1992

  Company founded as Magnetic Bearing Technologies

  [1]Active Poweren.wikipedia.org

  The company was established in Austin, Texas, initially manufacturing magnetic bearings for varied applications.

High-reliability, short-duration energy storage and critical-power protection for facilities requiring continuous electricity and rapid transition to standby generation

• Flywheel-based uninterruptible power supply

  CleanSource UPS

  CleanSource was Active Power’s principal flywheel UPS family. It used a high-speed rotating flywheel to store kinetic energy and provide immediate short-duration power during utility interruptions or disturbances. The systems were intended for critical loads and could operate with standby generators, supplying the transition interval before generator output became available. Typical target environments included data centers, healthcare, industrial facilities, transportation sites, and other operations requiring high power continuity.

• Next-generation flywheel-based UPS · 2013

  CleanSource HD UPS

  CleanSource HD was identified as a next-generation CleanSource UPS product associated with Active Power’s 2013 product and shipment milestone. It extended the company’s flywheel-based approach for critical-power protection and was intended for applications requiring rapid response to outages and power-quality events. The available reference material does not provide a complete technical specification or establish the product’s post-acquisition status.

• Modular critical-power enclosure

  PowerHouse

  PowerHouse was Active Power’s modular, pre-packaged critical-power infrastructure format. The units integrated power components in a purpose-built enclosure and could include Active Power UPS equipment. This approach was intended to simplify deployment and provide packaged capacity for data centers and other critical facilities. Hewlett-Packard ordered multiple PowerHouse units in 2011, and Verizon Terremark later deployed four units at a Silicon Valley data center.

• Kinetic energy-storage equipment · 1997

  Flywheel Energy Storage Systems

  Flywheel energy-storage systems formed the technical foundation of Active Power’s product portfolio. Electrical energy was converted into rotational kinetic energy in a high-speed flywheel and released rapidly when the power supply was interrupted or degraded. The systems were principally designed for short-duration bridging service rather than long-duration storage, often working alongside generators in facilities where uninterrupted operation was essential.

• 2016

  Accept acquisition by Piller Power SystemsM&A

  Background

  Active Power was a specialized flywheel UPS and critical-power equipment company, while Piller Power Systems operated in the broader power-protection market.

  Action taken

  Piller Power Systems acquired Active Power.

  Aftermath

  Active Power ceased to operate as an independent public company. The available sources do not establish the full subsequent treatment of its brand and product portfolio within Piller.

  Source

• 1999

  Deploy an integrated flywheel UPS productProduct launch

  Background

  Earlier flywheel development had included a DC product, but critical-power customers required a system combining energy storage with power-conversion electronics.

  Action taken

  Active Power deployed its first flywheel UPS product integrating flywheel storage and power electronics.

  Aftermath

  The integrated UPS architecture became the foundation of the company’s commercial product strategy.

  Source

• 1996

  Adopt the Active Power identity and focus on power systemsStrategy

  Background

  The company had been founded as Magnetic Bearing Technologies and initially worked on magnetic bearings. Its development of flywheel energy-storage products created a basis for a more focused power-equipment identity.

  Action taken

  The company changed its name to Active Power and continued developing flywheel-based power products.

  Aftermath

  The new identity became associated with flywheel UPS systems and critical-power infrastructure.

  Source

1. 1Active Poweren.wikipedia.org