Electrical Review - October 2016

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October 2016 Volume 249 | No 10 www.electricalreview.co.uk

2016

EuroDoble Colloquium

24-25 October 2016 | Dublin IRELAND

A forum for sharing best practices for managing European power stations and industrial sites

events.doble.com/eurodoble

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CONTENTS | 3

04

36

NEWS Building servies summit

SWITCHGEAR/PANEL BUILDING Software solutions for panel builders

09 GOSSAGE Gossage:gossip

10 INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS BIM- making thie right choice

EDITOR: Elinore Mackay 020 8319 1807 elinorem@electricalreview.co.uk PRODUCTION MANAGER Alex Gold 020 7933 8999 alexg@sjpbusinessmedia.com

38 ELECTRIC VEHICLES The argument for EV has never been more powerful

ACCOUNT DIRECTOR Philip Woolley 020 7933 8989 philip.wooley@electricalreview.co.uk SALES MANAGER Sunny Nehru 020 7933 8974 sunnyn@sjpbusinessmedia.com MANAGING DIRECTOR Wayne Darroch PRINTING BY Buxton Paid subscription enquiries Tel: +44 (0) 1635 879361 electricalreview@circdata.com SJP Business Media PO Box 6009, Thatcham Berkshire, RG19 4QB, UK

14 POWER QUALITY Looking at the sun

42 ENERGY EFFICIENCY Lighting controls save more than just energy

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45 PRODUCT WATCH

BUILDING DATA Sink or swim: How to manage the big data flood

27 RAIL Smart travel for future cities

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4 | NEWS

Apprentice centre to help resolve skills shortage ODVA Industrial Ethernet for IOT Course in high technology companies ODVA, an organisation that manages EtherNet/IP technology, is bringing its training course, EtherNet/IP: Industrial Ethernet for the Internet of Things, to Spain this year. Held concurrently with the IOT Solutions World Congress, the course will be held on Tuesday 25 October at Fira Gran Via in Barcelona.

The one-day course will outline the business and technical value of EtherNet/ IP, highlighting how its network services, peer-to-peer architecture and standardsbased approach ease integration of data between the plant floor to the enterprise. Distinctive services for functional safety, distributed motion, time synchronisation, energy management, and cybersecurity will also be covered.

The course sessions will be presented by experts from industrial companies such as Cisco, Endress+Hauser, Harting, Omron, Rockwell Automation and Schneider Electric.

“Through its reliance on standard Internet and Ethernet standards, EtherNet/ IP is the only industrial Ethernet network that is proven, complete, and ready for the Industrial Internet of Things,” said Katherine Voss, ODVA president and executive director. “We invite users and equipment manufacturers to join ODVA at this important event in order to learn how EtherNet/IP will solve automation challenges, now and in the future.”

There is no charge for attendees, but space is limited and registration is required.

Visit www.odva.org/Happenings/Events to learn more.

A new apprenticeship training centre – Oxford Advanced Skills at Culham Science Centre just outside Oxford – is set to help resolve the very real skills shortages that high technology and engineering companies in the city and wider county are experiencing.

The new centre, which will eventually train 125 young people a year, is a joint venture between UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), the Science and Technology Facilities Council (STFC) and other major employers. Training provider JTL, has been appointed to manage the centre commencing from September 2016.

Oxford Advanced Skills, under the leadership of project sponsor David Martin – an ex-UKAEA apprentice himself, who conceived the project – will raise the quality and standard of local apprenticeships through employer-led training. The new centre will provide employers in Oxfordshire’s high tech sector with ‘work ready’ trainees, apprentice engineers and laboratory technicians by giving apprentices skills and self-discipline through training in the workplace.

The centre delivers added value by working closely with local companies, enabling them to directly input into the qualification to ensure that the training provides the apprentices that local businesses need. As a not-for-profit endeavour, all

funds will be invested to deliver training and to ensure quality.

“With the support of high tech sector companies in the area, Oxford Advanced Skills will help resolve the critical skills shortages we are currently experiencing,” says David Martin, UKAEA’s chief operating officer. “This venture highlights how seriously we take the need for exceptional quality young people making it into the workforce in this area. JTL has huge experience in providing work-based learning across England and Wales. with over 6,000 apprentices currently working towards qualifications with them in the building services engineering sector.”

Jon Graham is JTL’s chief executive: “These are really exciting times for apprentices in the Oxford area. We have been working in Oxfordshire for many years but decided recently that in order to be able to provide the quality of training that young people deserved we needed to launch our own training facilities, which we have done recently with our own premises at Culham.

Through the work we do there and what UKAEA has seen, it became obvious that there was an opportunity to expand our remit and join with UKAEA to develop this new facility targeting exceptional young people who are needed by high technology companies including UKAEA operating in Oxford and the Thames Valley.”

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Electrical Review | October 2016

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4 | NEWS

ECA poll finds eight in 10 businesses see turnover steady or increase in Q2 2016 Almost eight in 10 (78%) electrical and building services firms say turnover increased or remained steady in the second quarter of 2016, according to new research from the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA).

The findings cover the period leading up to the EU referendum, and the week following the landmark result. The ECA is currently working on a separate Brexit survey, which is open until Tuesday 6 September.

ECA CEO Steve Bratt commented: “The ECA’s business survey for Q2 indicates that electrical and building services firms have been doing more business, despite potential challenges in the wider economy.”

Looking at Q2 2016, the ECA’s Building Engineering Business Survey, conducted in association with Scolmore, also found: • Small businesses (turnover £201k - £1m) had a positive quarter, with nearly 3 in 4 firms (72%) reporting turnover remaining steady or increasing, up 7% on the previous quarter.

• Medium-sized firms (turnover £1.1m to £5m) also enjoyed a strong quarter, with 8 in 10 businesses (80%) seeing turnover rise or remain steady, also up 7% on Q1.

• Large companies (turnover £5.1m to £20m) had a fair Q2, with over 8 in 10 firms (83%) indicating that turnover increased or remained steady, up slightly on the last quarter.

• Very large businesses (turnover over £20m) saw turnover hold steady, with over 5 in 10 firms (53%) reporting turnover remaining the same, while 35% had an increase.

Looking to Q3 2016, the period immediately following the EU referendum result, the outlook from building services firms remained positive. Over 8 out of 10 respondents (82%) expected turnover to increase or stay the same compared to Q2, which is similar to forecasts in the previous quarter.

ECA members were surveyed for their views in early July this year, with the response rate from members the highest in nearly five years.

Time and care must be taken Julia Evans, chief executive, Bsria Bsria says due time and care should be taken on the delivery and details of the government’s apprenticeship levy.

Employers in any sector will have to pay the levy if they have a pay bill over £3m a year. Firms will have to begin paying the levy from 6 April 2017 and will be able to start claiming funding from the following month. Types of apprenticeship will now come under 15 different funding bands, ranging from £1,500 to £27,000 per apprentice, depending on the complexity of the programme.

The government has confirmed industries where a levy is already imposed – including construction through the CITB – will have to pay both levies as required.

Julia Evans, chief executive, Bsria, said:

Electrical Review | October 2016

“We welcome the government’s emphasis on increasing investment in apprenticeships, and industry is ready to stimulate more training and apprenticeships. However, there is a concern that the Apprenticeship Levy could run the risk of being compromised by hasty deadlines. Government must take time to get this right.

“What is paramount is the critical importance of closing the industry skills gap.

Apprenticeships provide the backbone for a career in engineering for many employees and future employees within the industry and no compromises should be made regarding them.

Bsria said it understands the CITB has agreed a transition package with firms paying both the CITB levy and the

apprenticeship levy next year.

Under the plans, employers below the £3m levy-paying threshold will only have to pay 10% contributions towards the cost of training and assessment, meaning most small employers should not end up paying more towards training costs than they currently do.

But it is irrelevant a lot of our members will be not be directly affected since it is the larger companies (with the £3m and higher levy-paying threshold) who are going to have to pay twice. Such companies should also be allowed to lead by example regarding skills, training and industry careers, which this levy will not enable them to do. It is short-sighted of the government.”

NEWS | 7

Take a challenge of a lifetime with the Electrical Industries Charity The Electrical Industries Charity is looking for 25 enthusiastic trekkers to take on the Mount Kilimanjaro Challenge and raise £100,000 for the Hendrie family.

Christopher Hendrie, aged 32, was a well-respected electrician who lost his fight to the rare form of Cholangiocarcinoma cancer, commonly known as Bile duct cancer, on 31 October 2014. Hendrie was not eligible for a life insurance due to his existing genetic autoimmune disease, and his family has been left with nowhere to turn.

Four trekkers have already signed up and will join the Electrical Industries Charity’s managing director, Tessa Ogle in this fundraising challenge. They include Johanne Stimson of Heat Mat; Andrew Dykes of SES Engineer Services, Karen McAvoy of Karen McAvoy Publishing and Mike Smith, of SES Engineering Services and a senior vice president of the ECA.

Managing director of Heat Mat, Johanne Stimson, said: “I am looking forward to being part of this challenge and supporting the charity who are helping people within our industry. Christopher could have been an installer of the products that the Heat Mat sells so I feel that as a supplier to this industry, I should do my bit to help.”

Mike Smith, of SES Engineering Services and a senior vice president of the ECA, said: “I am proud to be able to show my support for the Electrical Industries Charity

and be able to assist in raising funds for Christopher’s family as a fellow electrician.

My father died from a bowel cancer, and I can appreciate the speed at which the tragedy hit the Hendrie family. “ The Mount Kilimanjaro Trek is taking place between 3-14 February 2017. This tenday challenge will give you an opportunity to climb this magical mountain and be captivated by its distinct snow-capped peak.

The trek will leave you with unforgettable memories, but more importantly, you will be part of a team who will be providing financial assistance to the Hendrie family.

Do you have what it takes to climb the tallest free-standing mountain in the world?

Sign up today and be part of something amazing in 2017.

For further details or to book your place, contact Tessa Ogle: tessa.ogle@ electricalcharity.org www.electricalcharity.org

The Zombie Evacuation Race brings you an all new Halloween 5K Race the "Apocalypse at Allianz Park"

Sunday 6th November 2016 There will be five heats throughout the day: 13:30, 14:00, 14:30, 15:00 and 15:30

£35 per person Allianz Park, Champions Way, Barnet, Greater London NW4 1PX For more information or to book please contact: Pamela Pereira pamela.pereira@electricalcharity.org Electrical Industries Charity

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Registered Office: 36 Tanner Street, London SE1 3LD Tel 0203 696 1710

www.electricalreview.co.uk

GOSSAGE | 9

Not very clubbable

Organised hypocrisy

Various organisations claim to be the ‘voice of British business’. None is more vocal than the Institute of Directors (IOD).

Based in a plush Pall Mall clubhouse, it issues all-too-frequent homilies about how it claims the captains of industry feel upon important matters.

It has a chief energy advisor, Dan Lewis.

He issues lots of statements. These mostly boil down to pressing the need to drop market interventions and regulations.

This would be fine as long as Lewis stuck to telling the truth. For instance, recently he has been opining about the iniquities of the National Grid. “Many larger businesses”, complains Lewis, “already are having to immediately cut power consumption and curtail economic activity, when National Grid issues demand side balancing reserve notices.” Claiming such compulsion takes place is utter garbage. There is no member of the IOD who HAS to ‘cut power consumption’ at the behest of National Grid. However, quite a number of large companies have voluntarily entered into a contract with the Grid, agreeing they will, given appropriate warning, reduce consumption levels at certain times so as to enable the Grid to carry out a balancing act between supply and demand. In return, these companies invariably will be receiving preferential prices per kilowatt-hour for much, if not all, of their standard purchases.

Such activities, called demand side management, have long been commonplace in Japan, and in many American States. To the best of my knowledge, these voluntary arrangements suit both parties to the contract well; otherwise they would not continue happening. I have to ask, whose interests does Dan Lewis think he is representing when he makes such foolish allegations? Certainly not those of the members of the IOD.

For many years the Daily Mail has regularly waxed indignant at the monies expended in subsidies, entirely designed to encourage the spread of renewable energy. The newspaper has fearlessly named and shamed the way that, in particular, more affluent members of society have been amongst the main beneficiaries of this largesse.

In particular, it tends to highlight the way so many absentee Scottish landowners have, as the Mail so elegantly put it, had their renewable energy snouts placed firmly in the taxpayers’ trough.

However there is one new hydroelectric project based in the Highlands which somehow has miraculously managed to escape the Daily Mail’s righteous ire.

Last summer work began upon a new 1.2MW scheme sited on the Langwell estate near Ullapool.

The dam, turbines, pipeline and powerhouse were due to complete late September. And the project stands to earn over £15m during the next 20 years in subsidies.

The scheme is 60% owned by HG hydro Ltd. And 40% by the Canaird River Company Ltd – which stands to earn around £6million for that company’s proprietor. The head of Canaird is not a Scot, but a late middle-aged foulmouthed millionaire living in London.

And who is the lucky absentee landlord in question, exploiting the system so profitably for himself? Why none other than Paul Dacre. And what is Mr Dacre’s main line of business? Why, he is the editor-in-chief of that scourge of green levies, the Daily Mail.

A turkey voting for Christmas?

Let us get one thing straight about Hinkley Point C nuclear station. It does not follow PM Theresa May’s approval to build means that we shall (in that immortal phrase ) definitely be cooking our Christmas turkeys with its power in 2025.

We know, within its French statecontrolled developer Electricité de France, there have been very serious misgivings about Hinkley’s viability. Board members, including the finance director, have resigned on the issue; indeed it was their departure which provided that bare majority on the company board to enable it to progress last July. The company’s unions remain opposed.

EdF’s 37bn euro of net debt dwarfs its 22 billion euro market capitalisation. It already faces an estimated 55 billion euro bill before 2025, just to increase the life expectancy of existing 50 nuclear stations from 40 to 50 years, to provide cash flow.

Nobody knows where that sum can be found.

Tellingly, in the very week the socalled ‘green light‘ was given by the UK government for Hinkley, shares in EdF fell by 8%. They have dropped by a staggering 40% over the past year, led by these worries about the company’s ability to absorb the extra capital spending from Hinkley Point.

This is a saga with a very long way still to go. And we all know, even if somehow this - the most expensive project on earth – does ever get built, two things will be true. It will end up costing far more than the official £18bn. And it won’t be ready

by December 25, 2025.

www.electricalreview.co.uk

10 | INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS/BIM

BIM – Making the right choice Building Information Modelling (BIM) is essential to the future of the whole building industry. The UK government’s Level 2 BIM regulation means BIM – the digital assessment of a building’s details from its conception to its use – is now essential for publically funded projects, and privately funded projects are also rapidly adopting the technology. Logan Colbeck, sales strategy leader, Honeywell E&ES UKI, explains

B

IM is increasingly mandatory, especially for companies that service the construction industry or supply equipment to be fitted within buildings. In as little as three years, we can expect BIM to be the way all companies at the cross section of construction, design, electrical and architecture do business.

Ignore it at your peril.

But for many in the industry, the idea of adopting BIM as part of their day-to-day

Electrical Review | October 2016

processes is intimidating. Many businesses understand and see the value in BIM, but find it difficult to know which software platform to adopt. Although Revit is growing in popularity, especially in the M&E sector, the market remains uncertain as to what platform will prevail.

This unpredictability puts companies in a difficult position. They feel the pressure to adopt BIM. At the same time there could be a significant risk to future-proofing, which

could mean they would need to make additional investment further down the road. Businesses need guidance on which platforms to consider and how to start their journey toward becoming BIM compliant.

FIRST STEPS The first step for any company who wants to adopt BIM is research. It’s vital to understand what the market is doing in order to make an informed decision. It will

12 | INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS/BIM

be helpful to review the platforms adopted by a main competitor to see what services they believe the market is prioritising.

Understanding the types of platforms medium-to-large competitors in the contracting space are using is key to ensuring small-to-medium size electrical contractors are thinking towards futureproofing their business, and unlocking opportunities for future project opportunities and revenue growth. By prioritising this type of research and educating themselves about the various BIM platforms, contractors better position themselves to enter conversations for public sector and smart buildings contracts.

Even more importantly, businesses must have a strong understanding of their supply chain, customers and who their customers are selling to. Only then can they determine how to integrate their system with a BIM platform. Many businesses will be forced to compromise on one software solution to remain compatible with partners.

Research is vital to be sure you choose the best option for your business For businesses adopting BIM for the first time, it is important to consider the wider software package. Any experienced CAD operator should be able to learn how to use new software quickly. But for those new to BIM, vendors offer training courses to help teams get up to speed. It is vital to do adequate research in order to ensure the right platform is chosen, with the best fit for you and your business for now and in the future.

As there are no hard-and-fast rules or standards in place about the content of a BIM object, additional guidance materials like these are especially important.

Honeywell’s brands, MK Electric and ExOr, are working with CIBSE to develop standardised templates that are specific to the product family, such as socket, switch or PIR sensor. Collaboration on templates is essential for the future of BIM in the industry.

Electrical Review | October 2016

Cost is always a key concern for businesses looking to adopt BIM. Software providers attempt to counter this with shorterterm deals, including temporary licenses, reducing the initial cost of investment.

However, making a snap decision based on cost alone can cause issues further down the road; incompatibility, or unexpected additional investment. Again, research is vital to ensuring you choose the best option for your current and future business.

KEEPING (NOT QUITE) UP TO DATE Once businesses have decided which BIM platform to adopt, they must then decide what version to use. One of the biggest problems for BIM is an industry-wide issue with backwards compatibility. BIM objects produced using a 2015 software version, for example, will simply not work with an earlier version of the software. As a result, many in the industry are using earlier versions of software, simply to increase their chances of compatibility.

As well as causing additional confusion, this backwards compatibility issue means the entire industry is one step behind on the latest tools and tricks for BIM design.

There is also an additional risk that older software versions will soon lose vendor support, as they push their customers to adopt the latest version. In these situations,

the company will be forced to adopt a new version and transfer its old files manually, requiring a significant time investment.

With these issues in mind, businesses investing in BIM need to carefully assess what software version would ultimately yield the greatest returns. One approach could be for companies developing BIM objects to stay just one step behind on the latest developments, which should maximise their compatibility within the platform, while also providing the longest life possible.

KNOWLEDGE IS ESSENTIAL As BIM becomes standard for the UK building industry, companies, manufacturers and vendors have a responsibility to educate the broader community and accelerate its adoption efficiently and effectively. Some manufacturers like Honeywell are already supporting this by providing Open BIM files for Honeywell, MK Electric and Ex-Or branded ranges. But ultimately, making the right software decision is all down to research: knowing your market and customers.

Research and knowledge of the supply chain provides businesses with the best chance of choosing the right software platform for themselves and their partners in the future.

To download our BIM files, visit the website:

www.mkelectric.co.uk

Are you BIM Ready?

MK Electric is

The UK government’s construction strategy requires that all publicly funded construction work must be undertaken by using level 2 Building Information Modelling (BIM), as of the 4th of April 2016.

In support of this initiative for more collaborative ways of working, MK Electric has made BIM ready data available.

Š 2016 Honeywell International. All rights reserved.

14 | POWER QUALITY

Looking at the sun There is a dark cloud hanging over solar energy. Despite frequent government pushes for wider adoption of renewable power sources, progress in recent years has been relatively slow. Here, Steve Hughes, managing director of power quality expert REO UK, explains, there may be a way to part the clouds in solar energy

S

ince the mid-1990s, the UK has seen a gradual increase in the amount of renewable energy sources used to generate electricity. However, in spite of two decades of growth and countless incentives and schemes, we are still trailing behind the target of producing 20% of the UK’s electricity generation from renewable sources, with current estimates being 15%.

Until 2011, only a small amount of this electricity came from solar energy. Since then, the falling price of photovoltaic (PV) panels and the introduction of feed-in tariffs has driven a surge in sales.

Recent government figures showed UK solar capacity has increased by 62% from February 2015-16, with previous findings also indicating a recurring trend of capacity greatly increasing in April.

What we can deduct from these findings is that, while widespread renewable uptake has been poor in relation to the electrical capacities of other energy sources, the UK is taking steps in the right direction. With further plans to power four million homes with solar energy by 2020, the future is looking bright for renewable energy.

Electrical Review | October 2016

It is understandable why so many businesses and consumers alike are switching to solar. Once initial installation costs of PV panels are out of the way, solar energy offers a unique approach to generating both electricity and money - by feeding excess energy back into the grid while also meeting green guidelines.

MAKING THE MOST OF THE SUN Unfortunately, one of the biggest factors preventing a full conversion to renewable energy is its reliability.

Due to its dependence on a suitable quantity of radiation, solar power is particularly prone to fluctuations. This inconsistency creates a range of problems for both electricians and end users.

Yet for all the intermittency surrounding solar energy, the bigger issue is that we are unable to take full advantage of the electricity it generates. Once the power is available, it has to be used immediately or it is wasted. This is not due to the power itself, but rather the lack of any viable storage solutions for generated loads.

Currently, the solar energy sector lacks the infrastructure to offer a long-term and

reliable source of power. Without a means of storing this electricity, we are at the mercy of nature, whereas using traditional energy sources we have control over the steady (and steadily decreasing) supply.

This lack of affordable storage undermines the use of solar. While installing PV panels allows a business to operate independently of the grid during the day, at night it becomes reliant on electricity from the grid once more. This may mean the business ends up using less traditional energy overall, but it still leaves a dependency on traditional methods of electricity generation.

Obviously, this is not an ideal or sustainable approach. Fortunately, technology is developing in such a way that it seems the storage of renewable energy will soon be a reality.

The rising popularity of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) revealing plans for home batteries, a trend popularised in 2015 by Tesla’s Powerwall, shows the industry is working to develop a solution. While the idea of home batteries isn’t necessarily a new one, the revitalised interest is likely to drive the price down to a more affordable amount in the foreseeable future.

However, what happens next?

Renewable energy sounds very attractive in concept, as a seemingly benevolent method of maintaining our electrical consumption without harming the planet. However, aside from their intermittency and the lack of storage, renewable energies are plagued with a host of power quality issues that have detrimental effects on our electrical infrastructure.

These detrimental effects pose the biggest challenge in switching to renewable energy. While some of the issues may only increase energy consumption, others can cause damage to components on the electrical grid itself.

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16 | POWER QUALITY

FROM SOLAR TO TERRESTRIAL Before we can tackle power quality issues, it is important we understand what solar power actually is. The initially generated voltage is in low voltage direct current (DC) form, which means it needs to be converted to an alternating current (AC) voltage before it is able to enter the electrical grid.

This is achieved using either single-phase or three-phase inverters, depending on the power requirement and the application.

However, this conversion creates a number of power quality problems. Modern inverters convert energy from DC to AC quickly and efficiently but, due to the speed of switching semiconductors, this results in high-frequencies entering the system. These high frequencies may sound harmless but they cause electromagnetic (EM) noise in systems.

EM noise causes interference in electronic components, including the switch-mode power supplies (SMPS) and inverter drives that also frequently generate this noise.

The interference, if left unresolved, can quickly degrade and damage electrical components. To prevent this from occurring it is important that protective measures are put into place to minimise EM frequencies.

While it is not possible to eliminate EM noise from a system, it can be kept under control by installing electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) filters. These are lowpass filters that are designed to attenuate high frequencies of EM noise without disrupting the flow of mains frequency power.

Filtered frequencies are reflected back to the original sources to keep products operating effectively. To facilitate this,

Electrical Review | October 2016

EMC filters should be capable of handling the resulting power dissipation without a negative impact on performance. Companies can do this by using larger capacitors and inductors.

Keeping EM noise at an acceptable level allows businesses to safely comply with the relevant standards on EM immunity, such as EN 61000 legislative standards. However, filters are not a one-size-fits-all product and only the right filter for the application can guarantee compliance. Engineers should thoroughly test filters before committing to use them in systems, ensuring that the right frequencies are attenuated.

We recommend engineers should work alongside power quality specialists to find the ideal solution with minimal problems.

Once any EM issues are resolved and the solar energy can be safely converted to DC voltage, this electricity must be fed into the main electrical grid through a connecting inverter. This sounds straightforward but it also raises further concerns.

Harmonic currents result in expensive heat losses and increased energy consumption KEEPING SAFE ON THE GRID Ironically, one of the core selling points for the uptake of solar energy generation contributes to the delay in adoption. The financial incentive for the installation of PV panels is excess energy is fed back into the main electrical grid, resulting in businesses being paid for the power they help to generate.

However, to do this, companies require a connection to the power grid. This grid interconnect point of parallel inverters causes another power quality problem – harmonic resonance. This is a common problem in non-linear electronic systems.

Due to the way in which harmonic currents manifest in electrical systems, they result in expensive heat losses and increased energy consumption. Yet even more costly is that, over time, these currents accelerate component wear and ultimately lead to failures. In the power grid, these failures

culminate in unstable loads, blackouts or power surges.

This risk is exacerbated by the already present threat of power surges that accompanies renewable energy. Whether it is solar or wind farms, it only takes a storm to cause problems for the electrical output.

We know that heavy winds push wind turbines to capacity, but the effect on PV panels is slightly less clear.

Despite its title, solar energy is drawn from radiation that is not necessarily exclusive to the sun. In the case of a storm, lightning can create dangerous situations. If a bolt strikes close enough from the panels, they soak up a sudden rush of radiation, which can cause a surge. Likewise, flashes between clouds can have the same effect.

Of course, this can be subdued with effective grounding of infrastructure. But in order to get rid of the underlying harmonic resonance, it is essential that companies incorporate harmonic current filters into systems.

These filters cause a substantial reduction in the harmonics present in a system, resulting in a total harmonic distortion (THD) drop of more than 50% in some cases.

Our REOWAVE passive, for example, has been able to drive down THD to as little as 5% due to its special circuit design and its location in systems. It is these considerations that help businesses efficiently make the most of solar power.

As it stands, technology is only advanced enough to allow PV panels to harness 0.001% of the energy produced by the sun.

In the future, this figure will be substantially higher, which will drive the use of solar power and the need for high power quality.

It is only by ensuring infrastructure is capable of meeting this demand we can enjoy all the sun has to offer.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE | 17

Systems Power Engineering… simply better Established in 1983, Systems Power Engineering Limited, from its initial beginnings providing maintenance services for high voltage networks, designs, developments DQG PDQXIDFWXUH RI D UDQJH RI KLJK YROWDJH VZLWFKJHDU DQG UHWURÀW +9 YDFXXP circuit breakers for the global industrial and distribution network operators market.

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he company has undergone a rebirth in recent months with significant investment in people and product development, raising standards of expectation and delivery.

“The new team will develop our customer experience to a level greater than previously thought possible: innovative solutions, exacting quality standards and exceptional customer service,” explained Mike Porter, sales director at Systems Power Engineering Limited.

“We have invested in a world class high voltage switchgear design team which boasts over 100 years combined experience in the industry working at the highest level which strengthens our existing capabilities.”

“They bring a wealth of knowledge to SPE and thanks to the combined experience in the market place we are now able to identify needs and develop products accordingly”.

The new team has been working closely with customers to produce products which meet their needs as well as performance and legislative requirements. The company is focused on meeting or wherever possible surpassing the expectancies of customers and this philosophy is carried throughout the organisation.

Mike continued, “We recognise that product and service quality is essential for best in class performance in business today.”

Product, performance and service excellence will be implemented through a 7S Management System to drive quality and continuous improvement throughout the organisation.

With the new team in place SPE has adopted a ‘new dawn, new day approach’ with an aptitude for innovation, developing a strategy based on a policy of continual product improvement and development.

“As the requirements of the market change we will produce products that meet our customers’ new requirements and expectations. It is in this area of expertise we believe we can deliver added value for them,” concluded Mike.

SPE is delighted to present the innovative ORiON 12kV withdrawable switchgear range, which forms part of the new generation of SPE products.

The ORiON Metal Clad 12kV range of switchgear utilises the well proven vertically isolated, horizontal withdrawable, integrally earthed concept.

The range has been designed to offer a compact, fully withdrawable switchboard, based on well-established and preferred operating systems and is certified to the latest IEC standards.

The ORiON range offers a cost effective solution to extend historic air, or compound insulated 12kV switchboards within the 550mm width of the ORiON panel, with no requirement for a busbar adaptor chamber, unlike when extending switchboards with alternative fixed pattern switchgear. This feature is ideally suited where space is limited.

In addition, this versatile product range enables customers to maintain the same operating procedures as the existing switchboards.

The ORiON circuit breaker provides the basis on which our new range of retrofit vacuum circuit breakers are designed, incorporating a new generation of highly efficient motor wound spring mechanisms to operate our retrofit vacuum circuit breakers. The first retrofit vacuum circuit breaker using this technology replaces oil filled GEC BVP17 and the VMX vacuum circuit breakers.

Certified and approved to IEC standards the ORiON range comes with SPE’s excellent product quality and technical support.

Systems Power Engineering’s world class design team will roll out the ORiON technology to allow other historic vertically isolated switchgear to be retrofitted and/or extended by the ORiON switchgear range including SWS, GEC, AEI, Reyroll and Brush etc...

Please contact us for further information on the ORiON range of products on 01495 248779 or visit www.systems-power.co.uk

www.electricalreview.co.uk

18 | POWER QUALITY

PFC - the energy efficient approach to releasing load capacity In many areas of the UK itemised energy bills no longer reference reactive power charges for industrial customers. The result has been a perceived decline in interest in installing power factor correction (PFC) equipment. But there are other reasons to invest in PFC installations says Stephen Joyce, power quality business manager at ABB’s Power Grids business in the UK

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n fact, power factor issues are taking on a major new relevance as industrial operators expand their operations, and consequently need more power. So improving their site’s energy efficiency can be a very cost-effective alternative to the significant investment cost and long lead times associated with obtaining new power supplies from electricity suppliers.

We define power factor (PF) as the ratio of ‘real’ power that is used by businesses (in kW) to the ‘apparent’ power that needs to be produced (in kVA). A power factor equal to 1 (unity) demonstrates that power is being produced and consumed most efficiently, and all UK utilities aim for a minimum of 0.95.

Many UK industrial and commercial consumers have low power factors (well below 0.8) due to their extensive use of lightly loaded electric motors, pumps, fluorescent lighting and other inductive equipment. A site that has a low power factor needs more apparent power to

be produced to meet its real power requirement. Ultimately, this imposes costs on society, such as the need for more generation capacity as well as additional transmission and distribution network capacity, and increased greenhouse gas emissions.

PFC equipment offers a relatively simple solution to power factor issues, such as automatic capacitor banks. In fact, the BEAMA Capacitor Manufacturers Association (BCMA) has estimated that in the UK this equipment has removed the need to generate a further 2 terawatthours (TWh) of electricity a year and maintains CO2 emissions savings of 1.2 million tonnes.

There is still considerable further potential for PFC. As many manufacturing sites are currently operating close to their maximum load, so that future expansion would require major investment in new power infrastructure. Yet installation of PFC equipment can often improve the site’s energy efficiency to the point where

extra capacity is freed up to cope with new, additional loads using only the existing supplies. This means that with only a relatively modest investment, the extra power capacity can be made ready to use in weeks rather than the many months that it can take to install a new power supply.

It is important to note that some energy saving measures, while reducing kilowatt hour consumption, increase inductive demands and therefore reduce overall power efficiency. This therefore has the potential to undermine some of the energy saving that is achieved as a result of the further deterioration of power factors. In reality, PFC needs to be seen as an integral element of the whole energy efficiency portfolio.

There are three excellent recent examples where PFC has delivered significant benefits for industrial operations:

AN EXTRA 400 A FOR THOMPSONS OF YORK Thompsons of York is one of the largest animal feed compounders in the North of England. Simpson & Wood, the Yorkbased electrical contractors, had become concerned that the existing power supply might not be able to support the increased production loads needed to meet the growing demand for the company’s products. Initially, it seemed that a major investment in new power infrastructure might be required. But aside from the huge cost and timescale issues, there was also very limited space for new equipment.

Simpson & Wood decided to explore options for improving the efficiency of the existing site network and called in ABB’s specialist power quality consultancy service.

Our first step was to carry out surveys at three key areas – the main switchboard, the secondary switchboard and blending shed

Electrical Review | October 2016

POWER QUALITY | 19

which established that they were operating at a significantly low PF. The verdict was that suitable power factor correction equipment (PFC) would significantly improve efficiency in these areas, freeing up more than enough load to support the increased production levels.

We installed sophisticated Advance automatic capacitor banks in the three key areas surveyed. In total, this has saved 317 kVA, releasing 421 A of capacity. Not only has this enabled the existing power network to meet the demands of increased site production, it has also resulted in decreased electricity bills for Thompson of York by reducing reactive power charges.

The anticipated payback is less than four years.

HELPING THE WATER HYDRAULICS CO. LTD TAKES THE PRESSURE OFF ITS ELECTRICITY SUPPLY The Water Hydraulics Co Ltd of Hull is experiencing a major surge in interest in its environmentally friendly and less costly alternative to oil-based systems and was planning to expand its production facilities.

There was however a major challenge. The site’s power supply - rated at a nominal 160 kVA, which is equivalent to 215 A maximum load – was already close to capacity. So the company was facing an investment of around £150 k to construct additional power infrastructure combined with the disruption involved in digging up local roads.

A major surge in interest in alternatives to oil-based systems SC Humber Ltd, ABB’s power quality installation partner for northeast England, suggested that before any decision was taken a site survey should be carried out to check the site’s PF. Our specialist engineers quickly established that the site was operating at

a power factor of 0.57 with an 85 kW load.

The indication was that the normal load was 149 kVA with a current of 205 A. So there was a margin of just 10 A before the mains incoming fuses, rated at 215 A, would blow. In fact, working so close to the load limit was influencing the day to day running of the site, as operators had to stagger the starting of high-load equipment, such as compressors, in case the high inrush currents caused a trip.

We recommended the installation of 100 kVAr of power factor correction equipment based on ABB Advance automatic capacitor banks. This will restore the PF at the Hull site to 0.95 with a maximum load of 124 A, effectively freeing up a margin of 81 A for the new facility.

BOOSTING POWER FACTOR FOR ESSEX & SUFFOLK WATER Essex & Suffolk Water (ESW) operates a major clean water pumping station built in the1930s, which supplies its customers in south west Essex and the east London with water. The site is equipped with three pumps, each of which is powered by a 335 kW DC motor and variable speed drive system.

The symptoms of flickering lights, a high demand for reactive power and unexpected tripping of equipment at the pumping station led the utility to call in its long-term contractor, Mid Kent Electrical (MKE).

As an ABB Motor Service Partner and member of the ABB Drives Alliance, MKE carried out an investigation of the site’s operation and power consumption. This revealed that the existing PFC capacitors serving the site’s three 335 kW pumps had failed and that there was an unusually high demand for reactive power. The site’s PF had dropped to 0.78, leading to a monthly bill for reactive power of more than £200 on top of its normal bill.

The three failed capacitor units were each replaced with two of ABB’s CLMD 92 KVAr 480 V capacitor units, which immediately improved the power factor, bringing it up to 0.95. Not only was ESW’s monthly charge for reactive power reduced to only a few pence the PFC equipment is also reducing the site CO2 emissions by about 80 tonnes per year. www.electricalreview.co.uk

Active Filters. Improved power quality combined with efficiency and cost savings.

ABB’s PQF (Power Quality Filter) range of microprocessor controlled active filters are designed to address the growing challenges of harmonics in low voltage electrical networks. They help improve power quality, enhance efficiency, provide transient free reactive power compensation and facilitate load balancing. Direct benefits include increased capacity, minimal down-time, reduced running costs, equipment protection and mitigation of emissions. ABB is a technology leader with a wide range of products, systems and services that improve power quality including capacitors and filters, power electronics-based compensators and software solutions, across the power value chain for low, medium and high-voltage applications, helping to shape a stronger, smarter and greener grid. www.abb.co.uk

ABB Power Quality Tel. +44 (0)151 357 8400 E-mail: abbep@gb.abb.com

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE | 21

Safe smart meter installation Working with installers, electricity suppliers and network operators, Martindale Electric has developed a choice of professional smart meter kits, to ensure safe working practices during the installation of smart meters

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mart meters, which show real-time information of how much energy is being used and how much that energy costs, are being introduced into every home and small business in Britain by 2020, as part of the drive to cut the UK’s total carbon emissions. In future, they’ll also make it easy for consumers to optimise their tariff and choose the most cost effective supplier based on their consumption profile.

Containing all the test tools needed to ensure a safe and efficient meter installation, the comprehensive SMKIT5, SMKIT10 and SMKIT20 from Martindale Electric include a TEK101 non-contact voltage indicator with probe tip for identifying phase and neutral lines and a VT7 single pole contact voltage tester which is suitable for use when wearing protective gloves and gauntlets and Drummond test lamp to prove dead.

Designed specifically to discriminate between adjacent live conductors where standard voltage indicators struggle, the TEK101 non-contact voltage indicator offers voltage detection from 180V to 600V AC, by generating both an audible alarm and bright LED indication.

For voltage detection in difficult applications, the VT7 single pole contact voltage tester enables detection of AC voltage in the range 50-600V to be clearly indicated through a bright LED and buzzer when contact is made with the probe tip.

For CAT IV supply side safe isolation testing, kits include a Drummond AC/DC Test Lamp and PD440 Proving Device to reliably prove dead.

Using high intensity LEDS for live voltage indication, the latest Drummond test lamps are particularly well suited to difficult Smart Meter installations, such as in bright or direct sunlight.

Forming part of the latest generation of Drummond test lamps, the MTL10, included in the SMKIT5 and SMKIT10 and the MTL20 included with SMKIT20, feature four distinctive bands of LED illumination and provides safe and clear indication for voltages above 50, 100, 200 and 400 volts. The LEDs allow accurate identification of potentially lethal voltages, enabling electrical professionals to distinguish between 100V, 230V and phase to

phase voltages in a 3 phase system. The MTL20 has the additional benefit of a dual impedance function. The low impedance is useful for meter testing during the installation process and differentiating between potentially harmless phantom voltages and hazardous live voltages.

Matched to the Drummond test lamps, the PD440 Proving Device from Martindale Electric enables fast and reliable testing of two pole contact voltage detectors up to 450V before and after use as required in safe isolation procedures.

For additional safety and to verify the installation, the SMKIT10 also features a BZ101 Buzz-It Check plug with sounder for UK 13A sockets. Presenting an audible buzz to indicate a correctly connected socket, the BZ101 also provides a LED indication of the connection status and can identify 28 faults which can be interpreted on the supplied card.

Supplied in a durable and easy to access case and complete with a 2 year warranty as standard, the SMKITs from Martindale Electric offer electrical professionals a complete solution to implementing safe working practices during the installation of Smart Meters.

For more information, please contact Martindale Electric on 01923 441717 or visit www.martindale-electric.co.uk.

www.electricalreview.co.uk

22 | ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

EuroDoble 2016: Discuss best practices for European power stations and industrial sites Join the Conversation at the EuroDoble Colloquium in Dublin this October

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wning, operating and maintaining primary and secondary assets in our ageing power networks requires making many critical decisions regarding day-to-day operation and asset maintenance. In a constantly evolving industry, these decisions aren’t always clear or straightforward – it’s a complex balancing act to manage assets while meeting regulations related to performance, cost, safety and the environment.

It is not a simple task to determine when and how to make changes within your own department or organization, but by discussing practical case studies with your power industry peers you can see effective ways others are improving operations and optimising performance.

The EuroDoble Colloquium, hosted by Doble Engineering Company on 24-25 October 2016 in Dublin, Ireland, exists to help the electric power industry navigate this complicated landscape of asset ownership by providing a peer-to-peer knowledge sharing forum where engineers and managers can exchange their tactical and strategic approaches on everything from asset care, protection, asset failure, safety and system performance to data management.

In 22 years of hosting this educational discussion group throughout 13 countries across Europe, EuroDoble has welcomed 2,500 electric power professionals from around the world.

Each year, industry leaders responsible for manufacturing, engineering, production, maintenance, and management of power equipment present practical information about best

Electrical Review | October 2016

practices for managing power stations and industrial sites, equipping attendees with valuable knowledge needed to make an immediate, measurable impact on asset performance and reliability.

EuroDoble 2016 includes colloquium sessions on primary and secondary asset care, protection technical presentations, tutorials opportunities, users groups on primary plant assets and a closed session for utility and industrial companies to discuss failure and plant performance issues. These sessions give you an ideal opportunity to identify which strategies could work for your organization and begin implementing them on your return to work.

This year’s host utility is ESB International, based in Ireland.

They will be delivering two keynote addresses – one on “On-line Monitoring of High Voltage Equipment & the Smart Grid” and the other on “ESB International Safety Policy & Strategy.”

EURODOBLE SESSIONS At EuroDoble, all colloquium sessions include technical presentations followed by round table discussions. During the session on “Optimising Maintenance Activities,” we will describe substation maintenance trends across Europe and then discuss changes needed to improve performance, including using maintenance strategies that link tasks to condition and risk, using outsourcing or in-house resources to sustain your skill base as well as asset management organization and implementation following PAS55 and ISO5500.

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE | 23

Discussions will also include using EHV/HV mobile substation bays on Ireland’s ESB International transmission system to minimize outages, harmonizing maintenance practices across generating stations and how switchgear maintenance has changed at the MV level in the UK. Diagnostics are another focus area as we look at the increasing importance of using diagnostics such as non-invasive surveys, remote monitoring and a variety of analytic tools to detect the need for maintenance or equipment renewal.

During the session on “Developing the Future for Diagnostics,” participants will share experiences on integrating data from

equipment failures. We will also describe the practice of creating “risk management zones” in the United Kingdom, which manage the safety risk of several units made to the same design or manufacture in the event of an equipment failure.

transformer diagnostics, which include the use of on-line monitoring systems for transformers as well as using bushing power factor/capacitance together with several partial discharge methods for both bushing and main tank sources of a large generator step up transformer. This session also highlights furan use and other asset health index methods to assess ageing in single phase GSUs.

Special protection tutorials will focus on new methodology for test automation and understanding criteria for transformer protection.

Closed session for utility and industrial groups Tuesday afternoon will feature a closed session where utility and industrial company attendees can share experiences related to plant performance, failures and malfunctions.

The industry expo will also include companies such as Celtic Recycling, EKOFluid, Electrical Oil Services, GE Grid Solutions, Mistras Group, Shell UK, Transerv Europe, and Unifin International.

EuroDoble 2016 will be directly followed by the 2016 Life of a TransformerTM Seminar, an in-depth training seminar on all aspects of transformer design, manufacturing, commissioning, operation, maintenance, monitoring, refurbishment and end of life management.

Track 1: Management of safety Keeping the utility workforce and its contractors safe is of utmost importance. Before any work can start on site, work instructions must be precisely described, risks must be documented and mitigations identified. The workforce needs to be identified as safe, competent, trained for the task and prepared with proper personal protective equipment. EuroDoble’s “Management of Safety” track covers essential safety procedures to be followed when working on site, in addition to the appropriate engineering, technical and safety responses to managing

Track 2: Light current asset and maintenance management EuroDoble’s protection track will cover asset and maintenance management for light current assets by discussing experiences with IEC61850 conformance testing, applications of travelling wave fault location, cybersecurity of protection and control IEDs and other protection asset management tools and philosophy.

More details can be found at events.doble.com/eurodoble www.electricalreview.co.uk

24 | BUILDING DATA

Sink or Swim: How to manage the big data ood The Internet of Things (IoT) is constantly in the news. That’s understandable since forecasts anticipate there will soon be tens of billions of connected devices, helping the IoT to generate more than £7.5 trillion worth of economic activity worldwide. In fact, according to McKinsey Global, the IoT economic impact on factories, retail settings, worksites, RIÀFHV DQG KRPHV FRXOG WRWDO DV PXFK DV … WULOOLRQ E\ 5DFKHO &RRSHU FDWHJRU\ PDUNHWLQJ PDQDJHU IRU ÀHOG VHUYLFHV ZLWK 6FKQHLGHU (OHFWULF H[SODLQV

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ne area where the IoT is driving development is in smart buildings. Today’s more complex buildings are generating vast quantities of data, but building management systems (BMS) are not leveraging that data as much as they could, and are not always capturing the right data to make useful decisions. With 42 per cent of the world’s energy consumed by buildings, facility managers face escalating demand for environmentally friendly, highperformance buildings that are efďŹ cient and sustainable. The data collected can help them to achieve this.

However, many facility managers lack the time and resources to investigate the convenient methods that can help them to turn the ood of IoT and other sensor data they’re exposed to, into actionable insights

FORCED TO DO MORE WITH LESS Reduced budgets force building owners to manage sophisticated building systems with fewer resources. This issue is further

Facilities managers face challenges maintaining existing equipment performance

Electrical Review | October 2016

One area where the IoT is driving development is in smart buildings

aggravated by older systems becoming inefďŹ cient over time. Even when there is sufďŹ cient budget, it is increasingly difďŹ cult and time-consuming to hire, develop, and retain staff with the skills and knowledge to take advantage of BMS capabilities.

Facility managers also face challenges maintaining existing equipment performance. Components can break or fall out of calibration, and general wear and tear often leads to a marked decline in a building’s operational efďŹ ciency.

Changes in building use and occupancy can contribute to indoor air-quality problems, uncomfortable environments, and higher overall energy costs. These changes begin immediately after construction is complete.

Owners often undertake recommissioning projects to ďŹ ne-tune their buildings. Such work is intended to bring the facility back

to its best possible operation level. However, recommissioning is often done as a reactive measure, and traditional maintenance may not identify all areas of energy waste.

Operational inefďŹ ciencies that are not obvious, or that do not result in occupant discomfort, may go undetected.

Upskilling the current workforce Many tools have come onto the market over the past decade to help employees get a better understanding of their facilities and assist them in their day-to-day operations and long-term planning. This can include anything from dashboards and automated analytics platforms to machine-learning optimisation engines. However, much like the sophisticated BMS platforms available today, for each tool you deploy, more investment is needed in time for training.

In fact, research shows that lacking training

BUILDING DATA | 25

is evident with roughly only 20% of facility managers using 80% of capabilities available to them within their BMS. The remaining 80% use a very limited amount (20%) of the potential functionality in their system.

With personnel turnover and competing facility-management responsibilities, many facilities are left without staff who have the time to learn the full capabilities of these tools. Of course, outsourcing different functions is one way to overcome these issues. However, vendors must be managed closely to ensure efficacy, and to ensure that outsourcing costs do not accrue significantly as third parties spend more time on-site.

IN TECH WE TRUST Technology has become an important part of building management, as BMS play an ever bigger role in how facility managers perform their jobs and operate buildings.

Newer technologies like data visualisation dashboards let facility managers view building performance metrics in a single window, helping them to spot trends and gather insights. By visualising data in terms of graphs, charts, and conversion to different equivalents – for example, kWh to pound cost or kWh to carbon footprint, an experienced building operator can manually identify areas of concern for closer inspection.

Yet, while dashboards can be helpful in determining building behaviour, the data is often complex and challenging to interpret.

In fact, even if building staff have the time

and skills to review and understand the data, dashboard information alone tells only part of the building performance story. Facility managers can identify where inefficiencies exist but usually not why.

This requires additional troubleshooting and investigation. Therefore, dashboards are most effective for simple monitoring in environments where there are plenty of trained staff to perform troubleshooting and identify the root causes of issues.

Users can uncover which data to ignore and which to act upon ANALYTICS IS THE ANSWER To gain more from a BMS deployment, many facility managers are turning to data analytics software to interpret large volumes of BMS data. Best-in-class software automatically trends energy and equipment use, identifies faults, provides root-cause analysis, and prioritises opportunities for improvement based on cost, comfort and maintenance impact. This software complements BMS dashboards because it takes the additional step of interpreting the data – showing not just where but why inefficiencies occur. Engineers can then convert this intelligence into “actionable information” for troubleshooting and

preventative maintenance, as well as for solving more complicated operational challenges.

Using this software, facility managers can proactively optimise and commission building operations more effectively than with a BMS alone. It enables them to understand why a building is or isn’t operating efficiently so that they can introduce permanent solutions rather than temporary fixes. For instance, with data analytics, facility managers can proactively identify operational problems such as equipment that needs to be repaired or replaced. Moreover, it can do this before critical failure and before it has an impact on the building occupants. Repairs can be scheduled before an emergency arises, eliminating costly short-notice or out-ofhours replacement and avoiding failure and downtime. With this proactive approach, equipment becomes more reliable, the cost of replacement and repair can be much lower, and occupants are assured of optimal comfort. In fact, by following best practice, they can even reduce HVAC energy costs by up to 30%.

THE FUTURE Smart, connected technology has taken us beyond the human ability to manage what can amount to hundreds of thousands of data points in large buildings. Efficient operations require a proactive response.

Analytics solutions effectively manage the new state of information overload created by a digital world and filter out what’s not valuable to you. For example, they can provide insight on how to fix problems when they are first observed, before total failure.

This predictive maintenance approach means capital assets can be preserved and significant energy savings can be made. The advent of IoT means that we must shift our approach to facility management in order to deliver against the financial, wellbeing and sustainability targets of today’s facilities. By investing in a sophisticated BMS, users can uncover which data to ignore and which to act upon. After all, data for data’s sake is useless. Being able to use a building’s performance data to augment operational efficiency, increase occupant comfort, and improve overall energy consumption so that the financial well-being of buildings can be sustained, is of paramount importance. www.electricalreview.co.uk

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n a smart city, the road and transport network fulďŹ l a similar role to that of the circulatory system in the human body: facilitating the movement of essential elements that ensure the wellbeing and efďŹ ciency of the whole system.

However, the advantages of smart public transport go beyond energy efďŹ ciency and sustainability. They also include cost-efďŹ cient travelling, higher road safety levels, better mobility for urban dwellers and the availability of analytics that help predict and manage trafďŹ c ow.

To accommodate such challenging requirements and complex projects, construction companies, local authorities, industrial automation suppliers and systems integrators have to work together closely and harmonise their activities.

Perhaps one of the most difďŹ cult tasks falls to the systems integrator, who has to incorporate several generations of equipment from different vendors into one network, while also combining traditional systems integration skills with the latest ICT, industrial security and networking experience.

NOTTINGHAM EXPRESS TRAVEL PHASE TWO In a bid to become one of the UK’s ďŹ rst smart cities, Nottingham has recently expanded its existing tram network to include two new lines to serve the South and South West of the city. The ďŹ rst new line crosses the river Trent to Clifton and the second connects the Queens Medical Centre, Beeston and Toton. The new routes join the existing line at Nottingham Station, with the entire network accommodating over 20 million passengers every year.

With its seven free park and ride sites, the www.electricalreview.co.uk

28 | RAIL

tram offers a convenient alternative to the stressful city centre traffic.

NET Phase Two added 17.5 kilometres of track, 28 new stops and 22 new trams to the existing network. Nottingham City Council estimates that the second phase of the Nottingham Express Transit (NET) will take three million car journeys off Nottingham’s roads, significantly improving the traffic levels in the city.

FIBRE OPTIC NETWORK The main feature that makes a public transport system smart is enhanced control and monitoring features. In the case of Nottingham trams, these functionalities became a reality through the collaboration of big industry names such as Taylor Woodrow, Alstom (TWA) and Boulting Technology.

In a joint venture with Alstom, Taylor Woodrow was contracted to design and build phase two of the Nottingham Express Transit project. HYPERLINK “http://www. boultingtechnology.co.uk/” Systems integrator Boulting Technology was called in as a consultant to design and implement Electrical Review | October 2016

the fibre optic infrastructure that allows the access, visibility and control of the traffic lights system for Nottingham’s two new lines. This feature allows NET to monitor and control tram junctions, with the facility to also monitor traffic and control traffic movement.

Collaboration was at the very heart of the project, with Boulting Technology working alongside other stakeholders to design and implement a large-scale, real-time Ethernet network to provide monitoring and control facilities to a series of locations and junctions.

Boulting Technology was already familiar with the NET Phase Two project. In 2014, the systems integrator worked alongside TWA to introduce an HYPERLINK “http:// www.boultingtechnology.co.uk/case-studies/ view/delivering-automated-ticket-solutions” automated tram ticketing system using an existing and proposed long-haul fibre optic network infrastructure. Boulting Technology’s network solution securely integrated OTT LAN, W-LAN and WAN connections from several system vendors across the NET structure.

REQUIREMENTS NET Phase Two involved Boulting stepping in as a design consultant to identify technical gaps in the existing infrastructure, integrate the existing fibre optic network and design and build a secondary network for the Urban Traffic Control (UTC) system.

The secondary network would allow NET to have full control of traffic signals and manage the flow of traffic information to the local authority.

SYSTEM INTEGRATION EXPERTISE Integrating the existing optic fibre backbone installed by Alstom into the NET Phase Two, meant Boulting Technology added an extra 37 junctions, across 20 kilometres of tracks. The network itself had to be high speed, with all the components able to provide 1GB per second operating speed.

Due to geography and existing fibre optic infrastructure, Boulting Technology also integrated a small set of junctions on the existing tramline to meet this requirement.

Boulting Technology installed singlemode fibre optic cables to achieve the required Ethernet communications links

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between tram stop equipment cabinets, miscellaneous equipment cabinets and traffic signal-controller cabinets. There were 74 new connections proposed in total across the entire network.

The nature of the project also meant the optic fibre network had to be high availability, highly secure, scalable and very robust. Working to these requirements, Boulting Technology collaborated closely with Hirschmann™ to verify the design for active components, network performance and redundancy.

Finally, to allow secure communication with the network’s central monitoring station, the Urban Traffic Control (UTC) system, Boulting Technology also designed the firewall and internal networking for external users.

“One of the big breakthroughs of the project was the modular off-site build Boulting Technology facilitated,” explained Robin Whitehead, solutions manager at Boulting Technology and project manager for the NET Phase Two programme. “We designed, built and tested everything in our Electrical Review | October 2016

Stafford facility over the course of several months. We then dismantled the system and migrated it on-site in a live state.

“This approach allowed us to reduce the manpower required on location and minimise any risks to people and equipment on-site,” continued Whitehead. “Our intervention was as non-intrusive and rapid as possible. The modular design also permits easy migration and expansion paths, should additional plant or equipment be added to further increase the capacity of the network.”

RESULTS “A smooth cooperation between contractors and subcontractors was essential to the success of this smart transport project,” revealed Rob Cullen, systems manager at Taylor Woodrow. “Working with Boulting Technology meant the network integration design was delivered in less than six months and tested without any errors. The project was fully operational at the end of August 2015 and it has been running smoothly ever since.”

“We’re particularly pleased with the skill and versatility of Boulting Technology’s team and its ability to work within the whole supply chain to achieve a common goal,” continued Cullen. “Throughout the project they offered valuable systems integration and ICT input that allowed us to react quickly and make junctions live with minimal delays. We’re very pleased with the results and recommend the Boulting Technology team for its expertise and professionalism.”

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32 | SMART METERING

Bargaining chips for a better quality of life $ QHZ JHQHUDWLRQ KDV HPHUJHG WKDW LV DFXWHO\ DZDUH RI LWV FRQVXPHU FDSLWDO DQG WKH EHQHÀWV this brings to individuals and society, according to a study by SAS, a leader in analytics and the Future Foundation, an independent research agency. The majority (69%) of this ‘data generation’ (compromising 16- to 34-year-olds) view their own personal information as bargaining chips to enhance their lives. The data generation expects a hyper-personalised service from brands, who risk failing to survive in this new environment if they don’t exploit open and cloud-ready advanced analytics to better understand these customers

T

his data generation expects hyperpersonal insight into every aspect of their lives, where its habits, preferences and moods are taken into account so predictive analytics can enhance its health, prosperity and future life potential. Only 12% are happy to share their personal data without a second thought.

Yet, when asked to consider sharing in specific situations their psyche changed – with nearly three in five (57%) willing to share their own data to make their lives easier.

More than two-thirds (67%) are comfortable sharing with the healthcare sector, 57% with financial institutions, 50% with the public sector, 45% with utilities, 32% with retailers and just 28% with social media companies. These preferences differed depending on their levels of trust and the value they recoup for sharing their data: • Healthcare: Propensity to share driven by desire to optimise future health: keen to improve the NHS, 40% are happy for the NHS to sell their anonymised data to third parties • Public sector: Appetite to share hindered by concern it could be used against them: 62 per cent are sceptical that the data they share is used well by government agencies • Retail: Welcoming an era of ‘me me’ pricing: having wised up to enhanced marketing techniques, more than half (51%) will purposefully abandon their virtual shopping basket at checkout to benefit from retailer re-targeting that induces a better price • Energy: An exposed generation looking for control: only 18% trust their energy supplier to find them the best deal, leaving more than half (51%) interested in home control apps in the future.

Worryingly, only 48% would ‘share their Electrical Review | October 2016

energy consumption with energy suppliers to help them manage personal energy consumption and capacity at the national grid’ • Financial Institutions: Consumers seek hyper-personalised control: nearly three in five (58%) are interested in a service that calculates future financial situations using current work trajectory and spending habits and see potential from sharing their driving habits with insurers – such as being guided to cheaper petrol stations (41%), having coffee pre-prepared at stop-offs (21%) and offers on the move (23%) • Social Media: Hold back from social media sharing: amid corporate over-sharing and the eroding of trust,68 per cent are uncomfortable sharing datawith social media companies Mark Wilkinson, SAS regional vice president – Northern Europe, said: “The data generation are amenable to sharing more forms of data, provided it gives them control as they navigate turbulent macro-economic conditions and fluid career projections. The organisations that will prosper in the future, will demonstrate how they can enhance the data generation’s life potential and that of society. This will require organisations to embrace analytics architectures that are more accessible, flexible and can easily scale to problems of any size. All industries need access to a simple, open and cloudready platform that can complement other technologies and open source software.”

This is an era where organisations make multi-million pound decisions based on access to highly relevant and personal customer insights derived from enhanced computational power and analytics. The data generation” is driven by new motivations that society is not yet fully accustomed to.

For sectors to provide the new data savvy generation with what they are looking for, they must understand their motivations. This is a generation that: • Worry that their jobs will be replaced by robots: they recognise a need for dexterity in learning, with 78% expecting to keep learning new skills throughout their life, and four out of 10 prepared to invest either their own time or money into acquiring data science skills • Feel financially naked: as they experience turbulent macroeconomic conditions, austerity measures and fluid career projections they look to their own data to gain control and self-sufficient • Want to quantify every aspect of their lives: being visibly in control is a powerful aspiration, with almost two-thirds (61%) interested in collecting and interpreting real-time information to make better life choices • Expect total recall: they have embraced information recovery, with 65% expecting brands to have total recall of previous interactions to help them find exactly what they are looking for • Are becoming a generation of forecasters: want the ability to predict every aspect of their lives to feel more in control of their own futures • Look to computers to learn for them: artificial intelligence is becoming a computerised advantage offering a personal touch to individuals to help them predict future scenarios by converting the analysis of large data sets into natural language • Live in a ‘me me me world’: expect hyper personal communication based on lifestyle, beliefs, moods and aspirations that feed into the what, when, why and how they are communicated with.

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34 | SMART METERING

Analytics for the Future

The New Data Generation

Recent research shows that a new “data generation” has emerged OVER 2,000

16-34

YEAR OLDS SURVEYED

THE”ME ME” WORLD

This generation understands the power of it’s data and views it as bargaining chips.

SHARING TYPES

69% 31%

HAPPY PRAGMATIC BASIC

12% 30% 27%

CAUTIOUS

31%

It demands hyper-personalisation from the organisations it interacts with.

but attitudes vary by who uses the data and how it is used PERCENTAGE COMFORTABLE SHARING WITH

HEALTHCARE

67%

FINANCIAL SERVICES

57%

PUBLIC SECTOR

50%

UTILITIES

45%

RETAIL

32%

SOCIAL MEDIA

28%

TECHNOLOGY SHIFT Only a technology shift can drive this hyper-personalised instant world ADVANCED A N A LY T I C S

CLOUD ENABLED

OPEN SYSTEM

Organisations will not survive in this environment unless they can understand and respond to the needs of this new generation Download the full report at sas.com/futureanalytics SAS and all other SAS Institute Inc. product or service names are registered trademarks or trademarks of SAS Institute Inc. in the USA and oth er countries. ® indicates USA registration. Other brand and product names are trademarks of their respective companies. Copyright © 2016, SAS Institute Inc. All rights reserved. 1483298UK0916

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36 | SWITCHGEAR/PANEL BUILDING

Software solutions for panel builders Panel builders and system integrators operate in an exceedingly tough competitive market, which means reducing time spent on designs and excluding errors and reworks – in other words, keeping costs down – is of paramount importance. Ken Christie, director at Eplan UK offers a comprehensive guide on how to select software solutions that make it easier to meet this challenge

M

odern CAE software systems enable manual, time-consuming engineering design functions to be performed automatically and instantaneously.

By using a well-chosen system of this type, panel builders can, therefore, benefit from an increase in productivity, shorter project turnaround times and improvements in product quality.

The best CAE systems are those that continually evolve, improving usability, reducing the amount of manual data entry and error checking, and also facilitating adherence to corporate, national and international standards.

A prime requirement for a CAE solution for the engineering of control cabinets is that it should enable electrical and, where necessary, fluid engineering mounting layouts to be designed rapidly and easily in 3D. It should generate information relating to things like mounting holes and panel cutouts automatically.

Intelligent placement tools that take into account components manufacturers’ specifications will guarantee planning reliability, optimum space utilisation and accurate production information.

The functions for placing and editing components must be supplemented by dynamic collision checks and the online connection displays, allowing users to utilise the often limited available space within the control panel efficiently.

When all components, trunking and mounting rails are placed in the design, good CAE software will also automatically check whether the proposed placements meet design requirements such as minimum allowable spacing distances. This saves the engineer valuable time as the need for trial-and-error component positioning is eliminated.

With repetitive data entry and manual data conversion no longer needed, product development can be made more efficient. This frees up engineering time for further innovation.

In addition, continual data exchange increases project quality and accelerates the entire engineering process on a sustainable basis.

The best CAE systems for panel building applications use 3D enclosure prototypes and connection information from the circuit diagram to determine optimum wiring distances and routes, as well as the required lengths for all wires and cables within the panel.

Electrical Review | October 2016

Another invaluable feature that should be offered by a CAE solution for panels is the ability to design copper elements such as busbars and risers. This functionality, together with the 3D placement options already discussed, enables engineers to generate an accurate virtual representation of the panel, and to produce all of the manufacturing information needed for it to be built.

An important but easily overlooked feature is the ability to import comprehensive component information via an on-line data portal. The information accessible via a portal of this type

SWITCHGEAR/PANEL BUILDING | 37

all too easy to end up copying mistakes and faults, leading to problems during project implementation.

The second option is to create the project design from scratch, with the new data and calculations. This option is, however, time consuming and, although it can lead to improved quality and innovation, it also means there is little standardisation; every job is different.

By far the best solution to these challenges is to choose a CAE package that allows users to build up their own library of proven design ‘modules’. These can be as simple as a direct-online motor starter or as complex as a complete conveyor control system, depending on the application. Such modules can be reused as often as needed, safe in the knowledge that they have been fully tested and evaluated. This approach not only saves

is regularly updated by component manufacturers, so engineers can always be sure it is accurate, complete and up to date.

Using CAE software for control panel design aids the testing process by ensuring uniformity of design approach and execution. It also ensures specific requirements relating to the mounting and wiring of components are always met and that errors are detected early in the design phase when they can still be corrected easily and inexpensively.

Project reports, schematics, 3D visualisations and dimension information relating to production and mounting can be generated directly by the CAE software, and some packages can go even further. These advanced packages will also generate CNC data required for drilling and punching the enclosure and mounting plates and even, in some cases, the data needed to control an automated wiring robot.

If there are plans to use this type of advanced facility, either immediately or at some time in the future, it is worth checking the CAE package has flexible data export facilities to ensure the information can be provided in a form that is compatible with the machines and robots that will be used.

Integrated support for implementing codes and standards is another feature that should be taken into account when selecting CAE software for panel building applications. Standards compliance is an almost universal requirement among today’s specifiers and purchasers of control panels and it is worth bearing in mind it’s not only engineering standards that are likely to be important – adherence to the latest standards for drawings and documentation is an increasingly common request.

Perhaps the most challenging aspect of engineering design, however, is that no two projects are identical, yet many elements need to be repeated over and over again. This means the engineer is faced with two options. The first is to simply copy and paste system design elements used in previous projects.

Unfortunately, although this may save time in the short run, it’s

time, it also ensures a high degree of design uniformity, which aids testing and maintenance.

In conclusion, the right CAE solution for panel builders and system integrators is one that minimises design and manufacturing time and costs. It should be a supportive guiding tool that helps bring out the best ideas in engineering design, sifting out mistakes and automating mundane tasks to let ideas flow.

www.electricalreview.co.uk

38 | ELECTRIC VEHICLES

Electric vehicles ,QGHHG ZKHQ HOHFWULF YHKLFOHV (9V ÀUVW HPHUJHG WKH\ FDPH ZLWK H[WHQVLYH FKDUJLQJ WLPHV PDNLQJ œUDQJH DQ[LHW\¡ D SODXVLEOH FRQFHUQ +RZHYHU ZLWK WRGD\¡V FKDUJLQJ FDSDELOLWLHV IDVWHU WKDQ HYHU EHIRUH DQG LQIUDVWUXFWXUH FRQVLVWHQWO\ JURZLQJ WKH DUJXPHQW IRU (9 KDV QHYHU EHHQ PRUH SRZHUIXO +HUH &KULV *LEVRQ DW 5H[HO (QHUJ\ 6ROXWLRQV WDONV DERXW ZK\ LV WKH \HDU WR JHW œUDQJH FRQÀGHQW¡ DQG KRZ LQVWDOOHUV FDQ KHOS WR GLVSHO WKH œUDQJH DQ[LHW\¡ P\WK RQFH DQG IRU DOO

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lectric vehicles have come a long way in the last decade.

They’re more reliable, powerful, and stylish, and cost of ownership is coming down all the time.

No surprise then that, according to the latest ďŹ gures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), demand is soaring. A total of17,000 hybrid and electric cars left UK showrooms in the ďŹ rst quarter of 2016, compared with 1,354 in the same period in 2006.1 Looking wider, the market for alternative fuelled vehicles rose 40 per cent to 72,775 units last year, increasing the sector’s market share from 2.1 per cent in 2014 to 2.8 per cent.2 Also, Go Ultra Low, the joint Government and car industry campaign to get drivers to switch to electric vehicles, said yearon-year sales were up 23%, with more than 115 electric cars registered every day in the ďŹ rst quarter of 2016, equivalent to one every 13 minutes.3 Indeed, while this all signiďŹ es a positive step in the right direction, the reality is that this growth is still marginal; after all, according to most recent estimates the UK now has approximately 32 million cars on the road4. As such, while there is no doubt that the future of the UK’s automotive industry lies with EV, clearly there are still some barriers to overcome.

TIME TO SAY GOODBYE TO ‘RANGE ANXIETY’?

Top of the list is the highly publicised issue of ‘range anxiety’.

This is where consumers are worried about running out of battery power before reaching their destination or a suitable charging point.

Electrical Review | October 2016

This stems way back to the humble beginnings of the EV industry whereby charging times for commercial and public access were extensive, and the charging infrastructure was far and few between. This made ‘range anxiety’ a tangible concern and long-distance journeys severely restricted.

Fast forward to today, however, and the EV industry has really come into its own. We already have more than 10,000 publiclyaccessible charge points located across the UK and many more new units are being installed in urban and rural areas in the coming months.

Also, the Government recently announced the regional winners of its Go Ultra Low City Scheme who will share a pot of ÂŁ40m to invest in the technology and initiatives needed to drive demand for low emission vehicles. These include London, Nottingham, Bristol, Milton Keynes and four other towns.

Each area will use their share of the funding to build out the infrastructure needed for large-scale EV use, including introducing rapid charging hubs and street lamps that double up as charging stations. Other alterations will include allowing EVs to use dedicated bus lanes in city centres, and earmarking around 25,000 parking spaces for EV owners.

In addition, the government has also announced a long-term extension to the plug-in car grant, backed by a £400m package to treble the number of ultra-low emission vehicles on Britain’s roads. This means that from this March (2016), buyers of the greenest cars can save up to £4,500 off the overall purchase price.

Looking to the future and it gets even more exciting.

Following a two-year feasibility study, the Highways Agency is said to be trialling a new wireless power-transfer tech that it hopes to build under the country’s motorways and major ‘A’ roads. Working in a similar way to wireless mobile phone chargers, if implemented, it would effectively charge EVs while in use - potentially dramatically extending the car’s range and dispelling the ‘range anxiety’ myth once and for all.

Asides from charging developments, another factor is the continual advancement in charging technology. In the last couple of years we’ve seen improvements in charging times being widely available; coming down from several hours to 20 minutes - and improvements in vehicle range; from a typical 100 to more like 200 today.

Also, there’s the option of hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), which can be run on conventional or alternative fuel and an electric motor that uses energy stored in a battery. In this way,

ELECTRIC VEHICLES | 39

HEVs combine the benefits of high fuel economy and low emissions with the power and range of conventional motors.

DISPELLING THE MYTH How then, can installers play a role in communicating the benefits of EVs to consumers more effectively? Setting out the facts about what EVs do and don’t offer – and challenging the common ‘range anxiety’ assumption – is an important step in making the sales message more effective.

We must remember that the average car journey in the UK is just 7.1 miles5 – perfect for EV driving. Given that the typical consumer would think little of driving to work or doing the school run on a low tank of petrol, the question remains then – why are we so anxious about charge range?

Here, it’s about changing the drivers’ mindset. If we think about the way we drive our vehicles now, we typically stop to refill when we need to. With electric vehicles, one of the big benefits is the ability for motorists to charge up before they leave home. In this way, it’s about breaking the habit of refuelling as needed and consciously charging beforehand.

The issue is, perhaps, the fear of the unknown. However, as EV adoption continues to soar, the consensus is that we will see a new breed of EV converts spread the word of the benefits of making the switch, helping to take it into the mainstream.

Equally, for the installer working in the sector, it’s important to talk to their customers about the benefits of the benefits of EV and dispel concerns around ‘range anxiety’, drawing on their personal experiences and knowledge of the industry.

GETTING UP TO SPEED This all, of course, offers an expansive and growing new business opportunity for the traditional electrical contractor to diversify into and, in turn, reap the financial rewards.

To begin with, training is king and the good news is that there are plenty of courses specifically aimed at those contractors looking to diversifying into the EV sector.

A good recommendation is the introductory EV charging course offered by NICEIC which is designed to help contractors understand how to install EV charging points in compliance with BS 7671, the Electrical Safety Quality and Continuity Regulations and the new IET Code of Practice. It is run over just one day and offers the ideal route for those looking to get involved in the industry.

In addition, it is also important to work with a reputable supplier with a genuine expertise in the EV charging arena to ensure the utmost in product quality, reliability and, ultimately, a best practice installation.

After all, a range of factors will influence a consumer’s

decision on which EV charger is compatible with their lifestyle and requirements; these include vehicle type, desired speed of charge, access controls and reporting requirements if any as well as ensuring the system is future proofed for their requirements. Plus, when it comes to the new build sector, more and more local authorities are stipulating that as part of planning permission approval EV charging points must be considered – and in some cases mandatorily implemented – as part of a development.

With this in mind, there is now a plethora of charging solutions to suit any vehicle and meet all legal requirements. The offer includes various types of charging units to reflect the mode of charging, whether it is a residential, commercial or public charge point, or if the charging point is to be wall mounted or ground mounted. The current offer also includes standard charging units, ideal for the consumer taking regular short journeys, through to rapid chargers which use a direct current supply to provide a typical 80% charge in 30 minutes; perfect for drivers on regular long-haul drives.

What’s more, at Rexel we recently launched a brand new online platform, designed to help installers get on board with the electric vehicle (EV) market and make the most of the growing opportunity: Energeasy Drive.

This new service is designed to empower installers with the knowledge, training and marketing support they need to enter and succeed in UK’s growing EV sector. On the platform, they’ll be regularly updated information and news on developments in electric vehicles and innovations in charging technology. And, for those wanting to find out how others have flourished in the market, success stories are available via a case study bank featuring installers who have grown their business through sales of electric vehicle charge points (EVCPs).

The website can also be used as a powerful education and sales tool when on-site with customers, allowing installers to answer any common queries, as well as correcting any misconceptions about electrical vehicle charging and electric vehicles face to face. For example, how long it takes to charge an electric vehicle and its range.

It is an incredibly exciting time for EV. Already last year saw the market hit record sales, a figure which is to be succeeded this year as more businesses and consumers seek to embrace the financial benefits of making the switch. However, on a wider level there is still work to be done is educating the masses on the benefits of EV, the charging capabilities and the extent of our charging infrastructure. As an industry, in this way we can look to dispel the ‘range anxiety’ stigma once and for all and make 2016 the year for range confidence. www.electricalreview.co.uk

40 | ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Generation Caterpillar Ganesh Iyer is a man on a mission. Since early 2015, he has held the reins of one of &DWHUSLOODU·V PRVW VLJQLÀFDQW SRZHU JHQHUDWLRQ WHDPV +LV UHDFK FRYHUV &DW EUDQGHG generator sets up to 750 kVA and the entire FG Wilson range from 7 – 2,500 kVA. It’s a WDVN ZKLFK DQLPDWHV KLP KXJHO\ DQG KDV KLV XQGLYLGHG DWWHQWLRQ

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hat makes Ganesh’s task especially interesting is that it embraces two of the generator set industry’s most iconic brands which together have an enviable global presence.

Caterpillar have been in the business since 1939, the first engine manufacturer to provide a complete factory-produced generator set, and globally today Cat brand generators lead the way in quality, durability and world-class support.

The FG Wilson brand was founded in 1966 and was acquired

by Caterpillar in 1999. Ganesh is candid about what attracted Caterpillar to FG Wilson. “It was the modern factories, the distribution channel, the ability to reach new customers and most important of all, the entrepreneurial spirit within the brand.”

Alongside the premium Cat brand generator set range, FG Wilson allowed Caterpillar to reach a wider group of customers.

Having a brand like FG Wilson inside the stable was something of a learning experience for Caterpillar, which today owns many “non-yellow” brands. In the late 90s, however, much of this was new to the organisation.

Ganesh says, “At first, little changed for the FG Wilson brand. Then gradually over time, we tried to make things more efficient, with common products, common processes and the ultimate was a common marketing team between the Cat and FG Wilson brands.”

It might have seemed efficient, but it was also diluting the essence that made the FG Wilson brand unique. Slowly, FG Wilson was losing its voice, inside and outside the organisation.

Six months ago, Ganesh changed all that. “One thing that is

Ganesh Iyer and Ann Brown

abundantly clear to me is that the FG Wilson brand is critical to our future success. It was time to step back, really think about our customers, set out where we want to take our business and how we can grow while serving customers even better.”

The first step was the appointment of a new managing director for FG Wilson, Ann Brown. A grounded professional with seventeen years in the industry, Ann hails from an operations background. She’s now surrounded by an experienced team, many of whom started their careers at FG Wilson and who were instrumental in driving FG Wilson growth.

Ganesh sees that reaffirmation of FG Wilson brand values as key. The market for generator sets is a crowded and unforgiving place. He says, “The basic technology in a generator set really hasn’t really changed for a long time. We have a 70 year old Electrical Review | October 2016

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE | 41

Engineering Centre in Larne, UK, which also houses Europe’s largest fully automated hemi-anechoic chamber, providing state of the art acoustic research and test capabilities. And every product is released with a full suite of parts at the brand’s main aftermarket facility, which stocks 11,500 product lines and ships 3 million parts a year.

This focus on service is a huge priority for Ganesh. “Few of us now tolerate loss of power. Talk to any young person who has lost their wi-fi or data connection. Today we all expect more from what we buy, and customers who own generator sets expect the same level of service as they get when they buy a consumer product. And this is where FG Wilson is really investing time and resources.”

Supporting customers is a global network of over 400 dealers with over 700 touch points, all of them painstakingly recruited and trained. Many have been in partnership with FG Wilson for two or three decades.

Ganesh says, “What makes the FG Wilson distribution network really special is that their main or usually sole focus is on our generator sets – this is what they do, so they are complete specialists. They understand the business and customers better than anyone.”

That expertise can reach into extremely complex projects. In the early days, FG Wilson built up its name designing, building and commissioning mini power stations in the Middle East, often in the most inhospitable operating environments. That tradition continues today. In some European and Middle Eastern cities, it’s possible to look across the skyline and tick off large landmark buildings which rely on an FG Wilson generator set for standby power. Developing this custom business for large

Cat generator set on display at our Larne visitor centre which wouldn’t look out of place at a customer site today. Engines have become more efficient and customers can work remotely with generator sets but really, the basic core product is the same.

This means it’s relatively easy for new generator set packagers to enter the market with similar products, so it’s a mature and very crowded market.”

What is much more difficult, says Ganesh, is to build up distribution networks and be capable of supporting generator sets effectively and consistently on site. “People who buy generator sets aren’t buying the metal,” says Ganesh. “They’re buying guaranteed power, and with that comes a responsibility that you will honour the trust customers give when they buy.”

With 600,000 generator sets installed since 1990 alone, FG Wilson doesn’t take any chances with customer trust. Every new product is put through rigorous testing and validation at a $26M

generator sets is important to Ganesh. “We believe this is something which FG Wilson does extremely well. We’ve a long track record of experience, within our organisation and within the dealer network, world class facilities, and very importantly, the innovation and product development from custom projects can work its way through to our more standard ranges.”

The future is very obviously where Ganesh’s mind is. Yet he’s very conscious of the heritage of FG Wilson. He says, “In May, we marked 50 years of FG Wilson with an event at our Larne facility among long-standing employees and representatives of the Wilson family. The warmth and goodwill at that event is something I will never forget. This is a great and historic brand with a 50-year history, and it’s our job to preserve and grow it for the future.”

Ganesh says the benefits of the changes are already being felt across the organisation. “We’re writing another chapter of a great brand,” he says. “It’s like a business school case study coming to life.” www.electricalreview.co.uk

42 | ENERGY EFFICIENCY – TECHNOLOGY TO MARKET

Lighting controls save more than just energy Bastiaan de Groot, global director strategy and new business development at Feilo Sylvania, looks at how energy managers can take advantage of smart lighting controls to reduce the amount of money they spend on lighting and dramatically increase energy savings elsewhere

L

ighting controls have long been an effective way of cutting your energy bills. For years now we have used presence detectors and daylight sensors to avoid wasting light and energy. However, these control systems are often difficult to install, need expensive commissioning and recommissioning when they go wrong, and have complex, clunky user interfaces.

TIMES ARE CHANGING With the rapid development of LED lighting and sensor technology, smart lighting controls can offer advanced lighting control, with individual dimming and light levels, and also gather data on the environment in which they are installed, to achieve savings much greater than by just dimming lighting.

This added functionality, going beyond traditional energy savings to gathering data and providing analysis on how to save more energy, is what transforms lighting control to truly smart systems.

Lighting is everywhere. Luminaires with integrated smart sensors can create a network to monitor, control and analyse an entire building – and the way it is used by its occupants. A smart lighting control system can provide the platform that energy managers can then use to make energy savings from other services, such as heating – and even cut other expenses such as cleaning for unused spaces or even adjusting canteen operating costs. The key to this is utilising the data gathered by the lighting control system and making it available to the building occupants.

ENERGY RULES AND REGULATIONS Smart lighting systems offer a wide range of possibilities going beyond saving energy, but we should not ignore the significant capacity they have for reducing energy consumption. The drive to reduce energy can come from a range of influences: internal policy, as more organisations put sustainability at the heart of their working practices, volatility in energy prices, and government regulations are all key drivers in organisations choosing to reduce their energy consumption. Government regulations and building codes can impose strict guidelines on Electrical Review | October 2016

energy consumption, so it is crucial that energy and facilities manager stay ahead of the game when looking for innovative ways to save energy.

The British Council for Offices (BCO) recommends the installation of lighting controls to be compliant with Part L of the Building Regulations. Daylight linking, constant illumination and occupancy control are all essential criteria for meeting the BCO’s lighting guidelines. The BREEAM assessment, the worldwide standard for sustainable buildings, awards points for lighting controls that can include daylight and presence sensing as well as the ability to set individual light level controls for each luminaire.

Keeping in line with the latest regulations and targets set by government requires constant analysis of energy performance and monitoring developments in the latest technology. For instance, the Energy Act of 2011 will make illegal for landlords to let buildings with an EPC Rating of F or G. Effective lighting control can help companies boost their EPC rating in a relatively simple, straightforward way. Lighting control systems are generally cost effective methods for adhering to regulations, and for those solutions that do not require additional wiring, are ideal as a retrofit solution.

44 | ENERGY EFFICIENCY –TECHNOLOGY TO MARKET

CREATING VALUE FROM LIGHTING CONTROL DATA We all know dimming lights can save a significant amount of energy. But with the deployment of truly smart lighting controls, the energy savings that can be generated far outstrip those of simply dimming lights.

‘Hot desking’, where staff do not have assigned desks, is increasingly popular in many office environments. With access to real-time data on the occupancy of the office gathered by a network of smart sensors embedded in luminaires, building managers could start the day with just the first floor open and, as it fills up with staff, open additional floors if necessary.

On the closed floors, building services such as heating and air conditioning could be completely turned off, generating significant energy savings. This strategy ensures energy is only being used where it is needed, and not wasted heating or lighting half empty office space.

Smart lighting systems can also help reduce building operating costs. With property prices so high it is essential that building owners utilise every square metre of space as efficiently as possible, reducing their costs at the same time. If the smart sensor that is integrated within a luminaire in a meeting room detects very little usage of that room, then it could be converted to other uses – perhaps to provide more desk space, and enable more employees per square metre.

Having a network of smart sensors can also help facilities managers to co-ordinate cleaning more effectively. By analysing the heat map generated by these sensors they can find out which areas of the building have not been used, and instruct cleaners to avoid those areas, significantly lowering cleaning costs. This can also cut energy consumption, because the time that services such as lighting and heating are operating is reduced if cleaners spend less time in the building after hours.

KEEP IT SIMPLE One of the barriers to entry of control systems is that, while they may be all-singing all-dancing systems, they can be very difficult to install and commission. They can require huge amounts of extra wiring and if something goes wrong, you’ve need to hire an expensive commissioning engineer to fix the problem.

With the introduction of truly intelligent lighting controls Electrical Review | October 2016

systems, these days are gone.

Smart luminaires, such as Feilo Sylvania’s Organic Responseenabled lighting systems, require no additional wiring because the technology is integrated with the luminaire, it truly is a ‘plug and play’ solution. The luminaires automatically detect which luminaires are next to each other and commission themselves automatically, communicating with each other so that if a person is moving through a space the lighting levels seamlessly rise in front of them and fall behind them. The lighting control settings, such as light levels and timers, can be fine-tuned through an intuitive, easy-to-use mobile app. It could not be easier to install and programme an easily scalable lighting control solution.

Feilo Sylvania luminaires with the integrated Organic Response sensor node have recently been specified in a project involving energy supplier E.ON and their subsidiary Matrix SEE, an energy management business. This is the first project that combines the intuitive and responsive lighting control system, with the heat mapping functionality to enable data analysis of occupancy levels and energy consumption. The luminaires will be installed throughout Matrix’s Glasgow office, and will not only make sure that light levels are optimised for the levels of occupancy, but also provide Matrix’s energy management professionals with real-time data on occupancy levels and their energy consumption.

Matrix facilities managers will be able, for example, to adjust seating plans to dramatically increase energy savings. Using occupancy data gathered over a number of weeks, they can place people that are often at their desk near the window, and people who are rarely at their desk towards the centre of the building, to optimise daylight harvesting and reduce lighting levels across the office significantly. They may also notice that one of their meeting rooms is rarely used, and decide to convert it to more desk space, or a break room for staff.

Energy only needs to be used where people are. Facilities and energy managers who install a network of luminaires with integrated smart sensors, can ensure that, throughout their property portfolio, no energy is wasted in empty meeting rooms or half empty office spaces, and that the environment is optimised for their colleagues’ comfort. Smart lighting systems present a huge number of opportunities for energy management professionals looking to dramatically increase their energy savings, and are now easier to install and use than ever before.

PRODUCTS | 45 OCCUPANCY SWITCHES

DATA CENTRES IRELAND

Danlers has launched a new range of High Bay PIR occupancy switchesThis range is ideal for energy saving lighting control in areas such as factories, storage aisles, sports halls and entrance halls.

The products detect a person moving within the detection area and control the lights accordingly. Each product includes an adjustable time lag function plus and adjustable photocell.

There are versions for simply switching the lighting load on/off, as well as products for DALI, DSI or 1-10VDC ballasts, which automatically dim or brighten the lights in response to changes in the ambient light level.

The products either come with manual adjustment or as versions which are programmable using the free Danlers EasyZAPP or ControlZAPP apps on an Android phone or tablet.

This latest range of High Bay PIR controls offers a choice of detection patterns to give optimum coverage for a multitude of high bay applications.

In recent years, data centres have become a profitable business in Ireland. Multinationals like Microsoft, Google and Amazon have rooted their data storage sites across the country leaving Ireland in the unique position of having all of the top five international IT cloud providers and the top ten IT companies based in the country… with the likes of Brexit and Safe Harbor2. The reasons that companies are seeking to host their data in Ireland is becoming more and more compelling… and as a result so are the opportunities.

Over €2bn (£1.68bn) of investment in new datacentres or expansions to existing datacentres in Ireland has been announced this year already But this is not the end, as the Irish Wind Energy Association is forecasting a further €2bn of datacentres, new builds and expansions to existing sites to be announced in the next 5 years.

Whilst Ireland is known for the large hyperscale data centres, the market is changing as more independent carrier neutral data centres are being built, and with the demand for edge-centres continuing to grow this will only increase.

Data Centres Ireland 01892 518877 www.datacentres-ireland.

Danlers 01249 443377 www.danlers.co.uk

TREFOIL CABLE CLEAT FOR SMALLER ELECTRICAL CABLES Ellis has further strengthened its already world leading product range by launching an all-plastic trefoil cable cleat for smaller electrical cables.

Trident is a trefoil polymeric cleat that is available in six sizes, ranging from Ø2454mm. It not only fills a gap in the North Yorkshire company’s product portfolio, but also signals its intent to significantly expand sales in Continental Europe, where similar products are in particularly high demand.

Trident has an FEA optimised design that is both elegant and cost effective and is manufactured as standard in V0 0H 30 per cent glass filled nylon. It is also available in a London Underground Limited (LUL) approved polymer that meets London Underground standard 1-085. Both versions of the product have been short-circuit tested to IEC61914.

Ellis Patents 01944 758395 www.ellispatents.co.uk

EASY DOOR ENTRY SOLUTIONS

SAFE ISOLATION

LIGHTING SOLUTIONS

Security products supplier, ESP has added to its growing access control range with the launch of EZ-TAG3 – a sleek new keypad and proximity reader, designed to provide a compact, durable and vandal-resistant solution for a wide variety of access control applications.

EZ-TAG3 replaces the previous EZ-TAG2 version to introduce a more sophisticated model with additional benefits, which include a doorbell function, as well as new, improved easy programming to facilitate installation.

EZ-TAG3 is an IP65 rated weatherproof combined access control keypad with proximity tag or pin code activation, accommodating up to 1,010 key tag holders or pin numbers. Users approach the keypad and enter a four digit code or hold a personal proximity tag within a few inches to activate one of the EZ-TAG3’s two on board relays which in turn activates an appropriate door release in separate controlled areas.

Martindale Electric continues to lead the way in safe isolation with the addition of new professional electrical locking off devices and kits for miniature circuit breakers and fuse holders.

The new lockouts, provide simple and reliable solutions to ensure circuits have been de-energised and properly isolated prior to maintenance and modifications of plant and equipment, in accordance with HSG85, the Electricity at Work Regulations.

The new LOKKIT6 includes everything needed to lock off and label Red Spot or similar fuse holders as part of a safe isolation procedure. The kit includes the LOK6 universal fuse carrier lock off, a TAG4 warning tag and marker pen, plus a PAD10R padlock. The LOK6 is designed to restrict finger access to live contacts and prevent the reinsertion of a fuse whilst maintenance is in progress.

Megaman UK, the UK distributor of Megaman’s LED lighting solutions has announced the launch of its latest product catalogue.

Available now to download at www. megamanuk.com the new catalogue contains a variety of new LED products, including new Megaman GU10’s and 360 illumination decorative lamps. In addition the Megaman range of fixtures has been extended still further; with the inclusion of new Luster-LED high bay luminaires and Zeki multi-head gimbal fixtures.

The new catalogue also includes Megaman’s ground-breaking U-DIM Dimmable LEDs, that are compatible with a wide range of both leading and trailingedge dimmers. Plus Megaman’s new hybrid reflector technology, that delivers in terms of excellent optics and even higher efficacy and beam control.

ESP 01527 515150 www.esp.co.uk

Martindale Electric 01923 441717 www.martindale-electric.co.uk

Megaman (UK) 01707 386000 www.megamanuk.com

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46 | PRODUCTS EASY IED TESTING???

AND SIMULATION IEDScout, the versatile software tool for working with IEC 61850 devices, now provides many new features, improvements and bug fixes. It can simulate now entire Ed. 2 and Ed. 1 IEDs. Additionally it enables users to extensively test IEDS due to a re-designed Control dialog.

Due to its fully-featured IEC 61850 IED simulator, users will only need an SCL file to simulate all IEC 61850 communication aspects of an IED. This includes sending GOOSE, providing a server with buffered and unbuffered reports to clients and supporting all IEC 61850 control operations.

The configuration of the simulated GOOSE and reports can be easily modified, and changing data values in the simulated IED automatically triggers GOOSE and reports.

The status of the published GOOSE and reports can be conveniently observed in the Activity Monitor.

Omicron electronics 01785 251000 www.omicron.at

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ENHANCED RANGE Varilight’s market leading V-Pro LED dimmers series has been enhanced with new high power versions available across the range.

The new dimmers are designed to control up to 30 dimmable LEDs with a maximum load rating for LED of 300W. To enhance compatibility with the ever-increasing range of lighting options now available to installers, V-Pro dimmers are programmable to offer a choice of 3 dimming modes. In addition, users can set the minimum load level for the dimmer to optimise the dimming range of a particular lighting load.

Traditional dimmers are ill-equipped to cope with both the low loads presented by LED lighting and the enormous variety of electronics found in LED lamps. In response, the Varilight dimmer was reinvented to create the V-Pro dimmer series, capable of handling the multiple challenges presented by dimmable LEDs.

Varilight 01293 851740 www.varilight.co.uk

Electrical Review | October 2016

CONTINUOUS MONITORING

???

???LIGHTING COST-SAVING LED SOLUTION

Omicron’s new Montrano online monitoring system is focused on assessing the dielectric health of power transformers under load.

The system records changes in capacitance (C), dissipation/power factor (DF/PF), partial discharge (PD) and transient over-voltages.

These are primary indicators of insulation breakdown, which can lead to dielectric failure in bushings and transformers.

The continuous monitoring of the dielectric state of bushing and transformer insulation is essential for managing transformer health.

Such continuous online assessments ensure safe, reliable operation during the intended service life of transformers.

Lighting and wiring accessories manufacturer, Scolmore Group, has added to its popular Inceptor range of integrated LED Downlights, with a non-fire-rated version that provides contractors with a high-quality, cost-saving LED solution for lighting projects.

The new Inceptor Pico Fixed Integrated LED Downlight is being positioned as the ideal alternative for those applications where there isn’t the requirement for a fire-rated fitting and therefore, no need to incur the additional expense that a fire-rated model commands.

With contractors keen to keep overall costs of a project as cost-effective as possible, but without compromising on quality and performance, Inceptor Pico ticks all the right boxes, producing an excellent light output for the power utilised.

Omicron electronics 01785 251000 www.omicron.at

Scolmore 01827 63454 www.scolmore.com

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THE IDEAL COMMUNICATION PLATFORM

???OF SFRA TEST NEXT GENERATION SETS TO THE MARKET

The new generation of wienet v3 Industrial routers have been designed for use in harsh environmental conditions with temperatures ranging from -40 °C to +75 °C. The input voltage range from 10 DC to 60 V DC also enables a PoE (Power over Ethernet) option. wienet v3 industrial routers can access the internet via LAN, WLAN, or mobile and the latest LTE chipset provides maximum bandwidth for mobile operation. Highly encrypted VPN connections ensure top security for transmitted data, whilst automatic backup connections to the internet secure trouble-free operation.

These industrial routers are equipped with a high-performance ARM CPU with 256 MB Flash and 512 MB RAM and offer up to five ethernet ports for one to three networks, one USB 2.0 host, one SD card slot, two digital inputs and one digital output, in addition to three antenna ports: Main, DIV, GPS and WIFI (optional).

With FRANEO 800, Omicron has brought the next generation of SFRA test sets to the market. Since the IEC 60076-18 and IEEE C57.149 standards were introduced, SFRA has become one of the common electrical tests for detecting winding defects and faults in the magnetic core of power transformers and its acceptance in the market has increased accordingly.

As with its established predecessor the FRAnalyzer, FRANEO 800 looks for mechanical and electrical changes within windings, internal contacts, the clamping structure or the transformer core by analysing the frequency response. These changes can be caused by shocks, e.g. during transportation, seismic activities or mains power failures such as short circuits. SFRA is the most reliable testing method for recognising these changes. In addition, it is fast and costeffective, given that the active component of the transformer does not need to be removed.

Wieland Electric Ltd 01483 531213 www.wieland.co.uk

Omicron electronics www.omicron.at

CLASSIFIED | 47

Contact the sales team 0207 933 8974 Lighting

UPS

UPS

UPS

UPS

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