Electrical Review Nov Dec 2021

November / December 2021 Volume 255 | No 6 www.electricalreview.co.uk

Informing the electrical industry for 150 years

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Powered On

Lighting

A brand-new regular companion column to the popular podcast from Electrical Review.

Could UV-C lighting be the answer in our post-pandemic world?

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Fire, Safety & Security Why Scotland’s new fire safety changes should probably be adopted in the UK.

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Conten t s Regulars

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04 • Editor’s Comment Season’s greenings.

06 • News Stories from the sector.

08 • Gossage Gossip The latest from our industry insider.

18 • Powered On

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Welcome to the Powered On column, a brand-new companion piece to the popular podcast from Electrical Review.

38 • Talking Point What new risks might contractors be exposed to and why it’s so important to have the right insurance cover in place.

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41 • Products Innovations worth watching.

46 • Final Say How can we as an industry fix the worker shortage?

Features 12 • Power Generation, Transmission & Distribution

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The challenges that will need to be overcome in developing a more dynamic grid, according to Expleo’s Rachel Eyres.

20 • AI & Automation Karl Walker from Beckhoff explains why AI is an evolutionary process and how Machine Learning can be profitably deployed.

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22 • Lighting Simon Greenwood, Sales Director Trade & Specification at Signify UK & Ireland, details the benefits of UV-C lighting in a post-pandemic world.

30 • Cables & Cable Management Contractors must take fibre-friendly cabling infrastructure into account during the construction of new buildings, says Paul Churm from REHAU.

32 • Fire, Safety & Security Andy Greenhorn, FireAngel’s Specification Manager for Scotland and Ireland, discusses the fire safety changes coming to Scotland and why the rest of the UK should adopt them.

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EDITOR

Jordan O’Brien jordano@sjpbusinessmedia.com

CONTRIBUTING EDITOR

Kayleigh Hutchins kayleigh@datacentrereview.com

DESIGN & PRODUCTION

Alex Gold alexg@sjpbusinessmedia.com

GROUP ACCOUNT DIRECTOR

Sunny Nehru +44 (0) 207 062 2539 sunnyn@sjpbusinessmedia.com

ACCOUNT MANAGER

Kelly Baker +44 (0)207 0622534 kellyb@electricalreview.co.uk

PUBLISHER

Wayne Darroch

Editor’s Comment Season’s greenings Congratulations everyone, you made it to the end of 2021, a year that has certainly been an interesting one. The year began with some hope, as the vaccine began its roll-out, but at the same time, we were all locked down.

However, we’re ending on a high – and while Covid-19 is still with us, it’s expected to become endemic any day now, meaning we get to enjoy the Christmas we missed last year.

But 2022 won’t only be a cause for celebration because we’ve put the worst of Covid-19 behind us, as here at Electrical Review we have yet another reason to celebrate. In November 1872, the Telegraphic Journal and Electrical Review was released for the very first time, and while we may have dropped the Telegraphic Journal part, we’re still standing 150 years later.

That’s why in November 2022, we’re launching a very special 150th Anniversary Edition of Electrical Review. This will be very different from our usual issues, featuring a one-of-a-kind design as we explore the innovations of the past, present and future, and celebrate the electrical industry as it goes through one of its largest transitions in those 150 years.

But that’s not all, in September 2022, we also have another special surprise – as Electrical Review gears up to release the very first Sustainability Issue. Releasing just before Cop27, this issue will explore the technologies that are helping us realise the long-promised green revolution.

So, there’s plenty to look forward to, but there’s also a whole lot to enjoy in this issue – including the launch of the Powered On column, a companion piece to the Powered On podcast; as well as some interesting editorials from the likes of Signify, Schneider Electric, Vertiv and much more.

Jordan O’Brien, Editor

Printing by Buxton Paid subscription enquiries: subscriptions@sjpbusinessmedia.com SJP Business Media 2nd Floor, 123 Cannon Street London, EC4N 5AU Electrical Review is a controlled circulation monthly magazine available free to selected personnel at the publisher’s discretion.

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This does not necessarily reflect the views of Electrical Review or its publisher – SJP Business Media ISSN 0013-4384 – All editorial contents © SJP Business Media

4 Electrical www.electricalreview.co.uk Review | November???? / December 2021

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NEWS

News ABB debuts 360 kW rapid EV charger, the world’s fastest ABB has become the first EV charger manufacturer to break the 350 kW barrier, with the debut of the Terra 360.

Like its name suggests, the Terra 360 is capable of charging an electric vehicle at 360 kW, which makes it the fastest EV charger currently available on the market. That’s because at those speeds drivers could add 100km of range in just three minutes.

Despite offering maximum charging speeds of 360 kW, no car is capable of receiving those speeds. That’s not really the idea behind the Terra 360, however, with the modular charger actually designed to offer up to four cars a share of its charging speeds.

So, what does that mean? Well, it means that if four cars are plugged into the charger, the maximum output of the Terra 360 will drop to just 90 kW. That’s enough to give vehicles a boost of around 210 miles per hour, but it’s significantly less than the 100km of range in just three minutes.

However, if there is only one car plugged into the charger, vehicles should be able to max out their charging speeds – although only for a brief period of time, as the onboard computers on an electric vehicle won’t allow maximum charging speeds when the battery is above a certain level.

UK Government expected to commit to new nuclear power plant, alongside mini reactors

SSE Contracting completes Enerveo rebranding

The UK Government is expected to announce plans to fund a new large-scale nuclear power plant, with a fleet of mini reactors also likely to be funded.

Government Ministers have decided that nuclear power will be key to achieving the goal of producing 100% clean power by 2035. With that in mind, it’s imperative that new nuclear power stations are built; after all, just one of the existing facilities is currently expected to still be operational in 2030.

Thankfully that power station – Sizewell B – will soon be joined by another, with EDF currently constructing two new reactors in Somerset, dubbed Hinkley Point C. However, that project has been plagued with delays, while it has also become a political hot potato due to CGN’s involvement.

Despite this, Hinkley Point C is still expected to begin producing power shortly after 2025, two years after the station it replaces, Hinkley Point B, is set to be decommissioned.

So, you can see why the UK Government is seeing a new sense of urgency in building new nuclear capacity.

SSE Contracting has announced a rebrand following the sale of the company to pan-European investment group Aurelius, with the firm now going by the name Enerveo.

The rebrand is a key milestone in the company’s journey to becoming a standalone business following the sale to Aurelius. It has ambitions to capitalise on the strong pipeline of infrastructure projects across the UK and build upon its standing as a key delivery partner to private and public sector clients.

6 Electrical Review | November / December 2021

NEWS

National Grid delays IFA1’s return to full service until October 2023

UK sees record power prices in Q3 2021 amidst energy crisis

National Grid has confirmed that the IFA1 interconnector, which was damaged by a fire in Kent, won’t return to full service until October 2023, later than initially anticipated.

IFA1 would typically provide 2GW of capacity by leveraging power brought over from France, but since the fire earlier this year, the interconnector hasn’t been operating at all. National Grid is currently on site to restore capacity, but it has warned that extensive safety work will need to be undertaken before it’s back to full capacity.

Rather unsurprisingly, the UK saw record-breaking power prices in Q3, with margins of generation versus demand squeezed ever tighter due to very low wind output.

These are the findings from EnAppSys’ latest report into the UK electricity market, which saw system prices, day-ahead prices and within-day off-peak prices all shooting up dramatically over previous quarters.

However, what was causing all these issues?

Well, it was predominantly due to the high cost of gas, but the UK was hit by a perfect storm of other problems.

While wind power is becoming an ever-increasingly important source of electricity, it’s also an intermittent source. Unfortunately, the

weather decided not to play ball as gas prices skyrocketed, and as such wind speeds were rather low – causing a drop in the generation of electricity from wind turbines.

However, the blame cannot be placed purely on a drop in wind power generation, as nuclear power plants were also not pulling their weight during the crisis. In fact, several reactors across the UK were enjoying some unplanned downtime at the peak of the crisis, with many reactors not coming back online until later this month.

Of course all these factors, as well as a fire at IFA1 and unfavourable conditions for solar, meant that the UK found itself in a perfect storm – just not a physical one that could have spun those wind turbines.

Developers across England will soon be required to install EV chargers

How UK Power Networks is leveraging machine learning to unlock capacity To unlock new capacity for rapid EV chargers, UK Power Networks is turning to a £2 million machine learning tool to create a Matrix-like simulation of the electricity network.

Dubbed the Enivison project, UK Power Networks is simulating how power is flowing through its networks across London, the South and South East of England, giving the company better visibility as to how its network is performing. The DNO notes that with this added visibility, it could potentially unlock additional energy capacity equivalent to 1,371 new rapid electric car chargers by 2028.

Experts forecast Envision could release almost 70MW of electricity capacity by 2028, creating more space for EV chargers or low carbon heat pumps. This means engineers won’t need to physically upgrade the network to release capacity, leading to significant cost and time savings: up to £4 million in total over the next five years.

However, UK Power Networks appears to be taking both approaches – both using machine learning to enable low-cost energy capacity increases, as well as upgrading its network for a net zero future. The firm has announced a £4.5 billion plan that will see its network decarbonised.

All new-build homes, supermarkets and workplaces in England will soon be required to provide EV charging points.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the proposed new law at the Confederation of British Industry’s annual conference, where he noted that developers will be key in speeding up the roll-out of EV chargers.

The UK Government hopes that by requiring the installation of EV chargers by law, there will be an additional 145,000 chargers installed across England each year.

www.electricalreview.co.uk 7

Gossage Gossip DRAX falls foul of Elf’n’Safety I am confident that many of my devoted readers will be joining me at Leeds Magistrates Court at 10am on November 30. That is when Drax, whose power station in Yorkshire is the largest in the UK burning woody biomass, is facing criminal prosecution from the Government’s Health and Safety Executive. This follows concerns that dust from its wood pellets is (allegedly) posing a risk to employees’ health.

The company is also accused of breaching risk assessment obligations before allowing employees to work with these potentially ‘hazardous substances’.

The charge is that it is exceeding a workplace limit on wood dust exposure, with insufficient control measures, including dust extraction, respirators and skin checks.

Originally built to burn coal, Drax now survives via its multi-million pound government subsidies each year (£790m in 2019, £832m in 2020). Amid policies designed to phase out fossil fuels, biomass use in the UK is surging, generating 12% of UK electricity in 2020.

Even though burning biomass releases greenhouse gases, it is classified as ‘renewable’ because plants can suck up gases like carbon dioxide as they re-grow.

Nice one, Nige I am sad to report that the Netherlands-based carbon offset company that appointed Brexiteer Nigel Farage to its advisory board earlier this year, has yet to see a return on its investment.

Dutch Green Business Group NV announced its interim results for the six month period to June 30, reporting no revenue and incurring a loss of €360,000 as it “focused on establishing the systems, processes and platform to enable it to effectively launch its repurposed offering to the market in the second half of the year”.

Presumably Mr Farage was still paid handsomely for his ‘expertise’.

DutchGreen said it holds approximately 157,000 tonnes of carbon offsets, and has a pipeline of nine projects in 10 countries with over 250,000 hectares of sourced land under review. The firm forecasts expanding its carbon offsets project pipeline with the generation of over six tonnes of offsets during 2021.

In the early years of biomass, some hoped only waste products would be burned, which would have soon decomposed and released carbon anyway. However, a huge industry of harvesting trees for wood pellets has emerged – and this is how Drax sources much of its business.

It has also announced that it closed a €6 million private placement, acquired a strategic 50% stake in Green Fuel Investments BV to drive the expansion of its ‘groundbreaking’ reforestation and carbon offsetting retail platform, whilst acquiring a 75% controlling stake in specialist blockchain and software development tech company, Statix Artificial Intelligence BV. This will apparently enable DutchGreen to deliver smart reforestation and ecosystem restoration projects.

Long-standing readers will recall that back in 2018, I wrote about a formal letter from 800 distinguished scientists sent to the European Parliament. It warned that using wood deliberately harvested for burning would increase carbon in the atmosphere and cause warming for decades, even when wood replaces coal or oil, and even if the forest management is ‘sustainable’. And even presumably if its users manage to comply with all health and safety requirements.

DutchGreen maintains it has a positive outlook, in part due to “continued strong demand for offsets, which saw the carbon price on the European Emissions Trading Scheme (EU:ETS) hit an all-time high”. Given Mr Farage’s continual dismissal of the threat of climate change, and his regular votes in the European Parliament against the EU:ETS, he is really such an obvious person to benefit from such positivity.

Caterpillars don’t like LEDs LED streetlights are very energy efficient. But the light they emit is even more damaging to insects than the sodium bulbs they replace. Apparently there were 41% fewer moth caterpillars to be found under a sodium bulb than in a previously unlit area. But under an LED light the reduction becomes 52%.

In grassy margins, sodium lights apparently had little impact upon caterpillars.

Whereas LED ones are halving the caterpillar numbers.

Moths are important pollinators. And so the reduction in caterpillar numbers is likely to have a knock-on effect upon the many species that feed on them, including songbirds and hedgehogs.

8 Electrical Review | November / December 2021

Nuclear offline brings back coal power Wholesale power costs may have been quadrupling, but the revelation that Electricite de France (EDF) had been asked by the National Grid to fire up two old coal fired units at West Burton – one of just two remaining in Britain – sent shockwaves through those that had fondly imagined the black stuff was now history.

This immediately prompted The Times to claim that the shortfall was due to low wind speeds, adding that wind power – which it said usually generates roughly 24% of the UK’s electricity – produced less than 2% during one particularly hot day. The Daily Telegraph then published a blistering editorial under the headline, “What happens when the wind doesn’t blow? We need to mitigate against the downsides of renewable energy.”

The editorial concluded that “there is some irony in the inadequacies of green power forcing a return of coal.” What none of the extensive coverage of this irony mentioned was that five of the UK’s remaining 14 nuclear reactors – also run by EDF – are now involuntarily offline. Indeed only 61% of nuclear’s muchtrumpeted ‘reliable source of electricity’ has been constantly available, including the most modern, Sizewell B, itself hors de combat for much of the past year.

Because, as a study in the esteemed journal Nature Energy has revealed, the frequency of ‘climate induced disruption’ to nuclear power plants around the world has dramatically increased. Over the past 30 years, assessments indicate that the average frequency of climatelinked outages increased from “0.2 outages per reactor-year in the 1990s to 1.5 in the past decade”. Future projections under different climate change scenarios suggest that “the average annual energy loss of the global nuclear fleet is estimated to range between 0.8% and 1.4% in the mid-term (2046–2065) and 1.4% and 2.4% in the long term (2081–2100).”

Just remember this when you next hear the nuclear industry claiming that it alone offers secure power availability. It has never been true.

And climate change looks set to worsen the outages even more.

SPONSORED FEATURE

Work safer on medium voltage switchgear When you work on medium voltage switchgear, your first and overriding priority will always be to maximise safety. But what can you do to protect yourself against hidden hazards that are not readily apparent? Damon Mount of Megger looks into this issue and offers some useful suggestions.

f you’re professionally involved with MV switchgear, you’ll know that there are many ways in which it can fail. You’ll also know that the most common is insulation breakdown, and that the results can be catastrophic. Even a modest fault in an MV installation releases enough energy to wreck equipment and, if the circumstances are truly unfortunate, to kill. Which means that, when you’re working with or even near MV equipment you want to be as sure as you possibly can that such a fault is not likely to occur.

Unfortunately, equipment that’s about to fail rarely gives you an advance warning. Or does it? In fact, insulation breakdowns are very often preceded by partial discharge (PD) events. If you can detect and monitor these events, you will have a strong indication of equipment and cables that may soon fail. You can then investigate further and, if necessary, take the equipment out of service before a really serious problem develops.

At the very least, you’ll know that it’s a good idea to keep your distance from the suspect equipment if you want to stay safe. That’s reason

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10 Electrical Review | November / December 2021

enough for owners and operators of MV systems to insist that PD checks are always carried out on their equipment before any work takes place on or near it.

That’s all very well, but how do you carry out these surveys? Equipment to detect PD is nothing new but, for the most part, it has been designed not only to detect PD but also to investigate and characterise it.

That’s excellent in its place, but the consequence of all this functionality is that the equipment requires skill to operate and to correctly interpret the results. Also, if you invest in this equipment, it will undoubtedly serve you well in demanding applications, but if you only intend to use it for MV switchgear surveys, you’ll be paying for a lot of features you’ll never use.

What you really need is a compact instrument – ideally handheld – that is very easy to use and that provides clear, unambiguous go/ no-go results. You’ll need an instrument that works in a live environment, so that you don’t need to take equipment out of service

SPONSORED FEATURE

to carry out your surveys. You won’t, however, need sophisticated functionality – you can always bring in other equipment when you want to investigate potential problems more fully – but you will need versatility, so that you can deploy the widest possible range of PD detection techniques. A PD detector can offer the versatility you need by employing multiple sensors – both internal and external – so let’s take a look at some of the possibilities.

You will find an internal acoustic sensor – essentially a microphone that listens for the characteristic noise produced by partial discharges – is a good choice for PD testing on air-insulated MV switchgear and equipment that’s in direct line of sight. If you need more flexibility in where you can place the sensor, you can achieve this by using an external acoustic sensor that connects to the detector via a cable.

For fully enclosed switchgear, you’ll want a contact probe that is sensitive to vibrations produced by partial discharge, while for switchgear where the components are not visually accessible – mostly vacuum and

GIS equipment – an internal TEV (transient earth voltage) sensor will pick up RF radiation from the PD via the switchgear’s metallic enclosure.

An external TEV sensor performs a similar function but will also help you to localise the PD source.

If you have a PD detector that allows you to connect an HFCT (high-frequency current transformer) sensor, this will usefully extend its functionality to include simple online PD surveying of MV cables.

Finally, a parabolic acoustic sensor will let you carry out outdoor surveys to detect, for example, corona and surface discharge in terminations, CTs, PTs and isolators.

Let’s remember now that if you’re going to be routinely carrying out quick pre-work safety surveys, your PD detector must be fast and easy to use, so what should you need to do to configure it appropriately for the type of sensor in use? The answer is simple – nothing. The detector should automatically set itself up for the type of internal sensor you select, or for the type of external sensor you plug in. This not only saves you time and trouble, but also makes it near impossible for you to make mistakes that might produce misleading results.

And what about those results? You may have heard – or even know from your own experience – that PD results can sometimes require skill and experience to interpret. But you don’t need that level of detail for a safety survey.

So how about an instrument that provides you with ‘traffic light’ results?

Green for all is OK, amber for caution – consider investigating further, and red for danger – further investigation definitely needed.

Of course, as you gain experience, you may well want to be able to alter the thresholds for amber and red indications to suit your own specific requirements, and you’ll almost definitely want a little more detail in the results so you can record and trend them. A phase-pattern PD display option will also be useful, as it provides a very useful way to distinguish between true partial discharge effects and random noise.

Hopefully by now you’re convinced of the benefits of routinely carrying out PD surveys on MV equipment, especially before you start work on or near it, and so you’ll be interested to know that a PD survey instrument that meets all of the requirements we’ve discussed has recently been introduced to the market. This is the new PD Scan from Megger.

In fact, this innovative device does rather more. It includes, for example, a camera that allows photographs to be easily attached to test reports, and which can also be used to read QR codes to identify equipment and documentation. It has a humidity and temperature sensor so that you can easily add these key parameters to your data, and there’s provision for you to download your results easily into a PC and quickly generate comprehensive reports.

For all of its versatility and functionality, this instrument is as simple to use as a smartphone. It has just three buttons, and a large colour touchscreen that is intuitive in use and shows only those options you need to deal with the current operation, rather than forcing you to plough through a rat’s nest of complicated menus.

Every one of us in the electrical sector is constantly aware of the need for safe working, which is why many safety precautions are baked into our routines: locking out circuits under test, for example, and grounding equipment that’s being worked on. Now the easy-to-use equipment discussed in this article provides us with the opportunity to adopt another safety routine: that of carrying out PD surveys before working on MV equipment. The process is fast, easy and non-disruptive; the results can save not just money, but lives.

www.electricalreview.co.uk 11

POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION

The challenges of developing a more dynamic grid

12 Electrical Review | November / December 2021

POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION

Rachel Eyres, Market Unit Leader of Energy & Utilities at Expleo UK, explains the challenges that will need to be overcome in developing a more dynamic grid. ith the government’s 10-point plan for a green industrial revolution, electric vehicles will be taking over sooner than we think. The ambitious plan to ban the sale of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030 will increase the adoption of electric vehicles, with hopes to reduce the carbon footprint on British roads in the process. While we can only welcome this ambitious plan for EVs, cars are only one part of a much bigger challenge: creating a sustainable power supply for those vehicles. Without a more dynamic grid, it is unlikely that we will meet the government’s net-zero target within the next decade.

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We will need to create a smart charging infrastructure for EVs that is compatible with our existing power networks To meet the 2030 targets, the electricity market will need to take a serious look at its power grids to minimise blackouts and electricity loss in areas of the UK. We will need to create a smart charging infrastructure for EVs that is compatible with our existing power networks to reduce the need for new generators or larger networks to service peak charging times. This challenge is well known amongst Distribution System Operators – those who distribute electricity – who will need to rework the infrastructure to allow multi-directional flow of electricity and balancing of supply and demand throughout the day.

The evolving grid The old linear distribution model supported the traditional flow of power in one direction – from the generator to your home in a very predictable pattern. But this old model is simply not smart enough to support the way electricity will be produced and consumed in the future. As we look at the innovations that smart technology has brought to the world, including smart metering and smart goods, it is clear that a more dynamic grid is required.

Electric vehicles are only a small part of the move towards a greener future, which also includes microgeneration at people’s homes, a move towards cleaner forms of heating, and introduction of storage technology into our power system. The mass adoption of EVs, however, may have a negative impact on our grid as more people will need to charge their electric car at the same time, creating a surge in demand too large for the existing power networks.

In the worst-case scenario this could lead to blackouts. A negative experience for the user could slow down further adoption of EVs. Without major changes to our infrastructure, the UK’s energy supply is currently not ready to support a surge in adoption of EVs and change needs to happen fast.

Identifying the challenges Smart charging allows the charging of electric vehicles to be scheduled in times of reduced demand on the system, and also allows for power to be discharged back onto the grid from car batteries at times of peak demand. This will be an effective solution for the mass adoption of EVs but comes with the challenge of rethinking the grid.

This is a huge IoT challenge that will take DSOs time to develop and maintain. The new markets will need extensive monitoring and measurement which will come with its own challenges, from field maintenance to device management, as well as new business capabilities that organisations will need to adapt into their business models.

Mass adoption of EVs, however, may have a negative impact on our grid as more people will need to charge their electric car at the same time An even bigger challenge is rethinking how customers engage with this part of the energy system. Smart charging effectively asks consumers to become a mini virtual power station, earning money from their vehicles at peak times, and adapting their lifestyle to reduce strain on our power grids. This engagement is a huge transformation from the current relationship consumers have with both their energy providers and their driving, and it needs careful planning and design. Technology can only solve part of the problem; we will rely on consumers and brands to solve the rest.

We’re at the very beginning of an exciting new era for consumers in the automotive and energy sector. While this leads to a deep rethink of the way we use technology, the industry benefits from years of learning from their smart devices and enterprise-grade IoT services. These learnings are an integral part of the wider engineering and technology challenge we face today: creating a grid that is fit for purpose for a world where many energy sources will be used to fuel clean transport.

Developing the infrastructure and delivering the transition will change the industry in ways that it has not seen before, enabling us to deliver on the government’s expectations for net zero and becoming a champion of clean energy and transport.

www.electricalreview.co.uk 13

POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION

Green futures ahead Electrical Review sits down with Russ Barker, Product and Service Sales Director, UK & Ireland at Vertiv, to discuss the company’s recent acquisition of E+I Engineering, and amidst the backdrop of protests at Data Centre Ireland, how data centres could be vital tools in the upcoming green revolution.

14 Electrical Review | November / December 2021

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ertiv stunned the industry when it announced the $1.8 billion acquisition of E+I Engineering Ireland Limited and its affiliate, Powerbar Gulf, which was the first time Vertiv had acquired another company since going public on February

10, 2020.

The acquisition was billed as filling any remaining power portfolio gaps that Vertiv had, but with the acquisition now complete, we wanted to find out more about how the partnership works.

How does the partnership between E+I Engineering and Vertiv work?

Well, clearly it’s early days. The transaction only finished a couple of weeks ago. But what I can say is, for the last two years, we’ve been

POWER GENERATION, TRANSMISSION & DISTRIBUTION

working quite closely already with E+I on a few projects for large customers, not as business associates, but Vertiv is supplying packages to E+I then supplying to joint clients. So we’ve had a working relationship for a few years now that’s gone very well in terms of integrating our products into the E+I product range, and vice versa.

So it really will be an extension of that moving forward. As large a company that Vertiv is, we didn’t have an LV switchgear piece to the business. So what E+I provide us is that last piece of the jigsaw, so we can provide literally everything that a client wants in a data centre. So there’ll be a lot of integration and cross pollination across both our client bases, and by joining forces we can really simplify the supply chain for our clients.

What does the future look like with the partnership? I know it’s early days, but what is the vision?

I guess it’s really for the expansion of E+I worldwide. E+I have been hugely successful in Europe and the Middle East. They also have operations in America and in Asia Pacific. Whereas Vertiv has a huge operation already in North America and in Asia Pacific. So they will look to leverage those operations to increase that potential business in the E+I portfolio, using the existing contacts and customers in those regions.

Moving on to Vertiv, and the greener, more responsible data centre. What does that look like?

If you were here yesterday, you’d have seen there were protests outside, you know – stop building data centres. And those are valid concerns that people have, especially when you look at the reporting on the power use, and how you’re going to have grid outages in X number of years.

Of course these are valid concerns.

But first, what we need to move towards, and what our UPS technology can assist with is moving to the point where we can see data centres as part of the solution. Because regardless of if Ireland increases its data centre footprint or not, you will continue to see an increase in the usage of renewables, which will absolutely continue to lead to intermittent power problems. And the only way you fix that is by having projects to increase grid stability. So, fast frequency response systems.

Now, there’s a number of ways you can go about that. You can build in front of the meter battery energy storage systems, which are a whole standalone system that needs the investment, the space, all that wonderful stuff. If you actually look at what’s implemented in those standalone systems, from a technology perspective, it starts to look an awful lot like an electrical power system for a data centre. So at that point, you can say, well, do we need to invest all this additional CAPEX and all these additional resources, or do we try and leverage that large installed base we have.

Data centres have the ability to be part of the solution rather than being the problem, there is so much potential there for them to be energy centres, rather than just data centres.

Consumers are beginning to wake up to the benefits of running an energy centre at home, so it won’t be long until data centres follow suit.

For example, I’ve got an electric car, and already I’m looking at the

house and thinking - I could install 8 kW solar on the roof to supply power during the day and charge a 20 kWh battery, while having an air source heat pump run off that ‘free’ electricity and run my house as a small energy centre.

Really, that’s going to happen at some point, whether it’s five years, 10 years, 15 years – that sort of stuff will be commonplace. And I hope that in the same way, in however many years, hopefully sooner rather than later, we’ll begin to see data centres in the same way. That we start to connect them, that we start to look at them as part of the solution to the grid instability and the grid problems rather than the problem itself.

Because, let’s be clear, we can accept that there’s some nervousness from the amount of power that data centres take, but let’s not forget the benefits that they bring. That includes making home working possible, which has been important during the pandemic. Above all else, however, data centres power the internet, which people continue to turn to for almost everything – information, shopping and entertainment.

We can accept that there’s some nervousness from the amount of power that data centres take, but let’s not forget the benefits that they bring I think the key for Ireland is to understand that it has a massive resource in power, in renewable power. It’s not exploited to the fullest extent yet. And you can unleash that potential in wind power, extract monetary value for the people of the island of Ireland at the same time as implementing grid connected data centres. And then you kind of have a win-win; you’ve increased your generating capacity, you’ve increased stability, you’ve increased your revenue generation from data centres as well.

What would you say to those that worry that if they’re using their UPS for grid resiliency service, then they wouldn’t have that UPS available for when they really need it?

I guess that’s the fundamental misunderstanding. All you’re really doing if you’re using a UPS on grid balancing is just using a portion of your own storage, so use that portion of the battery backup.

So with our system, you basically set a percentage of battery capacity that can be used for grid storage. When it’s used, then it defaults back to where it was. So it retains the amount of battery required for the critical IT protection function.

When do you think grid resiliency will become commonplace?

I think that really within five years, I think we will be in a position where this is widespread. Both domestically and commercially. I think that’s where we have to head to.

www.electricalreview.co.uk 15

SPONSORED FEATURE

Five myth-busting tips on modular UPS Aaron Oddy, Sales Engineer at Centiel UK, busts some common misconceptions people may have around modular uninterruptible power supplies.

t Centiel, we work in close partnership with consultants and clients as trusted advisors to develop the best and most appropriate critical power solution for their individual circumstances. This enables end-users to maximise availability and reduce total cost of ownership (TCO) over the long term. There are lots of different types of modular UPS systems available on the market so here are our five myth-busting tips on modular.

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1) Modular UPS are more expensive than standalone The initial cost of a modular UPS system and its surrounding infrastructure can certainly seem more expensive than installing a standalone alternative. However, the purpose of a UPS is to ensure the highest possible level of system availability. This means the overall uptime, or the readiness of a system to provide a corrective service. When you consider the cost of a modular UPS and its infrastructure, you need to factor in the additional benefits and long-term savings.

Best practice would be to calculate the TCO over the long term to determine the savings from introducing a modular system which offers the highest level of availability.

For example, to create redundancy in a standalone UPS, it is necessary to have a minimum of two units. Suddenly, the lower initial purchase cost starts to look more expensive. Particularly when remedial works are factored in. An engineer may need to be on-site for several ‘chargeable’ hours to complete these works as it’s not as simple to swap out elements of a standalone UPS. This dramatically increases the Mean Time to Repair (MTTR), leaving the system with reduced or no redundancy and adding risk to the critical load.

Installing the infrastructure to run and support a facility at full capacity with a standalone UPS from the outset, may also not offer the most cost-effective option. What if the facility never reaches full capacity, or even half? Under-utilised standalone UPS need to be run, maintained and managed, which can dramatically increase TCO over time.

Adopting a pay-as-you-grow approach to modular UPS installations can offer a flexible solution that minimises initial expenditure and ongoing running costs. Even air conditioning can be reduced for a smaller system. We can help you do the maths.

2) Standalone UPS offer redundancy Many organisations choose a standalone UPS system rather than modular. In fact, the results from our recent online survey showed 25% of respondents preferred standalone as a choice for system design.

Standalone configurations can offer redundancy, however, what happens if one standalone UPS unit fails? Suddenly, there is no redundancy.

UPS systems designed with decentralised or distributed architectures are truly modular, offering the ability to hot-swap modules. This means that if one module needs to be exchanged, it is easy for trained staff to swap it with a service module kept locally on-site. Centiel’s CumulusPower takes this one step further with safe-hot-swap capability which enables modules to be changed in a live system, safely isolating and testing the replacement module before it is introduced to a live load. Safe-hot-swap removes the risk of an inherent fault being added to the system through the introduction of a new module.

3) Modular is modular Modular simply means it’s possible to swap certain elements out in a live system, increasing availability. However, the elements of commonality

16 Electrical Review | November / December 2021

SPONSORED FEATURE

in a centralised solution, leading to single points of failure, are open to huge variations between manufacturers. The result is that not all modular systems are the same.

The idea to move to modular is based around removing single points of failure and therefore increasing availability or uptime. Therefore, look for a system that achieves this – not all do.

At Centiel, we refer to ‘true modular’. This means each module is a UPS in its own right, all containing every element of a UPS including rectifier, inverter and static bypass. This offers the highest level of availability as single points of failure are removed, there is redundancy on every component.

CumulusPower is the latest in true modular UPS technology and has been designed with distributed decision-making control logic. This means that no single module takes control of the decisions for the whole system. Instead, a distributed decision-making consensus takes place eliminating the logic’s single point of failure.

4) Modular introduces redundancy Yes, it can, but again, not all modular systems introduce the same levels of redundancy. Some ‘modular concept’ UPS systems are designed with a centralised architecture which means that there are elements of commonality, leading to single points of failure. Single points of failure might include: a CPU, inverter, or static switch. If there is a fault with one of the common

components the whole system could fail, resulting in the load being lost.

A true modular UPS, such as CumulusPower, offers the capacity for redundancy increasing availability. It’s distributed architecture offers the highest level of availability because it replicates all of the components across the multiple modules resulting in further power resilience.

Similarly, with battery strings, by avoiding a configuration with a common battery, it is easy to separate a string with a true modular system to maintain N+ runtime. Battery string isolation or creating redundancy within a frame is simply not possible with modular concept UPS systems.

Not all modular UPS are equal.

5) Any modular system offers peace of mind A further hidden cost from installing a modular concept UPS is the domino effect or risk of cascade failure. Imagine if a static switch fails in a modular concept UPS. The system will switch to by-pass.

Then what if there is a power failure? The load the UPS is supporting would be dropped. This sort of outage could cost an organisation many thousands of pounds in lost revenue, fines, damaged reputations etc.

A true modular system avoids the common single point of failure of the static switch as each element of the UPS is replicated many times over within each module. Choose carefully.

For further information please see: www.centiel.co.uk

www.electricalreview.co.uk 17

Powered On Brought to you by

Will renewables prevent a future energy crisis?

Welcome to the Powered On column, a brand-new companion piece to the popular podcast from Electrical Review. In this column, editor Jordan O’Brien explores a topic discussed in a recent episode of the podcast and answers the question posed by the episode. This month – will renewables prevent a future energy crisis?

18 Electrical Review | November / December 2021

he UK has been grappling with its worst energy crisis since the 1970s, with gas prices soaring and energy companies across the country collapsing under the financial pressure.

It all began in August 2021, when high gas prices across Europe began impacting the UK market. The UK is heavily reliant on natural gas for its electricity supply, having made the decision in the 1990s to go all-in on gas as a replacement for coalfuelled power plants.

That meant as the price of gas increased, as did the price of electricity. In fact, in September 2021, power prices peaked at £2,500/MWh according to Cornwall Insight. That’s significantly higher than where one would usually expect wholesale electricity prices to be.

However, many were quick to pin the blame of this energy crisis on numerous factors. Of course, the underlying issue was the rising price of gas, but that didn’t stop some publications from blaming a period of low wind for the high prices. So, let’s examine that for a second.

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Why would you want to be more reliant on wind power, if it caused this price increase?

Let’s start off with one undeniable fact – renewables are intermittent.

We cannot guarantee that there will always be periods of high winds to generate enough power for the whole of the UK, there will be days of low wind and there will be days of high wind.

In fact, it’s true that the energy crisis was exacerbated by one particularly hot day. That’s because rather than generating the usual 24% of the UK’s electricity, wind power dropped to producing less than 2%. That gap needs to be plugged somehow – and if gas prices are expensive, gas power generation is certainly not going to come cheap.

So, if wind power is so intermittent and was responsible for worsening this energy crisis, why should we back renewables? After all, as the Telegraph noted in one of its editorials, what are we going to do in the event of no wind?

Well, firstly, if there is ever a day of no wind, I think we will have a lot bigger problems on our hands than worrying about the lack of wind generation – because, and here’s a fact check for you, there has never been a day of no wind, only low wind.

Okay, so what can we do in the event of low wind? Well, there are ways to mitigate those days. The particularly hot day we are talking about could have seen higher than average generation from solar panels, or we could have built more wind farms in areas where there’s typically a lot of wind – namely out to sea – or we could have more interconnectors that allow us to benefit from other countries that are producing a glut of renewable energy at the time.

It’s not about a one-size fits all approach Let’s be honest with ourselves, when we talk about the switch to renewables, no one is saying we should go all-in on solar, or wind, or hydroelectric, or tidal. The same way we probably shouldn’t have gone all-in on gas power plants. To deal with the intermittency of renewables, we need to prepare for all eventualities.

That includes diversifying the grid with multiple renewable assets, as well as pairing those assets with the necessary energy storage.

Right now, if we produce more electricity than we can use from renewables, that energy is wasted. So, we need to learn from those mistakes and find ways where we can store some of that energy for

later use – whether that’s using static energy storage in the form of batteries, or pumped energy storage.

Many will claim that nuclear power is the solution, as it’s a constant and reliable source of electricity. But is it? During the height of the energy crisis, when coal power plants were coming back online, five of the UK’s remaining 14 nuclear reactors were involuntarily offline. Many of these reactors were offline for months, alongside those that had planned downtimes – so much for being a reliable source of electricity, eh?

Some would also argue it’s possible to achieve net zero for far less money if nuclear power was taken out of the equation, and there’s certainly some truth to that. After all, the cost of building Hinkley Point C has continued to rise, hitting £22 to £23 billion according to the latest estimates, while the project has continuously been delayed – with the latest opening date now not expected until June 2026.

When we talk about the switch to renewables, no one is saying we should go all-in on solar, or wind, or hydroelectric, or tidal So, will renewables prevent a future energy crisis?

If you’re currently looking at the energy crisis and saying we need more finite fossil fuels, then I have a bridge to sell you. This energy crisis has proven that the disruption of supply chains can cause major issues, and in order to combat those issues, we need to be more reliant on what’s cheap and readily available – and thankfully, that’s exactly what renewables are.

We don’t have to rely on pipelines from Russia or gas production in Norway with renewables, we can use the resources that are right on the doorstep. As an island, we are incredibly well suited to make the switch to renewables, after all, we have an infinite energy source in tidal power, as well as the bounty of wind just off our coast.

There will be days where renewables will produce more electricity than we need and there will be days where they will produce less, that’s just a fact of the natural world we live in. However, that’s why we build the capacity to cope with a slight dip, while building resilience in the form of energy storage to store the peaks and deal with the troughs.

Renewables alone will not prevent a future energy crisis, but that’s why the UK’s push towards net zero isn’t just about slapping up a few wind and solar farms and calling it a day. The whole system will need to advance alongside renewables, which means a smarter grid, better Government policies, and the increased energy efficiencies of products and buildings.

This energy crisis has shown that things cannot go on as they are, so it’s time to learn from our mistakes.

You can learn more about this topic on the Powered On podcast, which is available on all major streaming services. In the debut episode of Season Two, we talk in-depth about the current energy crisis and how renewables can play a part in preventing another in the future.

www.electricalreview.co.uk 19

AI & AUTOMATION

Artificial Intelligence – no magic wand

20 Electrical Review | November / December 2021

AI & AUTOMATION

Karl Walker, Market Development Manager at Beckhoff, explains why AI is an evolutionary process and how Machine Learning can be profitably deployed. ew technologies are often treated with extreme viewpoints; people either have reservations because of a lack of experience or knowledge, or they are so excited that they want to use them to master all insufficiently tackled or failed past challenges.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is the most general set of approaches that enables a machine or process to simulate human behaviour and decision-making. Machine Learning (ML) is a subset of AI which trains a model from past data and, once taught, the model can make inferences about current data, without being explicitly programmed. The ultimate goal of AI is to create a complete system to solve complex problems in a human-like manner.

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A Machine Learning project requires teamwork and the knowledge of different experts In the world of automation controllers for machinery, manufacturing processes or buildings, ML is starting to make an appearance. However, not every application will have an optimal solution from the outset; ML is an evolutionary process, where newly relevant data needs to be identified and evaluated as the process continues to run, allowing the ML model to be continuously improved.

A collection of experts A Machine Learning project requires teamwork and the knowledge of different experts. The team leader is typically the ‘domain’ expert, the person who understands the process as a whole and understands the parameters which affect that process. This person generally identifies the challenge they want to master using ML. The data scientist, who focuses mainly on the data analysis, must define the essential process parameters that play a role in reaching the goal. A data scientist alone, with no feedback to/from the domain expert, cannot operate adequately.

Additionally, other individuals may have niche insights into specific events or conditions which result in anomalies in the process that could, for instance, impact product quality. All of this data is vital.

Machine Learning is always based on sample data that is used to teach a ‘model’. During the training phase, the training techniques differ mainly by whether the training data is ‘labelled’ or ‘unlabelled’. If the data is labelled it is easily possible to identify examples of an output that is expected as a result of a given input during the training, for example, the training is based on concrete examples and outcomes. If the data is unlabelled, the output information is missing, and the algorithm is limited to finding internal abstract relationships. This is where ML is used to fill the gaps, by detecting anomalies resulting from a set of input conditions.

Workflow: from data to the AI model The fundamental idea with ML is to no longer follow the classic engineering route of designing solutions for specific tasks and then turning these solutions into algorithms, rather to enable the desired algorithms to be learned from model data instead.

The task of data collection generally falls within the realm of automation specialists. They know the control architecture, the general conditions on the shop floor, and are optimally equipped with the tools to carry out their work efficiently and in-line with the needs of the situation.

Models are trained based on the supplied data in frameworks such as PyTorch, TensorFlow, SciKit-Learn, etc. These frameworks, which are established in the data science community, are generally open source and can therefore be used free of charge. Maximum flexibility is therefore assured and no limits are set in the case of an interdisciplinary project between automation engineers and data scientists – neither within the company nor across company boundaries. Each team member can work in their own familiar environment.

These ‘trained’ ML models can then be simply exported from the ML framework into the standardised Open Neural Network Exchange format (ONNX) and handed over to the ML execution software where they are deployed to optimise the control process, whilst continuously using larger and newer data sets to further improve the process. For instance, Beckhoff ’s TF3800 Machine Learning Inference Engine and TF3810 Neural Network Inference Engine software libraries for its PC-based control systems execute the ‘trained’ model data in real-time for such tasks as product anomaly detection, quality prediction and automatic machine or process parameter tuning.

There is no ‘magic wand’ when it comes to AI ML models have the property of improving through training on larger sets of data. Likewise, general conditions can change gradually or spontaneously when the machine is being operated. To take account of this, you can update your trained ML models during the life of the machine: so without stopping the machine, without recompilation, and at the same time completely remotely via the standard IT infrastructure.

There is no ‘magic wand’ when it comes to AI. A deep understanding of the process and the parameters affecting the outputs of that process, must be fully understood first.

McKinsey, the market research institute, identified the top fields of application for AI in the industry as: • Collaborative and context-aware robotics • Reducing waste quantities • Machine optimisation • Machine-integrated quality checking • Predictive maintenance.

www.electricalreview.co.uk 21

LIGHTING

Smarter, more flexible lighting

22 Electrical Review | November / December 2021

LIGHTING

Anthony Parkinson of Ansell Lighting explores the impact Covid-19 will have on lighting use in businesses and the role smart lighting can play in helping to ensure it remains efficient and cost effective. he Covid-19 pandemic has brought about many changes to the way we live our lives. Some temporary, such as lockdowns and the requirement to wear facial coverings, whilst others are more permanent, such as the shift towards more flexible working practices.

Indeed, in many industries, it is felt that the ‘new normal’ will involve a greater proportion of employees splitting their time between working from home and from the workplace, and it is believed to be unlikely, at least in the short-term, that staff will return to the office full-time.

Whilst this change is set to pose many advantages for individuals and organisations alike, this flexible approach will also open up a wave of new challenges for businesses to address. Not least when it comes to lighting use and minimising the potential for unnecessary energy consumption and waste.

With regimented office working practices out of the window, there is real potential that businesses will use energy unnecessarily, resulting in unwarranted expenditure and negatively impacting the environment.

But there is a quick and easy solution to this potential challenge – smart lighting.

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With regimented office working practices out of the window there is real potential that businesses will use energy unnecessarily Using automation to ensure that lighting is only used where and when it is needed, smart lighting is the perfect solution for workplaces that are being used sporadically or where lighting requirements change regularly and according to the movement of its users.

It is an energy efficient, cost-effective solution that allows users to optimise lighting use, giving complete control over when lights are on or off or set to specific scenes or temperatures. It eliminates the reliance on human intervention, reducing the risk of users accidentally leaving the lights on and wasting energy and what’s more, is ideal for use in almost any indoor or outdoor setting from offices and industrial spaces to car parks and external pathways. It can also help to influence mood and wellbeing, improve safety and security and heighten productivity in the workplace.

As with all technologies, there are many different smart lighting products and systems available in the marketplace, offering different levels of automation, customisation and interoperability. In fact, perhaps one of the most appealing features of smart lighting is that the installation of an entirely new system isn’t warranted to reap its benefits. Products such as smart bulbs or smart LED strip lighting can be easily installed alongside traditional lighting elements to update existing schemes and can be pro-

grammed to operate at specific times to maximise energy efficiency.

For maximum benefit though, a fully connected workplace is the way forward and offers optimum control. Linking together numerous products will enable different scenes, groups and schedules to be created — all of which can be controlled either remotely, programmed to respond to voice or motion or via eco systems such as Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri.

Smart lighting products with corridor functionality or intuitive presence and absence detection sensors are another brilliant solution to consider for today’s workplaces. They reduce energy consumption by ensuring that lights are only in use when needed or where lighting is required 24/7, they can also be used to control output, increasing to 100% only when presence is detected ensuring energy for full illumination is only used when required.

A fully connected workplace is the way forward and offers optimum control Other products such as smart technology-enabled daylight harvesting systems are another great energy saving option for today’s workplaces as they maximise the availability of natural lighting and regulate energy use. They allow buildings to reduce the need for electric lighting during periods of high-level daylight, increasing only when illumination levels become reduced or non-existent.

No matter which approach to smart lighting is taken, for installers, perhaps the most attractive feature of smart lighting systems is that they are quick and easy to install. Most systems are controlled and hosted on the cloud, so there is no hub or wiring to fit and many of the units are simply installed like a normal light bulb or switch – making it very easy to retrofit into existing buildings.

www.electricalreview.co.uk 23

LIGHTING

Lighting a greener path Miguel Aguado, Marketing & Technology Manager at Lutron Electronics, explains why lighting is the ideal first step solution for those looking to decarbonise. lthough technology, consumer demands and the way we use our buildings continue to transform rapidly, the UK built environment lacks the same evolution. According to the UK Green Building Council, the UK’s building stock is set to be the oldest in the developed world, with 80% of the buildings that we will be using in 2050 already standing today.

These buildings already contribute 40% of the UK’s total carbon footprint. Half of this CO2 is a product of the energy used in buildings, while waste from construction, demolition and excavation represents a staggering 59% of total UK waste. When combined, these statistics show the bigger picture of the current state of the UK built environment, and the level of change needed to achieve the nation’s goal of net zero by 2050. On the long road to carbon neutrality, decarbonising our current buildings should be the first port of call.

For governments, businesses, and the public alike, smart building technology presents a prime solution to the building stock problem. By digitally retrofitting to create smarter and healthier buildings, both financial and carbon savings can be made, whilst avoiding intrusive building work. The most important place to start with a retrofit in terms of carbon reduction is lighting.

Due to its pervasiveness in buildings, cost saving ability, ability to improve occupant productivity and wellbeing, as well as safety, lighting is the perfect first step in decarbonising the UK built environment.

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Why lighting is key to net zero While the pandemic disrupted many elements of society, the pressing urgency of sustainability has remained the same, if not more urgent.

Throughout governments, businesses, and individuals, expectations of efficiency and decarbonisation are continually rising.

In the unanimous push to build back better, the fundamental question

24 Electrical Review | November / December 2021

being asked is - where do we start? Our buildings represent an open goal for national improvement, with smart lighting systems the ideal solution to drive the desired and necessary change.

Ubiquity – Firstly, and perhaps most crucially, wherever there are buildings, there are lights. They are the most ubiquitous and intrinsic building technology, fundamental to their performance. Therefore, a single piece of legislative change could have a sweeping impact on the overall energy efficiency of our buildings. The universality of lighting must make it the clear first choice for action.

Energy-saving – Over recent years, we have tangibly seen the impact of LED lighting. Indeed, in the journey to net zero, efficiency has been more effective than reducing carbon emissions.

Energy efficient lighting installations can easily realise savings of more than 50% over legacy technology. However, the sensing and communication capabilities of lighting systems provides benefits that are far greater than the sum of its parts. Add presence detectors, daylight linking, timeclock events, and personal control and the impact can be upwards of an additional 60%, over the energy savings already provided by LED lighting.

Waste from construction, demolition and excavation represents a staggering 59% of total UK waste People-centricity – On average, in a commercial building, energy accounts for 1% of the total cost to the business, while the running of the building itself accounts for 9%. The remaining 90% is devoted

LIGHTING

to the people and the accumulated knowledge and skills that make a workforce productive. Lighting has a greater impact on employees than any other building technology, helping productivity and overall wellbeing.

Smart lighting control takes our lit environment a step further. Combining data from lighting systems with that from additional sources (including weather, time of year, etc.), they can unlock even greater benefits to building operations and provide a better setting for users. Through the collation of data, we are moving closer to the perfect lighting environment.

Protection – The use of automation, personal control, and data analytics can help realise not only further energy savings, but reduce the spread of disease which, as we have seen, can have a devastating snowball effect on the global economy.

Automation allows building occupants to avoid touching shared surfaces, such as light switches or blind controls. Occupancy data analytics can tell a facility manager which areas of the building are used and how often over time, and be able to plan the distribution of workspaces. That data, in turn, can be shared with the climate control of the building and optimise its efficiency.

Taking action We already have access to the tools we need. The development of wireless lighting enables smart systems to be applied in any environment – however, we are not yet seeing the potential of these technologies being realised.

The current UK regulations (Conservation of Fuel and Power: Part L) are just the tip of the iceberg in terms of necessary action and are

currently failing to fully utilise the technology available. In terms of efficiency alone, smart lighting systems represent a clear opportunity for rapid improvement – able to take energy savings to new levels, with the capability to be cost-effectively deployed across the UK’s built environment. Combined with the productivity and safety benefits, it’s clear why smart lighting should be top of the agenda.

Energy efficient lighting installations can easily realise savings of more than 50% over legacy technology A comprehensive, actionable regulatory framework is needed to motivate change. Part L must make capabilities, such as presence detection, daylight linking, and timeclock events, compulsory for all new buildings and throughout the multiple stages of renovation. Legislation should prescribe the adoption of smart building technologies in new and existing projects, propelling the industry and the economy into a hyper-efficient future.

The benefits of a lumen requirement are limited – explicit guidelines for controls will bring pervasive, universal benefits in the short, medium, and long term. So far, Europe has led the way, launching the €1.8 trillion EU Renovation Wave project. It’s now time for the UK to show the same commitment to net zero.

www.electricalreview.co.uk 25

LIGHTING

Lighting the way in a post-pandemic world Simon Greenwood, Sales Director Trade & Specification at Signify UK & Ireland, details the benefits of UV-C lighting in a post-pandemic world. s the UK is now out of lockdown, there’s renewed focus on ensuring that workplaces, facilities, and all manner of public spaces are safe to use. But the risk of infection from the virus causing Covid-19 still remains at an all-time high. Highly frequented places like supermarkets and the office can become an incubator, as some cold and flu viruses can survive on surfaces for up to 72 hours.

As organisations adjust to this new reality, good hygiene practices have become a prerequisite in our everyday routines – in the home, in offices and in public. The increasing demand for solutions which promise efficiency in destroying harmful bacteria and viruses have, in turn, opened up opportunities for tried and tested forms of disinfectants. Enter UV technology.

There are three types of UV radiation found in sunlight. There’s UV-A and UV-B, which you may recognise from sunscreen labels. UV-A and

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26 Electrical Review | November / December 2021

UV-B cause sunburn and signs of skin ageing like wrinkles and age spots, and even skin cancer. UV-C, on the other hand, has a powerful germicidal property and is now stepping in to provide an extra level of protection alongside vaccination roll-out.

The efficacy of UV-C as a powerful form of disinfection for air, surfaces, objects and water is well known. The technology has proven highly effective against all pathogens tested to date, including SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing Covid-19.

UV-C as a technology isn’t new – it’s been used in hospitals and agriculture for decades to disinfect equipment, food and produce. The power of UV-C lighting for disinfection is well known with applications widely tested in the 1930s and 1940s. However, with the Covid-19 pandemic, there has been a resurgence of interest in this relatively undersung technology.

New types of UV-C products have been launched in the past year – from air disinfection luminaires to chambers for objects, to surface luminaires that disinfect rooms and locations when no one is present. All of these products could help in fighting Covid-19.

How UV-C lighting technology works Viruses spread primarily through three vectors: 1. Direct airborne transmission between people – such as a cough or sneeze 2. Indirect airborne transmission through air flows – such as circulated air in a building

LIGHTING

3. Indirect surface-borne transmission via contaminated surfaces – picking up an infected phone or piece of cutlery, for example.

That’s why, to protect buildings and premises such as schools, hospitals, hospitality venues, and even sports arenas, we must disinfect the air, surfaces and objects. UV-C radiation is part of the spectrum of light, and when bacteria, viruses and spores encounter it, the light breaks down their DNA, deactivating them. This stops viruses from replicating and renders them harmless.

Recent research conducted by Boston University shows that more than 99% of the virus that causes Covid-19 (SARS-CoV-2) was inactivated after just six seconds of exposure to UV-C light sources.

UV-C in practice Due to its effectiveness, UV-C as a technology finds an avenue for application in the retail space, workplace, schools, hospitals, transportation, food services, sports arenas, to name a few. PSV Eindhoven, RB Leipzig and Harlequins Rugby Club here in the UK are some of the recent examples of sports stadiums that have installed UV-C technology for the safety of their players.

Every year we hear about teams affected by flu bugs, resulting in them fielding weaker teams or playing havoc with fixtures. While Covid-19 was the primary driver for clubs to install UV-C disinfection upper air luminaires in their dressing rooms, it can help protect players all year round from airborne diseases, such as seasonal flu.

UV-C installation in dressing rooms and tunnels help create a safer working environment for players and coaching staff. In the office space, the UV-C air units can disinfect the air whilst people work and circulate in the area, keeping the office space continuously safe for people, by adding an extra layer of safety.

While Covid-19 has increased demand for UV-C technology, UV-C

as a technology is fit for fighting diseases and infections for animals. For example, Bourne Hill Stables in West Sussex has installed a UV-C system to help protect its thoroughbreds against equine flu and EHV-1 – the neurological form of equine herpes virus. The upper wall mount units disinfect the air around the stables, providing the horses with an added layer of protection against potentially devastating illnesses.

UV-C air units can disinfect the air whilst people work and circulate in the area, keeping the office space continuously safe for people The future As countries put forward economic stimulus packages and embark on infrastructure projects, attention should be given to making workplaces and public buildings safer.

In the European Union alone, the total stimulus package amounts to a massive EUR 1.8 trillion. A significant chunk of this is earmarked for building renovation. What better time to bring UV-C technology to the fore to help create safer, cleaner, indoor environments?

Lockdowns have taught us that people are social beings who thrive on face-to-face interaction. Video calling has been a godsend, but there is no substitute for in-person meetings. If people are to have the confidence to return to offices, greater attention must be given to keeping them safe. They must be able to trust the surfaces they touch and the air they breathe – pandemic or no pandemic.

This is where UV-C lighting makes a real difference with its extraordinary power to disinfect. It truly is a technology for the new normal.

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SPONSORED FEATURE

Building edge infrastructures faster Why the new VX IT rack system from Rittal can help meet the demands of tomorrow, today.

peed is of the essence. Due to the industrial transformation, manufacturing companies are having to build new IT and OT infrastructures for edge applications faster than ever before.

The prerequisites are rack systems based on a comprehensive modular range of variants that can implement individual solutions simply, safely and in a future-proof way. The answer to these demands is the new Rittal VX IT rack system.

New technologies such as the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), Artificial Intelligence (AI) or 5G all demand reliable IT and OT infrastructure systems – directly where production is taking place – for edge applications. For companies to remain competitive, the IT and OT infrastructure must be quickly set up or expanded to help provide the computing power required. Rittal offers help in this with its new VX IT rack system. This innovation is a pacesetter for the rapidly emerging new and future-proof IT and OT infrastructures.

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A state-of-the-art enclosure platform is setting the pace A new generation of IT racks – in the shape of Rittal’s VX IT – has been developed. It is the world’s fastest IT rack.

Conceived as a universal and modular variant kit, the solution can be used as a network and server enclosure in a variety of edge applications.

28 Electrical Review | November / December 2021

An additional factor and benefit for customers is that all VX IT variants designed with the configurator have already been tested and certified with all their components in accordance with international standards, such as UL 2416, IEC 60950 and IEC 62368. This means there is no need to additionally certify the finished, configured system, ensuring maximum freedom and peace of mind when assembling new IT infrastructures. With this solution, IT managers can save valuable time in planning and procurement, while at the same time being assured that all the components work in perfect harmony.

An online configurator guides the user step-by-step through the selection of components and it directly performs a plausibility check: https:// www.rittal.com/vx-it/en/it-rack.

Digital ordering process With VX IT, companies can implement new infrastructures at unprecedented speed, from a single network rack in the production building to a complete edge data centre in distributed production facilities. For this purpose, Rittal maximises the full digitalisation potential to the benefit of its customers.

The entire process from selection, configuration and ordering through to delivery is digitally supported and transparent. During configuration, the 3D

SPONSORED FEATURE

realisation. This IT rack is assembled almost entirely without tools with a time-saving snap-in system. Labelled height units and pitch patterns in the depth make it easy to comply with the 19in distance between levels.

All panels such as side panels and roof plates are quickly and easily attached with snap fasteners and positioning aids. The new vertically divided side panels, available as an optional accessory, give improved access for faster installation and servicing. The vertically divided side panels are equipped with simple hinges and can be opened like a door while also being easy to remove. Horizontally divided side panels are also available to specify and these again simplify access to, for example, servers.

model is assembled piece by piece, including the accessories. The finished 3D model is available for reuse by the user. The individually designed version of the IT rack is produced in a very high quality in a state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. Optimised logistics mean it is delivered quickly and on time.

Maximum compatibility and future-proof VX IT offers compatibility with existing Rittal RiMatrix systems and other IT infrastructures assembled with Rittal components. This makes it possible to replace individual components in existing data centres and selectively expand data centres. For example, companies can expand existing RiMatrix installations with the new VX IT and use VX IT-specific compo-nents for cooling, UPS or monitoring. This provides investment security for present Rittal data centres.

Rapid tool-free assembly Anyone working in a data centre will want a cleverly designed and easyto-use solution. In developing VX IT, Rittal has consistently followed this

Load capacity up to 1,800 kg Another key feature of VX IT is its great stability: Thanks to an improved frame design, the rack’s 19in vertical sections are more robust than in previous racks. The load capacity has been verified by in-house testing at Rittal, as well as external certification by Underwriters Laboratories (UL).

There are two variants available: the VX IT standard rack supports a static load of 1,500 kg according to Rittal tests, or 1,200 kg according to UL certification. The VX IT dynamic version supports a load of 1,800 kg according to Rittal’s own testing process, or 1,500 kg according to UL certification.

Everything a rack needs A wide range of accessories is available for VX IT so that it can be specifically customised. This includes options for the doors and side panels, base and roof, as well as other innovations, such as the new LED strip for status display.

Other accessories include extensions and cable management tools as well as solutions for monitoring, power supply and asset management in the IT rack.

For interior installation, components such as PDUs, UPS systems, IT cooling systems and monitoring solutions are available, as well as modules for early fire detection and extinguishing.

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CABLES & CABLE MANAGEMENT

The need for speed With high-speed internet now expected as standard, contractors must take fibrefriendly cabling infrastructure into account during the construction of new buildings, says Paul Churm, Telecommunications Specialist at REHAU. functioning and fast internet connection has long been a necessity for the majority of workers, especially as consumer behaviour has changed in step with technological innovation.

This always-online culture has led to new tools being required and used on a daily basis, with a 2021 Statista report showing that 82% of businesses operated online banking services, while 59% of firms ran social media pages and accounts.

On top of this, 58% of businesses surveyed housed their customers’ personal information, further highlighting how integral online capabilities are to the modern business. Consequently, it is no longer a question of whether new buildings need fast internet, but how fast that internet connection actually is.

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Replacing the network Despite the need for ever-faster online speeds, UK businesses have often been hamstrung by an ageing, copper-based nationwide broadband infrastructure that had previously been built for older technologies, including cable television and landline phones. Simply put, this network was not designed for the data-intensive demands we now have, never mind future technologies that might require even wider bandwidths to adequately function.

This is clearly an untenable situation, which is why BT Openreach is looking to retire its copper network by 2025. Fibre-optic broadband is

30 Electrical Review | November / December 2021

seen as a prime candidate to replace this soon-to-be-obsolete network, with programmes such as BT’s own ‘Fibre First’. This initiative aims to have 75,000 properties connected to BT’s fibre-to-the-premises (FTTP) network weekly, with an eventual goal of 25 million properties connected

by December 2026.

The ‘last mile’ problem Taking this wide-ranging strategy into account, contractors need to expand their remit beyond providing sufficient cable infrastructure during the construction phase. Alongside this, they also need to consider whether this infrastructure is fit for the future, and compatible with high-speed internet options like fibre-optic broadband.

ISPs can install fibre optic cables to the distribution point, but the cabling from there to the premises can still be made of copper, leading to slower speeds With businesses increasingly moving into ever more data-intensive applications such as smart metering, video streaming and data collation and analysis, this futureproofing moves from simply a preference, and into a priority. This is especially the case when considering commercial building developers, who can increase their property’s value by ensuring access to a vital utility like high-speed internet.

Though these nationwide plans are ambitious and necessary, there is one area currently holding back wider rollout for commercial premises. Specifically, the ‘last mile’ of broadband connections – the final leg of a cable installation from a distribution point such as a toby box, to the premises itself.

The particular issue lies in the fact that while ISPs can install fibre op-

CABLES & CABLE MANAGEMENT

working to tight deadlines with only small windows available during construction to carry out the process, this can present problems.

Looking into this concern, suppliers have looked into ways to streamline blowing-in, including developing externally or internally-mounted boxes that catch the cable as it enters the property. This innovation would allow multiple premises to be connected from a single distribution point, allowing for better scheduling and a faster rollout.

Connecting to the desk Alongside carrying out FTTP installations, contractors can also build infrastructure to allow for fibre-to-the-desk – that is, connecting individual computers and devices directly to the distribution point.

Because this end-to-end arrangement avoids the signal being split by an ONU, already outstanding broadband speeds can be made even faster, with users able to access speeds of up to 10 Gbps and more.

It is due to this level of performance that the FTTD stage is now in place in universities, computing centres, hospitals and public administration offices.

Whether a premises opts for FTTP or FTTD arrangements, there is one common denominator – both options use internal micro ducts installed as part of the building process that act as cable protection.

Because of the extremely small size of the ducts, they are able to be installed around the premises without wasting sizable amounts of floorspace through large installation shafts. Due to this, building design and construction can be streamlined regardless of what connection choice building stakeholders make.

tic cables to the distribution point, the cabling from there to the premises can still be made of copper, leading to slower speeds. This problem is further exacerbated by the fact that the further away the building is from the toby box, bandwidth is reduced because of the high damping rate.

Different connection arrangements As a result, it simply doesn’t matter what material is used up to the distribution point – without fibre optic broadband in the last mile, speeds will become much slower. As such, infrastructure is required for this last leg, including the micro ducts that enable FTTP by housing the necessary fibre cabling.

Commercial premises implementing FTTP usually use an Optical Network Unit (ONU) – a singular termination point to which cables are blown from the toby box to the building using high-speed compressed air. Having travelled along external and internal cabling, the cable and its signal is then spliced and linked to devices and equipment using a passive optical splitter, connecting the building to the nation’s wider broadband infrastructure.

Simplifying ‘blowing-in’ Despite its inherent simplicity, the process of ‘blowing-in’ can be hampered by the fact two technicians are required. Specifically, as one is required at the toby box to blow the cable in, and another to catch and connect the cable within the premises, building access is needed. When

Keeping cabling non-hazardous While ensuring any ducting specifiers opt for is capable of accommodating the blowing-in process, it is not the only factor to be weighed up when selecting appropriate solutions for cable infrastructure. There are also other criteria to be considered, including those laid out by the International Electrotechnical Commission concerning the selection of wiring systems in low-voltage electrical installations.

According to this, electrical installation ducts must not interfere with a building’s occupational and fire safety, in line with British Standard (BS) EN 61386. By meeting requirements set out in the standard, the cabling in question does not require any special measures during fitting, resulting in time and cost savings on the contractor’s part.

Another key concern for building stakeholders is ensuring any indoor ducting does not present additional hazards if a fire were to occur. Indeed, ducting that does not adhere to the relevant standards may emit smoke and toxic or corrosive gases when exposed to heat, placing building occupants at risk. This situation must be avoided at all times, and is the reason why specifiers and developers should look for low smoke free of halogen (LSOH) solutions when selecting cable infrastructure solutions.

Any selected ducting should also be self-extinguishing to ensure fire does not spread within ducts, in accordance with BS EN 61386-1.

In conclusion, increasing demand for high-speed internet means contractors must be aware of and ready to recommend future-proofed cable infrastructure solutions. This choice is increasingly key to building design, and with the nation’s broadband infrastructure continuing to modernise, selecting solutions best-placed to take advantage of this is of paramount concern.

www.electricalreview.co.uk 31

FIRE, SAFETY & SECURITY

Setting the standard for safety Andy Greenhorn, FireAngel’s Specification Manager for Scotland and Ireland, discusses the fire safety changes coming to Scotland and why the rest of the UK should adopt them. he extended February 2022 deadline for the Scottish Government’s new Tolerable Standard is fast approaching. This is the new minimum requirement of fire, smoke and carbon monoxide (CO) protection that must be installed throughout Scottish homes.

Devised in response to the Grenfell Tower tragedy, the new fire safety laws outlined within the Housing (Scotland) Act aim to significantly reduce deaths and casualties in household fires, by providing individuals

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32 Electrical Review | November / December 2021

living within all types of properties with increased levels of protection and the earliest possible warning of a fire.

Whilst private rented and new-build homes must already meet these standards, from February 2022, the legislation will apply to every home in Scotland, regardless of age or tenure. The updated regulations require all properties to have an interlinked fire and smoke alarm system, which must be supported by adequate CO protection if there is a flue-burning appliance or flue present within the property. The regula-

FIRE, SAFETY & SECURITY

tions do not just apply to the installation of new alarms, as any existing alarms must also be reviewed under the new guidance to ensure they meet the revised criteria.

To ensure compliance, each property must have one smoke alarm installed in the room most frequently used for general living purposes, such as the living room. An additional smoke alarm must also be fitted in every circulation space on each storey, including hallways and landings, whilst a heat alarm should be installed in each kitchen. All smoke and heat alarms should be ceiling mounted and interlinked, whilst a CO alarm must also be installed in every room where there is a carbon-fuelled appliance, such as a boiler, fire or stove.

A complete overview of fire risk can be achieved across an entire property portfolio to help pinpoint increasing risk levels, whilst simultaneously simplifying the monitoring of alarm networks across every property Under the new regulations, both mains-powered or 10-year sealed long-life battery-powered alarms are suitable, as long as they facilitate either hardwired or wireless interlinking. The mains-powered alarms must comply with a Grade D1 Specification, while the battery-powered alarms must meet the requirements of a Grade F1 Specification.

Intelligent interlinking By installing mains-powered and battery-powered smoke, heat and CO alarms that feature Smart RF technology throughout key locations of a domestic property, including lounges, bedrooms, kitchens and circulation areas, professionals can form a hybrid network that achieves the earliest possible warning of a fire, as by meshing multiple devices together, when one alarm sounds, they all sound.

This achieves the fastest possible alert of a potential fire or CO event, as every device on the network will mimic the chirp of the smoke or CO alarm, depending on the danger that has been identified.

This ability to mesh battery and mains-powered devices together not only complies with the key requirement of the Updated Tolerable Standard, but is particularly useful for projects where hardwiring isn’t feasible, as the network can be quickly extended wirelessly, whilst also offering the opportunity for additional safety products to be added to the system at a later date to meet any change in an individual’s requirements or level of risk.

The flexible nature of hybrid networks also supports the upgrade of existing installations to interlinked systems to adhere to the requirements of the new legislation, providing a cost effective and efficient approach to compliance.

Taking protection to the next level Interlinked systems also offer the opportunity for the level of protection to be further increased, as by wirelessly meshing every device onto a private network, remote monitoring of the entire system can be achieved through the installation of a Connected Gateway, either upon

initial installation or at a later date. This facilitates the transfer of data from every device in real-time to a centralised dashboard, including the current status of every alarm, network health, alarm diagnostics and replacement dates.

For private and social landlords, this achieves full traceability, audit and compliance management, as a complete overview of fire risk can be achieved across an entire property portfolio to help pinpoint increasing risk levels, whilst simultaneously simplifying the monitoring of alarm networks across every property. For tenants and property owners, this instant access to key information enables them to understand the status of the devices installed throughout the property and the level of protection they are receiving, removing previous barriers of understanding by creating a Golden Thread of information.

Interlinked systems also enable electrical contractors to document and evidence the completion of all necessary phases, as they can instantly log all information via the wireless network to validate the install. For example, by taking a photograph of each completed installation, the images can be wirelessly uploaded to a centralised platform to generate immediate sign off, which subsequently produces a certification of fire legislative compliance, in accordance with BS 5839-6.

This intelligent process of confirmation eradicates any requirement for paper-based data capture, ensuring each installation has been adequately assessed for competence and validated to ensure the maximum levels of detection have been achieved, completely revolutionising approaches to documentation and verification.

By installing interlinked systems that adhere to an LD1 Category throughout residential properties across the UK, electrical engineers can achieve compliance with latest BS 5839-6 Standards, whilst also supporting the latest recommendations outlined within the Building Safety Bill 2021 and the Fire Safety Act 2021 Looking to the future The standard of protection that interlinked systems provides homeowners, renters and social and private landlords proves its case for installation across the entire United Kingdom, as it provides a preventative, rather than reactive, approach to fire and CO safety that can be cost effectively achieved throughout all types of residential properties.

By installing interlinked systems that adhere to an LD1 Category throughout residential properties across the UK, electrical engineers can achieve compliance with latest BS 5839-6 Standards, whilst also supporting the latest recommendations outlined within the Building Safety Bill 2021 and the Fire Safety Act 2021. This enables professionals to successfully futureproof residential installations to meet legislative updates before they come into force, by ensuring every type of residential property is protected to the highest possible standards.

www.electricalreview.co.uk 33

SPONSORED FEATURE

Creating healthy homes Introducing an exciting innovation in home life safety from market leaders Aico, the brand-new HomeLINK Environmental Sensors.

esigned to create better maintained, healthier, energy-efficient homes, the Environmental Sensors are unobtrusive and secure, and when placed throughout the home can monitor temperature, humidity and carbon dioxide (CO2).

Available in two models; the Ei1020 measures temperature and humidity, while the Ei1025 is capable of measuring both temperature and humidity, as well as CO2 levels. Both of the Environmental Sensors provide actionable insights into conditions such as mould risk, draught risk, excess cold, heat loss and indoor air quality.

Sustainability is part of Aico’s core ethos and the company is passionate about supporting the drive to reduce the industry’s carbon footprint. Insights from the new Environmental Sensors on indoor environmental conditions allow for preventative measures and proactive maintenance, enabling landlords to adhere to requirements outlined in the latest standards and legislation, while also helping drive towards net zero.

Seamlessly integrating with Aico’s revolutionary Ei1000G SmartLINK Gateway, the Environmental Sensors overcome many challenges, from compliance and carbon footprint to mould risk and fuel poverty.

The SmartLINK Gateway provides a central hub for all data collected from both fire and carbon monoxide alarm systems, as well as the new Environmental Sensors. Using advanced machine learning technology, the SmartLINK Gateway cuts through the noise of the data, offering clear, actionable insights which are available via the HomeLINK dashboard.

The HomeLINK dashboard provides detailed property and portfolio views and is designed for multiple user roles. With data from the Environmental Sensors and connected fire and carbon monoxide alarm systems segmented by high, medium and low risk, top-level data can be viewed on the main dashboard, while deeper insights can be accessed to tackle problems, maintain compliance and enable preventative strategies within housing stock. With all the data in one

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34 Electrical Review | November / December 2021

place, landlords can benefit from increased efficiency and improved asset management.

As resident engagement is a crucial focus for Aico, it has developed the HomeLINK Resident App, specifically designed for the new Environmental Sensors. Through the HomeLINK Resident App, residents are provided with personalised insights into their home health through an overall rating. They can also view temperature, humidity and CO2 data, as well as receive handy advice on the measures they can take to improve the quality of their home, including alarm testing notifications.

Chris Jones, Chief Executive Officer of HomeLINK noted, “Prior to our acquisition by Aico, HomeLINK had huge demand for Environmental Sensors due to the obvious and sizable compliance and maintenance business case they presented. As Aico’s first smart home product outside of smoke and carbon monoxide alarms, these sensors represent a large milestone. Having already connected 65,000 devices in UK social housing, and with backorders of several thousand of the new sensors, it is clear that the Internet of Things has truly taken hold in the sector.”

The brand-new HomeLINK Environmental Sensors, dashboard and Resident App from Aico, add another dimension to resident safety while helping landlords meet their strategic goals, creating safer, healthier homes.

Aico is the European market leader in Home Life Safety, pioneering new technologies and offering high quality alarms. All Aico alarms meet UK standards and offer a variety of sensor types to guarantee protection for every home, the cornerstone of which is delivering education, quality, service and innovation. Through the acquisition of HomeLINK, Aico’s Connected Home offering leverages integration and analytic technologies to provide a synergistic approach to IoT, addressing the needs of landlords and their residents.

To find out more, please visit www.aico.co.uk/HomeLINK

SPONSORED FEATURE

www.electricalreview.co.uk 35

If you sell products or work on projects within Power, Lighting, Fire Safety & Security, Energy Efficiency and Data Centres, make sure you enter:

Visit awards.electricalreview.co.uk Your business and your team could be celebrating in the spotlight at the ER & DCR Excellence Awards Gala Dinner on May 19, 2022 at the breathtaking Christ Church Spitalfields in London!

Sponsors:

Entertainment Sponsors:

Following the success of our second annual Excellence Awards in 2019, we invite electrical manufacturers, contractors and project owners to enter the 2022 Awards.

The recipients of 2019 Awards included: TXplore robotic transformer inspection service – Entry by ABB Power Grids; UPS, temperature control, monitoring and diagnostics at Cineca, Italy - Entry by Vertiv; BS67 Smart Ceiling Rose - Entry by Adaptarose Ltd; University of Northampton - Entry by Simmtronic Lighting Control; The Hot Connection Indicator - Entry

by Safe Connect; Combined heat & power at DigiPlex Stockholm data centre - Entry by DigiPlex; Refurbished servers at WINDcores, Germany - Entry by Techbuyer; HyperPod Rack Ready Data Centre System - Entry by Schneider Electric; 4D Gatwick cooling upgrade - Entry by 4D Data Centres Ltd; Green Mountain Colocation Supplier - Entry by Green Mountain

SPONSORSHIP OPPORTUNITIES AVAILABLE

Contact us +44 (0) 207 062 2526 The Awards include the following categories: Power - Product of the Year - Sponsored by Omicron Power - Project of the Year - Sponsored by Omicron Lighting - Product of the Year Lighting - Project of the Year Fire Safety & Security - Product of the Year Fire Safety & Security - Project of the Year Energy Efficiency - Product of the Year Energy Efficiency - Project of the Year Innovative - Project of the Year Sustainable - Project of the Year Data Centre Design & Build - Product of the Year - Sponsored by Centiel Data Centre Design & Build - Project of the Year Data Centre Cooling - Product of the Year Data Centre Cooling - Project of the Year Data Centre Colocation - Supplier of the Year - Sponsored by Vertiv Technical Leader of the Year Consultancy/Contractor of the Year - Sponsored by ECA Outstanding Project of the Year - Sponsored by Riello UPS Outstanding Product of the Year - Sponsored by Riello UPS

Visit the website to check out this year’s awards and submit your entries by March 6, 2022.

awards.electricalreview.co.uk

TALKING POINT

Covid created new risks, learn to manage them

Richard Forrest Smith, CEO of Markel UK’s specialist sector insurance provider, ECIC, outlines what new risks contractors might be exposed to and the importance of having the right insurance cover in place.

38 Electrical Review | November / December 2021

ew risks are emerging for contractors as their business models have been forced to adapt to the pressures of the last 18 months. The construction industry, and more specifically, electrical contractors have reacted well throughout the pandemic.

Certainly many of our customers have been able to hold their own despite the challenges. During these difficult times, they have responded to market fluctuations and, when needed, changed the nature of the projects they have taken on.

Those electrical contractors with a diverse customer base combined with a mixed skill set have proven to be best placed to react to customer demand and opportunity whether it be residential, commercial or of a more specialist nature.

For example, when the hospitality sector opened up after lockdown, it placed huge time and cost pressures on contractors, whilst the residential market has been buoyant in recent months as home-

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TALKING POINT

New trends will change risk exposures for contractors The drive towards becoming carbon neutral is gathering pace. Many contractors are now regularly installing the latest low carbon and ‘smart’ installations and associated risks should be considered for these works.

A recent report by Electrical Safety First highlighted the industry issues that need to be addressed in relation to the installation of smart products for the home. The report highlights the lack of specialised and certified installers and registered electricians in the low-carbon space, and the potential health and safety risks from insulation or technologies as we rush to meet set targets.

The same safety risks often apply to electric cars and EV chargers.

With many new EV installers coming into the market, specialist training is vital for safety. In many instances, training should be demanded as part of any agreement with manufacturers.

As consumers and businesses strive to be more environmentally friendly and energy prices rise, renewable energy is also becoming an appealing market. Again training is key as this sector too comes with its own specific risks, including working at height and in confined spaces. This is particularly relevant with an estimated 12,000 people a year needing additional training to meet the Government’s green targets.

Recently firms have made claims where the incorrect fitting of equipment has led to property damage, including fires, as well as other serious incidents and injuries

Regulations, regulations, regulations The electrical installation sector is heavily regulated, and this will only continue and evolve as new standards are established. For example, the new Electrical Safety Standards in the Private Sector (England) Regulations 2020 present opportunity as landlords update their property stock.

At the same time contractors will be aware that failure to meet their regulatory duties can result in penalties from bodies such as the HSE. Whilst insurance coverage may assist with defence costs, any failures can prove expensive and cause reputational damage to the contractor.

owners improve their properties.

This ability to adapt has meant that electrical businesses remained robust by undertaking different types of contracts. However, the current industry trends and emerging pressures can bring new risks that need to be considered and protected against.

Shortage of labour continues to affect the industry The shortage of skilled labour has hit the headlines in recent months as much as the shortage of materials. Many contractors have needed to increase the use of subcontractors and the temptation to employ insufficiently experienced staff may also be strong.

Contractors are responsible for the work that subcontractors undertake on their behalf and liabilities can arise should anything go wrong.

Sufficient due diligence when selecting all subcontractors is therefore a must, and this includes checking they have adequate insurance cover to protect both the activity and scale of the project.

Material shortages are continuing unabated As the ability to source materials at reasonable prices continues with no immediate end in sight we have seen instances where contractors have had to compromise and use unfamiliar or lesser-quality products.

With this in mind, it is important that contractors are trained sufficiently to fit new and unfamiliar equipment, or seek advice from the manufacturers. Recently firms have made claims where the incorrect fitting of equipment has led to property damage, including fires, as well as other serious incidents and injuries.

In conclusion Electrical contractors face substantial daily risks, but awareness of what these are and how best to protect against them is a crucial step in safeguarding a business in today’s challenging circumstances. Due diligence, training, communication and clear documentation are often the key to significantly reduce and manage these risks for the contractor.

It is important contractors discuss any business changes with their insurer or broker, who may be able to offer guidance and to ensure the contractor benefits from the most appropriate insurance protection available.

www.electricalreview.co.uk 39

PRODUCTS

Scrub up nicely with Knightsbridge bathroom accessories Frequently it is the little touches that impress in bathroom design, and that’s why Knightsbridge offers a range of wiring accessories to complement any décor.

Knightsbridge supplies more than 30 different types of shaver socket, in an array of colours, finishes and fixings. As an example, sockets can be screwless, flat plate, raised edge, or round edge and finished in a variety of matte and reflective metal finishes – matte black, polished brass, and gunmetal to name a few. Many of these also come with a choice of black, white, or grey inserts.

These shaver sockets can be matched to other wiring accessories such as two-way plate switches and fan isolator switches. Knightsbridge also offers a Grid fan isolator grid module, which takes up just a single grid position. This module can be finished in polished chrome, brushed chrome, white, matt white, matt black, and (more recently) gun metal.

The pull cord switches are offered in polished chrome, metal matt black, brushed chrome, black nickel, antique brass, white and matt white – with matching pull cords.

With such a wide range of products, designs and finishes to choose from you can transform any bathroom.

Knightsbridge • 0158 2887760 Find out more: www.mlaccessories.co.uk

Knightsbridge simplifies switching to LED fittings As LED technology continues to overtake fluorescent lighting in popularity, Knightsbridge has introduced the SUR5LED dual-mount LED luminaire that can be surface-mounted or suspended. It’s an easily installed, retrofittable alternative to twin 5ft fluorescent fittings with a commercial grade output of 4790lm.

The 230V IP20 45W fitting is suitable for a wide range of sectors – including office, education, healthcare and retail – and complies with the latest Eco Design and ErP requirements. The light output is 4000K Cool White.

Featuring a modern, low-profile design, the SUR5LED is lightweight yet robust, as it is constructed from pressed steel and polycarbonate. What’s more, it is quick to fit because it has push-fit, loop-in-loop-out terminals for easy wiring.

It can also work with many of the motion and daylight sensors offered by Knightsbridge – one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of wiring devices, accessories and lighting – for greater energy savings and improved user comfort. A panel with emergency functionality – SUR5LEDEM – is also available.

Knightsbridge • 0158 2887760 Find out more: www.mlaccessories.co.uk

Close in on style with the Knightsbridge shaver light Meeting the demand for charging points wherever in the house, Knightsbridge has designed its latest shaver light with a concealed dual USB charger as well as an integral dual voltage shaver socket.

Displaying elegant curves to complement modern bathroom tastes, the SL6USB LED Shaver Light is available in three finishes: chrome, white and matt black (SL6USBC, SL6USBW and SL6USBMB).

Constructed from robust polycarbonate, this 230V 6W shaver light is easy to clean and produces a warm white light and is rated to IP20.

It complements the SLULED, a 230V LED shaver/shelf light with a USB port and a single voltage shaver socket. The glass shelf can support loads of up to 2kg for the usual shaving paraphernalia (plus your smartphone whilst it’s set to charge), while the unit itself has a polished chrome finish and an opal diffuser.

And, if no USB is required, Knightsbridge – one of the UK’s leading brands of wiring devices, accessories and lighting – offers the SLIGHT2, a white polycarbonate LED shaver light with a dual voltage socket, covering all the essentials.

Knightsbridge • 0158 2887760 Find out more: www.mlaccessories.co.uk

www.electricalreview.co.uk 41

PRODUCTS

C.K debuts new range of inspection lights Carl Kammerling International has announced a new range of inspection lights, which promise to offer bright, powerful illumination in low-lit work areas.

C.K’s Lighting range includes a selection of lighting products, with a range of advanced features and benefits, including the very latest in LED lighting technology.

The range includes: T9423USB – C.K COB Mini Inspection Light 240 – Rechargeable Ideal for illuminating smaller low-lit spaces, this high performance 240 lumen COB-LED Mini Inspection Light is fully rechargeable with up to 2.5 hours battery life, and two lighting modes – high, dimmed.

T9424USB – C.K COB Inspection Light 240 – Rechargeable This premium aluminium bodied 240 lumen COB-LED rechargeable Inspection Light packs a host of additional features; four lighting modes – standard, red, torch, tip – an integrated magnet, a clamp and a hanging hook.

T9425USB – C.K COB Inspection Light 400 – Rechargeable This aluminium-bodied 400 lumen COB-LED rechargeable Inspection Light has all the features of its smaller sibling – standard, red, torch and tip lighting modes, an integrated magnet, a clamp and a hanging hook – and benefits from a larger capacity integrated rechargeable 3.7V 2600mAh Li-Ion battery.

Carl Kammerling International • 01758 701070 Find out more: www.carlkammerling.com

Knightsbridge 2022 catalogue: new, improved, bigger and greener than ever The Knightsbridge 2022 catalogue is out now; jam-packed with over 600 new products and full of great ideas, innovations and inspiration.

For the latest, smartest and best solutions in wiring accessories and lighting, you won’t find a more comprehensive and informative read.

The handy A5-sized publication is divided into easy-to-reference sections and provides full product details along with high quality lifestyle photography and detailed product images. Helpful information about industry and product certification is also included in this edition, to aid installers in making informed choices.

The digital version, which can be found on mlaccessories.co.uk, also includes interactive links to relevant product webpages on the website, where further technical details are readily available to view and download when required.

The new catalogue features some exciting introductions including SpektroLED, the first downlight to offer 40 permutations from the one product thanks to its selectable wattages, CCTs and choices of bezel.

With an eye on the smart home of the future, new additions to the Smart range include lamps, sensors and security camera, all controllable via the SmartKnight app.

And in-line with its Committed to a Brighter Future initiative, Knightsbridge has printed its 2022 catalogue using PEFC-accredited paper.

Knightsbridge • 0158 2887760 Find out more: www.mlaccessories.co.uk

Ellis Patents puts Summit Tunnel on the right track Ellis Patents, a cable cleat manufacturer and industry innovator, has secured an order that has seen its Pegasus cable hangers hung at one metre intervals throughout the 1.6-mile length of one the world’s oldest railway tunnels.

The Summit Tunnel, which runs beneath the Pennines between Littleborough in Greater Manchester and Walsden near Todmorden in West Yorkshire, was constructed between 1838 and 1841.

At the time of its opening, it was the longest railway tunnel in the world.

Ellis Patents’ Pegasus cable hangers were installed as part of a track renewal project being carried out in conjunction with Network Rail under the auspices of the Central Rail System Alliance (CRSA).

As with all its products, Pegasus was designed and developed completely in-house by Ellis Patents. Featuring an aluminium spine that can support any number and combination of plastic cable hangers, the modular cable hanging system is stronger and lighter than any other similar products – and because it’s been designed to be made to order it’s also the most flexible solution available.

Ellis Patents • 01944 758395 Find out more: www.ellispatents.co.uk

42 Electrical Review | November / December 2021

PRODUCTS

ESP launches complete smart security range ESP has launched a comprehensive new smart security range.

Marketed under the brand name Fort, the complete range of smart security products, which includes intruder alarms, video doorbell, video security light, sensors and a selection of 1080p cameras, will all operate under a single app – ‘Click Smart+’ – which will be completely subscription-free, with no additional fees incurred.

By bringing the operation of the new Fort range under the Click Smart+ app, users will have control of a raft of connected home and security products all from one platform.

The Fort Smart Security range has accessibility and simplicity at its core for both the installer and end-user and has been designed to bring simple, smart solutions together for a safer and more comfortable home. The Fort smart security range has been designed to be simple to install, maintain and use and provide a hassle-free security solution.

At the heart of the Fort range is the smart intruder alarm, which will support up to 32 RF devices and provide remote monitoring and alert notifications directly to the Click Smart+ app. The smart alarm is available in handy kits or can be purchased as separate devices for a tailor-made system.

ESP • 01527 515150 Find out more: www.espuk.com

Unicrimp introduces catenary wire and Jack Chain ranges Unicrimp, part of the Scolmore Group, continues to expand its cable accessories portfolio and the latest development sees the addition of catenary wire, Jack Chains and associated accessory products.

Catenary wire is used to create an overhead catenary to support pipes, banners, cables and lighting. The range comprises two lengths of 3mm galvanised steel wire rope (50 metres and 30 metres). This is a flexible cable which has a 650kg breaking load.

Included in the catenary accessories range are 3mm zinc electroplated steel wire rope grips – used to create loop ends or eyelets at the of the steel wire rope by simply tightening the nuts; 3mm wire rope eyelets; M8 zinc plated strainer adjustable rigging screws; zinc electroplated steel wire hook wall plates and zinc electroplated steel wire ring plates.

Jack Chain is a flexible general-purpose chain used for a variety of applications, including suspending luminaires and signage. Unicrimp’s bright galvanised steel Jack Chain is supplied in 10M lengths and the range also includes 25mm hook plates, for use with conduit and capable of holding up to 5kg load, and single ceiling hook plates – suitable for hanging ceiling pendant lights and able to take a weight load of 5kg.

Unicrimp • 01827 300600 Find out more: www.unicrimp.com

Ovia highlights free lighting design service Ovia offers a free lighting design service which is available to electrical contracting companies, and anyone involved in the specification and design of lighting and lighting control equipment.

The aim of the service is to provide expertise in choosing the right products and solutions for a proposed scheme, ensuring full compliance with the relevant regulations and standards.

With all the information gathered, including drawings and specifications, a Lighting Design Proposal will be prepared. A schedule of lighting and lighting controls will be shared with the Ovia internal sales team who will prepare a quotation. The Lighting Design Proposal and prepared quotation will be sent back to the Ovia sales team member, and the quote will then either go through the wholesaler of choice, or the enquiry will be directed through one of Ovia’s supporting Elite stockists.

A dedicated lighting design page is now available on the Ovia website. This includes an easy to access lighting design files section, where lighting designers can download individual product files.

All the lighting design files have been grouped into categories – commercial, domestic, floodlights, industrial, utility and emergency – with the relevant products listed under the category heading.

Ovia • 01827 300640 Find out more: www.oviauk.com

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PRODUCTS

New Elucian consumer unit brochure and catalogue now available Scolmore completed its offer in the wiring accessories category earlier this year with the launch of a comprehensive Consumer Unit and Circuit Protection range – ‘Elucian by Click’. The company has now updated the original Elucian brochure and product catalogue to include a raft of new accessories that have recently been added to the extensive range.

The new accessories that have been added to the range and incorporated in the literature include terminal bars and support clips and screws; busbars, busbar clips and din rails; SPD cartridges, SPD tail packs, neutral link cables and combined live link cables; grommet strips, mains clamp & screw, mains clamp plate and adhesive labels.

The extensive Elucian range of metal consumer units covers a broad range of installations. The range comprises a total of 58 individual lines which fall under five main product groups: • 1 00A Mains Switch Consumer Unit •D ual RCCB Consumer Unit – 100A Mains Switch + 2 x 80A Type A RCCB •D ual RCCB/SPD Consumer Unit – 100A Mains Switch + 2 x 80A RCCB + 2 Pole SPD •C ombination Unit – 100A Mains Switch + 2 x 80A RCCB •R CD Incomer – Mini Board – RCD

Scolmore • 01827 63454 Find out more: www.scolmore.com

Megaman launches it latest high-bay offering – GEO 2 Megaman has expanded its product portfolio with the launch of GEO 2, a new and innovative integrated LED high-bay lighting system.

The system, which can be controlled remotely for ultimate ease of use, provides a durable and energy efficient lighting solution, ideal for all indoor commercial high ceiling areas.

GEO 2 has been designed with a passive cooling structure and lightweight graphene housing. This ensures it cannot overheat from continual use and increases the product’s energy efficiency. This also impacts on the working life of the product. In fact, GEO 2 has an impressive L70B50 50,000hrs usage at Ta40ºC. Longevity is further ensured by its strength and high vandal resistance, with a rating of IK08, plus it is IP65 rated for dust and water resistance.

The cost-effective GEO 2 has a high luminous efficacy of 165 lm/W, allowing for significant energy savings in comparison with traditional high-bays. Flicker free, the product maintains a consistent output. GEO 2 is also available with a motion sensor remote control, affording customers the versatility and flexibility to gain instant control over their lighting and energy use. Other optional accessories include a 1-10V dimming module, IP65 rated dimming wire and a motion sensor kit.

Megaman • 01707 386000 Find out more: www.megamanuk.com

Unigloves delivers specialist electrical hand protection with launch of Sibille Safe range The Sibille Safe electrical safety range delivers flexible dielectric protection from 500V to 36,000V, featuring the GLB rubber gloves and GCA composite gloves with arc flash protection.

Designed for both indoor and outdoor environments, the range offers workers facing electrical and arc flash hazards with highly flexible, comfortable and durable hand protection solutions that are fully tested and certified in line with EN60903.

The Sibille GCA arc flash safety composite gloves provide 3-in-1 protection, delivering dielectric, mechanical and arc flash protection from Class 00 (500 V) through to Class 4 (36,000 V). Able to be used without leather over gloves, they are designed with a specialist elastomer high performance coating, the unique formulation of the rubber compound makes the gloves extremely comfortable. They are supplied with a free pair of cotton under gloves and feature a two-colour safety system to ease visual inspection.

Joining them are the Sibille GLB electrical insulating rubber gloves, manufactured from non-conductive natural rubber combining high dielectric and high strength grip with electrical resistance from Class 00 (500 V). through to Class 4 (36,000 V). All gloves in the GLB range should be used with a pair of leather over gloves for mechanical protection.

Unigloves • 0800 049 6602 Find out more: https://bit.ly/38uwZX1

44 Electrical Review | November / December 2021

PRODUCTS

Delmatic’s IP DALI-2 Buswire Module certified as most powerful Ethernet to the Edge DALI-2 router Delmatic’s IP DALI-2 Buswire Module is the most powerful DALI-2 controller to be independently tested and qualified by the DALI Alliance.

The module is a class-leading, smart ready Ethernet to the Edge router combining DALI-2 technology with full BACnet IP and granular MQTT integration.

The cutting-edge module individually addresses and monitors up to 384 DALI-2 drivers across six DALI universes, plus DALI-2 devices, such as presence detectors, multisensors, switches and scene-set panels, as well as Delmatic’s latest multi-discipline sensors.

The module uses Ethernet as a network backbone to seamlessly communicate with other DALI hubs and presents real-time DALI and network data in BACnet and MQTT formats for unrivalled management, monitoring and smart data sharing. The module provides efficiency and scalability for a wide range of projects and applications, and provides individual DALI-2 emergency light testing and monitoring via DALI emergency devices.

DALI-2 is the global standard for smart, digital lighting control in the IoT era. Delmatic are leaders in DALI-2 lighting management system design and application, and offer the most extensive range of certified DALI-2 products.

Contact Delmatic for more information on the IP DALI-2 Buswire Module, and to discover the full DALI-2 range.

Dematic • 020 3184 2000 Find out more: www.delmatic.com

Wieland Electric’s RST Micro promises minimum size, maximum flexibility Wieland Electric has introduced the RST Micro, a compact waterproof connector with a diameter of less than 15mm that meets the highest design and flexibility criteria.

The latest addition to the modular RST system are the new distribution blocks for the RST Micro.

Available in 1 in / 2 out and 1 in / 3 out for 2 and 3 pole. New manufacturing technologies have made it possible to reduce the size to a minimum. The distributors are available for all common codings and the internal wiring offers a serial or a parallel option. The addition of the distributors rounds off the system to a large extent, as the distributors occupy a central position in the electrical infrastructure of the RST system. Thus, they serve both for energy and signal distribution.

As with the bigger members of the RST product family, the RST Micro connector enables very simple, quick, and safe installation. The continuous pluggable RST system – from the distributor to the electrical device – is composed of factory-assembled and tested components with the same design quality assured at all times. This simplifies the calculation of project and process flows. When compared to conventional installation, assembly times can be decreased by up to 70%. Costs are decreased by 30% in total.

Wieland Electric • 01483 53121 Find out more: www.wieland.co.uk

Ellis buoyed by Floyd appointment Ellis Patents has strengthened its UK-based export team with the appointment of Alex Floyd as export sales executive.

The Rillington-based cable cleat manufacturer is currently active in 45 export markets; and Alex’s appointment means the company now has a five strong export sales team based in the UK. Kelly Brown, Ellis’ head of sales, noted, “The last 20 months have been the most challenging I’ve known for export sales, both in terms of Covid and Brexit, but we have come through stronger.

“Sales are strong, new specification opportunities in the pipeline are incredibly high, and the nature of our relationship with our distributor network has never been better due to the replacement of irregular face-to-face meetings with regular video calls. Bringing Alex on-board will ensure these relationships remain strong, while ensuring we also have the capacity to slowly reintroduce international travel to export markets – both new and existing ones.

Commenting on his appointment, Alex (23), said, “Ellis has a great reputation covering all aspects of its business, and I was particularly impressed by its track record of promoting from within. This was a big motivation for me when joining as I knew there would be no limit put on what I can achieve here.”

Ellis Patents • 01944 758395 Find out more: www.ellispatents.co.uk

www.electricalreview.co.uk 45

FINAL SAY

The future is bright Richard Grace, Managing Director of Powercor, discusses the worker shortage that is impacting the electrical industry, and offers some solutions. ith businesses and working life slowly getting back to normal, the electrical industry is as busy as ever. Recruitment is at an all-time high across the sector, but filling the vacancies is increasingly more difficult and competition is high. More apprenticeships are required but with many businesses short on qualified staff, taking on apprentices is difficult.

W

What do you think has caused the shortage of qualified electricians?

As we have seen in the haulage industry and the massive shortages of drivers, our sector is experiencing the same problem on a smaller scale due to Brexit.

Many European electricians have returned home leaving a gap in skilled workers. At the same time, the growth of green technologies has increased.

So the demand for electricians is extremely high, an estimate from Statista Research notes that an additional 15,000 electricians and electrical fitters will be needed over the next five years to join the more than quarter of million of us in the industry in the UK right now.

What do you think are the opportunities at the moment?

It is a very exciting time to be an electrical engineer. New technologies are growing from installation of offshore wind farms to EV chargers. The demand for a sustainable way of life is also driving an exciting new industry with the latest smart and clean energy equipment, including smart meters and solar panels. For anyone who has dreams of saving the planet – here’s your chance!

There is an abundant choice of opportunities for anyone entering the industry. There are competitive rates of pay making it a lucrative sector to work in. There’s an opportunity to work at different sites throughout the UK and meet a wide range of people. For the self-employed, the demand is very high with the chance to work on innovative and exciting contracts.

Do you think school leavers are keen to enter the industry?

Becoming an electrician is appealing to young people. Powercor receives many applications from school leavers, and we are keen to grow our

46 Electrical Review | November / December 2021

apprentice numbers. Many of our team members joined us as apprentices and have risen through the ranks.

We will take on three apprentices this year but would like to take on more.

We’re even thinking of creating an academy. However, our apprentices learn their skills on the job, simply because the team is so busy, it’s not as easy to carry out training too. The solution is simple: if we can recruit more qualified electricians, we can recruit and train more apprentices.

How can the shortage of electricians be solved?

As we have seen with the haulage industry, the Government has provided visas to European workers to help fill vacancies. There needs to be an industry-wide campaign to recruit and entice qualified electricians here to the UK and to encourage people who have left the industry to return.

We also need to show we can be more diverse, that women and people from ethnic backgrounds can be electricians and have a fulfilling working life. We need to ensure we offer more part-time roles, offer childcare support and maternity and paternity pay. It takes up to five years to train an electrician. That is a big commitment for a business, however.

What’s the future for the industry as a whole?

The opportunities are endless. We can all be involved in exciting new projects and technologies. Smart lighting is the future where you have full control of the lighting in your home from your phone. Lighting for schools that actually improves learning. Just taking lighting alone, the innovative products, whether its mood lighting or energy-saving, is inspiring.

We all want to be more energy efficient and there are so many innovative products and installations from EV chargers to solar panels. We are very lucky to be the crusaders for saving energy and saving the planet.

For electricians, there are good rates of pay and a good work life balance. It is a job for life with plenty of training opportunities. Encouraging people back into the industry will help fill some of the vacancies and we need to continue to encourage and train apprentices.

How did you get started in the industry and what would you say to someone looking to enter the industry today?

I became an electrician because I could see that it was an exciting sector with plenty of opportunity. Starting out as an apprentice I took a college course and joined a large electricity supplier. I joined forces with my business partner Chris Wright and founded Powercor over 23 years ago.

So I would say to anyone entering the industry that it’s one of the most exhilarating industries to work in, with all the new technologies and innovations across the sector, being an electrician offers a very satisfying career choice.