Summary
When preparing a UPS tender, prioritise systems with high online efficiency (≥94%), support for Eco mode (up to 98%), and a power factor of 0.9 or above. These metrics directly impact energy performance, cost efficiency and compliance with commercial and government benchmarks. Not all models meet these criteria. Check carefully before submitting.
Introduction
When reviewing UPS tenders, energy efficiency is often treated as a secondary concern, when in fact, it’s becoming a standardised requirement across government, healthcare, and infrastructure submissions. Whether the objective is lifecycle cost reduction, meeting sustainability KPIs, or qualifying for funding, the efficiency metrics of your UPS system can directly influence bid compliance.
In this PSS Distributors guide, I’ll walk through the three metrics we’re most frequently asked about: online efficiency, Eco mode, and power factor, so you can evaluate whether your documentation meets technical and operational expectations.
What Does UPS Efficiency Mean in a Tender Context?
When we talk about UPS efficiency in tenders, we’re referring to how well the system converts incoming power into usable energy without wasting it as heat. A more efficient UPS means:
- Less power draw from the grid
- Lower electricity bills
- Reduced strain on cooling systems
It’s an operational and environmental win.
Australian government and healthcare tenders are increasingly including specific efficiency thresholds in their documentation. You’ll often see clauses like “UPS must deliver a minimum of 95% efficiency in online double conversion mode” or requirements for Eco mode support to meet energy-saving mandates during non-peak load conditions.
If you’re unsure whether your documentation meets the mark, our team can review it for compliance and practicality.
Submit your tender spec for review.
What Is Online Efficiency in a UPS?
Online efficiency refers to how effectively a UPS converts utility power to a clean, uninterrupted output under double-conversion operation. In other words, it’s the percentage of incoming energy that gets delivered to the load without being lost as heat during continuous AC-DC-AC conversion.
For tender-grade systems, online efficiency typically sits between 90% and 96%. The closer you are to the higher end, the less waste heat your system generates, and that directly reduces cooling loads, electricity bills, and total cost of ownership.
What UPS Models Have High Online Efficiency?
Take PSS’s Modular UPS Series, for example. With up to 95.5% online efficiency, it’s well-suited to large-scale infrastructure projects that can’t afford thermal inefficiencies. The Element Series performs strongly too, offering ≥94% in normal double-conversion mode. These figures demonstrate compliance with energy efficiency benchmarks often included in government and healthcare procurement.
High online efficiency isn’t just a “green” feature. It often determines whether the UPS can be deployed in environments with strict energy performance ratings. Lower-efficiency units (like the GP or Master Series) might still deliver clean power but may fall short of today’s sustainability and lifecycle cost requirements.
If you’re reviewing a UPS tender draft and unsure whether your efficiency numbers stack up, we’re happy to review your spec and identify any weak points.
Need a sanity check on your energy specs? Want to make sure your UPS clauses won’t raise red flags? Submit your tender spec for review.
What Is Eco Mode in a UPS?
Eco Mode, also known as economy mode, is an operating condition where the UPS routes incoming power directly to the load via a bypass line, only engaging the inverter when voltage drops outside a safe range. The key advantage here is higher efficiency, often exceeding 97%, because the system avoids constant double-conversion. Acts as a Line-Interactive UPS
However, the gain in energy efficiency comes with a trade-off: a short delay during switchover. While this is usually just a few milliseconds, it can be enough to impact sensitive medical, industrial, or communications equipment that can’t tolerate even brief voltage deviations.
When is Eco Mode Safe to Use?
So, when does Eco Mode make sense? If you’re supporting non-critical loads in a site with stable grid conditions, such as a:
- Commercial office
- Retail outlet
- Secondary data backup room
…it can be a smart way to lower energy costs over time.
But for
- Hospital theatres
- Mining control rooms
- Rail signalling infrastructure
…Eco Mode is generally avoided in favour of continuous double-conversion protection.
What Are the Best UPS Models with Eco Mode?
Among PSS’s tender-grade systems, the Element Series and Enduro Long Series both support Eco Mode and achieve efficiencies up to 98% when it’s active. CamSecure also includes this feature, with a clear jump in efficiency between standard operation (89%) and Eco Mode (97%). Similarly, the PMU-T Series delivers 98%+ in Eco Mode, making it a viable choice where maximum efficiency is desired without compromising uptime integrity.
When Are Eco Mode UPS Models Not Recommended?
Where you should be cautious is when you’re drafting tenders for mission-critical environments. If the brief includes zero transfer time or mandates uninterrupted double-conversion, Eco Mode should be excluded from both operational design and procurement criteria.
Need help making these decisions? Submit your spec for review.
What Is UPS Power Factor?
Power factor measures how effectively a UPS converts incoming electrical power into usable output. In simple terms, it’s the ratio of real power (watts) to apparent power (VA). A power factor of 1.0 means every watt drawn from the wall is delivered to the equipment. A lower power factor, say 0.8, means 20% of that capacity is effectively wasted or lost to inefficiencies.
Why Should You Care About UPS Power Factor?
This number directly impacts how your tender is sized. If you’re backing a 10kVA load and the UPS has a 0.8 power factor, you’ll only get 8kW of usable power. That shortfall can mean undersized protection or runtime gaps, particularly if your spec doesn’t account for the difference between VA and W.
What UPS Models Have Good Power Factors?
Most new-generation UPS systems support a power factor of 0.9 or higher. The Element Series delivers unity (1.0), which is ideal, while the PMU-T and Enduro Long Series offer 0.9, more than sufficient for most commercial and industrial tenders. At the other end, entry-level systems like the Eco Series sit at 0.6, which isn’t suitable for critical infrastructure or any regulated procurement.
Example clause: “UPS must support an output power factor of 0.9 or higher to ensure accurate load capacity and runtime alignment.”
If you’re working with real-world load profiles and tight runtime requirements, make sure the power factor is front and centre in your evaluation criteria. It’s one of the most overlooked variables and one of the easiest to get wrong.
Which PSS UPS Models Meet Tender-Grade Efficiency Standards?
If you’re preparing specs for commercial, industrial, or government infrastructure, this side-by-side table makes evaluation simple. It compares every UPS in our current lineup across the three metrics tender assessors focus on: Eco Mode availability, true online efficiency, and power factor output.
| Model | Eco Mode | Online Efficiency | Power Factor |
| Element Series (PSS-EL-6-22/33/55) | Yes – up to 98% | ≥94% | Input ≥0.99 / Output 1.0 |
| PMU-T Series | Yes – >98% | >94% | 0.9 |
| Enduro Long Series | Yes – up to 97% | ≥89% | 0.9 |
| CamSecure UPS | Yes – up to 97% | 89% | ≥0.98 |
| Patriot Modular DC UPS | Not listed | ≥93.2% | Not listed |
| Industrial DC UPS | Not listed | 93% | Not listed |
| XL+ Standard | Not listed | 98% (mains) | 0.8 |
| XL+ Lithium | Not listed | 98% (mains) | 0.8 |
| RollUPS (Select 3-Phase) | Yes – “Energy saving mode” | Not listed | Not listed |
| Modular UPS System | Not listed | Up to 95.5% | 0.9 |
| GP Series | Not listed | >85% | 0.8 |
| Epower Series | Not listed | 89–96% (model-dependent) | ≥0.98 (10–400kVA) / ≥0.85 (500–800kVA) |
| Master Series 3:1 Phase | Not listed | >85% | 0.8 |
| Medi-X Series | Not listed | 98% (mains, line-interactive) | Implied 0.8 (not stated) |
| Eco Series (800–2200VA) | Not listed | Not listed | 0.6 |
Use this table to quickly shortlist units matching your compliance and sustainability requirements.
Download our UPS Tender Specification Template
Submit your tender spec for review
Do Australian Tenders Mandate UPS Efficiency Minimums?
Not every government or commercial tender sets a hard threshold for UPS energy efficiency, but in sectors where power draw, thermal load, or sustainability targets matter, it’s increasingly common.
From our work with infrastructure consultants and procurement leads, here’s what we’re seeing:
- Healthcare and hospitals are favouring UPS systems with ≥94% online efficiency to help meet NABERS targets and reduce HVAC load in equipment rooms.
- Data centres and ICT facilities often lean on internal green standards, where UPS systems with Eco Mode (up to 97–98%) can support lower PUE outcomes.
- Mining and remote operations require efficiency to manage generator load, fuel usage, and thermal dissipation – making higher power factor units (≥0.9 or 1.0) more attractive.
- Local councils and public facilities tend to prioritise lifecycle efficiency in RFTs, especially when specifying battery runtimes over 15 minutes.
Tips for Framing UPS Efficiency in Your Tender
Instead of locking your tender into one model, frame the performance expectations around outcomes:
- “UPS system must deliver minimum 94% efficiency in online (double conversion) mode under typical load conditions.”
- “Solutions offering Eco Mode or energy-saving operation above 97% efficiency will be considered favourably.”
- “UPS must support output power factor ≥0.9 to optimise usable capacity.”
This approach keeps the door open to multiple brands while still aligning with best-practice performance thresholds.
Need help reviewing your draft spec? Submit your tender for technical alignment check.
UPS Efficiency FAQs
What is the ideal online efficiency for a government UPS tender?
For most public sector projects, a UPS with at least 94% online efficiency (in double-conversion mode) is recommended as such a unit would help reduce energy losses and cooling demands, especially in hospitals, schools, and data hubs where systems run 24/7. Some sites may also give preference to systems supporting Eco Mode above 97% during steady-state operation.
Is Eco Mode safe for critical infrastructure projects?
Eco Mode can safely reduce power losses during low-load or stable grid conditions, but it’s not appropriate for every environment. For example, hospitals and critical control centres often exclude Eco Mode unless it’s proven to switch seamlessly with no impact on load. Always assess the risk profile and ask for test results or case studies before inclusion.
How does UPS power factor affect sizing and runtime?
Power factor affects how much real power (in kW) a UPS can deliver relative to its rated size (in kVA). A system with a 1.0 power factor delivers full capacity as usable power, ideal for tight sizing. Lower values, like 0.8, reduce runtime and usable output, which can lead to oversizing or unexpected shortfalls during an outage. Aim for ≥0.9 where possible for better performance-to-footprint ratio.
Final Considerations for UPS Efficiency Standards
Selecting a UPS for a tender submission isn’t only about capacity and runtime. Efficiency standards, particularly around Eco Mode, power factor, and online conversion, are increasingly used as indicators of system quality, energy compliance, and long-term operational cost. Whether you’re drafting for a government infrastructure upgrade or a commercial build, making the wrong call on these criteria could limit your eligibility or inflate whole-of-life costs.
With standards tightening across public and private sectors, it’s worth taking a moment to validate your efficiency metrics against what’s expected in modern tenders. PSS Distributors works with procurement officers and consultants daily to align UPS specifications with real-world site loads and compliance needs.
Resources
Download the UPS Tender Cheat Sheet →
A fast-reference guide outlining the most common efficiency-related mistakes in UPS specifications. Created to support clear, standards-ready documentation.
Submit Your Tender Spec for Review →
Upload your working draft, and our engineering team will provide practical feedback on alignment with performance, reliability and compliance criteria.
Download UPS Specification Template (Word Format) →
Customisable clauses covering runtime, diagnostics, energy benchmarks and redundancy expectations. Ideal for government and commercial tender packs.
