Electrical Review - October 2017

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October 2017 Volume 250 | No 10 www.electricalreview.co.uk

Innovative traction solutions for rail

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M&E The need for speed

CONTENTS | 3

04 NEWS Threat or opportunity

12 INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS How smart cities are building our future

24 RAIL & ABB Technology to boost East Coast Mainline power supply

10 GOSSAGE Gossage:gossip

14 EDITOR: Elinore Mackay 020 8319 1807 elinorem@electricalreview.co.uk

POWER QUALITY The flexibility of Li-ion technology

PRODUCTION MANAGER Alex Gold 020 7933 8999 alexg@sjpbusinessmedia.com

28 ECA Working together

SENIOR SALES MANAGER Sunny Nehru 020 7933 8974 sunnyn@sjpbusinessmedia.com

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ACCOUNT MANAGER Amanda McCreddie 020 7933 8972 Amanda@electricalreview.co.uk

EIC Working together to change the lives of those in need

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18 RAIL Cable theft - railway network suffers over an hour a day delays

32 SWITCHGEAR Major order for offshore connection

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Any article in this journal represents the opinions of the author. This does not necessarily reflect the views of Electrical Review or its publisher – SJP Business Media

M&E The need for speed

SMART METERING Smart meters mean smarter security

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4 | NEWS

Tomorrows challenges in today’s buildings Tomorrow’s challenges in today’s buildings is the theme of the BSRIA Briefing to be staged at the Brewery, London, on Friday 17 November 2017 where an awareness of the issues that industry are facing and that the role it will play in providing the solutions, will be highlighted.

Listen to industry experts in this field, pose burning questions and, indeed, network and mingle with industry leaders.

It is well known 80% of the buildings needed for 2050 already exist. But what will be the requirements within these buildings to accommodate the changing and varied expectations of the occupants while not forgetting our energy/carbon targets?

The latest opportunities emerging are focused on health, wellness, independence, mobility and leisure. Products and services that address these needs will have a fast growing market to capture. Building services are at the heart of realising these opportunities and delivering the built environment of the future.

This will not only provide challenges for the workplace but also for communities as a whole, including residential, leisure and retail. How will building services need to adapt to meet the needs of future generations and industries?

Because the coming demographic shifts are foreseeable over the next few decades, governments are afforded the opportunity to adopt a proactive approach to align their policies to the evolving needs.

This year’s Briefing explores the options of how technology and research can enable us to prepare and accommodate future needs both in the residential and commercial buildings of the future.

The agenda is “jam-packed” with Sir Ranulph Fiennes Bt OBE as the after lunch speaker.

Ranulph Fiennes is the first person to reach both North and South Poles by foot.

He also made it into the record books by completing seven marathons on seven continents (including Antarctica) in seven days – soon after receiving emergency heart surgery. Only then did he take up climbing, starting with the North Face of the Eiger. At the age of 65, at his third attempt, he became the oldest Briton to conquer Everest.

Julia Evans, chief executive, BSRIA said: “It is well known that 80% of the buildings needed for 2050 already exist but will they be fit for purpose and will they alter to meet the changing needs of their occupants?

The BSRIA Briefing this year explores how technology and research can help us prepare for those future needs both in residential and commercial buildings.

These buildings already meet current regulations for energy and carbon but what isn’t clear is what might be needed within these buildings to meet changing and varied expectations of the occupants.

So how are they going to handle issues such as health, wellness, independence,

mobility, leisure and, indeed, age?

Building services are at the heart of delivering the built environment of the future and we have a great line up of influential industry speakers that will inspire you with thinking on this crucial issue and break barriers.

Major presence for conference season With the industry autumn conference season already up-and-running, the ECA is set to have a major presence at a series of national events in the coming months.

The ECA’s conference plans include the industry-leading UK Construction Week, which is being held at the NEC in Birmingham from 10 – 12 October. In addition to the ECA exhibiting within the show’s Energy 2017 arena, head of technical, Steve Martin, is presenting within the event’s Smart Buildings Hub on 11 October.

In addition, the ECA is involved with a series of other events, with the full list as follows: • Solar & Storage Live – 3 – 5 October – NEC, Birmingham • NICEIC / ELECSA Tech Talks – Various dates Electrical Review | October 2017

and locations – From 4 October • UK Construction Week – 10 – 12 October – NEC, Birmingham • Smart Buildings Show – 8 – 9 November – Barbican, London • LuxLive – 15 – 16 November – ExCel, London • CIBSE Build 2 Perform – 21 – 22 November – Olympia, London

• NICEIC ELECSA Live North – 23 November – Aintree Racecourse, Merseyside ECA head of marketing, Farhaan Mirza, commented: “The ECA is delighted to have an extensive presence during this year’s conference season, particularly at UK Construction Week and LuxLive, two of the biggest trade events on the calendar.

“With the ECA exhibiting and providing speakers at such an array of major industry events, this provides us with an excellent opportunity to engage with suppliers and clients.”

Earlier this month, the ECA headline sponsored the Electrical Design & Install (ED&I) Expo, held at the NEC, an event which brought together the entire electrotechnical supply chain under one roof.sX

6 | NEWS

Safe installation and roll-out of energy storage systems A new publication from the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) has set the guidelines for the correct installation of electrical energy storage systems (EESS) in properties across the UK, which will better equip the industry and give consumers more confidence in their safety.

The IET Code of Practice for Electrical Energy Storage Systems is the first detailed and standardised best practice guide for EESS and was developed in response to limited technical guidance on the correct, safe and effective application of energy storage devices.

The 80-page publication covers all types of electrical and electrochemical energy storage systems for industrial, commercial and domestic applications, as well as integration into low voltage power systems. It also includes detailed information on the specification, design, installation, commissioning, operation and maintenance of batteries.

The IET worked with several industry stakeholders and experts in energy storage to create the Code of Practice. Frank Gordon, policy manager, Renewable Energy Association, formed part of the advisory board and comments: “We were very keen to see a Code such as this developed which is why we worked with the IET. As a fast growing industry, energy storage installations need to happen in the right way to prevent the current lack of clear guidance damaging the reputation of the industry.”

Andrew Crossland from Solarcentury/MyGridGB was also involved in the publication and states: “The Code is key to providing consumer and installer confidence in how to install energy storage safely in properties around the UK. It is a landmark document.”

The release of the publication follows plans from the Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy and the energy regulator Ofgem for a major upgrade of the UK’s energy system alongside a major investment programme for energy storage and electric vehicles.

Electrical Review | October 2017

NICEIC teams up with John Lewis on professional trade service Home Solutions Partnership will create more opportunities for registered contractors John Lewis has teamed up with NICEIC for a new service it is rolling out in a number of areas across the UK. Home Solutions will put customers in direct contact with professional tradespeople that it has carefully checked, vetted, interviewed and assessed.

The service was trialled in Milton Keynes earlier this year and will operate in six other locations including Cardiff, Bristol, Newport, Bath, Taunton and Gloucester.

NICEIC CEO Emma Clancy said: “We are delighted to be working with John Lewis on the electrical side of this initiative.

“Home Solutions brings together two trusted brands and will provide further opportunities for our contractors to win more work.”

John Lewis approached NICEIC last year to find electricians for the launch of the scheme.

Several NICEIC registered contractors signed up to take part and a rigorous recruitment process was put in place, which included interviewing the tradespeople, background checks, and assessments of work they had done previously.

“The John Lewis brand is associated with quality and so we felt it was a natural fit for NICEIC,” added Clancy.

“John Lewis wanted a brand they could trust and we felt this was something that would appeal to our registrants. One of the key requirements was that everyone involved was a reliable and high quality tradesperson.

“There is no cost to sign up. It is completely free and a great opportunity for contractors to grow their business and be associated with one of the most recognised and respected names in the market.

“John Lewis is also keen to get female tradespeople on board so NICEIC’s Jobs for the Girls campaign was of great interest to them.”

John Lewis customers will be able to hire plumbers, electricians, decorators and other trades through the app, website and call centre-based service.

“As a trusted retailer of home products, our customers often ask us if we can help them with tasks in their homes,” said Tom Athron, who is group development director at the John Lewis Partnership.

“We have taken a lot of care to find professionals who will deliver service to the standard that people expect from John Lewis.”

Electrical contractor selected for prestigious parliamentary review A Stirling electrical firm has been selected for the influential Parliamentary Review – an independent guide which showcases the UK’s top businesses.

Moray Robertson Electrical Services (MRES) is one of 11 outstanding companies chosen to feature in the Energy edition of the 2017 Review which highlights examples of excellence.

The publication is sent to more than 500,000 leading policymakers and business executives in a bid to raise industry standards by sharing best practice.

It is a major coup for the family firm which was established five years ago by husband and wife team Moray and Cherene Robertson.

Mr Robertson said: “It’s a real honour for us to appear in the Parliamentary Review which is read by thousands of industry experts.

“As such a young company, we were surprised to be included but delighted that our

company’s core values and commitment to raise standards have been recognised in this way.

“Our aim was to build an honest, reliable company with a solid and dedicated team and we are pleased to have achieved that and be singled out as an example of best practice.”

Mrs Robertson said: “I’m so proud of Moray and the whole team at MRES. “Moray had the vision of building a company which was different to its competitors and he’s done that thanks to his strong work ethic.

“Being part of the Parliamentary Review demonstrates just how far we’ve come since starting up the company five years ago.”

UK businesses to battle climate change and energy waste.

Sir Eric Pickles, chairman of the Review, said: “It has never been more important for government to hear the views of business and the public sector in a constructive forum”.

8 | NEWS

Tony Cable joins forces with Scolmore With a career spanning 60 years, Tony Cable, has amassed a wealth of experience and knowledge during his rise from apprentice at the age of 15, to his most recent role as senior marketing and events engineer with NICEIC. Although officially retired from his full time role, Tony will not be disappearing completely from the electrical industry scene, and Scolmore is delighted to announce he will be taking up a consultancy role with the business.

Comments Marie Parry, Scolmore Group marketing director: “I have been fortunate to have known and worked with Tony for the last 11 years through our collaborative involvement in various NIECEC initiatives including tech talks, ELEX shows, and of course the electrical apprentice of the year competition. Having worked in both the domestic and commercial sectors, before going on to own his own electrical contracting business, Tony has covered all facets of the electrical industry and, with seven years spent on

NICEIC’s Technical Helpline, there is little that he doesn’t know about the sector.

“As a business we are very excited to have the opportunity to harness his expertise and skills as we continue to develop our product ranges and grow the Scolmore Group of companies as a whole.”

Commenting on his new role with Scolmore, Cable said: “In the years I have known Scolmore and the brands it represents, I have seen the company grow rapidly and increase

its market share considerably, with new and improved products and systems that ensure they and their customers stay ahead in this fast-paced sector. They are definitely a company with a bright future. When the opportunity to join the team came about, it was a no brainer from me. I am excited to bring my experience to the table and work with their very talented team of designers and technical engineers to help develop the next raft of new products.”

ognised as an important goal in itself and as one that contributes to employee productivity and hence to the bottom line.

Wearables have the potential to help with all of these objectives. By tracking the wearer’s movements they can help ensure heating and cooling is directed to where it is needed and take account of variable factors like body heat.

They also provide the potential to help provide a personalised environment suited to the individual wearer. If the wearer’s personal preferences are known then the local environment can be adjusted to the ‘optimal’ temperature, humidity etc. A smart watch can even potentially signal that the wearer is tired and in need of more ventilation.

This of course raises huge questions. The first is one of privacy and, more specifically, whether it is reasonable to expect wearers to share information about their personal state with a building system, with subsidiary questions about how else the information might be used and how it will be secured against misuse.

The second question is how far a building system is capable of exploiting this new

wealth of information. Providing a ‘personalised’ environment requires an HVAC system that can direct heat, cooling and ventilation in a very granular way and also respond quickly to changes. Failing this, the system might fall back on the majority preference of those in an area of the building.

There are also issues around standards and protocols to enable all of these systems and devices to interact.”

A threat or opportunity BSRIA has launched its White Paper on ‘Trends towards wearables and wellbeing in buildings – a threat or opportunity for the HVAC industry?’. As a leading international industry body concerned with building services, BSRIA has always taken a keen interest in new and emerging technologies and their potential impact on the built environment.

Wearables include everything from smart watches, which can record and transmit a huge range of different types of information about the wearer and his or her health to smart glasses, smart jewellery and even smart clothing. As well as helping the wearer to interact more effectively with his or her environment, wearables open a range of new opportunities for building systems, along with some important challenges.

Krystyna Dawson, business manager of BSRIA’s World Market Intelligence Division, commented: “Traditionally, HVAC management systems have focussed strongly on ensuring energy efficiency, which also reduces costs, while keeping system failures and down-time to a minimum. Increasingly, the comfort of the building’s occupants is recElectrical Review | October 2017

10 | GOSSAGE

GOSSAGE Lies, damned lies, and statistics “It does not matter how low the price of offshore wind is, on last year’s figures it (sic) only produced electricity 36% of the time.” This is verbatim what listeners to the BBC Radio 4 flagship Today programme were told by the CEO of the Nuclear Industry Association, Tom Greatrex. He was being challenged regarding the official recognition by government that new offshore wind developments are now at least one-third cheaper that the price agreed for new nuclear power stations like Hinkley Point B. The trouble is, Greatrex was talking complete bunkum. In practice, whilst output from offshore windfarms undoubtedly fluctuates, the sector was producing electricity almost 48 weeks of the year.

But then he has no training in electrical engineering, let alone nuclear physics.

Instead he boasts a degree in ‘government and law’. He was however for one term a Labour MP, initially elected with a majority of over 21,000, which he succeeded in the remarkable feat of making disappear within five years, losing his constituency by almost 10,000 votes.

Last year Greatrex was appointed to run the nuclear trade association. It used to be official spokespeople for the nuclear industry were trained engineers, not failed politicians. I cannot believe any trained engineer would ever have made such a fundamentally egregious and completely misleading statistic.

CCS-less endeavour Last year the Department for Business Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) was formed, by merging the Business Department with the Department of Energy and Climate Change. A merger that had led to at least 632 core and permanent staff being jettisoned.

The subsequent loss of expertise has opened up serious skill gaps within the workforce. So serious indeed the Department is now seeking to recruit 95 new experts. The precise areas of policy that the new recruits would cover are unspecified within the job descriptions. Instead the department is open to applications coming from a range of backgrounds, on a full-time or part-time basis.

The highest paid position BEIS is overtly seeking to fill is for a director of energy development, sought on a permanent contract with a salary of £95,000 per year. es.

Among the many responsibilities the new director will have is “devising a clear and effective roadmap for the safe and sustainable exploration and development of shale gas”.

What is not mentioned is any interest in, concern about or involvement with the development of carbon capture and storage (CCS). Whilst even the shale-industry funded Task Force on Shale Gas (led by Lord Chris Smith) has emphasised this putative new resource should not be deployed at scale unless CCS is developed alongside it, it seems that any mention of CCS is entirely absent from any of the job descriptions listed on the Government website. Truly yesterday’s fad.

Is Trump running Ofgem?

In another pathetic attempt to try to justify its vast staffing and budgets, the energy regulator Ofgem is challenging National Grid’s plans to spend £840m to connect the new Hinkley Point nuclear plant to the country’s high-voltage transmission grid. The regulator is claiming that the cost could be at least a fifth cheaper, and has warned National Grid that it may instead choose to take the entire project out of their hands, by putting it out a competitive tender.

Part of Ofgem’s objection is to the Grid’s plans to use a new design of ‘T’ shaped pylons. My readers with longer memories may recall this design won a 2011 government-backed competition to replace the taller “lattice tower” style that have been in use for decades.

And by common consent, would be an undeniable aesthetic improvement.

Absurdly the regulator is also challenging National Grid’s budget of £116m to cover the “extreme weather risk” of building these cables through parts of the Somerset Levels. This was the very area that suffered such severe flooding in 2012 and again in 2014.

In an argument worthy of the climatechange denying President Trump, OFGEM is countering that it is “impossible to be certain of the level of extreme weather that will affect the project”, and that the company should not assume these would definitely occur.

I do hope that OFGEM will take the trouble to visit the Meteorological Office.

They are based in the next-door county of Devon. And will undoubtedly be able to endorse the Grid’s concerns about the likelihood of there being many more extreme weather events in the future.

A poisoned chalice Amongst the many new posts the government is seeking to fill is that of “policy leader on smart meter technology”. This is a policy that seems to have no friends (except possibly in the advertising industry, flooding our televisions with chirpy calls to “take charge of Gaz and Leccy.”) I have lost count of the number of Parliamentary committees ringing alarm bells about this £14bn programme officially set to install 53 million meters in our buildings by 2020. But currently on a trajectory unlikely to deliver one-quarter of these.

The consumer organisation Which? keeps calling for its abandonment. As does the Institute of Directors. Even keen environmentalists doubt that such meters will prompt much energy conservation. The present meters being installed fail if consumers switch to another supply company. They actually eliminate the development of tariffs for different times of day, a real body blow for electric vehicles. They even cancel out dear old Economy Seven.

And now the very energy suppliers who once lobbied for the meters to become compulsory, so as to enable them to fire all their meter readers, are overtly blaming the programme for pushing up consumer prices. My commiserations are already extended to whomever takes on this particularly poison chalice of “policy leader on smart meters”.

Electrical Review | October 2017

1 | INTELLIGENT BUILDINGS

How smart cities are building our future Malcolm Anson, president of the Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) discusses the impact of smart cities and why we need such forward-thinking methods across the UK

T

he commercial built environment is continuously evolving thanks to the evolution of the Internet of Things (IoT). Not only do we have intelligent buildings, but we have an exciting future ahead of us with smart cities playing a focal point.

The term ‘smart cities’ is something you have most likely heard about on the grapevine. What’s more, it is a concept which is being embraced by major cities in the UK and worldwide.

Personally, I would define a smart city as a place where traditional networks and services are made more efficient with the use of digital technologies, for the benefit of occupants and businesses.

However, smart cities can be interpreted in many different ways. The UK government view smart cities as a process, or series of steps, by which cities become more liveable and resilient and therefore able to respond to new challenges.

TRANSFORMATION The Consumer Technology Associations reports that there will be 88 fully developed smart cities in the world over the next 10 years. As I write this, more than eight out of 10 of us live in cities, with London, Bristol, Birmingham, Glasgow and Manchester emerging as the top five smart cities here in the UK. With buildings responsible for 40% of the world’s energy consumption, buildings must be future-proof. Energy efficiency, costElectrical Review | October 2017

saving, environmental sustainability and operational efficiency are all major factors in the need for cities to think smarter.

In addition, more and more people are moving to urban areas; while we must also take into consideration aging populations.

All of this, puts increasing pressure on resources and public finances.

To accommodate growing urban populations and tackle such issues, smart cities which incorporate smart buildings, can improve the quality and interactivity of urban services, while reducing costs and ensuring sustainability. This, I’m sure you’ll agree is pivotal in today’s tough economic climate.

DATA-DRIVEN The falling cost of sensors, controllers and getaways, will see the Internet of Things (IoT) gain further action in the smart buildings market, especially in small to medium sized buildings. Today’s innovative IoT solutions, enable businesses to make better data-driven decisions for smarter buildings.

It is expected that by 2020, there will be 30 billion networked appliances and sensors worldwide. More than eight billion Building Management Systems (BMS) will be integrated with some form of IoT platform, application or service within the next two years By connecting all traditionally unconnected equipment and applying automated analytics and controls, building owners and managers can learn more about

their buildings. By using this information, they can significantly reduce their buildings’ energy use and cut costs.

Not only will costs be lower, but smart buildings can also improve the wellbeing of occupants. This is hugely relevant in today’s climate and we should be open to steps which can make a significant difference to the needs of individuals in the workplace.

WORKING IN UNISON But as with a lot of things, collaboration is vital in making this a reality. Raising awareness of the importance of smart cities is crucial in all levels of the design and build process.

Engineers, contractors, architects and other building professionals will be amongst those who will be ultimately responsible for bringing fresh new ideas to fruition, in relation to achieving smart outcomes.

Therefore, it is vital that everyone in the chain, from start to end, understands the objectives of smart city planners.

Furthermore, the end goal is what’s key here. If everyone treats their jobs as one-off, isolated tasks, the needs of the big picture won’t be met. The full journey needs to be taken into account to ensure a connected and intelligent way of thinking.

By continuing to develop cuttingedge methods, we can ensure that smart buildings will evolve into smart cities. Ultimately, this will contribute to maintaining a healthy and sustainable future in the building controls industry.

14 | POWER QUALITY

The flexibility of Li-ion technology Nick Finney, Saft’s Li-ion business development and product manager explains how lithium-ion battery systems offer superior performance and high safety standards in mission critical industrial UPS applications

L

ithium-ion (Li-ion) battery technology often hits the headlines as the electrochemistry that is essential to electric vehicles and many consumer devices. More recent advances include on-grid energy storage for fast-response power injection or absorption for frequency regulation.

Significant advances have been achieved since the technology was first industrialised in the early 1990s. As energy storage and power delivery capabilities have increased, battery management systems have become more sophisticated and costs have reduced. Saft has been at the forefront of these developments, especially in advanced batteries for high-performance applications in industrial standby, space, Electrical Review | October 2017

defense, aviation and energy storage.

The combination of these improvements means that the technology is now being used for UPS (uninterruptible power supply) systems in mission critical facilities such as data centres, substations and oil and gas installations.

Recognising the growing accessibility of Li-ion technology to such operators, Saft recently launched the Flex’ion battery system to meet demand for UPS systems with energy and power combinations that range from 1.3 kWh to 3 MWh and 10 kW to 5 MW. The system is designed to provide safe and reliable backup for critical equipment such as control systems, switchgear, servers and valve actuators Scalability is central to the battery’s design.

It is based on modules that allow operators to closely match their standby performance to the power, operating voltage, load current and backup time required by its application.

SAFETY IS TOP PRIORITY FOR MISSION CRITICAL APPLICATIONS However, safety is the number one consideration for industrial applications, particularly in remote offshore installations and mission critical sites. Recognising the demands for safety and security in industrial applications, Saft has adopted its patented Super Lithium Iron Phosphate (SLFP) technology for the Flex’ion system.

Although it is often referred to as a single battery type, Li-ion electrochemistry is a broad church that includes multiple different chemistries, with different characteristics such as performance, lifetime and safety. SLFP technology is an ideal choice to meet the high safety standards required by industry. It offers superior performance over conventional battery technologies and is distinctly different from the Li-ion used in consumer electronics.

SLFP technology has achieved safety approvals from UL as well as from maritime standards agencies Bureau Veritas and the Norwegian Maritime

ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE | 15

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D

uring a close or open operation of the circuit breaker, the current sensor measures the current change through the ground connection or the circuit breaker and sends its signals to CIBANO 500 which determines the switch response times.

Since the new current sensor has a flexible design and can be easily installed on a multitude of different grounding switches, it is ideal for on-site applications in GIS installations.

As part of the test results, a GIS operator receives a condition assessment of the circuit breakers’ interrupter units and operating mechanisms and can avoid circuit breaker damage and outage of the GIS. The new CSM method offers an increased level of safety for the tester, as it can be

performed with both sides of the circuit breaker grounded.

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www.electricalreview.co.uk

16 | POWER QUALITY

Authority. This means the chemistry has been demonstrated as being safe for shipping applications – which have much in common with offshore oil and gas facilities, where safety is also top priority.

It has been adopted for several highperformance vessels, including the RSS Sir David Attenborough, which will use the batteries to boost power from the diesel engines. This will drive the polar research vessel through polar ice sheets up to one metre thick.

However, for operators of industrial and mission critical UPS systems, mechanical and electrical safety has been built into the fabric of the Flex’ion battery system. This includes mechanical separators and vents, as well as sensors and electronics to balance and control performance.

BENEFITS OF LI-ION Compared with conventional lead-acid batteries, Li-ion systems have many advantages. Their higher energy and power density means that they are significantly lighter in weight and have a smaller footprint. In practice, Li-ion weighs one sixth of comparable lead-acid technology and takes one third of the volume.

Such savings can be significant for data centres, telecoms sites, offshore or onshore oil and gas installations and utility substations.

For installations in city centres or offshore platforms, a smaller and lighter battery system can mean less land-take, a smaller building and less civil or structural engineering. Alternatively, a small footprint can open up space in an existing installation for other systems, allowing an operator to add more servers or new functionality.

Being light weight, Li-ion battery systems are also easier to handle.

Another advantage of Li-ion over other battery types is its long calendar life. Saft’s Li-ion technology offers 10 times the number of cycles than lead-acid alternatives and a 20 year calendar life. Because it is maintenancefree, it also offers savings in maintenance budgets, whereas lead-acid batteries require regular capacity testing. In addition, the electronic battery management carries out self-monitoring of the battery’s state of health, a term that describes the remaining Electrical Review | October 2017

protocols including CANopen, Modbus, Ethernet and OPC and integrated into an operator’s building management system or SCADA (supervisory control and data acquisition) system. A human-machine interface (HMI) on the front of the master cabinet gives a visual indication of the state of health and state of charge of the system.

SAVINGS FOR DATA CENTRE OPERATOR

energy storage capacity, without the need for external equipment.

Together, the size, weight, long life, maintenance-free and high availability performance offset a higher initial purchase cost.

MATCHING SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS Li-ion battery systems are built up from individual rechargeable battery cells, which are configured in series and parallel to create modules optimised to deliver medium or long-lasting energy, or high power.

These modules are then connected in series to increase string voltage and multiple strings can be connected in parallel to reach energy storage capacities from the kilowatt-hour to the multi megawatt-hour level, power requirements of 10 kW to 5 MW and voltages from 87 to 958 V. When they enter operation, a battery management module for each string controls charging and discharging to ensure an even distribution of voltage, current and temperature across the modules and cells. Experience has found that maintaining an even temperature across the modules will ensure that the cells will age at the same rate.

By adopting sophisticated battery management software, the operator will optimise the lifetime of the backup installation and avoid loss of capacity in some cells or sections of their system.

In fact, the electronic controllers that are essential for Li-ion batteries offer the additional advantage of enhanced communication. It can be configured with

The introduction of the Flex’ion system builds on Saft’s experience of providing Liion technology for critical applications such as data centres. This includes delivery of a Liion solution for a major US financial services company headquartered in North Carolina.

System integrator MCS packaged the battery system with an Eaton UPS to deliver 50 kVA of power at 416 V for up to 15 minutes with recharging in two hours. Saft supplied the battery modules in a cabinet that also integrated battery management and Modbus TCP communications modules.

Reduced maintenance and battery replacement costs over its lifetime of 20 years will enable the operator to benefit from savings worth tens of thousands of dollars.

SUBSTATION BACKUP Li-ion battery systems have also been adopted by French electricity transmission network operator RTE in its Smart Substation project at the Blocaux major substation. Supplied by Saft, the batteries provide backup power for essential command and control equipment at the 225/90 kV smart grid substation.

RTE initiated the project to create digital state-of-the-art substations that are capable of remote control and that can increase the penetration of intermittent wind energy.

Equipment at the substations is connected through a protection and control scheme that follows the IEC61850 smart grid communication protocol.

The electronic management system of the Li-ion battery solution gave RTE the opportunity to integrate it with its protection and control scheme. To achieve this, Saft integrated smart grid IEC61850 communications protocol to ensure coordination between the battery management system, battery charger and RTE’s SCADA. This has opened up potential for remote monitoring and control of the battery through the utility’s overall scheme.

18 | RAIL

Cable theft - railway network suffers over an hour a day delays Analysis of British Transport Police’s crime stats for 2016/17 (published this month) indicate that cable theft is still causing major delays to the rail network, despite a drop in reported incidents get around the new rules, the problem is not going to go away. It could even get worse if we don’t keep an active eye on the issue.”

Rail tracks and cable run through both urban environments and also remote areas, so they are vulnerable to tampering,

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study of the data by VPS Site Security shows that cable theft is still occurring five times a week.

The BTP Authority, who oversee the transport police force, also records the subsequent delays and disruptions to passengers was 23,670 minutes. This is half the previous year, but still equivalent of cable theft causing network delays of over an hour a day.

However, there are wide disparities between regions - Transport for London, Eastern, and Western Divisions experienced a doubling of recorded cable thefts, whilst

Electrical Review | October 2017

Scotland’s incidents were halved.

Trespass and vandalism, which the police categorise as ‘line of route’ crimes, rose 16% from 1,278 in 2015/16 to 1,485 in the most recent year.

“Metal theft and vandalism is a serious problem because stealing even just a few pounds worth of metal can leave thousands of railway passengers stranded.” Says Peter Lalor, managing director of VPS Site-Security.

“The Scrap Metal Dealers Act and the police have helped reduce the theft of copper and cable significantly, but as criminals adapt to

damage or removal by trespassers, vandals, thieves and saboteurs.

“This latest British Transport Police report shows that cable theft is still a significant crime, not so much because of the value of the stolen metals, but more the devastation to passengers and others when cable assets are unprotected and damaged on the network.” says Mr Lalor.

VPS Site Security is one of the UK’s leading authorities on keeping secure, remote and challenging sites, and is currently helping protect over twenty rail electrification sites across the UK, and many rail and highway construction sites, with advanced CCTV technology.

20 | M&E

The need for speed The battle against time is something electrical installers know only too well. The ORJLFDO VWHS LV WR À QG LQQRYDWLYH VROXWLRQV LQ RUGHU WR IUHH XS WLPH FRQVXPLQJ ODERXU FRVWV DV 0DOFROP 0RVV PDQDJLQJ GLUHFWRU IRU 'RE\ 9HUUROHF H[SODLQV

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ver the last few years, we have seen products continuing to evolve in regard to energy efďŹ ciency, as well becoming increasingly more cost-effective. However, one area that is often overlooked in enabling electricians and installers to save time, is installation methods.

Time is something everyone is short of – that we can agree. Electricians are always looking for solutions which not only saves them time, but maintains a safe and highquality installation – therefore meeting the objective of the project.

The high number of hours that is required on installation, for the overhead suspension of static loads, such as luminaries and cable containment seems to largely go unnoticed.

But this is where considerable savings can be achieved‌ A traditional method used for overhead suspension of ďŹ xed electrical services is a rigid component, such as threaded rod.

This is a solid solution and offers a range of beneďŹ ts. The downside to this though, is the vast amount of time which is spent on both installation and preparation. It’s a particularly time-consuming task, when you factor in measuring, cutting, screwing and adjusting.

Jack chains are another option which are frequently used. Again, they are effective, but they have limitations in their load capacity and for the range of static loads they can be used for. One of the biggest concerns though, is that if a single link of the chain falls, it will result in reinstallation.

Undoubtedly, this would incur substantial labour costs.

FAST SOLUTION Ticking both boxes on saving time and being cost-effective, is the steel wire rope suspension system. This is a sophisticated solution and a viable alternative which is growing in popularity. The main beneďŹ t being that it can drastically reduce installation time, which consequently saves on labour costs.

Electrical Review | October 2017

22 | M&E

The DobyGrip solution consists of a strong ergonomically designed zinc cast body with a patented gripping wheel design and inbuilt adjustment mechanism, which is used in conjunction with galvanised wire rope to produce quick and efficient installations.

According to independent tests, using a wire rope suspension system, such as DobyGrip, can reduce the time spent on this element of installation by as much as 60%.

Ensuring cable tray is level, provides an ideal example of how much quicker a wire rope suspension system can make this task. This is because it removes the need for cutting to size of steel rod, as it can be simply adjusted to achieve the correct height for the installation.

This removes the laborious task of having to alter the levels of a number of bolts and nuts in a threaded system. The most complex tool required to make the necessary length adjustments, is a pair of snips to remove excess wire, once the height has been tweaked to the right setting.

Subsequently, this saves precious hours on preparation time compared to more traditional solutions. Electrical installers

Electrical Review | October 2017

can swiftly and efficiently finish the given installation and move onto the next job – allowing them to complete more jobs and earn more. That’s surely something not be sniffed at?

Time is something everyone is short of FLEXIBLE AND VERSATILE Furthermore, a wire rope suspension system is flexible and versatile. One good example of this is with lighting, as it can be suspended where it was originally specified. This is in comparison to other methods which are dictated by the location of existing brackets and beams. This makes a huge difference aesthetically to the dedicated space.

Any conscientious installer, will understandably want to feel reassured about the reliability and safety of the solution they are using. Installers can have

full confidence in the safety of the wire rope suspension system and that it will meet the demands which are placed on it.

It’s imperative, of course, that the correct installation procedures are followed and that the Safe Working Load is not exceeded.

Therefore, it’s advisable to check the product has been independently safety load tested to a 5:1 safety factor, as this guarantees the product is safe to use.

Further safety benefits of the wire rope suspension system, are that the contractor will spend less time working at height and doesn’t need to apply for any permits associated with hot work, which are required for other solutions.

Many manufacturers offer a free product selection service and advice on the right combination of grips and end fixings, to ensure that the installation performs as intended.

The wire rope suspension system has taken the market by storm, as a simple, fast and cost-effective solution. Traditional solutions may do the job, but do they serve a purpose in today’s world of smart and sophisticated buildings? Isn’t it time we brought our installation methods up to date?

24 | RAIL

SFC technology to boost East Coast Mainline power supply Stuart Grattage, general manager T&D Infrastructure & Grid Integration Solutions at ABB, explains how power electronics technology will triple the traction power capacity for a key section of the East Coast Mainline (ECML) - at 40% of the cost of a new grid connection

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he UK’s main rail link between London and Edinburgh is the East Coast Mainline (ECML).

Network Rail, which owns and operates the UK’s rail infrastructure, is currently preparing for the introduction of the new 125 mph Hitachi InterCity Express Trains, which are expected to start passenger services from 2018. These new trains are bi-mode, this allows them to run on both diesel and electric power to they can provide a seamless service on both electrified and non-electrified track.

However, one section, near Doncaster, needs additional traction power for both the main track and Hitachi’s new state-of-the-art depot that will serve the new rolling stock.

For this section, Network Rail requires a 25 kilovolt (kV) traction feed with a capacity of 50 megavolt ampere (MVA). However, only a maximum of 15 MVA is available currently. Initially, it appeared that the only solution was a new connection to the local 132 kV grid. As well as being costly, this would also have taken a considerable amount of time to complete the application process with the DNO (distribution network operator) as well as obtaining the necessary planning and environmental consents. Network Rail therefore decided to investigate alternative options.

(Hz) needs to plug into a port where the onshore power network runs at 50 Hz. However, for the Doncaster ECML project, the SFC is not converting the network frequency. Instead, it will take a 33 kV / 50 Hz supply from the existing Northern Powergrid three-phase local distribution network and convert it to a single-phase traction power supply at 25 kV / 50 Hz. This approach will result in a total cost saving of around 60 percent compared with building a new high voltage grid connection.

STATIC FREQUENCY CONVERTER TECHNOLOGY OFFERS A COSTEFFECTIVE, FAST-TRACK APPROACH

to Ipswich and Rosewood, needed to be strengthened. This route was forecast to have an increase in train traffic to and from the new Wulkuraka maintenance center.

Queensland Rail, therefore, needed to strengthen the existing feed from the threephase national grid to support both the depot and the related train movements.

The existing feeder station at Wulkuraka, just west of Ipswich, was initially built with a conventional single transformer. However, to cope with the planned rail power supply, a second transformer was needed

We were able to respond to Network Rail’s challenge by proposing a considerably more cost-effective, fast-track approach based on the innovative application of Static Frequency Converter (SFC) technology.

Generally, ABB deploys SFCs, based on our PCS6000 (Power Converter System), to connect equipment at different frequencies.

A typical example is when a cruise ship with an on-board network operating at 60 Hertz Electrical Review | October 2017

BUILDING ON EXPERIENCE IN AUSTRALIA This type of SFC installation has already proved its capability in a similar project at the Wulkuraka rail depot in Brisbane, Australia.

As part of the New Generation Rollingstock state project, the rail power supply on the 46 kilometer (km) western route from Corinda

Building on experience in Australia

to meet the future network operational requirements. Instead of providing an additional transformer, Queensland Rail decided, after extensive research into the available technology, to install an SFC to augment the existing feeder station, which was commissioned in 2006 following electrification of the Ipswich – Rosewood line in 1993.

To meet Queensland Rail’s power supply needs, ABB provided a turnkey rail SFC system. Rated at 20 MVA and equipped with the most advanced power electronics, the system efficiently converts electricity from the country’s three-phase high-voltage grid, rated at 50 Hz, to the 50 Hz required by Queensland Rail’s single-phase 25 kV grid.

The SFC is based on the PCS 6000. This is a technology that has proved it capability and reliability since its introduction in the year 2000. Among the benefits of using an SFC at Wulkuraka are mitigated network issues with unbalanced loads and harmonics, softened step changes in load, improved reactive power support on the substation’s three-phase and single-phase sides and the ability to share load with the adjacent feeder station, thus giving greater strength to the power network.

The SFC can limit short-circuit current at its nominal rating, thus ensuring that the short-circuit design of the existing overhead contact system (OCS) can be retained. As part of the turnkey contract, ABB was responsible for the design, engineering, installation and commissioning of the SFC system. Key components of the containerized solution include transformers and SFC as well as control and cooling systems.

A LONG HISTORY IN SFC TECHNOLOGY ABB has a long history in SFC technology, providing reliable railway interconnections since 1994. The success of our rail SFCs is based on continuous development and

RAIL | 25

technological innovation. Our mediumvoltage rail SFC solution allows the connection of three-phase public grids to single-phase railway power grids, at rated frequencies of 16.7, 25, 50 or 60 Hz. The SFC not only acts as a voltage and reactive power source, but is able to handle the smooth and interruption-free transition from interconnected system operation to

island mode in case of disturbances in the grid. Furthermore, it is capable of acting as sole power supply to an isolated section of the railway, and of subsequently resynchronizing with the rest of the railway grid after the disturbance has been cleared.

ADDITIONAL BENEFITS FOR THE ECML For Network Rail’s ECML project, not only

will the SFC deliver the 50 MVA required, it offers a range of additional operational benefits including: full load balancing; reduced train harmonics; improved reliability of the overhead line equipment (OLE); the opportunity to remove problematic phase separations in overhead lines. SFCs allow doubly fed catenary sections, which enable improved corridor performance due to more stable voltage conditions and reduced conducting losses.

Furthermore, the SFC technology supports the reuse of regenerative train energy by increasing the corridor lengths.

ABB will deliver, install and commission a complete SFC solution for Network Rail including the PCS 6000, transformers, switchgear and cabling.

This project is a perfect example of how smart solutions can result in reduced connection costs for railway projects. It also shows that innovation isn’t always about brand new technology. In this case we are using tried and tested SFC technology in an innovative way that could be applied in many similar projects as the UK rolls out electrification across its rail network. www.electricalreview.co.uk

26 | ADVERTISEMENT FEATURE

Introducing The Retractor We don’t hang around!

It is an exciting time at Olson and following on from exhibiting at recent shows, we’ve noticed a high demand from our customers for a particular accessory to incorporate with one of our most eye-catching products in our range. Olson Electronics are proud to announce the introduction of The Retractor, which is a retracting option for our range of Suspended PDU’s. The Retractor is ideal for industrial applications where a suspended, strong and compact Power Distribution Unit is required PDU range to a whole new innovative level. Here at Olson we are a customer focused company and who else is better to ask feedback from than our customers. We care about our customers’ needs and it’s exciting to be able to let people know we have something that will make a difference to how our PDU’s can be used. Being a British manufacturer, product development

T

his type of accessory can also be used in many different environments, such as Hospitals, Tyre Shops, Broadcasting, workshops and so… The Retractor option has been introduced, complementing the strengths of the Suspended PDU’s further, The Retractor option allows the Suspended Unit to be lowered to the required working position, locked in place and then retracted back up when it is no longer in use. If you do not require the units to retract we offer chain and standard cable which is also very popular, particularly in the more industrial/heavy duty environments. We can also cut the chain / cable to any length required.

The rise and fall operation of the product is also a much safer and easier option, particularly in busy environments. The maximum distance of travel is 2m and the end stop can be moved to adjust the starting height. Olson also offering a “spring” cable option to go with The Retractor unit to connect the Suspended Unit to a ceiling mounted power point. Three cable types are available; 1.5mm², 2.5mm² or 4mm² (to suit the rating of the socket on the unit) with bare ends or fitted with a 13Amp / 16Amp / 32Amp plug as required. The cable length from the Retractor is 5M, allowing further cabling above the unit and retraction system.

The suspended PDU’s have a variety of sockets available, we have the standard UK 13 Amp (BS 1363) sockets which are often fitted with USB ports, meaning you can multitask while you work. We also have 16 Amp, (IEC 60309/BS 4343), 32amp (IEC 60309/BS 4343), available in 110V or 230V but of course we can modify the units to suit whichever socket types the customer requires. The units themselves are cube shaped and they are most certainly one of our more talked about products. These units allow maximum versatility and can allow for up to 8 sockets per unit. The units are not particularly heavy but they are easy to carry because they have a handle at the bottom of the unit, allowing for easy transportation.

This new addition is extremely useful and the convenience of this product is second to none, it takes our suspended Electrical Review | October 2017

is at the forefront of our business and day to day activities and introducing new solutions that will enhance our products further is something we love to do and will continue to do.

Along with this innovative new product, we have recently released our new website to enable purchasing of our products online for the very first time.

The website is a significant improvement from the previous version and was released in-line with our 56-years of British manufacturing celebration. With Olson being the market leader of PDUs and highly regarded within the industry, we can see this will be welcomed by all of our current and future customers. Marissa Maxwell of Olson Electronics told us more about the company’s core strengths: “We are one of the remaining few British manufacturers and we pride ourselves on our in-house design and production capabilities,” she commented. “Our focus has always been on quality and reliability and we can provide a fast delivery service (generally next day on most items)”.

Not only is the new site much more aesthetically pleasing with a modern look, it also features an integrated easy navigation system to enable our customers to quickly find the product they need. Whilst offering the largest PDU product range on the market, it can often be difficult to pin-point the one product a customer requires for a specific application and the new website overcomes this.

Thankfully we’ve responded from customer feedback, making this task a lot quicker and easier.

It caters for quick navigation to the socket, plug / inlet, orientation or switching requirement you’re looking for within a power distribution unit, with further filtering to find the exact product thereafter. You can view individual product categories or just show every product listed and filter down from there. It also has an advanced search to lookup all of the attributes of a PDU you need and display the results immediately.

To conclude this article, head over to the website now to purchase The Retractor, don’t hang around!

T +44 (0)20 8905 7273 sales@olson.co.uk www.olson.co.uk

28 | COMMENT

Cross-sectional area of neutral conductors Generally circuits are designed with the same cross-sectional area neutral conductors as the line conductor. Indeed, BS7671:2008 Regulation 524.2.1 states: “The neutral conductor, if any, shall have a cross-sectional area not less than that of the line conductor”

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n single-phase, two-wire circuits, whatever the cross sectional are In polyphase and single-phase three-wire circuits, where the size of the line conductors is less than or equal to 16 mm2 for copper 25mm2 for aluminium In circuits where it is required according to Regulation 523.6.3.”

This Regulation effectively requires that the neutral conductor be the same cross-sectional area in single-phase systems. However, in polyphase systems, there is the option to have a reduced crosssectional area neutral conductor.

Regulation 524.2.2 states: “If the total harmonic content due to triplen harmonics is greater than 33% of the fundamental line current, an increase in the cross-sectional area of the neutral conductor may be required (see Regulation 523.6.3 and Appendix 4, section 5.5).”

This requires the designer of the installation to ensure that the harmonic content is below 33% of the line current fundamental, if not then the option to provide a larger cross-sectional area neutral conductor should be researched.

Regulation 524.2.3 states: “For a polyphase circuit where each line conductor has a cross-sectional area greater than 16mm2 for copper of 25mm2 for aluminium, the neutral conductor is permitted to have a smaller cross-sectional area than that of the line conductors providing the following conditions are simultaneously fulfilled: The expected maximum current including harmonics, if any, in the neutral conductor during normal service is not greater than the current-carrying capacity of the reduced cross-sectional area of the neutral conductor, and NOTE: the load carried by the circuit under normal service conditions should be practically equally distributed between lines The neutral conductor is protected against overcurrents according to Regulation 431.2, and The size of the neutral conductor is at least equal to 16mm2 for copper and 25mm2 for aluminium, account being taken of Regulation 523.6.3.”

This Regulation offers some scope for having a reduced crosssectional area neutral, providing the three points are met.

Electrical Review | October 2017

The following offers some practical advice in fulfilling these three points: The expected maximum current Should the system be arranged in such a manner that the expected current in the neutral is to be larger than that of the current-carrying capacity of the reduced neutral, then it can be simply stated that the neutral conductor will not be adequate and must be increased.

The neutral is protected against overcurrents Regulation 431.2.1 requires that, in a TN or TT system where the neutral cross-sectional area is less than that of the line conductor, an overcurrent detection device is needed. This does not require that the neutral has an overcurrent protective device, just a detector which will cause the disconnection of the line conductors. Essentially this device will monitor the current in the neutral and should it reach levels that could cause harm to the conductor, the line conductors will be disconnected.

Minimum size and regulation 523.6.3 The minimum required size shall be at least 16mm2 for copper and 25mm2 for aluminium cables. Regulation 523.6.3 requires that the designer consider the amount of the third harmonic content in the cable with additional information held in Appendix 4, section 5.5.

Therefore providing all the relevant criteria can be met, it is possible to design and install a circuit where the neutral has a cross-sectional area less than that of the line conductors.

30| EIC

Working together to change the lives of those in need Tessa Ogle, managing director of the Electrical Industries Charity, outlines the VLJQLÀFDQFH RI D ODUJHU VXSSRUW QHWZRUN LQ RXU LQGXVWU\ DQG KLJKOLJKWV WKH LPSRUWDQFH RI SRZHU/RWWHU\ DQG KRZ RQO\ D PRQWK FDQ WUDQVIRUP WKH OLYHV RI WKRVH LQ QHHG

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n the UK, there are currently 1.3 million people who are working or have worked in energy and electrical related sectors. Thousands of these people are in need of our support. This is why the Electrical Industries Charity has launched its Employee Assistance Programme of which the Pensioner, Apprentice, Employee and Family Support and Practical Participation Programmes are part of. In addition, to its Assistance Programmes, the Charity has also launched the powerLottery, a variety of fundraising events and its second Challenge for a Cause campaign to help our less fortunate colleagues in their time of need.

So far, the Electrical Industries Charity has helped many people in the electrical sector to rebuild their lives and have a brighter future ahead. For example, last year the Charity went on their very first Challenge for a Cause campaign to the largest freestanding mountain in the world – Mount Kilimanjaro and raised £83,000 which helped the Hendrie family to rebuild their future after the sad loss of a loving husband and a father of three.

Another great example where the Electrical Industries Charity gave hope and transformed the lives of people in our industry is the Parker family. The Charity worked together with industry partners and helped the Parker family with the necessary house adaptations and garden landscape to suit Max’s needs.

Currently, the Charity is set to help the Dickinson family to have a better future ahead with their second Challenge for a Cause campaign which aims to raise £250,000 to purchase a house and work with industry partners to carry out any renovation work which is required to safeguard the future of Caz and her family.

You can be part of the Charity’s life changing journey which aims to provide support for the Dickinson family by joining them on their second Challenge for a Cause – the Arctic Adventure 2018. During the Arctic Adventure, you will have a chance to experience cross-country skiing, snowshoeing and husky-sledding while helping the Charity to reach its fundraising goal. This once in a lifetime experience is taking place between 8-12 March 2018.

Or why not test your luck at the Charity’s very own powerLottery, which accounts for 30% of the Charity’s annual income and is directly handed out in financial grants to the industry through its Employee Assistance Programme. You can support the Charity in a fun way for as little as £1 a month Electrical Review | October 2017

and be in with a chance to win up to £1,000. You can purchase between one to ten numbers to increase your chances of winning. If you decide to enter the Charity’s powerLottery this month, you could be in with a chance to be the winner of the powerLottery’s biggest jackpot of £5,000.

If the lottery is not for you why not be part of the Charity’s Raise the Roof campaign by donating £25 to the Charity which will allow them to buy a personalised brick and which will go towards building a long-lasting home for Caz Dickinson and her family. A personalised brick will allow you to put your name on this special project and your donation will serve as a long-lasting tribute to you, or your sponsors and donors and your engraving will stay intact for many years. If you are a UK Income or Capital Gains taxpayer, don’t forget to add Gift Aid to your donation.

Gift Aid will allow the Charity to reclaim £0.25p for each pound you donate, which means that for each brick worth £25 the Charity will be able to claim £6.25 in Gift Aid at no additional cost to you.

You can get involved in many different ways and help your industry’s colleagues to look forward to the future. Because it does not matter how big or small your participation will be, it could have a significant impact on someone’s life. Join the Charity’s support network today and do something incredible for your colleagues and their families. www.electricalcharity.org

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Subscribe for free today www.electricalreview.co.uk/register

32| SWITCHGEAR/TECHNOLOOGY TO MARKET

Major order for offshore grid connection Six out of ten DC grid connections of the German North Sea were equipped

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iemens has received another order from the German-Dutch grid operator, TenneT TSO, for a grid connection for offshore wind power plants in the German waters of the North Sea. The company will supply the entire technology for efficient direct- current transmission for the DolWin6 grid connection. The Spanish partner, Dragados Offshore S.A., is a leading general contractor in the energy sector and is responsible for construction and offshore installation of the associated platform. The French supplier, Nexans, will supply the direct-current cables.

TenneT tendered the supply and laying of the cables separately, and these services are therefore not part of Siemens’ scope of supply. The order placed with Siemens is valued in high three- digit millions euros range. After it is completed, DolWin6 will be able to transmit enough electricity to supply just under one million German homes. Commercial commissioning is scheduled for 2023.

“DolWin6 marks a new milestone for the success of the energy transition. We are very pleased with the new order from TenneT for an offshore grid connection in the German waters of the North Sea,” said Ralf Christian, CEO of Siemens’ Energy Management Division. “This makes Siemens the technology partner in six out of ten DC projects. After BorWin3 and DolWin6 are commissioned, approximately 4.7 gigawatts of electrical power will be converted and transmitted to shore using Siemens technology alone. This is enough to supply just under five million homes.”

Siemens will supply the entire technology for efficient highvoltage direct-current transmission (HVDC) and will use DC CS directcurrent compact switchgear for the first time. The new gas-insulated switchgear for 320 kilovolts (kV) requires as much as 95 percent less space compared to the current air-insulated solutions. If they are used on an offshore platform, the size of the platform can thus be reduced by approximately 10%. As a result, Siemens is significantly helping to lower the cost of grid connections for offshore wind farms and thus to the cost parity of offshore wind energy in general. The switchgear is manufactured in Siemens’ switchgear factory in Berlin.

Other components, such as HVDC transformers and converters for converting current, are produced in Siemens’ factories in Nuremberg.

The offshore platform is being built by our partner Dragados in Cadiz, Spain, and will then be transported to its installation site.

Siemens will be responsible for complete construction of the HVDC onshore station in Emden, East Frisia, where the company already built the onshore converter for the BorWin3 direct-current connection earlier this year.

The DolWin6 grid connection, which is around 90 kilometers in length, can connect multiple offshore wind turbines to the mainland.

Electrical Review | October 2017

A number of offshore wind farms are competing for a connection to DolWin6 in an auction held by the German Gederay Network Agency. The 155 kV alternating current supplied by the wind turbines will be converted into 320 kV direct current on the DolWin6 offshore platform and transported to Hilgenriedersiel on the mainland via a 45-kilometer subsea cable. On the ocean, the cable will pass underneath the island of Norderney by means of horizontal bore holes. Once on land, the electricity will be transported by another 45-kilometer underground cable to Emden, East Frisia, where Siemens is building another converter station for converting the direct current back into three- phase current and feeding it into the high voltage grid.

The HVDC Plus converter technology used by Siemens is a voltagesourced converter of a modular multilevel converter design (VSC MMC). As a pioneer in VSC-MMC systems, Siemens is the technology leader in this field. In contrast to the classic HVDC variant, which can be used only in grids with sufficient short-circuit power, systems equipped with HVDC Plus facilitate the black start of island grids.

This is an important prerequisite for operating the offshore grid. The modular VSC technology reduces complexity and thus the space required by the machines, which is essential particwularly for use on offshore platforms. HVDC Plus also ensure an almost ideal sinusoidal alternating voltage and a smooth voltage in the direct voltage circuit. This eliminates the need to use harmonic filters.

Siemens is now implementing a total of six out of ten DC North Sea grid connections for TenneT. The earlier projects were HelWin1 (576 MW) and HelWin2 (690 MW) off the coast of Helgoland, BorWin2 (800 MW) off the coast of Borkum and SylWin1 (864 MW) off the coast of Sylt. These grid connections have been placed into service successively since 2015; the BorWin3 (900 MW) and DolWin6 (900 MW) are currently being executed. The grid connections equipped with Siemens technology now have a total transmission power of 4.7 gigawatts – enough to supply just under 5 million homes.

34 | SMART METERING

Smart meters means smarter security Today’s consumers have high expectations when it comes to keeping their personal and payment data safe. Back in 2015, UK mobile phone operator TalkTalk hit the headlines for all the wrong reasons following the theft of SHUVRQDO GHWDLOV EHORQJLQJ WR FXVWRPHUV DQG LQ ZDV À QHG … E\ WKH ,QIRUPDWLRQ &RPPLVVLRQHU¡V 2IÀ FH ,&2 0DWWKHZ %U\DUV co-founder and CEO at Aeriandi, explains

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ith cyber attacks on the up – data from the ICO shows the number of UK ďŹ rms reporting a breach rose by a third in 2016/17 – keeping customer data safe is now a top priority. This is especially the case for businesses that accept or process payment transactions.

By the end of 2020, around 53 million smart meters will be ďŹ tted in more than 30 million premises across Wales, Scotland and England. One of the biggest national infrastructure projects in recent history, the government mandated scheme will enable a more energy efďŹ cient system for Great Britain.

With smart meter roll-out now underway, many energy suppliers are gearing up their contact centre operations to

Dealing with PSI DSS compliance can be complex cope with consumer queries, installation bookings and account management questions. But as the scheme gathers momentum, industry pundits predict the number of consumers calling in to top up their Pay-As-You-Go smart meters or pay their bills is set to rise signiďŹ cantly.

That means energy companies will need to review their contact centre operations to ensure they diligently handle telephone card payments and protect their customer’s ďŹ nancial data in line with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standards (PCI DSS) stringent requirements.

PCI DSS IN A NUTSHELL Developed by the major card companies to protect the safety of cardholder data and prevent fraud, failure to comply with the PCI DSS will result in signiďŹ cant ďŹ nancial penalties and can result in the revocation of a merchant’s card processing ability.

Covering every aspect of payment collection, processing and storage, the PCI DSS security framework relates to all technical and operational systems connected to cardholder data. In the contact centre this means phone systems, the telephony network, desktop and agent systems – and the physical security of the contact centre environment.

Electrical Review | October 2017

This covers the agent community and any equipment they could potentially use to access and communicate card details, such as writing materials, mobile phones, the Internet or social media platforms. For obvious reasons, no card data can ever be written down or recorded.

From handling bank details and credit card info to taking customer account passwords, energy suppliers need to take all appropriate steps to protect their customers’ sensitive and personal information.

THE PATH TO COMPLIANCE For those organisations that do not have the necessary internal security infrastructure investments in place, dealing with PCI DSS compliance can be a complex and costly process. But any failure to address PCI DSS obligations and protect customers against identity theft means exposing the ďŹ rm to signiďŹ cant ongoing risk.

Despite the fact that many energy customers utilise web portals to manage their accounts or handle billing, a signiďŹ cant proportion go on to use services like live web chat or their phones to speak with a customer service rep. During the call, they may need to share information like passwords or account PINs or read out their credit or debit card PAN (primary account number) and three-digit Card Security Code to make a one-off payment.

A signiďŹ cant number of consumers, however, still prefer to speak to a real person or lack the means to make a secure online payment. With over 500,000 domestic smart meters already installed in homes, it is time electricity providers got smart about contact centre payment security.

The good news is that there is a way of ensuring sensitive payment or personal data never enters the contact centre environment in the ďŹ rst place. If it is never there, it can’t be breached or stolen – and the contact centre is taken out of scope for PCI DSS.

ENABLING PCI COMPLIANT PHONE PAYMENTS Today’s hosted DTMF secure phone payment processing platforms prevent card data from entering the contact centre environment and offer an effortless way of minimising cost and complexity of ensuring PCI compliance. There is no need to install any hardware onsite and the intuitive user interface is both customer friendly and easy for agents to use.

When a customer comes to make a phone payment, rather than divulge their card details directly to a contact centre agent,

36 | SMART METERING

they are routed to an external secure payment platform. The customer then enters their payment detail via the telephone keypad to complete the transaction. The contact centre agent

Customers take a big leap of faith passing on payment information sees asterisks appear in the user interface as the transaction takes place and is on hand throughout the call to talk customers through the process – but they cannot see or hear the sensitive card data. All phone tones are masked, so if calls need to be recorded, the payment card details are eliminated.

Electrical Review | October 2017

For utility companies that are reliant on phone payments, securing this channel should be a top priority. Initiating PCI DSS compliance for the contact centre will also ensure organisations are well on the way to ensuring these environments are built to comply with the requirements of other data privacy legislation like the EU General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR).

The Government’s new Data Protection Bill, designed to update the existing 1998 Data Protection Act, incorporates GDPR privacy rules and will allow the ICO to fine companies up to 4% of global annual turnover or €20m – whichever is greater.

Customers take a big leap of faith when passing on their payment card information. Initiating payment solutions that give them a sense of security and trust is just one of the reasons for adhering to the guidelines of PCI DSS. With stringent data privacy requirements on the horizon, it is time for energy companies to ensure their contact centres are compliant.

PRODUCTS | 37 SMART SECURITY

ENTRY LEVEL CCTV KITS FROM ESP

GAS LEAK DETECTOR

With smart technology becoming increasingly prevalent in the UK market, ERA has taken home security to the next level with a range of smartphone-connected, wireless alarm systems. ERA smart alarm kits benefit from a modular design, enabling customers to create a comprehensive network of security products from ERA to suit any home security project.

From the Valiant Solar Siren Starter Alarm Kit to the impressive Invincible Dual Network Alarm System, the full range of ERA wireless alarm kits feature a simple ‘plug and play’ set up and include a magnetic door/window sensor, as well as a pet friendly motion sensor as standard, which can be easily fitted around the home.

Identifying a gap in the market for a premium quality, competitively priced CCTV system, ESP has launched a brand new range of CCTV Kits that are packed with features, but come with an affordable price tag, making them ideal entry level products to satisfy the growing demand for reliable security solutions.

Marketed under the newly created Rekor brand from ESP, the 4 channel CCTV kits have all the components for a High Definition CCTV system supplied in a handy kit form – simply requiring a connection to a monitor.

The systems have been designed with ease of set up as a key feature, including the option for remote monitoring via smartphone or tablet, using ESP’s specially developed RekorHD APP.

Identifying leaks of sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), which is used as an electrical insulator in extremely high-voltage utilities applications, generally requires the purchase or rental of an expensive gas detector or hiring an outside consultant.

The alternatives are shutting down the equipment and using a sniffer or soapy water. However, the new Fluke® Ti450 SF6 Gas Leak Detector combines an affordable, high-quality, infrared camera with an SF6 leak detector that visually pinpoints the location of SF6 leaks without shutting equipment down. The new Ti450 SF6 can be seen at www.fluke.co.uk/ti450sf6 The Fluke Ti450 SF6 allows utility crews to include it as a normal part of their maintenance routine, allowing them to conduct both infrared and gas inspections whenever and wherever necessary.

ERA • 01922 490000 www.eraeverywhere.com

ESP • 01527 515150 www.espuk.com

Fluke • 01603 256 606 www.fluke.co.uk

MINIMALIST LED LUMINAIRE Luceco has recently launched LuxFrame, an original and minimalist LED luminaire designed with simplicity in mind for suspended ceiling grid applications. Installed around the ceiling tile, LuxFrame provides an interesting lighting effect whilst maintaining the integrity of the ceiling.

LuxFrame provides an alternative style, enabling the creation of imaginative lighting with cost effectiveness and energy efficiency in mind.

As with other LuxPanel products from Luceco, LuxFrame offers over 50,000 hours of operational life with no maintenance, available with DALI dimmable drivers and with emergency back-up variants.

Luceco • 07890 320152 www.luceco.com

THERMAL IMAGING WITHIN EASY REACH

SMART POWER TRANSFORMER MAINTENANCE

The new IRC thermal imaging cameras from Martindale Electric represent a breakthrough in affordable thermal imaging for troubleshooting of electrical and mechanical installations.

The combination of real time thermal imaging with spot infrared temperature measurement, packaged in a rugged pistol design, make it the ideal tool for electricians and maintenance teams needing fast on-site diagnostics. The cameras show hot and cold spots at a glance and accurately measure spot temperatures of hot and hard to reach surfaces.

Omicron’s Primary Test Manager (PTM) software was optimised for initial screening, diagnostic testing and condition assessment of power transformers with the release of software version 4.00. All common chemical, electrical and dielectric tests on power transformers are now supported by one software.

With proper testing and maintenance, the lifetime of a power transformer can be extended by identifying and fixing defects before they can cause severe failures. A smart combination of an initial screening, e.g. by performing dissolved gas analysis (DGA) and power/dissipation factor tests, and focused diagnostic testing is often utilised to keep the lifecycle management process more cost efficient.

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

Omicron • 01785 251 000 www.omicronenergy.com

www.electricalreview.co.uk

38 | PRODUCTS PREFERRED PARTNER Riello UPS, has announced a partnership with PSE Power, Ireland’s largest independent supplier of power protection and energy management solutions.

The deal gives PSE Power access to Riello UPS stocks and supplies in Ireland, and strengthens PSE’s ‘all-time uptime’ power protection offering to leading technology companies and data centres including Google, Apple, Thomson Reuters and Interxion.

With Ireland’s data centre market set for further growth and expansion, the partnership signals Riello UPS’ commitment to providing its Irish clients with the highest levels of service and support for the full range of Riello UPS products.

Announcing the partnership, Leo Craig, general manager of Riello UPS, said: “We’re delighted to welcome PSE Power to our expanding community of resellers.

“The company’s specialist engineering capabilities and nationwide coverage made it the right partner for our business”.

Riello • 0800 269 394 www.riello-ups.co.uk

AIR CIRCUIT-BREAKER SUPPORTING SYSTEM Rittal, a provider of industrial enclosures, power distribution, climate control and IT infrastructure, has developed a new busbar supporting system for air circuit-breakers.

The system has been developed to enable 4 x 120 mm x 10 mm coppers to be secured safely to the top and bottom of the air circuit-breaker.

It has been carefully designed to ensure ease of use, maxiumum convenience and faster fitting for system integrators.

The support, which is suitable for 600 and 800mm wide enclosures, is quick to install within Rittal’s Ri4Power modular switchgear systems, speeding up the time needed for installing air circuit-breakers in Ri4Power.

With only part number to order it simplies the ordering process and reduces stocking levels for the panel builder.

Rittal • 01709 704 000 www.rittal.com

RANGE JUST GOT SMARTER Already providing installers with a simple, ‘back to basics’ smart homes solution with its Click Smart intelligent wiring accessories range, Scolmore is further enhancing its home automation offer with the launch of the Click Smart Box, which allows the control of lighting and appliances from a smart phone or tablet, via the newly developed, accompanying Click Smart App. Designed with simplicity in mind, the Click Smart Box and App can be easily integrated into a new or existing Click Smart installation and just requires broadband connection. Simply plug the Click Smart Box into the broadband router via an Ethernet port and plug into the socket power outlet, and then download the Click Smart App.

Scolmore • 01827 63454 www.scolmore.com

FLEXIBLE, MODULAR GRID SOLUTIONS

MINIMISE POSSIBLE MISTAKES

A LIGHT SOLUTION

Scolmore’s new GridPro collection is an extensive range of interchangeable mounting plates and modules available in the most comprehensive choice of finishes, to offer the ultimate in flexible, modular grid solutions.

Gridpro was developed with speed and ease of installation at its core and offers the flexibility to create multi-function, 1 to 24 gang plates which integrate with Scolmore’s vast Click wiring accessories range.

More than 600 products make up the range.

All switch modules are 20A rated – making them ideal for commercial applications.

In response to customer demand, Wieland Electric has developed the new samos PLAN 6 project planning tool, an extremely user friendly programming software with the option of automatic or manual configuration. With the automatic module configuration you can start inserting sensors, function blocks or actors on the logic editor and program your safety function without having to worry about the hardware.

This follows the workflow recommended in TÜV proven Certified Electrical Safety Engineer training provided by Wieland Electric.

Thanks to multi-screen feature, you can see many pages at once or work with many displays, dock, undock or attach working windows in samos PLAN 6 or detach each window from the main window. In that way it is possible to organise the workspace individually and adapt them to suit the programmer and this layout can then be saved for future projects to be reused again. This flexible programming interface reduces time and effort, boosts efficiency and minimises possible user mistakes.

Luminaires from Zumtobel Group have played important roles in three prestigious, high specification office projects in London that have all achieved BREEAM status. For these refurbishments, the office space has been designed to provide everything that is needed for the modern day tenant, including the flexibility to customise everything and upgrade fixtures in the future.

Thorn’s Custom Division designed an extremely efficient lighting scheme for The Charter Building, a 244,000 sq. ft., design-led workspace in Uxbridge that has been designed to bring an entirely new workspace to Uxbridge. The building, once the UK headquarters for Coca Cola, will provide a well-connected home for the modern, discerning occupier that values sustainability, good design and the wellbeing of its workforce.

Scolmore • 01827 63454 www.scolmore.com

Wieland • 01483 531213 www.wieland.co.uk

Zumtobel • 0191 301 3036 www.zumtobel.com

Electrical Review | October 2017