MARCH 2019
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OVO and Glen Dimplex announce partnership to drive the decarbonisation of heating See page 4 INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
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FRONT COVER STORY: OVO and Glen Dimplex Heating & Ventilation announce partnership to drive the decarbonisation of heating See Page 4 www.ovoenergy.com/smart-home-heat/
MARCH 2019
PUBLISHER: Ralph Scrivens ralph@energymanagermagazine.co.uk PRODUCTION: Sarah Daviner sarah@energymanagermagazine.co.uk ACCOUNTS: accounts@energymanagermagazine.co.uk PRINT: Mixam Print
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INSIDE: 4
News
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Exhibition News
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Opinion
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Energy Management
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Monitoring & Metering
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Energy Storage
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Energy Supply
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Energy Auditing
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Heating
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Heat Pumps
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Lighting
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Water Management
Single copies £10. Some manufacturers and suppliers have made a contribution toward the cost of reproducing some photographs in Energy Manager.
PAPER USED TO PRODUCE THIS MAGAZINE IS SOURCED FROM SUSTAINABLE FORESTS. Please Note: No part of this publication may be reproduced by any means without prior permission from the publishers. The publishers do not accept any responsibility for, or necessarily agree with, any views expressed in articles, letters or supplied advertisements. All contents © Energy Manager Magazine 2019 ISSN 2057-5912 (Print) ISSN 2057-5920 (Online)
ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
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NEWS
OVO AND GLEN DIMPLEX HEATING & VENTILATION ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP TO DRIVE THE DECARBONISATION OF HEATING
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VO has announced its partnership between Kaluza, our intelligent technology business, with Glen Dimplex Heating and Ventilation, the world’s largest manufacturer of electrical heating appliances. Delivering on its ambitions to drive the decarbonisation of heat and transport, the announcement marks one in a series of upcoming partnerships for OVO with industry leading hardware manufacturers. The electrification of heat is one of the biggest challenges facing the UK in its efforts to decarbonise. Heating in the UK is responsible 25% of emissions. There are 1.7m homes with electric storage heating in the UK, representing a combined peak capacity of 12GW, representing the largest grid-connected storage asset in the UK. The ability to use this capacity intelligently, as a flexible energy source, can lower the cost of electrification. This is because more efficient use of energy through storage at times of excess generation reduces the need for back-up generation and excess investment to reinforce and expand the energy network. Analysis by Imperial College London has shown that using flexible smart electric heat could cut the cost of decarbonisation by £3.9 billion a year, amounting to approximately £394 per participating household per year. In the UK, Dimplex is the market leader in electric storage heat with a 90% market share. This partnership will allow OVO’s intelligent energy platform Kaluza, to unlock the flexibility in Dimplex’s Quantum high heat retention storage heaters. Kaluza is a highly scalable technology that has the potential to aggregate limitless numbers of storage devices - such as electric heaters, in-home batteries and electric vehicles - to produce an enormous amount of flexible load. Through the partnership, Dimplex Quantum high heat retention storage
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heaters and Dimplex Q-Rad electric radiators will be made available for customers to purchase directly through the OVO Energy website. This includes scheduling an electrician to install the heater and the removal and disposal of old heaters. Stephen Fitzpatrick, CEO and Founder, OVO said: “Renewable energy is rapidly transforming the power sector, but the way we heat our homes hasn’t changed in decades. Decarbonising heat is an enormously complex challenge that will require technology innovation, new regulation and creative partnerships. “We are delighted that Kaluza is partnering with Glen Dimplex, the market leaders in electric heating, and combine our technologies to take a significant step forward to decarbonising heat.”
ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
Steven Mortimer, Chief Commercial Officer, Glen Dimplex Heating & Ventilation, said: “Our innovative Dimplex Quantum off-peak heating system was the first product to be categorised as a high heat retention storage heater in SAP (Standard Assessment Procedure), representing a new generation of storage technology with enhanced control, lower running costs and greater flexibility than conventional storage heating. “Now, through this strategic partnership with OVO and the integration of Kaluza, users can enjoy additional benefits whilst facilitating new opportunities to unlock the potential of lower carbon electric heating to support the Government’s decarbonisation goal.” www.ovoenergy.com/ smart-home-heat/
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NEWS
MORRISON UTILITY SERVICES TRIALS EXOVEST INNOVATION ON YORKSHIRE WATER CONTRACT
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orrison Utility Services, the UK’s largest dedicated utility service provider and part of M Group Services, is running an extensive programme of field trials of high-tech, spring-loaded, upper body exoskeletons, designed to elevate and support arms during manual, chest-high-to-overhead handling tasks. The use of exoskeletons for industry and the workplace offer a number of health and safety advantages including fewer strain related injuries, a reduction in lost working days and lower fatigue levels, leading to increased worker alertness, productivity and work-quality. A trial programme designed to explore the potential health, safety, wellbeing and productivity benefits of the EksoVest exoskeletons is already underway and being spearheaded by Morrison Utility Services’ Yorkshire Water contract team. This ongoing trial programme includes: • Lifting and handling activities in the company’s Normanton stores depot and around hoppers used by site clearance support teams; • Supporting reinstatement teams using the company’s purposebuilt Roadmender asphalt unit; • Supporting backfill teams loading and unloading rammers onto the sides of vehicles. Morrison Utility Services Executive
Director John Edwards comments: “ Augmenting human capability offers scope for significant safety, health and wellbeing benefits for our people working in the field, some of whom are involved in physically demanding, repetitive activities over extended periods of time. The benefits of this wearable technology will include reduced tiredness, a reduction in strain-related injuries and the ability for our people to work for longer periods without any detriment to their wellbeing.
“The use of exoskeletons could also help our sector tackle the ongoing skills shortage, as some members of the workforce could find that the use of such innovative wearable technology may help them carry out the more physical aspects of a job, thus opening up otherwise lost opportunities” Utilities Managing Director Trevor M Hoyle commented: “This is yet another example of Morrison Utility Services leading the way on innovation for the benefit of our clients and our staff.” www.morrisonus.com
New report shows how community energy powers thousands of homes
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ommunity energy is powering thousands of homes in the South East, East of England and London, according to a newly published report into local generation with Community Energy England and Community Energy South. UK Power Networks is the first electricity network operator to work closely with South East community energy groups to undertake a comprehensive review of the region’s sector so it can understand more about their needs and aspirations. The company recently launched a dedicated new section for community energy on its website. The Community Energy Regional Report found that there are 50 different community energy projects connected to UK Power Networks three networks. They generate 14.6 MW of electricity, enough to power 4,200 homes for a year solely
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off renewable energy and saving carbon emissions equivalent to more than 7,000 flights between London and New York. The report will be launched at an event in the Houses of Parliament today, hosted by UK Power Networks, Community Energy England and Community Energy South. The majority of community electricity generation in the region comes from two solar farms owned by Orchard Community Energy in Kent and Meadow Blue Energy in West Sussex, which generate 10.4 MW between them. A total of 19 more organisations, many of them based in London and around Brighton, generate 4.2 MW of electricity from small-scale rooftop solar schemes. As well as generating clean energy, community energy projects are also involved in activities including energy efficiency, environmental
ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
protection and generating heat. The report highlights the fact community energy schemes could be well-placed to take advantage of new opportunities arising in the community energy sector from the growing low carbon economy. UK Power Networks last year became the first network operator to offer increased opportunities for distributed energy resources to generate new income streams by selling services such as flexibility. Last year UK Power Networks launched a dedicated community energy section of its website so that organisations and people interested in starting a project can access key information. You can view the pages here: https://www.ukpowernetworks. co.uk/electricity/distribution-energyresources/community-energy
NEWS
ELECTRIC NATION COMPLETES THE WORLD’S LARGEST EV SMART CHARGING TRIAL!
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y the time the Electric Nation project ended in December 2018 data had been collected from more than 140,000 electric vehicle (EV) charging events. Analysis suggests that there is likely to be sufficient flexibility to manage charging away from peak electricity demand periods. Initial findings show that on average, vehicles are plugged in for over 12 hours, but they are rarely charging for the full time. Other conclusions from the project suggest that the average charging event starts with the battery already more than 50% full and EV owners only charge their EVs three times a week. Electric Nation, which is the largest smart charging trial in the world, has been collecting data to expand understanding of the impact of the home charging of EVs on the local electricity network, and to evaluate the reliability and acceptability of smart charging to EV owners. Over the 18-month trial EV owners were involved in tests of smart charging strategies. These included the use of apps to encourage driver interaction with smart charging systems to minimise disruption to planned EV journeys, and offering incentives to encourage EV owners to opt to charge their EVs when network congestion is low (e.g. over-night rather than early evening). The trial recruited 673 plug-in EV drivers who represented a cross-section of plug-in vehicle types, with over 40 different makes and models of EVs taking part, including plug-in hybrids and fully
electric vehicles, and a selection of battery sizes. The project monitored participants’ charging habits to gather data on plug-in behaviour including frequency, length and amount of energy consumed. The trial will help Western Power Distribution improve its understanding of the impact of EVs on its networks and how this impact could be reduced using smart chargers alongside customer incentive schemes. The Electric Nation project is being hosted by Western Power Distribution and is delivered by a partnership of EA Technology, DriveElectric, Lucy Electric GridKey and TRL. The project is funded via Ofgem through its Network Innovation Allowance scheme. The project aims to provide local electricity network operators
with the tools to be able to ensure that their networks can cope with this massive new challenge, while avoiding replacing cables and substations. The completion of the trial comes after more than two years of hard work for the Electric Nation partners, in particular DriveElectric, the lead on recruitment for the project since late 2016, and EA Technology, the technical lead. The Electric Nation project team is now busy analysing data, writing reports and organising events to disseminate the findings. Information will be available on the project website (www.electricnation.org.uk), where people can sign up for the Electric Nation newsletter, and news will also continue to be shared on Twitter (@ElectricNation_).
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THE ONLY PUBLIC SECTOR ENERGY JOURNAL ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
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NEWS
COUNCIL ESTABLISHES FIRST COMMERCIAL HEAT NETWORK CONNECTION Bristol City Council has agreed its first ever commercial connection to the Bristol Heat Network – the council's own network of pipes providing low-carbon heat to businesses and homes in the city.
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his new connection will serve 375 new homes as part of Bristol’s new Castle Park View housing development overlooking Castle Park and provide both low-carbon and affordable heat to new residents once the building is completed in 2022. The heat network will supply low carbon heat to buildings across Bristol through a network of underground pipes from a number of energy centres including a new gas combined heat and power (CHP) plant. CHP plants integrate the production of heat and electricity into a single process, reducing carbon emissions and increasing efficiency. The council is also looking to install new zero carbon heat technologies including water-source heat pumps which capture heat from the floating harbour to supply hot water and space heating from the heat network. Over time, new renewable alternatives,
LIGHTING THE WAY Solar power through the years
Pre-commercial origins 1876
It is discovered that selenium produces electricity when exposed to sunlight, without heat or moving parts
1883
The first solar cell is made from selenium wafers, achieving an energy conversion rate of 1– 2%
First gen solar cells 1954
Scientists create the first silicon PV cell. This is the first-time solar technology can power electrical devices at 6% efficiency
1964
NASA launches the first Nimbus spacecraft, a satellite able to run entirely on a 470-watt solar array
1973
Solar One is created, a building that ran on a hybrid supply of solar thermal and solar PV power
1957 to 1960
PV efficiency increases from 8 to 14%. By 1985, this reaches 20%
1999
A solar cell is created that can reach 33.3% efficiency
Second gen solar cells 1980s
Thin-film solar cells are developed for calculators and watches
1994 to 2000
The National Renewable Energy Laboratory creates thin-film solar cells that convert 32% of the collected sunlight into usable energy
2015
Flexible printed solar panels designed to be as thin as paper achieve 20% power conversion efficiency
Next gen solar cells NextGen Nano develops an organic solar cell capable of reaching 13.1%, with the possibility of being further modified to reach 16%
What’s to come? NextGen Nano’s advanced technology has the potential to transform and decentralise energy applications like electric vehicles, wearables, electronics and military hardware. This organic technology is more sustainable than previous solar cells.
NextGen’s cells not only have the potential to be more efficient, they can also be used to make flexible and semitransparent solar panels, providing a wealth of possibilities to product design engineers and environmental experts.
further reducing carbon emissions, will be installed, increasing the city’s resilience to fluctuating energy prices and reducing our reliance on gas. The signing of the agreements follow the successful completion of the development’s CIBSE compliant design which is support by Central Government and sets minimum and best practice standards for the design and implementation of heating systems. These high standards will result in low energy costs to end customers and a correctly sized heat network connection. The council’s existing heat networks connect over 1000 social housing properties but this will be first commercial connection to a privately developed site, generating an income for the council whilst enabling the developers to harness a low-carbon source of heat for the building and helping to reduce fuel poverty.
LIGHTING THE WAY
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anotechnology specialist NextGen Nano has released an infographic tracking the development and history of solar power, to explain the technology’s future. Since its inception, large surface areas have been required to provide any meaningful power generation from solar, but newer technologies like NextGen’s organic solar cells are set to change this. The infographic is available to download for free from NextGen Nano’s website.
One of the biggest challenges for scientists and energy companies is capturing the sun’s projected energy efficiently. Traditional silicon solar photovoltaic (PV) cells have been found to be brittle, expensive and inefficient, generating energy with around 15 to 17 per cent efficiency. An approach for lowering the manufacturing costs of solar cells and improving efficiency is to use organic materials that can be processed under less demanding conditions.
In a single hour, 430 quintillion joules of energy hits the Earth from the Sun. This is more power than the entire world consumes in a year. While solar power doesn’t significantly increase our carbon footprint or exacerbate global warming like burning fossil fuels does, it still only accounts for 1.7 per cent of global power generation.
The sun is a powerful and reliable energy source. By investing in technologies like NextGen’s polymer solar cells, we can begin harnessing the sun’s power more efficiently and at a far lower cost, across the globe.
For more information visit: http://nextgen-nano.co.uk/ Tel: +44(0)2038 564 143 e-mail: info@nextgen-nano.co.uk
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Councillor Kye Dudd, Cabinet Member for Energy and Transport said: “It’s great to see the council working closely with developers to deliver some much-needed affordable housing as well as solutions to help our city achieve carbon neutrality. We’re in discussions with a number of new developers in the city centre and with supportive planning conditions in place we have high hopes that this connection will be the first of many.” Businesses and developers who are interested in connecting to the council’s Heat Network can find out more by visiting the council’s Energy Service website. www.energyservicebristol.co.uk
ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
NextGen Nano’s infographic is available to download from the company’s website – http://nextgen-nano.co.uk/ or you can call +44 (0) 2038 564 143.
EXHIBITION NEWS
THE ONE-STOP SHOP FOR ALL ENERGY MANAGERS
Take All-Energy, the UK’s largest renewable and low carbon energy exhibition and conference, and add a new co-located event, Dcarbonise, and you have the perfect one-stop shop for all energy managers. The countdown to the duo of events, being held 15 and 16 May, has begun, with Glasgow’s SEC once again the chosen venue.
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ll-Energy will focus on renewable power with a large exhibition hall packed with innovative solutions for the challenges facing every sort of renewable energy development and developer at home and overseas. As ever, the buzz, the enthusiasm and the sense of business being done will be tangible. The All-Energy conference will concentrate on all forms of renewable energy as well as energy systems, the grid, energy storage, hydrogen, decarbonising industry, carbon capture and storage, finance and funding, community and local energy, and thanks to Innovate UK and others, major on innovation. A glimpse at the ‘Energy Manager’ list of editorial topics compares well to the content of the multi-stream conference where industry luminaries will be speaking about all forms of bioenergy, solar power, wind power, energy from waste and more in a multi-stream free-to-attend conference. This will embrace policy, legislation and innovative solutions; and highlight both
the challenges and the opportunities facing every sector it addresses. The joint All-Energy and Dcarbonise conferences attract some 450 speakers from right across all the sectors. Equally many of the products and services highlighted as relevant to ‘Energy Manager’s‘ readership will feature on the exhibition show floor as a glimpse at the rapidly building exhibitor list – and exhibitors’ contributions on their exhibits at www.all-energy.co.uk demonstrates. Over 7,000 – including Nicola Sturgeon, the First Minister of Scotland; Claire Perry, the UK’s Minister of State for Energy and Clean Growth, Scotland’s Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse and the then Scottish Transport Minister Humza Yousaf – attended in 2018. This year’s line up will be just as impressive, both politically and from industry.
INTRODUCING DCARBONISE Dcarbonise, with its strap line “a carbon-neutral future starts here”, is Scotland’s only dedicated event for low-carbon built environment and transport solutions. Sponsored by the Scottish Government, Energy Saving Trust and Zero Waste Scotland, it is aligned to the Scottish Government’s Energy Efficient Scotland programme. All-Energy’s Event Director, Jonathan Heastie of Reed Exhibitions, the organisers of the annual event said: “The creation of Dcarbonise recognises the continuing evolution of All-Energy as it approaches its 19th edition. “All-Energy will now fully concentrate on its renewable power heritage, one which it has upheld for almost 20 years since its launch in 2001, with Dcarbonise focussing more on the energy end-user rather than the generator and supply chain. Accommodating extra space in the SEC, the new event will incorporate the latest solutions for energy efficiency and low carbon heat, as well as a larger, dedicated area, showcasing low carbon and smart transport technologies, including an ‘Arrive and Drive’ test drive feature where visitors can take test drives in low carbon vehicles. “The Scottish Government’s minimum energy efficiency requirements for privately rented properties come into effect on 1 April 2020. This is a major trigger for the creation of Dcarbonise.
It means that domestic private sector landlords with small property portfolios; non-domestic landlords; and the public sector will most certainly be heading for our energy efficiency and low carbon heat hall. “The event will also appeal to private sector landlords with larger property portfolios; local authorities; commercial businesses; architects and designers; energy managers; the wider supply chain as well as trade bodies.” The Dcarbonise conference will feature policy updates on both energy efficiency and low carbon heat in the main conference programme. But there is more – two theatres will be built at the heart of the Dcarbonise exhibition on the show floor. One will be used throughout the two days for energy efficiency presentations embracing targets and ways of reaching them, retrofit, a wide range of case studies, presentations aimed at specific groups such as landlords, funding, behavioural change, an Innovate UK 90-minute session on decarbonising the built environment – and more. All are designed to enable visitors to learn throughout their time spent at the show. The second show floor theatre will be entirely devoted to low carbon heat including naturally district heating/heat networks, heat pumps, hydrogen for heat, geothermal, hybrid solutions, and the low hanging fruit – increasing the efficiency of heating systems. Dcarbonise also incorporates the Smart Urban Mobility Solutions five-session stream which includes low carbon transport sessions, including the installation of charging infrastructure in a wide range of locations. Dcarbonise will also host a central ‘hub’ consisting of Energy Saving Trust, Home Energy Scotland, Zero Waste Scotland and Resource Efficient Scotland where attendees can come to meet representatives from each of the organisations in the form of an ‘advice clinic’. Free registration to all with relevant business/professional interests is at www.allenergy.co.uk and at www.dcarbonise.com
ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
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OPINION
ENERGY MANAGERS: THE UNSUNG HEROES OF THE WORKPLACE? When it comes to a business running smoothly, efficiently and comfortably, energy managers are some of the most important people in the office, yet their efforts often go unnoticed. Phil Gilbert, Director of Customer Solutions at E.ON, shares his advice for how those working in energy management can raise their profile and gain support and recognition for their work.
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ou think about energy and energy management all the time. If you’re reading this it’s probably a fundamental part of your role. But how often do you think your colleagues consider their personal energy consumption at work? Or how the business, as a whole, uses energy? Do they even know who makes the decisions about energy use in your workplace? According to a recent survey by E.ON, the answer to that last question is often ‘no’. Not even half (49%) of employees could point to their energy manager when asked. Furthermore, there is a general lack of consideration of energy management in the office. Nearly twice as many people turn off unused appliances at the plug when at home (49%) than at work (27%). There’s a similar difference when it comes to the heating: more than twice as many people turn the thermostat down one degree to save energy at home (34%) compared to at work (15%). Furthermore, a quarter (25%) of people admit they do nothing to reduce their energy consumption at work compared to just one in 12 (9%) who do nothing at home. There’s another clear discrepancy between the proportion of energy managers (92%) who believe colleagues could identify them as the decision-maker for energy and the number (49%) who actually can. So what is behind such a sizeable discrepancy? After all, effective energy management can make a real difference to a business’s bottom line and to the environment.
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And far more importantly, what can energy managers do to harness the enthusiasm for energy saving that colleagues show at home? Research provides some answers to the first question: Firstly, energy management is not a priority for employees. Only 4% believe it is important in keeping the business they work for operating effectively – compared to 37% who believe IT services are most important.
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Most energy saving measures only save a tiny amount each time, but if 300 more people turn their computer off every day for a year, then it starts to become a big saving. Do remember to communicate exactly how it all adds up.
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Tap into behavioural science. Did you know little nudges such as putting a reminder above a light switch to turn it off can make a big difference? A recent study we conducted showed one office used these nudges to reduce their energy use by 26%. And it keeps energy management front of mind without your colleagues feeling they’re being bombarded
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If your co-workers have been making an effort to reduce their energy use, then do communicate and most importantly, celebrate the results – it’s always nice to be congratulated
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Finally, keep banging the energy management drum. Most of your colleagues are likely to be pretty busy so may need regular reminders – just make sure not to spam them. These regular communications will also help to build your profile within the office.
Secondly, your colleagues say they simply do not understand what the role involves and how energy is managed within their offices. An impressive 63% of energy managers have put a real-time energy monitoring system in place, yet only 11% of employees are aware of this. So, what’s the solution? Firstly, it’s key that you accept that many of your colleagues don’t have the same interest in energy management in the work place, that means it’s your job to be inventive and creative to communicate engagingly. And if you do manage to do that, your colleagues are likely to remember you and have positive associations with the work you do. So, how do you communicate the importance of energy management to your co-workers? Here are some tips: 1.
Making a topic tangible is a brilliant way to make it more relevant to people. When you’re speaking to your colleagues about saving energy show them the pounds and pence savings – this also brings home how you’re helping the company save money
ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
Taking these steps in 2019 will not only help save your company money and contribute to making it greener, but you’ll also be raising your own profile and demonstrating how you’re contributing to the bottom line. www.eonenergy.com
ENERGY MANAGEMENT
CONTROL YOUR ENERGY. AND IMPROVE YOUR BUSINESS PERFORMANCE.
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nergy is the underlying component of modern life. But it’s also one of the most neglected and misunderstood. Despite being one of the major outgoings for most companies – very few understand what or where they spend on energy. But in a world of increasing cost competition, globalwarming, environmental expectations and consumer demand for green companies - it’s time for change. So, what is change today? Today, using the Internet of Things (IoT), we can connect our physical objects such as air-conditioning and lighting to electronic controls. And this means being able to do far more than switch them on and off. The IoT can produce an enormous amount of data – the challenge is to interpret this data and understand the insights that inform the actions that will provide energy efficiencies. This is where a product like Remote Optimal, from SSE Enterprise Energy Solutions, really offers an edge.
WHEN YOUR BUILDINGS TALK – YOU CAN LISTEN, ADJUST, AND OPTIMISE. Remote Optimal lets companies visualise their energy usage, data and offers actionable insights, allowing them to make real, informed, analytical and strategic business decisions for the first time; decisions that can improve their entire outfit’s performance. And it’s not just about finding ways to spend less on energy, it is part of a paradigm shift in the way companies think about and see energy.
TAKING YOUR ENERGY FROM A COST TO AN ASSET. Money savings are important to any business, and controlling how much energy you use can reduce how much you spend on it – but there’s far more to it than that. Remote Optimal gives you in-depth understanding of your buildings or machines. And when you understand their use – you can often achieve a better result by running a machine less – meaning it will over heat less - and last longer.
Then there’s reduction in down-time. When your equipment is sending alerts to our Energy Management Centre, the warnings can be picked up, checked, fixed and dealt with before the machine actually breaks down. In fact, thousands of updates and tasks can be performed automatically and with up to 85% of issues being fixed remotely, call outs can be reduced to the most critical. Even when an engineer call out is needed, because they can see the issue remotely, they can bring the right set of tools and equipment to repair the asset first time. And, with Remote Optimal backed by SSE – a country wide network – our engineers are never far away.
BEYOND A REDUCTION IN COST. As always there’s more to anything than meets the eye. With Remote Optimal, it allows you to drive your entire company performance. By digitising your building’s energy usage, you can truly understand and control your environment – making it a better working environment: somewhere that’s optimised to its purpose, allowing people to feel comfortable and act efficiently. And while that might sound nice; it’s not just a ‘nice to have’. In a world with ever more demanding business requirements and customers, this control allows you to create environments people want to be in, whilst also becoming a greener and more sustainable company.
LET’S PUT THIS INTO CONTEXT.
residential and some areas of general thorough-fair traffic. With the right data you can understand where the traffic is concentrated and implement strategies for temperature and lighting, whilst also closing certain buildings at night to reduce energy wastage. What are the potential savings? Well, the American Council for an Energy Efficiency Economy estimated potential savings of the IoT come in at 12 to 22% of all energy consumed. McKinsey suggests 10 to 20% energy savings.
SO, IS REMOTE OPTIMAL RIGHT FOR YOUR OPERATION? In short, if you’d like to do more with less energy; then Remote Optimal is right for you. Today, systems like this are commonly used by centrally-controlled assets like HVAC units and lighting systems across multiple locations, such as retail, grocery and restaurant sites. And they can be crucial to, hospitals, care facilities, labs – any place where the optimal environment is important.
A FLEXIBLE APPROACH.
At a University Campus, during the daytime most, if not all, buildings are open to staff and students. Energy is needed in a wide ranging and almost constant way – powering computers, lights, aircon, security systems etc. Come the evening, most of the foot traffic is either in the bars (sorry to generalise) or
Whether you choose Remote Optimal as a fully-managed service or a self-serve application, it’s a flexible and powerful optimisation platform that can unlock savings, increase wellbeing and ultimately drive operational performance. Visit sseenergyoptimisation.co.uk to find out more.
ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
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ENERGY MANAGEMENT
FOUR TECHNOLOGIES THAT WILL BE PART OF THE ENERGY MANAGEMENT REVOLUTION David Hall, Vice President Energy, UK & Ireland at Schneider Electric
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range of factors, from economics to environmental awareness, are spurring on businesses to become more energy efficient. Past the era of early realisations, now organisations are searching for small but significant gains to give them a competitive edge. A range of industries are now opting to use more sustainable energy sources such as solar and wind. But making the most of low-carbon energy generation will require us to embrace new technologies that help them fit into the needs of modern businesses. We are seeing companies grow increasingly willing to test out new cleantech in order to create operational efficiencies, reduce environmental impacts, and cut costs – or even potentially generate ROI. Renewables will be at the heart of forwardthinking businesses, but each of these new technologies poses challenges and opportunities for business. Pioneers in the space are providing us with valuable insight into how the technologies can be implemented for maximum good, both for business and the environment. Once considered an ‘alternative’ power source, now more than 150 global companies have committed to sourcing 100% of their electricity from renewable sources. Google, Facebook, and Nestle are among the first corporations to venture into international renewable energy markets. In providing clean energy for their facilities across the world, they show that global brands are ready and capable of addressing their global environmental impact. What’s more, the inter-organisational network of schemes and methods to obtain renewable energy for business is growing too. However, making the most of such new opportunities requires digital transformation and a rethink of the energy grid, from generation to distribution and the management of excess power. These are four technologies I think we’ll need to make the revolution a reality:
THE MEGA POWER OF MICROGRIDS Today’s market forces are leading to a departure from a highly centralised power system and a return to smaller scale, localised systems that optimise power demand, consumption, and management. Microgrids are emerging as one of these decentralising technologies that companies are considering because they bring together a combination of clean technologies such as distributed
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generation, batteries, and renewable resources to help organisations operate autonomously from the traditional electrical grid. Commercial, industrial and institutional energy buyers can now realise substantial nearterm cost savings by implementing technologies embedded within a microgrid that insulate their facilities from the risk and changing cost components of an ever-evolving energy market.
SMARTER STORAGE TO UNLEASH DECARBONISATION Batteries and other types of storage play a key role in enabling companies to embrace clean, low-cost, renewable energy at a higher level. By mitigating the intermittency issues that renewable power sources can face, storage helps remove a significant barrier that has prevented greater adoption of wind and solar resources. As the price for batteries and other storage solutions drops, corporate buyers will be well poised to maximise energy investments, while contributing to the clean energy transition. Additionally, with microgrid opportunities on the rise, energy storage in conjunction with other new energy opportunities, very well may become commonplace for companies in the not-so-distant future.
CLEAN POWER FOR THE BASELOAD THROUGH FUEL CELLS Fuel cells convert chemical energy into electricity without any form of combustion. Because they require a constant, steady source of fuel to produce electricity, they are ideal for providing a continuous, baseload source of clean electric power. This provides facilities with a need for a reliable minimum supply of energy, from manufacturing plants to hospitals, to incorporate renewables into their energy mix without compromising the safety and stability of their baseload. This technology helps bridge the gap where other renewable energy sources face challenges. The intermittency issues that wind and solar must overcome are not a concern for fuel cells. Partnered with other renewable technologies, fuel cells can balance the difference. Though fuel cells are not without challenges, such as their high capital cost, embracing a clean energy transition relies on a diverse portfolio of cleantech solutions. As fuel cells overcome these challenges to adoption, they should become
ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
a vital technology to carefully consider within the active energy management landscape.
BRING TRANSACTIONS INTO THE 21ST CENTURY WITH BLOCKCHAIN Blockchain technology is a distributed, digital ledger used to record and track transactions. It uses sophisticated algorithms to validate, encrypt, and instantaneously record transactions for virtually anything of value in a secure and decentralised manner. What could this mean for the energy revolution? Currently, the only means to track renewable energy generation is through EACs, and information sharing among market participants is a manual process. This is creating an obstacle to adoption, as moving to renewables is being seen as a cost centre for businesses, rather than a value driver. But with blockchain, Energy Attribute Certificates (EACs) can be created instantaneously as renewable energy is put onto the grid – no matter the size or physical location of the producer. With the increased autonomy that blockchain introduces, corporate energy buyers may find it easier to accomplish these goals — and at a lower cost and time commitment.
SO, WHAT BRINGS IT ALL TOGETHER? The secret to combining the benefits of all four technologies lies in an approach of active energy management. By taking control of their energy, businesses can avoid the most of potential disruption from changes out of their hands, from price fluctuations to the intermittency often associated with renewables. By thinking ahead of the curve with an active energy management strategy, businesses will ensure their systems have the agility and resilience to focus on the next decade’s challenges. Although these four technologies will be part of the energy management revolution, the rallying cry will be a strategic one from business teams looking to deliver value from increased efficiencies. www.schneider-electric.co.uk
ENERGY MANAGEMENT
BOOST PRODUCTIVITY THROUGH CO2 CONTROL, SAYS LEADING BMS MANUFACTURER As new studies reinforce the link between CO2 levels and productivity, and confirm that the UK is falling behind output-wise, there is every reason to invest in effective air management and monitoring systems.
B
uilding technology manufacturer Priva is highlighting its ability to provide a variety of solutions enabling the effective management and monitoring of primary building systems, including air-conditioning and ventilation, as a major new study asserts the importance of lower CO2 levels to the provision of comfortable and health-inducing workplaces. The new report, led by Oxford Brookes University and LCMB Building Performance and issued in December1, contends that CO2 levels in offices are ‘silently damaging UK productivity’. Monitoring levels and testing workers continually over a two-year period, the study showed that personnel are able to work up to 60% faster in environments with lower CO2 concentrations. In addition, increased intake of CO2 can lead to poor decision-making, slower reaction times and greater tiredness. With the rising number of days lost each year to ill-health in the UK already giving cause for concern, this report highlights the need for building owners and facilities managers to review the impact that primary building systems 1. 2.
can have on employee wellbeing. Alongside lighting, heating and noise control, effective air monitoring and management technology should be a priority for any new-build or retrofit project. Priva is again ahead of the curve here as it has spent many years developing a product family that offers powerful control and monitoring of key building systems. Its Touchpoint One technology – which allows users to adjust room conditions including heating and cooling via a user-friendly user interface – constitutes the latest generation of powerful and aesthetically-pleasing operating units. The unit clearly highlights the status of CO2 levels with the help of clear graphical ‘traffic light’ icons such as a green smiley face (good), a straight-faced amber and unhappy red face when air quality levels reach a high level. Recent data published by the UK’s Office for National Statistics indicates that UK productivity is 26.2% lower than Germany based on GDP per
hour worked2. As the UK moves into a profoundly uncertain economic period, there will inevitably be an onus on all organisations – public and private – to do everything they can to maximise output. “Providing workplaces with lower CO2 levels is one of the most direct routes possible to improving employee health/ wellbeing and boosting output,” says Priva UK & Ireland sales manager Gavin Holvey. “At Priva we stand ready to assist all types of enterprise who wish to prioritise CO2 control with guidance and a host of costeffective systems that can help them to monitor and manage air quality quickly and efficiently.” www.priva.com/uk
https://www.emcoruk.com/news/2018/c02-levels-offices-silently-damaging-uk-productivity-finds-new-study https://www.ons.gov.uk/economy/economicoutputandproductivity/productivitymeasures/bulletins/ternationalcomparisonsofproductivityfinalestimates/2016
ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
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MONITORING & METERING
POWER QUALITY ISSUES – PART 1 – HARMONICS
Harmonics issues within an electrical installation frequently go overlooked due to a lack of understanding or awareness of them. This then often leads site and facility managers experiencing problems within their installations to focus on the symptoms rather than the underlying cause of those problems. In this, the first in a series of short articles on power quality issues, Julian Grant – General Manager at Chauvin Arnoux UK, explains the causes, symptoms and some solutions to the problems of harmonics.
W
ithin the last 30 years there has been a big increase in the number of non-linear loads connected to the electrical network, including computers and associated IT equipment, uninterruptable power supplies, variable speed motor drives, electronic lighting ballasts, and LED lighting, to name just a few. The growing use of such equipment and the application of electronics in nearly all electrical loads are beginning to have some worrying effects on the electricity supply. It is estimated that today over 95% of the harmonic interference within an installation is generated by equipment within that installation. When a linear electrical load is connected to the supply it draws a sinusoidal current at the same frequency as the voltage, however, non-linear loads draw currents that are not necessarily sinusoidal. The current waveform can become quite complex, depending on the type of load and its interaction with other components in the installation. These non-linear loads increase current, and in severe cases voltage, distortion in the electrical supply, which can lead to significant energy losses, shortened equipment lifespans,
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and reduced efficiency of devices. Waveform distortion can be mathematically analysed to show that it is generally equivalent to superimposing additional frequency components onto the original 50Hz sinewave. These frequencies are harmonics of the fundamental frequency, and can sometimes propagate outwards from the non-linear loads causing problems elsewhere on the electrical installation. Regardless of how complex the current waveform becomes it is possible to deconstruct it into a series of simple sine waves using Fourier analysis. One of the measures often used to indicate the amount of harmonic distortion present in an electrical installation is total harmonic current distortion or THDi. This is a ratio of the sum of all the harmonic currents to the current at the fundamental frequency described by the equation: -
Harmonic currents have negative effects on almost all items on the electrical system by upsetting sensitive electronic devices and causing dielectric thermal and mechanical stresses. The most significant of these include computer and other IT equipment crashes and lockouts, flickering lights, electronic card failures in process control equipment, power factor correction equipment failure, high load switching failure, neutral conductor overheating, unexpected circuit breaker operation and inaccurate metering. Some of these, such as flickering lights and IT equipment crashes are, at the least, an irritant to businesses.
ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
Electronic card failures on production lines or process control equipment can cost businesses in unplanned downtime. Worst of all though, failure of power factor correction and electrical distribution equipment, cables, transformers, motors and standby generators can be catastrophic. At the least the presence of harmonics will cause reduced electrical efficiency within the installation and excessive power consumption which you will be paying for. The internal resistance of a capacitor reduces as frequency rises, and at high frequencies can appear almost as a short circuit. Power factor correction capacitors are generally designed to operate at the fundamental frequency, and the lower impedance seen by the higher frequency harmonic currents result in an increased amount of capacitor overheating. It is also possible to experience permanent damage to capacitors due to parallel resonance occurring between them and transformers. Resistive heating is proportional to the square of the harmonic order, and so it follows that the greater the number of higher order harmonics that exist the greater the heating effect. At the least this will lead to large increases in iron losses, and therefore
power consumption, in rotating machines and transformers, as well as increased eddy current losses in transformers. In the worst cases fires in wiring and distribution systems or even catastrophic transformer failure. Apart from losses due to heating effects, motors in particular can be significantly negatively impacted by harmonics due to torsional oscillation of the motor shaft. Torque in AC motors is produced by the interaction between the air gap magnetic field and induced currents in the rotor. When a motor is supplied non-sinusoidal voltages and currents, the air gap magnetic fields and the rotor currents will obviously contain harmonic frequency components. The harmonics are grouped into positive, negative and zero sequence components. Positive sequence harmonics (1, 4, 7, 10, 13, etc.) produce magnetic fields and currents rotating in the same direction as the fundamental frequency harmonic. Negative sequence harmonics (2, 5, 8, 11, 14, etc.) develop magnetic fields and currents that rotate in a direction
opposite to the positive frequency set, and zero sequence harmonics (3, 9, 15, 21, etc.) do not develop usable torque, but produce additional losses in the machine. The interaction between the positive and negative sequence magnetic fields and currents produce torsional oscillations of the motor shaft. These oscillations result in shaft vibrations, and if the frequency of oscillations coincides with the natural mechanical frequency of the shaft, they become amplified and severe damage to the motor shaft may occur. It is sometimes possible to literally hear a transformer or motor “sing or growl” due to these vibrations and this is often one of the first observed indications of a harmonic problem. Some of the most troublesome harmonics are the 3rd, and odd multiples of the 3rd, i.e. the 9th, 15th etc. These harmonics are called “triplens”. The triplen harmonics on each phase are all in phase with each other which will cause them to add rather than cancel in the neutral conductor of a three phase four wire system. This can overload the neutral if it is not sized to handle this type of load. Fortunately, the identification and measurement of harmonics is easily achieved using a power quality analyser or power and energy logger (PEL) with harmonic capabilities, and while they cannot be eliminated, since they are generated by the various loads in the installation, they can be confined to an area as close to the polluting load
as possible in order to prevent them from reaching the overall network. The main methods used involve installing passive or active filtering or isolating systems designed to limit the deterioration of energy quality and other harmful effects as well as the use of tuned power factor correction equipment. Once the harmonics are “under control”, the associated problems, power losses, equipment failures and outages, and energy costs will be reduced. Harmonics can be a major issue in the modern electrical installation, becoming increasingly more important as more switching and smart loads are introduced. Harmonics must be monitored regularly in order to verify their levels and prevent potential failures or high losses. www.chauvin-arnoux.co.uk
ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
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MONITORING & METERING
ENERGY THEFT: ARE WE DOING ENOUGH TO PREVENT THIS CRIME? Lloyd Birkhead, group managing director at utility revenue protection and field service specialists, Grosvenor Services Group, part of Echo Managed Services.
T
ampering with an energy meter to save on bills is a serious offence that poses financial implications and safety threats to the general public across the UK. Given this, it’s an issue that public sector Energy Managers, particularly those working within the social housing sector, need to be mindful of and be prepared to play their part in tackling this crime. Every year, it is estimated £400 million
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worth of gas and electricity is stolen as a result of energy theft. This is adding £20 onto the average household’s annual bill – an extra sum that stretches people’s – sometimes already tight - budgets. More importantly, it also causes one death or serious injury every 10 days in the UK, due to electric shocks, fires and even gas explosions caused as a result of tampering with energy meters. The industry is already doing positive work to tackle the offence; for example, Crimestoppers set up its Stay Energy Safe campaign. This aims to educate people on the dangers of meter tampering and provide the public with a 24/7 anonymous report line to flag suspected incidences. The creation of the UK Revenue Protection Association has also brought together companies involved in detecting and dealing with meter tampering across the country – and helped them collaborate to be more effective. These efforts, along with various other projects, helped lead to the investigation of around 150,000 suspected counts of stolen gas and
ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
electricity last year. However, in regards to gas theft, this is still below the overall industry expected standard for detecting and reporting this crime. According to recent figures, the sector met just 67% of its obligation under Ofgem’s gas theft incentive scheme in 2017-18 There are myriad of reasons why people are driven to commit energy theft – from criminal activities such as cannabis cultivation to simple unwillingness to pay their share for ‘extras’ like heated swimming pools. Yet, when it comes to public sector housing, in which 72% of tenants fall within the lowest income quintiles, affordability is often the main motivator. Energy managers must therefore bear this in mind when tackling meter tampering within social housing and tailor their strategies accordingly. From making homes more energy efficient – in a bid to reduce household bills and make them more affordable – to raising local awareness levels around the safety implications of a tampered meter, there is always more that can be done to crack down on this problem.
MONITORING & METERING Here we shall explore a few ways to prevent future tampers taking place within the public rental sector.
is therefore crucial to clarify these risks, even to those individuals who claim to already know about them.
momentum on high-quality inspections to pick up any unreported tampers that otherwise would remain undetected.
RAISING CONSUMER AWARENESS
CONVERTING THE NON-REPORTERS
UNITY IS KEY
Despite the potentially lifethreatening consequences posed by energy theft, our research found that more than a third (39%) of the public are oblivious to its safety risks – a concerning figure. This can leave vulnerable social housing residents in a position where they may become targets for ‘professional’ meter tamperers, who target their services at low-income families for a fee. Without properly understanding the dangers of this crime, tenants could be more open to such services and unknowingly put their family and neighbours’ lives at risk. There is a real opportunity to engage with these customers by creating and distributing specific safety messaging. Placing adverts in local job centres and creating sponsored social media campaigns are both worthwhile avenues to explore. Another issue is that – even amongst those who are familiar with energy theft – many do not grasp its severity. For example, despite 60% of people being aware that meter tampering causes a risk to public safety, only 40% said this would be their main motivator for reporting it. This suggests that a significant proportion of people do not consider harm to be very likely or probable; perhaps partly due to low levels of media coverage about the crime. For instance, even if it is highly suspected a gas explosion has been caused as a result of a tampered meter, the media will not report this without 100% proof. It
As well as raising awareness levels, it is important that once people spot a tamper, they report it to the relevant authorities. However, we found that, despite 92% of the public acknowledging that energy theft is morally wrong, only just over half (54%) would report a known instance without question. This is because many would be worried about the personal repercussions of reporting an incident and others simply would not know how to do so. To help increase reporting rates, clarity and anonymity is key. Highlighting confidential reporting lines like Crimestoppers’ Stay Energy Safe helpline, is a good way to promote this. Customers could also be informed about other reporting options such as contacting the UK Revenue Protection Association (UKRPA), over the phone or online, or the fact they can contact their energy supplier directly. Raising the profile of such schemes and properly educating people about the reality of reporting could help to convert up to 63% of ‘non-reporters’. Furthermore, the industry cannot assume that every member of the public is on the same side when it comes to energy theft. As it stands, 44% of people wouldn’t report energy theft because they’d be worried about potential personal repercussions. Whilst this is a disappointing finding, and one that increased profiling and education could look to reduce, ultimately there will always be people who won’t report energy theft for one reason or another. Hence, we must maintain
There is no denying that the sector is working to tackle energy theft, but there is always more that can be done to fight such a dangerous crime. To increase efforts, as a sector, we must work together with communities. For instance, comprehensive training for housing association officers, as well as energy supplier agreements that remove any costs levied for remedial work could have a huge impact on making these environments safer. Also, getting the general public involved in this process will help increase awareness levels and ultimately boost the number of people looking out for tampered meters. It is also worth taking into consideration that affordability is a major consideration for many public sector occupants. For them, energy theft could be seen as a necessity, not an option. Raising awareness of affordability and payment support schemes is crucial; alongside ensuring homes are more energy efficient. At the same time, working to proactively identify and engage with customers struggling with payments could help prevent criminal behaviour before it begins. Energy theft is an ongoing problem that needs to be given the attention it requires. Turning a blind eye is simply not an option with all of the safety threats it poses. If efforts are increased within the public housing sector to prevent this offence, this could be a massive step forward and could help prevent tragic implications before they occur. www.echo-ms.com
The first in a series of regional Public Sector Energy Events will kick off in London on 30 April 2019 at Emirates Stadium. For more information, please visit: publicsectorenergyevents.co.uk ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
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ENERGY STORAGE
WHY THE PUBLIC SECTOR MUST NOT IGNORE BATTERY STORAGE If you think that battery storage is too expensive or an immature and unproven technology, think again, says Ian Hopkins, Director of Centrica Business Solutions. 18
F
alling costs and rapid advances in battery storage technologies are creating new opportunities to increase energy resilience, improve sustainability, reduce costs and generate revenue from your onsite energy assets. The public sector faces relentless pressures to cut costs and meet tougher sustainability targets, while also improving services. Finding new ways of reducing energy costs and improving environmental compliance are becoming more critical. The growing risk of energy supply disruption means that organisations also need to focus on energy security. Multi-purpose battery storage is helping to tackle these significant energy challenges by enhancing the benefits of onsite generation, such as solar, Combined Heat and Power (CHP), or wind.
ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
THERE ARE 4 KEY BENEFITS TO IMPLEMENTING BATTERY STORAGE 1. Improve energy resilience In the face of the growing risk of energy-related failure and the potential damage this can cause to public services, battery storage provides a dependable solution. The split-second response time of modern batteries means that they can switch on an ultra-fast and zero emissions uninterruptable power supply (UPS) at the first sign of problems. As such, you can protect key services and operations to ensure a continuous and reliable power supply.
ENERGY STORAGE
You can also use battery storage as a faster-acting and more environmentally friendly alternative to traditional standby generators, such as high carbon emitting diesel systems. Batteries can also offer extra protection for critical sites, such as hospitals, emergency response or data centres. In these environments they can support existing emergency generators and UPS systems to bolster resilience. 2. Lower energy costs Third-party, non-commodity energy costs now make up nearly 60% of an average electricity bill. Together with rising wholesale energy prices, this is increasing energy costs for all consumers. By using stored power when non-commodity charges inflate grid prices e.g. during Triad events or red-band DUos periods, huge energy cost savings can be made. You can recharge your battery at a time when you have an abundance of solar or other self generated power, or at times when grid electricity is cheapest. In this way, massive cost savings can be made. Solar and battery storage work so well together that you can improve the financial performance of your solar PV system by an average 30 to 40%. This leads to a faster investment payback for both technologies. This financially viable hybrid solution also shields organisations from highly volatile wholesale energy markets. 3. Improve your sustainability Batteries emit zero emissions so provide the most environmentally friendly standby power solution. This will help you to reduce your carbon footprint and contribute towards sustainability targets and environmental compliance. It can also reduce green energy taxes and enhance your reputation as a ‘green’ organisation. By using battery storage alongside solar you can dramatically increase the utilisation of available solar
to maximise your usage of renewable power and reduce dependence on higher carbon grid supplied electricity. For those organisations that are seeking to reach new levels of sustainability and work towards a carbon neutral future, battery storage is an important component of the most advanced energy strategies. The role of batteries in supporting grid stability further improves sustainability. That’s because this enables more wind and solar power to be safely integrated into the power network. 4. Maximise revenue from your energy assets The ultra-fast response time of modern batteries means that they can be monetised via premium Demand Side Response (DSR) programmes, such as dynamic Firm Frequency Response (dFFR), which offer the best financial returns. There are also further opportunities to participate in other DSR schemes and to generate income from the Imbalance Market and Balancing Mechanism, as well as other realtime trading opportunities. We are pioneering the use of batteries within virtual power plants, where we can combine
a mixed portfolio of assets, including slow responding loads and battery storage from multiple sites, to create a fast and agile portfolio.
BATTERY STORAGE AT GATESHEAD COUNCIL Centrica Business Solutions is helping Gateshead Council to improve energy resilience and generate revenue after installing one of the UK’s largest commercial battery storage schemes. The 3MW/3.33MWh system ensures that the Gateshead District Energy Centre can respond to any fluctuations in demand in under a second. It is capable of storing enough energy from the 4MW CHP system to meet the needs of 3,000 homes for one hour. This ensures that the local businesses and residents benefit from stable and reliable power, without being exposed to any fluctuations. We’re managing the project under a 10-year contract, providing various optimisation services and commercialising the battery in a number of DSR flexibility services. This enables the Council to earn an income to support its public services, while securing the reliability of its site operations and also contributing towards balancing and stabilising the Grid. www.centricabusinesssolutions.com
ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
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ENERGY SUPPLY
ADOPTING A SUSTAINABLE STANCE ON ENERGY Paul Sheffield, Chief Operating Officer, Haven Power
E
nergy cannot be created or destroyed — it can only be transferred from one form to another. This seems to fly in the face of everything that we know as energy is often being described as ‘wasted.’ However, the conservation of energy is absolute and once you embrace this fact you begin to understand what a precious commodity it really is. Therefore, in order to protect this valuable resource, we need to be sustainable. While there is no agreed definition on its meaning, in energy terms it is about avoiding the depletion of natural resources and supporting the ecological balance long-term. This is something which everyone is responsible for and there has been much debate about being a ‘responsible’ business or citizen to halt the effects of our energy consumption. The government’s Clean Growth Strategy (CGS) promotes growing our national income while ensuring an affordable energy supply for business and consumers, and cutting greenhouse gas emissions at the same time. In fact, as a country, we have committed to reducing these emissions by at least 80 per cent by 2050 when compared to 1990 levels. The public sector is leading the way and setting a good example. Indeed, it has reduced greenhouse gas emissions in its own buildings according to 2017 greenhouse gas emission figures. But more importantly, as the government seeks to not only improve its own energy efficiencies but drive change within businesses, we will all benefit from a more sustainable future. For instance, the government’s promotion of low carbon technologies and technological innovation is encouraging both domestic and business consumers to improve their energy efficiencies and decarbonise their energy supply. As Theresa May commits in her forward to the CSR, the government will help businesses seize opportunities such as electrical vehicles and offshore wind to help them achieve this. But where should public sector organisations start?
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TRANSFORMING THE GRID WITH TECHNOLOGY Technology has a significant role to play in optimising energy supply, helping organisations to capitalise on the opportunities of sustainable solutions in terms of supply and demand. A key element of this is integrating them within the grid. There are a number of options available:
ELECTRIC VEHICLES (EVS) Improvements in battery storage are also benefitting EVs have become a much more viable solution for businesses as they can now operate over an increased range and take less time to charge. They also have double the sustainability benefits — they replace petrol and diesel fuel consumption as well as reducing emissions through the use of battery storage. They also have the potential to balance the grid; smart chargers make it possible to avoid peak periods for recharging and the batteries can also act as storage and place energy back into the grid when needed. The public sector is leading the EV revolution — there are around 75,000 central and local government fleet vehicles and the government has committed to making 25% of its central vehicle fleet electric by 2022. Further to this, it has set ambitions to ensure that almost every car and van in the UK is a zero emissions vehicle by 2025, making the UK a leader in driving sustainability through EVs and battery technology.
REAL-TIME ENERGY MONITORING Smart meters can give accurate information about energy consumption as well as the time of consumption. This means that public sector estates can be monitored, with no disruption, to assess when and how electricity is consumed. This goes much further than the ‘switch of the lights’ mantra by allowing a full audit of energy costs and efficiencies. In turn, this information can be used to uncover potential financial, energy and emissions savings.
ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
MACHINE LEARNING AND DEMAND SIDE RESPONSE Balancing demand on the grid can be a very complex process. As we increase generation from renewable but intermittent sources such as solar and wind, new challenges arise in ensuring a secure power supply. Changing behaviours or installing technology (such as battery storage) to alter the times when energy is used can address these challenges and return significant financial and environmental benefits. However, automating energy consumption and participating in demand side response programmes takes some significant intelligence. Machine learning achieves this as the decision to purchase energy at any given point is based on an accumulation of data —including site and grid data, demand and cost data for the same period the previous day, week, month or year and weather conditions Such technology can also be used to detect anomalies and identify when equipment is at fault or has been left switched on.
POWER PURCHASE AGREEMENTS (PPAS) Strictly an energy buying arrangement but underpinned by technology, a PPA exists either between an end user, energy supplier and generator or directly between a generator and a supplier. The first (tripartite) arrangement covers the purchase of renewable energy from a local source – such as a solar farm or wind farm. This type of PPA supports local renewable energy generation by providing financial stability for the generator while reducing overall UK emissions and supporting the public sector’s own CGS targets. PPAs can link public sector organisations to the renewable power markets, helping to protect them from energy price shocks while lowering carbon footprints and supporting the addition of more renewable energy to
ENERGY SUPPLY the grid. Electricity suppliers who work with a range of generators, buying energy which has been exported to the grid at market prices, should be considered as they can offer longer-term price security, while also ensuring that the generated power is renewable.
BATTERY STORAGE Batteries are often regarded as expensive, large and with a limited lifecycle. This reputation is fair, but with developments in battery technology moving at quite a pace this is set to change. There are already developments in safer, more reliable batteries which can hold a greater amount of energy in a smaller footprint. And according to a survey from Bloomberg New Energy Finance, the average price of a lithiumion battery pack has already fallen to £158 /kilowatt-hour, with prices likely to fall below £75/kWh by 2025. These points are important if battery storage is to influence the energy supply industry as predicted. Planning applications for battery storage capacity in the UK rose from just 2MW in 2012 to 6,874MW in 2018 according to renewableUK. Currently, just 4.8GW of battery storage has gained planning
consent, but even if a fraction of the new applications gains approval, one thing is sure — battery storage on the grid could transform the UK energy market. But why is this important to the public sector? Battery storage gives the means to reduce energy costs as well as carbon emissions. It is ideal for the public sector as it can be installed on a small site and used in combination with back-up generators — equipment that some public sector organisations already have. These batteries can be used to reduce energy costs by storing energy purchased at cheaper times for consumption when the price for electricity is its highest. Additionally, from a sustainability point of view, battery storage can harness the potential of renewable energy generation. Wind and solar power can be intermittent, but batteries can be used to store the energy for later use. Thus, protecting the public sector from any fluctuations in supply while increasing the consumption of renewable energy.
cutting edge monitoring equipment and energy efficiency measures, the public sector has many solutions to consider. Additionally, the convergence of technologies means that the benefits from one can be amplified by another. For instance, an EV fleet can be charged via solar panels. Stored energy can be released back at peak power usage times to avoid high grid costs, or alternatively used for DSR or PPA activity. Public sector organisations are already starting to make significant cost savings and achieve sustainability goals using a combination of technology and flexible solutions. But, with so much choice it can be difficult to select the best options, and this is where the energy industry comes in. Experts can run comprehensive audits and create bespoke energy strategies. The next decade will be pivotal for UK sustainability, and energy consumption within a large establishment is a complex process. Choosing a supplier who understands the public sector’s need to reduce both energy spend and emissions, as well as one which drives innovation forward to achieve a sustainable future, is key. www.havenpower.com
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21
ENERGY AUDITING
PREPARING FOR NEW ENERGY LEGISLATION Businesses and organisations need to be aware of upcoming changes to government energy legislation that will ultimately affect how they manage their energy consumption. Adam Pigott from Kinect Energy Group discusses these changes and his thoughts on how it will impact businesses in the long-term.
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ew government energy legislation to ensure businesses report on their carbon footprint and identify energy efficiencies requires rigorous recording of energy consumption, and eligible organisations and businesses that fail to comply could face large fines. The new Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) framework comes into effect in April 2019 to support efforts to reduce energy consumption and CO2 emissions by 20% by 2030, replacing the current Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC).
WHAT IS STREAMLINED ENERGY AND CARBON REPORTING (SECR) FRAMEWORK? The purpose of the new Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) framework is to simplify carbon and energy reporting requirements for businesses, while also ensuring they have the information they need to enable them to reduce emissions and energy costs. It has been designed to build on existing, mandatory greenhouse gas emissions reporting requirements that apply to UK quoted companies under the Companies Act 2006 (Strategic and Directors’ Reports) Regulations 2013, along with the ESOS regulations 2014. The Government has now published
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guidance and the framework looks set to broaden the number of organisations that need to comply, from roughly 6,000 with the existing Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) reporting requirement to nearly 12,000. SECR will impact all businesses that meet two or more of the following criteria: • Employ 250 people or more • Have an annual turnover ≥£36m • Have an annual balance sheet of ≥ £18m. Qualifying companies will need to report in line with the SECR framework in their directors’ report or equivalent section in their annual report for financial years beginning on or after 1 April 2019. While initiatives like SECR are broadly welcomed and will have a significant impact on the UK’s wider carbon footprint, in the short term the implementation of SECR may create more work for organisations, especially smaller ones. It requires businesses to report not just on their electricity and gas consumption, but also energy used by business-related transport, which will introduce a whole new set of challenges. Many participants won’t currently have the necessary structures in place to capture and report the mandated information, so it will be a steep learning curve and interesting to see how the longer-term benefits stack up against the additional administrative requirements.
DON’T FORGET ESOS PHASE TWO Businesses required to conform with Phase Two of the Energy Savings Opportunities Scheme (ESOS) must ensure they are compliant before 5th December 2019. ESOS was first introduced in 2015 as mandatory UK legislation in response to the Energy Efficiency Directive (EED). Many of the organisations that were required to comply are now benefitting from the energy, carbon and cost reductions identified as a result. Repeating every four years, businesses must ensure they are ESOS Phase 2 compliant before 5th December 2019, to avoid potential penalty. Businesses are advised to act now to avoid a potential shortage of accredited professionals that the sector experienced in Phase 1. Even those that complied four years ago will need to reassess the extent
ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
of their operations in the UK from top level down and ascertain whether they need to comply with Phase 2 – most will. Businesses employing 250 people or more and/or which have a turnover in excess of €50m and a balance sheet of more than €43m must calculate their total energy consumption for a 12-month period, including transportation, and subject at least 90% of that energy consumption to representative energy audits. The sum of the total energy consumption and the results of the audit need to be presented at board level within the organisation and compliance should be lodged with the Environment Agency by the deadline date. Energy cost reductions go straight to the bottom line, while the associated reduction in CO2 emissions brings with it significant reputational benefit. Given that forecasts for both commodity and non-commodity costs show continued increases, the most effective way to make savings is to reduce consumption and to mitigate exposure. The Environment Agency is the UK’s ESOS Phase 2 administrator, and the regulators are as follows: • Environment Agency for organisations whose registered office is in England • Natural Resources Wales for organisations whose registered office is in Wales • Northern Ireland Environment Agency for organisations whose registered office is in Northern Ireland • Scottish Environment Protection Agency for organisations whose registered office is in Scotland • Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy for organisations whose activities consist wholly or mainly of offshore activities New legislation can often be perceived as costly and time-consuming administration but can actually deliver real value to businesses. By identifying and then implementing the energy saving opportunities as a result, decision makers and financial controllers can make sizeable savings on their gas and electricity, as well as benefit at a time of rising energy costs and increased external scrutiny around corporate sustainability. www.kinectenergy.com
HEATING
FITTING BIG HEATING PERFORMANCE INTO SMALLER SPACES
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Energy efficiency and performance do not have to be compromised if the plant room is tight on space or access is limited, as Jonathan Grist, commercial director of Viessmann explains.
ecently published government papers such as the Clean Growth and Clean Air strategy are creating a major shift towards low NOx appliances. Smaller wall-mounted or floor standing condensing boilers are already equipped with low NOx pre-mix burners. However, when it comes to larger heat generators, many energy managers and their contractors, particularly those in larger cities, experience the frustration of having to identify the preferred central heating boiler for their premises, while meeting the latest NOx emissions. Boilers with a heat output of more than 600 kW have in most cases traditionally been equipped with jet burners which are “matched” for performance, with the appropriate boiler. But today, it is not always possible to go down this route while providing a low NOx solution. An additional headache has been that large boilers with third party jet burners just won’t fit in existing plant rooms. Modernising the boiler is an opportunity to improve energy efficiency and reduce running costs, but if the plant room is tight on space or access to the room is narrow at any point, boiler choice can be limited and potential savings lost. This is happening increasingly often because large industrial plantrooms are going out of favour and are being replaced by multiple boiler rooms with smaller spaces. Now there is a new solution to this headache. Real-life problems posed by smaller spaces and limited access have been addressed with new, patented technologies by Viessmann, the leading international heating systems manufacturer. The result is a new gas condensing commercial boiler, the Vitocrossal 200 CRU, which produces 800 to 1,000 kW, within the smallest footprint on the market for a single, high water content modular boiler. It is 27 per cent more compact than its predecessor, thanks to an innovative burner and a clever modular design which allows delivery of the heat exchanger and
burner modules in two separable pieces, rather than one much larger one. The Vitocrossal 200 CRU’s new MatriX premix gas burner is much flatter than a conventional cylindrical burner and achieves powerful performance with a shorter flame, which allows a smaller combustion chamber. These innovations have cut a full metre from the boiler’s length. For heating larger premises with large plant rooms, there is a cascade function for up to eight boilers with a total output of 8,000 kW. Whereas “traditional” pre-mix burners are made of stainless steel and shaped like a cylindrical tube, the Vitocrossal’s CRU disc burner is constructed of sintered and drilled stainless steel mesh. The perforated structure enables very low pressure-drop across the burner material, allowing the combustion chamber to be compact. In addition, this 95 per cent porous material produces stable combustion and achieves a high output at a low flame temperature, which also helps make the burner smaller. Another technical advancement is the extended modulation range of 1:6, which enables greater energy efficiency at partial load and low NOx emissions of less than 24 mg per kWh. Buildings have variable heating loads throughout the year, and lack of boiler control or oversizing the heat generator can cause a boiler to start/ stop too frequently. This never-ending burner cycle reduces system efficiency and increase NOx emissions. The new Vitocrossal’s CRU modulation range and high water-content prevent this, reducing mechanical wear and tear and improving energy efficiency and keep NOx down.
For high operational reliability and long service life, the Vitocrossal 200 CRU employs Viessmann’s proven, corrosion-resistant stainlesssteel Inox-Crossal heat exchanger. This enables highly effective heat transfer and a high condensation rate, as well as reducing maintenance requirements because the smooth stainless-steel surface has a self-cleaning effect. Efficiency is further enhanced by the boiler having two return connections, so that there can be low- and high-temperature circuits for better boiler condensation and energy efficiency. This is highly desirable where two different return temperatures come back to a boiler which is heating two different system types, for example where there is underfloor heating in one part of the building and traditional radiators in another. Better still, there is the capability to control multiple zones in buildings, which is like having a mini BMS system at a fraction of the cost. The boiler can be connected directly to Viessmann’s Vitodata server using proven Vitocom (LAN) interfaces and has integrated WLAN for a service interface. Operating status of the heating centre is monitored around-theclock and if a fault begins to develop the boiler will automatically send a message to the heating contractor’s smartphone. This can be a great advantage, allowing potential faults to be addressed without any interruption to daily business. The greatest advantage of all, however, must be that plantrooms with tight space or limited access no longer have to miss out on best-in-class boiler characteristics. If you’re looking for a high- performance boiler with exceptional energy efficiency, low NOx emissions, and minimal downtime and maintenance costs, it’s worth knowing that a relatively compact boiler now delivers these big benefits. www.viessmann.co.uk
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HEATING
FULTON ACHIEVES CPD CERTIFICATION FOR ITS NEW VSRT TRAINING COURSE
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ulton is delighted to confirm that its VSRT Steam Boiler Operation & Maintenance course has been certified by the CPD Certification Service as conforming to the continuing professional development principles. The news follows the company’s announcement in late-2018 that it had achieved similar CPD Certification status, but for its Vertical Steam Boiler Operation & Maintenance course. Commenting for Fulton, aftercare and business development manager Jeff Byrne says: “You could be forgiven for thinking that achieving certified status for the VSRT course was easy as we had recently achieved similar for our vertical steam boiler course. However, given the radical design of our doubleaward-winning VSRT steam boiler and
the fact that it was only launched in early-2018, it took months of extra assessments to achieve. We are therefore delighted to have gained certification for the training course so quickly.” Designed for boiler operators, the one-day VSRT Steam Boiler Operation & Maintenance course covers basic monitoring and day-to-day operation of steam boilers to provide employees with the knowledge required to ensure boilers are running safely and efficiently. It also focuses on the VSRT’s use of state-of-the-art controls and technology, looks in-depth at its patented spiral heat exchanger and includes training in operational procedures, daily blowdowns and the checking of water levels, alarms, etc. Finally, it examines the importance of correctly treated feedwater and
what boiler inspectors will look for during routine insurance inspections. Further information on Fulton’s training courses can be found on their website www.fulton.co.uk, by calling +44 (0)117 972 3322 or emailing training@fulton.co.uk.
ADVECO TOTEM M-CHP, A LESSON IN REDUCED ENERGY COST AND LOWER EMISSIONS
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ootham School in York, a charitably run independent boarding school, has selected a TOTEM microcogeneration (m-CHP) based system from commercial heating and hot water specialist, Adveco Ltd., for sustainable and cost-effective provision of power and heating throughout the school estate. The system provides £37,000 in annual operational cost savings and reduces the school’s CO2 generation helping adhere to its Quaker values. Working in partnership with Brentwood Consulting Engineers and contractor John Wright Electrical and Mechanical, Adveco recommended the installation of two TOTEM T25 m-CHP units and an Adveco MSS5000 for a prefed boiler system. Electrical generation by the m-CHP would decrease the energy import of the school, as well as lowering carbon dioxide emissions. Heat generated would be delivered to the hot water circuit which operates constantly through the entire school. Adveco also provided Bootham school with a Full Maintenance Contract, covering all moving parts and controls, that guarantees long-lasting CHP unit efficiency. “Whilst there are high servicing costs, we factored all of that into the total lifecycle costs. This means after 10 years rather than replacing the whole unit we can simply extend the contract
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with Adveco, saving the capital cost of installing new units,” says Craig Pierotti, Estates Manager, Bootham School. Running data was analysed against the pre-contract predictions which shows that the units are performing better in terms of cost savings per run hour. By extrapolating the figures to give a full year’s running (6,677 hours) the payback periods for the project will be achieved and Bootham School should save an estimated £36,996. Importantly, the CHP system also enables the school to adhere to its Quaker values with CO2 savings of more than 115,500 (kg.CO2). The NOx emissions are also greatly reduced with emissions from the TOTEM units less than 40 mg/kWh of electricity output. “The installation was completed on time, to cost, and successfully due to the team effort. Everyone was on board and got on with it, otherwise, I don’t think we would be in the situation where we are, producing the results we are today,” says
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Craig “Adveco are constantly monitoring the CHP’s for us and contact us only when they want to come and service the units. It is literally fit and forget. It’s absolutely fantastic!” www.adveco.co
HEATING
PRESERVE YOUR HVAC ASSETS Carl Webb, UK HVAC & Specialist Hire Sales Director at Andrews Sykes, outlines the importance of companies preserving their critical yet often overlooked HVAC assets
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ery few businesses can afford to leave their HVAC requirements to chance when the implications of a breakdown are so farreaching. Failing to plan ahead can have devastating consequences for your reputation and the general operationality of your organisation – depending on the industry in which you work. Reacting to a problem with no preordained recovery strategy immediately puts you on the back foot and this is certainly true where HVAC solutions are concerned. It’s not uncommon for HVAC systems to be disregarded and forgotten about until something goes wrong. When things are working as they should be, the chances are that people won’t even notice the presence of air conditioning or heating, for example. But when these vital amenities fail without warning, there is no hiding place. So, what should you do when this situation arises? In an ideal world, you will already be in contact with a reliable HVAC supplier capable of fulfilling your obligations. The issue of climate control – or lack thereof – has the potential to seriously damage morale and productivity if not properly addressed. By hiring equipment on a temporary basis, temperaturerelated frustrations are quickly placated without the hassle of capital investment, relocation, set-up, storage, maintenance and other ownership costs.
ACCOUNTABILITY As a custodian of your company’s best interests, you have a responsibility to ensure the premises for which you are accountable remain comfortable at all times. Workplace Regulations place a legal requirement on businesses to keep temperatures cool during the summer months and sufficiently warm throughout winter. When subjected to excessively hot conditions, your members of staff are at a far greater risk of suffering headaches, dizziness and similar complaints – all of which are directly linked to the absence of suitable temperature control. Similarly, colder environments sap morale and reduce productivity. Losing employees due to illness will unquestionably
affect long-term output but all these scenarios are entirely avoidable if the appropriate steps are taken.
ARE TEMPORARY SOLUTIONS AN OPTION? Hiring heating or air conditioning units on a short-term basis has several advantages over buying outright. Your chosen supplier should be aware of your budget and will likely regard acquiring high value assets as a poor use of limited financial resources if the situation does not call for it. The flexibility afforded to customers who rent equipment means that it can be removed as soon as any extreme seasonal temperatures subside. Should circumstances change unexpectedly, the quantity and capacity of units on your site can quickly be altered to accommodate the latest requirement. This adaptable arrangement also circumvents the often-protracted process of getting capital expenditure authorised for any equipment purchase. It is therefore important that your provider’s fleet incorporates the most up-to-date technology on the market. This will guarantee the availability of fully compliant, energy-efficient products which have been specifically designed for the application in which they are needed.
PRECAUTIONARY MEASURES By recognising that cooling or heating equipment will be required before the winter or summer seasons arrive, you have more time to source and secure the right solution. In order to simplify this procedure, specialist engineers should be on hand to conduct a free site survey to establish the equipment configuration. This allows them to identify which units are most suitable for the building or space in question. Although a permanent heating system is installed in almost every facility – with air conditioning also installed in many – supplementary components are often required to work alongside what is already there.
MAINTENANCE AND SERVICING Perhaps the main benefit of renting air conditioning is not having to concern yourself with any maintenance or repair works. As part of any contract you have in place with a supplier, you should ensure their technicians are on call 24 hours a day to support you in the event of a breakdown. This service ought to come at no extra cost and will afford you additional peace of mind. When a fixed system undergoes a period of planned upkeep, durable yet economical HVAC units represent the perfect replacement while necessary repairs are carried out. This equipment will deliver a comfortable environment until scheduled work has concluded and act as a perfect intermediary during this transitional period. Outdoor temperatures may fluctuate on a day-to-day basis but with a rapid response to emergencies guaranteed, there is no reason why your business cannot continue to function normally. www.andrews-sykes.com
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HEATING
EVINOX ENERGY SUPPLY CANARY WHARF’S NEW DISTRICT, WOOD WHARF
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new urban district is being created in London’s Canary Wharf, which when complete will feature up to 3,600 new homes, a GP’s surgery, a two form primary school for 420 children, 490,000sq ft of retail space and eight acres of public spaces squares and parks. The development, called Wood Wharf, has been designed to provide a new residential led, mixed use, waterside community and is expected to be completed by 2023. The scheme was approved by Tower Hamlets Council in 2014, which described its design as “innovative”. In recognition of this innovation, Wood Wharf won the Tall Buildings category of the MIPIM Architectural Review Future Project Awards in 2014. Working with the developer, Canary Wharf Group (CWG), in combination with SES Engineering Services, Emico and Haydon Mechanical & Electrical contractors, Evinox Energy supplied heating and cooling interface units for 1330 apartments for the first phases of this development, with more to follow for the remaining phases. Homes are all connected to a district heating network, with each apartment featuring a ModuSat XR-ECO Twin Plate heat interface unit for the supply of heating and hot water and a ModuSat Single Plate interface unit to provide cooling. Interface units were tested by BSRIA as a requirement of this project, something Evinox were happy to undertake, confident their first-class
product manufacturing and performance would exceed the required results. Peter Linehan, Evinox Technical Sales Manager comments, “The main objective of the testing was to confirm the performance of the heating and cooling units under the specific design parameters of Wood Wharf phases A2/A3, E1/E2. The method statement was based upon three different sources; BESA UK Standard for Heat Interface Units Technical Specification, BSRIA BTS 2/2015 Test Method for Heat Interface Units and recommendations from the clients commissioning company.” Peter continued, “Evinox’s ModuSat XR-ECO TP HIU’s and ModuSat SP CIU’s were submitted, with a total of 8 units tested at the BSRIA Test House. These included each building’s most common HIU/CIU model and high load units. The interface units achieved excellent results, performing to the project requirements, which culminated in an order for the first 5 phases of the Wood Wharf development.” In addition to the efficient performance of the ModuSat units, Evinox equipment was also chosen due to the flexibility of manufacturing and short delivery timescales. “On-time” delivery schedules were critical for this project, as some of the equipment was being built into prefabricated pods by a third party prior to delivery to site. Their range of heat interface units are designed and developed internally by technical engineers to UK standards, and
NEVER RUN OUT OF HOT WATER WITH RINNAI
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innai’s multipoint continuous flow ErP A-rated gas fired 11i water heater units are the perfect antidote - to more traditional storage systems. Proven to deliver high volumes of hot water at any time of the day, the high performance 11i ensures user comfort and safety with 100% accurate water temperature control. These energy efficient, low NOx units, ideal for domestic and light commercial sites, are neat and compact, with not a tank in sight. Internally wall mounted, the multipoint Rinnai 11i model measures 675 x 370 x 134mm and weighs just 16kg with a gas consumption range between 6.10kW – 21.60kW, and an 11-metre maximum flow. Users of the multipoint 11i water heaters can rest assured that there is
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no fluctuation in water temperatures, even if, for example, the tap is turned on in the kitchen at the same time as the shower is running in the bathroom, the temperature remains constant. Whilst small, the multipoint Rinnai 11i is tough with a robust heat exchanger, in-built frost protection and user-friendly digital controls. The units are simple to install and maintain in any small or limited space. Ideally placed to replace cumbersome and outdated stored water heaters or multipoint water heaters, these low NOx continuous flow units are proven to be more energy efficient and are the installer and users’ water heating system of choice. www.rinnaiuk.com
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built in Evinox’s own production facility in Brasov Romania by partner Romradiatoare, using lean manufacturing principles. Working closely with component suppliers enables them to deliver bespoke units, built to project specific requirements, in a timely manner. One of the key components used in every ModuSat HIU, is the high efficiency plate heat exchanger from SWEP, who are a world-leading supplier of brazed plate heat exchangers for HVAC and industrial applications. Evinox’s ModuSat XR-ECO HIU delivers impressive, ultra-low DHW return temperatures to the primary network by incorporating SWEP high efficiency domestic hot water plate heat exchangers with volumetrics that encourage turbulent flow. This contributes to excellent annual Volume Weighted Return Temperatures and system operating efficiency. For further information about Evinox’s integrated communal & district heating solutions, please visit www.evinoxenergy.co.uk
HEATING
CHP IN COMMUNAL HEAT NETWORKS In its Clean Growth Strategy, the government identified heat networks as playing a vital role in the long-term decarbonisation of heat. Mike Hefford, Remeha CHP’s General Manager, discusses the benefits of putting CHP at the heart of communal heat networks
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ow we heat our homes and buildings is critical to helping the UK to achieve its binding 2050 commitment of reducing emissions by 80% on 1990 levels. Heat networks have been identified by the government as one of the most cost-effective means of using energy more efficiently in multi-occupancy buildings, particularly in denser urban areas. By capturing energy that is often wasted in power generation and supplying it to homes and buildings, heat networks achieve the twin goals of reducing carbon emissions from heating and lowering costs for consumers.
ROLE OF CHP While a district heat network distributes heat from a central source through a network to multiple buildings, smaller communal heat networks typically supply space and water heating from an energy centre within a single building to multiple occupants. Given that over 80% of the UK’s heat networks are communal, these smaller heating schemes are an important part of the drive to reduce emissions cost-effectively and deliver lower bills for consumers. A combination of different heat sources can be used in communal energy centres. But one low carbon technology that can offer real, tangible benefits is Combined Heat and Power (CHP). CHP has a pivotal role to play within these energy centres, achieving a more efficient system that will reduce energy costs while contributing to grid stability and the integration of renewable energy.
30% ENERGY SAVINGS Why CHP? CHP generates lower cost, lower carbon electricity and heat simultaneously, close to where it is needed. While traditional power stations lose up to two thirds of the fuel consumed as heat, CHP recovers and re-uses the ‘waste’ heat to provide
useful, high-grade space heating or hot water in buildings. Through this highlyefficient on-site generation process, CHP can reduce primary energy usage by up to 30% and emissions by up to 20%, compared with conventional methods of generating electricity and heat.
SPARK SPREAD As CHP produces site electricity at lower gas prices, it is capable of delivering considerable financial benefits. The greater the ‘spark spread’ – or difference between gas and electricity costs – the greater the savings from a heat network centred around a CHP system and the lower the bills. In recent years, the spark spread has been widening, providing a compelling economic as well as environment argument for displacing carbon-intensive grid electricity with CHP electricity.
ADDED SECURITY The UK energy system is undergoing its greatest change in many years. As coal is phased out by 2025 and renewable energy sources soar, the electricity grid is evolving to adapt to the changing energy mix. The modern system must be capable of smoothing out any fluctuations while preparing for the additional demand for electricity and higher peak loads imposed by electric vehicles. And crucially, CHP and local generation can play a key part in ensuring a reliable, secure energy supply by contributing to grid stability and supporting the integration of renewable energy.
SYSTEM OPTIMISATION As the UK decarbonises heat, energy efficiency must be a major driver across all points to reduce emissions. Given that the energy centres supplying communal heat networks will typically combine a mix of heat sources, it’s essential that the system is designed to optimise overall performance.
How to go about this? One solution is to seek specialist advice from suppliers from the outset. At the planning stage, initial feasibility checks are important to assess whether CHP is the right technology for the site, while accurate sizing will help ensure that the system delivers on its full potential. Consider too how the CHP unit will be integrated with secondary heat sources and other components as this will impact on the energy savings benefits. Here again, early engagement with suppliers can help create a design that maximises both the efficiency of the individual components and the overall system. When integrating CHP with condensing boilers, for example, the boilers must operate without influence from the CHP unit. Where space heating and domestic hot water are controlled by heat interface units (HIUs), suppliers will be able to advise on the appropriate HIUs for use on lower temperature circuits to ensure the required delivery of heating and hot water. Last but not least, good suppliers will be able to offer service contracts to ensure long-term smooth and reliable operation as, like all equipment, CHP benefits from routine maintenance.
TAKING ACTION Generating heat for our homes and nondomestic buildings accounts for around a third of the country’s carbon emissions. So the way we heat our buildings will need to change significantly and soon if we are to meet our carbon reduction targets and diversify our energy supply mix. Communal heat networks centred around CHP have a valuable role to play in the decarbonisation of heat, providing reliable, secure and affordable low carbon heat and electricity while supporting a more flexible, stable energy system. Local authorities looking to develop heat networks can access financial support and guidance through the Heat Networks Delivery Unit (HNDU) and the Heat Networks Investment Project (HNIP). Mike Hefford is Remeha CHP’s General Manager. He heads up a dedicated team of CHP specialists who provide support at every stage of the project. Remeha’s CHP range spans 5.5kWe to 150kWe. To arrange a Remeha CPD on CHP, contact sales@remeha.co.uk.
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HEATING
SERVICE CONTRACTS: THE EASY WAY TO ACHIEVE OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY Running a steam business is a busy job full of deadlines and complexities and sometimes it can become difficult to stay on top of system upkeep. So how do plant managers make sure that their steam system operates at peak efficiency, even when it’s difficult to work out what needs doing and when? Iain Harper, Service Sales Manager UK and Ireland at Spirax Sarco explains:
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hances are, the most cost-effective way for plant managers to keep their steam system operating at its full potential, is to outsource some, or all, of the maintenance work. A service contract is a flexible way to make sure that a plant maintains peak operational efficiency, ensures equipment longevity and gives the customer peace of mind that all their equipment is safely maintained by dedicated engineers. Whether old equipment has been replaced to update the plant, or a completely new system has been installed, having a service contract in place ensures that there exists the
freedom to choose a level of support to match the needs and budget of the plant manager. What’s more, maintenance can take place on site to limit business downtime. This can fit around any plant shutdowns or planned maintenance. Those who opt for a service contract will never have to commit to an agreement that provides services which don’t apply to them, as customers provide the details of what they want included in their own, bespoke agreement. Therefore, if a regular cleaning of the plate heat exchanger is needed without 24-hour priority response cover, plant managers can choose (and pay for) what
they need, and nothing more. Things don’t always go to plan in the plant room or boilerhouse, but it certainly needn’t be a disaster if those unplanned issues do rear their heads from timeto-time. A service contract gives those who manage the steam plant priority over those without a contract in place, ensuring that they receive the support they need when it is most needed. Imagine the prospect of an efficient plant that runs safely and efficiently, but also has a much lower risk of breakdown and costly downtime. That’s exactly what plant managers get when they have a service contract in place. sxscom.uk/ServiceContracts
RINNAI WITH LPG IS LOW NOX, SUSTAINABLE AND PERFECT FOR OFF-GRID
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innai condensing hot water heater units using LPG deliver lower carbon emission figures, greater energy efficiencies and are more economic to run than other sources such as oil or electric – making them the first choice for off-grid installations and sites. For specifiers and installers, helping an off-grid user select a low NOx energy efficient water heater is critical – and a condensing continuous flow water heater using LPG is one of the most efficient and environmentally friendly options available. By choosing a continuous flow water heater instead of a standard electric water heater, an end user can reduce energy costs by up to 50% and reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 61%. When compared with oil-fired systems this saving is even greater. Tests show that a Rinnai Infinity condensing water heater emits 35.18mg/ kwh NOx compared with a typical oil boiler that emits approximately 364 mg/kwh NOx. That means a Rinnai condensing water heater emits
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approximately 10% of the NOx that an oil boiler emits, a 90% reduction. Therefore, combining a gas boiler and a Rinnai water heater will radically reduce NOx. On the 26th September 2018, the EU introduced new stricter parameters for NOx emissions in the gas water heater category. The new NOx level was set at 56mg/kwh. Rinnai water heaters are well in advance of the criteria demonstrating product quality and superior performance. The new criteria for oil fired boilers or liquid fuels has been set at 120mg/kwh, highlighting that current appliances and the oil-fired market has some way to go before it can achieve a similar level to that of gas. If we compare the production of CO2 between gas and electricity we find that for every GJ (277.78kW) of energy used gas will produce 44.44kg compared to 103kg with electric. We can see that for the same energy used electricity will produce twice the amount of one of the major greenhouse gases.
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The efficiency of this type of electrical generation is as low as 40%. So, if we now compare the use of electricity to LPG to heat hot water we find that electricity is 40% efficient in comparison to a Rinnai water heater which returns 107% nett efficiency. Electricity is not the ‘green’ fuel that its marketing portrays it to be. It produces more CO2 than LPG but is also less efficient, by far. An LPG continuous flow water heater is an ‘on-demand’ system. When a hot-water tap is opened, the unit reads the demand and starts the heating process. The water flows through a heat exchanger, where it heats to the desired temperature using only as much gas as is needed. When the tap is turned off, the heater automatically shuts off. www.rinnaiuk.com
HEATING
STOKVIS MODUPAK DELIVERS HIGH EFFICIENCY HEATING FOR REDEVELOPMENT OF HABERDASHERS’ MONMOUTH SCHOOLS
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he construction of an extensive new music school and performance arts centre at the renowned Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools in Wales, has seen the project team call on the capabilities of Stokvis Energy Systems to provide a modular boiler system to meet all of the building’s heating requirements. Oxfordshire-based QODA Consulting was the highly experienced consultancy which took responsibility for the mechanical and electrical package while Narbeths, one of South Wales’ foremost and prestigious mechanical installers, fitted the custombuilt Modupak solution. This included three R40 EVOLUTION boilers, together with a pair of Stokvis Econoplate BV units for HWS, consisting of plate heat exchangers, buffer vessels, circulation pumps and controls. A Stokvis Econopress pressurisation set was also supplied.
Paul Young of QODA Consulting commented, “Over the years, we have worked on a whole portfolio of projects with Stokvis: both educational and commercial. And we keep coming back to the company not just because the equipment is very reliable, but we also always get excellent technical back up and design support.” That support saw Stokvis Energy Systems’ area representative go into QODA’s offices, assisting with sizing the R40s to ensure they offered sufficient capacity and maintenance flexibility for the redevelopment’s combination of underfloor heating and conventional radiators. Refined over 400 years in the heart of Wye Valley, Haberdashers’ Monmouth Schools educate girls and boys aged three to 18 through a unique combination of single-sex and co-educational environments at the optimum stages of
their academic and personal development. A new purpose built sixth form residential house has also been created. Easy to site, eco-friendly and with multiple cascade choices, the R40 EVOLUTION and its virtually limitless Modupak options, make this new boiler range from Stokvis one of the most flexible on the market. www.stokvisboilers.com.
HIGH-PERFORMANCE CONTINUOUS FLOW HOT WATER HEATING FOR ALL APPLICATIONS
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innai’s Infinity range of 11i,17i &17e ErP A-rated continuous flow gas fired water heaters are specifically designed for low NOx domestic/light commercial use and guarantee the highest efficiencies and lowest running costs at consistently accurate temperatures 24/7 compared with any other method of hot water delivery. The Rinnai Infinity range of continuous flow – sometimes referred to as ‘multi-point’ - water heating units are being specified and installed for domestic/residential sites including: cafes, pubs, restaurants, offices, shops, hairdressers, commercial units, caravan parks and leisure facilities as installers and end users become increasingly aware of their energy saving benefits. The increase in uptake is because Rinnai’s low NOx continuous flow heater systems are proven to be more energy efficient than storage systems and as such are becoming the experts’ preferred method of hot water provision. The word is out that the Rinnai units easily cater for projects that need high volumes of water at intermittent times of day delivered at accurate temperatures to ensure user comfort and safety. They are also easy to operate and simple to install and maintain. Plus, they are all low NOx satisfying the Eco-design regulation.
Rinnai’s Infinity 17i unit, for example, eliminates fluctuations in water temperature, so, no more cold showers or scalding hot baths – the water temperature you set is the water temperature you get. So, if somebody is happily showering at 42°C and a tap is turned on to draw a bath elsewhere in the property, the temperature does not vary, and there is no chance of either user running out of hot water. The Rinnai Infinity 17i interior model measures 675 x 370 x 139mm and weighs in at just 18kg. The room sealed unit has a temperature range of 35°C to 60°C with direct electronic ignition. Gas consumption ranges between 4.7kW-34.9kW for Natural Gas and 4.9kW-36.8kW when using LPG. Hot water delivery flow is an impressive 16ltr max flow and 2.4 ltr/min minimum flow. Nominal operation pressure is 1-7 bar and it uses a 230V AC 50Hz 1ph power supply with an electrical consumption of 68W. Meanwhile, where an external installation is required, the Rinnai Infinity 17e external continuous flow water heater offers greater
flexibility at the design stage and delivers a viable solution where flue runs are problematic or internal space is not available. Capable of flow rates reaching 510 litres per hour at a 50°C rise, the 17e is suitable for multiple applications and can be specified for use with Natural Gas or propane. The 17e has full frost protection and is available with a range of external ancillary items, including pipe cover box – and security cage where necessary. The Infinity 11i interior unit differs from the 17i as it weighs 2kg less at 16kg and consumes 6.10kW - 21.60kW of Natural Gas. Under the ACOP L8 (Legionella guidelines), continuous flow water heaters are favoured as the units are normally positioned close to the outlets, in restaurants for example, where the system turnover is frequent and store volumes are small meaning legionella risk is minimal. All three models are available exstock in either natural gas or LPG. www.rinnaiuk.com
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HEAT PUMPS
HEAT PUMPS AND DISTRICT HEATING Guy Ransom, commercial director, Finn Geotherm.
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eat pump systems as a means of delivering heat and hot water for buildings are not a new concept. The first large scale heat pump was installed in Norwich in 1945. More than 70 years on however, we are still not even close to reaping the potential of this superb technology. A heat pump is basically a fridge in reverse. It takes latent background heat, from the earth or the air and, using a combination of refrigeration circuits, pumps and compressors, multiplies that heat to a level usable within domestic or commercial heating circuits. Depending upon the flow temperature set, the system can be expected to deliver 3 - 4 kW of heat for each kW of electricity input. This allows a heat pump to use less energy, be cheaper to run and to create far less CO2 than a conventional heating system. As an illustration, heat pumps can reduce heating costs by 75%, compared to electric storage heaters. District heating or a communal heat network refers to heating provision for a number of properties from one central heat pump system. Heat pumps are modular so district heating schemes can be designed to heat any number of properties of all sizes, from flats to detached houses. Schemes can be retrofitted to existing properties or installed in new builds. A good heat pump installer will recommend the optimum number of properties per heat pump to deliver maximum efficiency through the heating circuit to each house. This could be as few as 10 homes or as many as 150 per system. Heat pump systems can also run in tandem in multiple bases and plant rooms to provide heating and how water for an almost limitless number of homes under one district heating scheme.
FUEL POVERTY It is astounding to know that today just over 11% of the country’s households are in fuel poverty. The most recent annual fuel poverty statistics report
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from BEIS revealed that there were an estimated 2.55 million fuel poor households in England in 2016 – a 0.1% increase from the previous year. Electric storage heaters form a large proportion of the heating provision in social housing and they still continue to be installed as standard despite their unsuitability. These heaters are not only ineffective, but they are also very costly to run. By replacing individual heaters such as these with one district heating system, housing associations can dramatically reduce heating costs for their tenants – often by as much as two-thirds – and deliver homes which are warm and enjoyable to live in. It’s true that an adequately or well heated property will deliver additional benefits for the homeowner too such as improved health through a reduction in damp and better air quality, as well as keeping the buildings and their contents in better condition.
PAYBACK PERIODS AND LIFECYCLE COSTS When designed correctly, a heat pump can result in significant financial and logistical advantages to users, particularly for district heating schemes. The relatively low running costs of heat pumps enable housing providers to charge less for the delivery of heat, while still making a profit on heat generation. The choice of how the benefit is split can be left to individual providers, but typically a 50% reduction in billing would still result in 60% profit against electric storage heaters. Savings to tenants can also be offered when comparing to an oil boiler, although they are less than with electric storage heaters. District heating schemes qualify for the Government’s non-domestic Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). Payable for 20 years, this can result in quarterly payments to the heat pump owner (ie, a housing association) which are twice the electrical cost of running the heat pump. With this incentive, a scheme will typically payback in around 10 years, enabling the benefits of the system to be gained with an effective capital cost of less than zero – and still leaving another decade of payments to be made to the housing association. The RHI is set to be in place until April
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2021 so it is advisable to ensure any new district heating installations are locked into scheme before this date to ensure they qualify and will deliver the quarterly payments for 20 years. Gas and oil-fired boilers typically have a lifespan of around 10 years. A heat pump is normally three times this so by installing a district heating scheme, housing providers can be sure of heating which will last some 30 years+, rather than an ongoing 10 year cycle of boiler replacements.
MAINTENANCE Significant benefits also exist for the maintenance of district heating schemes versus individual heating systems. As the heat pump equipment is all located within a central plant room, there is no need to gain access to individual tenant properties for servicing. Maintenance is also very straightforward as, being a non-combustion based system, scheduled servicing is more a matter of checking everything continues to perform as expected, rather than cleaning or replacing components. Leading heat pump systems can be linked to the internet so monitoring and adjustment can often be carried out remotely, further reducing costs and the probability of system breakdown. Any potential issues can be picked up before they become problems. In addition, with at least two heat pumps providing the load for any one district heating system, when servicing is required the load is simply switched from one heat pump to another, without having any impact at all on tenants.
GOING GREEN Heat pumps are highly beneficial from an environmental perspective. There is ongoing pressure for all businesses and organisations to reduce carbon emissions. A heat pump will not only reduce operational costs by three quarters, but it will also reduce carbon emissions by the same amount. The Government’s latest insulation regime, which has been designed to help reduce emissions by reducing heat loss can only have a limited impact. Additional insulation and cladding can only save up to around 50% in the best possible cases. However, if we examine the
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CASE STUDY: system actually producing the heat and therefore the emissions instead, there is so much more potential to make a real difference. By replacing electric or gas heating with a heat pump, energy consumption can be reduced by around 75%, meaning that emissions are also reduced at the same rate. In addition, schemes to provide insulation do not deliver any additional benefit to the property owner, whereas the RHI does – and will do so for 20 years. The latest report from the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) on UK housing has once again provided a stark reminder that the country is not on target to meet the required reduction in carbon emissions. As part of its recommendations, the CCC is suggests that no new homes are connected to the gas grid from 2025 at the latest. Heat pumps are recommended to be used within both new builds and retrofitted to existing properties as part of the priorities we need to act on as a nation.
INVESTMENT Installing district heating is an investment. It is more costly than replacing old storage heaters and boilers for new – but it is an investment which pays many dividends. The RHI payments and payback periods are all direct financial benefits, not to mention the carbon emission reductions and improved green credentials. In addition, there are huge benefits for the tenants themselves including affordability and cutting fuel poverty, as well as comfort and enjoyment of their homes. It is an investment in the future. While it is still a relatively new approach to heating in this country, district heating has been used across Europe and beyond for many, many years. However, it is positive to see housing associations such as Flagship Group in Norfolk adopting district heating and already reaping the numerous benefits, with roll out of further schemes built into its organisational strategy. We will continue to champion the cause for district heating to be considered for all new build social housing. www.finn-geotherm.co.uk
FLAGSHIP GROUP – ORCHARD CLOSE, WATTON
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lagship Group in East Anglia are one organisation that have taken the benefit of district heating on board and, with renewable heating experts Finn Geotherm and facilities management company Aaron Services Ltd, have completed a 30-house scheme at Orchard Close in Watton, Norfolk. The system uses two 60kW Lampoassa ground source heat pumps to meet the heating and hot water needs of the Close. The system, thought to be the first in domestic use in the East of England, was installed ultimately to improve the quality and affordability of customer heating systems and living conditions in the flats. Previously, the residents at Orchard Close had electric Economy Seven storage heaters which were inefficient and expensive to run. The new system, which draws energy from the earth, is not only cutting people’s energy bills by half, but it also results in zero carbon emissions. A fixed charge per flat has been set, enabling the tenants to use as much heat or hot water as they need without worrying about high heating bills. Each flat also has a heat meter to ensure the billing remains consistently less than it would have been with the previous heating system. The installation qualifies for the RHI, which assists with the project’s capital cost, allowing Flagship to roll out the much-improved heating system into other homes in the future. A second district heating project is currently underway. Matt Smith, Compliance Manager at Flagship, said: “Ground source heat pumps are a low maintenance, sustainable way of heating our homes which are a fantastic solution for our customers. We are committed to continually improving our renewable energy sources to help tackle fuel poverty and reduce our carbon footprint, and this system does that. Capital investment by Flagship, as well as the RHI, provides a positive and sustainable return for us and our customers.” Finn Geotherm’s Commercial Director Guy Ransom said: “I’m delighted that Flagship
have decided to use the technology for their customers. Heat pumps are a well tried and tested technology. Finn Geotherm have been installing systems in the UK, in all kinds of properties, for more than 10 years. The systems themselves are made in Finland where they experience extremely cold weather conditions, so we know how efficient they are. Ground source heat pumps are extremely reliable as they should last for more than 30 years. This provides additional reassurance for Flagship and their customers.” The system is also connected to the Finn Geotherm offices which allows it to be monitored wirelessly to see how much heat is being used. This installation was awarded the prestigious title of Sustainable Project of the Year in the HVR Awards 2017. https://finn-geotherm.co.uk/
KEY BENEFITS OF THE PROJECT INCLUDE: • Reduced energy bills – immediate and long term • 20 year income for the housing association from the RHI • 75% less CO2 • Encourages customers to heat their homes, positively impacting on their health – reduction in damp and improved air quality • Low maintenance requirements – cost and frequency • Less intrusion for customers as equipment is stored in an external Plant Room • Lasts three times longer than a conventional boiler
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LIGHTING
SHINING A LIGHT ON ENERGY SAVINGS Mark Calder is a Business Development Manager heading up the new arbn lighting division at proptech firm arbnco, which develops software solutions to improve the energy efficiency of commercial and public sector real estate.
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e all know that switching to more efficient, better quality lighting is one of the most effective ways of reducing energy consumption. If a switch from incandescent bulbs to LEDs is implemented across an entire portfolio of properties, for example, it could generate thousands of pounds in savings each year. What many remain unaware of, however, is that even within the LED market itself, there remains huge potential for lighting to transform spaces and have more of a positive economic and environmental impact. This enhanced ability largely hinges on three elements: the ability of light sources to render colour, more intelligent lighting controls, and Lighting as a Service (LaaS) models that enable savings to be made with no upfront investment.
COLOUR RENDERING INDEX Colour Rendering Index (CRI) measures the colour spectrum of light produced by a given light source, and how accurately it shows an object’s true colour. It is a selection of 15 frequencies that represent a sample across the visible colour spectrum. The index runs from zero to 100, with higher numbers denoting a better ability to render colours - though no light source, not even the sun, will return a perfect 100 CRI result. The ability of a light source to render colours can be one of the most important factors in reducing energy consumption. The higher the CRI, the more opportunities to reduce illumination levels and generate savings. Industry standard LED lighting typically produces light with a CRI in the low 80s. While this may seem high, in reality it means that some of the 15 frequencies will be missing. Shades of red will typically be lost, as the phosphor levels required to produce red from an LED chip are more difficult and more expensive to manufacture - though extensive research by some lighting manufacturers has found methods of overcoming this. This means that with lower CRI lighting, we need to compensate for the missing
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frequencies by increasing the number of light fixtures or the light level intensity. With high quality lighting with a CRI of 95+ - as close to daylight as possible - the same visual acuity can be achieved at lower light levels. This avoids the need to provide overly bright light for a task, saves energy and enhances the environment. The benefits of this lighting for certain environments – such as medical or dentistry – are clear, as these require lighting that can show a true colour representation. For offices, where there is a high occupancy rate and therefore a lot of light fixtures, the savings made would be significant. The benefits extend beyond savings, however, and relate also to employee health and wellbeing. Better quality, close-to-natural lighting can alleviate many of the side effects of artificial light, such as headaches, lapses in concentration, and low productivity. Public safety and wellbeing is also something that improved lighting can help to address through the street lamp network. Not only is a high CRI light source able to pierce through fog, improving pedestrian, cycling and driving conditions, but it could also help to reduce street crimes, by simulating around-the-clock daylight. For energy managers, all of these factors strengthen the case for adoption.
TAKING BETTER CONTROL In addition to high CRI lighting, energy managers should be looking to adopt an intelligent control system that enables them to better manage operations and maintenance across a portfolio. A system with WiFi connected lights, for example, would enable managers to have control of individual fittings, meaning they could set the rules and supervise. They could set the lighting at an appropriate level for the required task for a given room or floor. This would mean lighting levels aren’t subject to
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the whim of one occupant, and there is minimal wasted energy output. It could respond to time settings and natural light levels, so that managers could ensure the lighting is on only when it needs to be. It could also be programmed to demand response requests from utility companies, reducing energy consumption during peak times to alleviate pressure on the national grid, and producing an additional revenue stream for local authorities. Moreover, if each light was individually WiFi connected, this could be incredibly useful from a predictive maintenance perspective. Each light could report its usage to the cloud, meaning remaining lifespan could be calculated so that fading lights could be proactively identified and replaced. The collection of this data would also facilitate more informed decisions. Each light’s energy consumption could be collated into a portfolio-wide report, enabling usage to be monitored, and ‘hotspots’ to be clearly identified.
LIGHTING AS A SERVICE New LaaS models being introduced to the UK make it easier for energy managers to implement lighting improvements. Getting sign off from procurement for an energy efficiency project is difficult, particularly in the public sector where resources are often stretched. LaaS alleviates cashflow and budget acceptance problems, by
LIGHTING
taking away the burden of installation costs. Instead, payback is made from the generated energy savings. This model could work particularly well where consumption on a network is huge - such as for street lamps - which would traditionally require an upfront investment for a vast amount of product. Energy managers should also carefully consider warranties when selecting a lighting provider, as any cost savings on energy consumption can be easily wiped out by maintenance, labour and replacement costs further down the line. Non-prorated guarantees ensure this can be avoided.
ASSESSING IMPROVEMENT OPTIONS Identifying and understanding energy efficiency projects can be a difficult task, especially for public sector energy managers who have a portfolio of properties to review. It requires a lot of manual calculations to work out any costs of installation, the savings made, payback periods, and the impact this will have on overall performance. Energy mangers should input data from the base building model into a software platform that can automatically run these calculations, and help them to make a quick assessment. For example, for a LaaS lighting project, it could instantly calculate how long the payback period would be before the savings became a positive cashflow. It could also aid decisions on where those savings could be reinvested into other retrofit solutions, by determining the feasibility, costs and returns of other potential improvements. Before embarking on a project, it is essential that energy managers have a full understanding of the overall impact on the energy performance for each building. Software solutions could assist with this, by outlining how individual EPCs might be altered and what this means for compliance risk, for legislation such as the Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards. Colour rendering ability is an often neglected but crucial component in reducing energy consumption through lighting. When combined with advanced lighting controls that give energy managers the means of setting targeted, responsive programmes, predicting any maintenance requirements, and access to a wealth of data at their fingertips, the potential for savings is huge. Through the advance of LaaS models, the case for adoption is made stronger. https://arbnco.com
HILCLARE LAUNCHES HIGH EFFICIENCY SUSPENDED LED HIGH BAY The Manchester-based commercial lighting specialist, Hilclare, has launched Illora – a new high performing, low cost, suspended LED linear high bay.
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ffering up to 50,000 hours of life and available in a white powder coated steel finish, this model is suitable for a range of installations including; warehouses, sports halls, shopping centres, manufacturing plants, and large conference areas where ceiling heights may be up to 20m. Flexible to suit a variety of installations and easy to install, Illora is suitable for ceiling, trunking and suspension mounting, and is capable of focusing light more directly in order to illuminate the space more efficiently. Complete with various lens systems including 30°, 60° and 90°, together with high rack, emmergency, dimming and eyelet suspension, Illora also boasts a five-year warranty; making this model a low cost fit and forget lighting solution. Commenting on this latest launch, Chris Pearson, Managing Director at Hilclare said: “Illora is perfect for any large indoor space that needs to be illuminated. LED surpasses the
capabilities of conventional lighting in many ways. Not only does it require little maintenance, it offers improved lighting quality and better energy efficiency with no heat loss and omnidirectional emission. With an enviable life span and warranty, we are confident that this model will be well received.” For further information contact Carolyn Holland, Marketing Manager on 0161 886 7190.
For more information, please visit: publicsectorenergyevents.co.uk ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • MARCH 2019
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LIGHTING
GOODLIGHT UNVEIL INNOVATIVE RANGE OF SIX ARCHITECTURAL LED DOWNLIGHTS
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oodlight has expanded its range of energy efficient, long-life solutions with the launch of a professional range of recessed and suspended LED Downlights, designed for architectural interiors. With energy ratings of A+ and above and maintenance savings of more than 95%, this elegant, high- end collection is suitable for multiple applications, including premium office space, retail, healthcare, commercial, hospitality and education. The new Goodlight Architectural range features six stylish LED downlighters that are designed to replace traditional Downlights and seamlessly blend into modern interiors. Manufactured with specifiers in mind, these luminaires incorporate precision optics, robust thermal management and well-composed light performance. Commenting, Saima Shafi, Sales and Marketing Director at Goodlight said, “Our new portfolio of Architectural LED Downlights are designed for lighting designers, specifiers and architects, looking for superior, contemporary light fittings that highlight architectural features in a variety of applications. With ultra-long lifespans of 50,000 hours and guaranteed energy efficiencies, this range of LED luminaires provide sustainable and effective product solutions.” The new Elegante LED Downlight is a design-driven, high quality luminaire that replaces standard CFL and halogen downlighters. Featuring an integral driver, it allows for quick and easy installation and provides a beautiful, natural symmetric lighting effect from its 60° beam angle and is designed to blend into the architectural style of the interior. The Elegante can be surfacemounted or suspended depending on
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application, available in 15W, 20W and 25W models and in Natural and Warm colour temperatures. Featuring an aluminium reflector which diffuses the light gently, it is protected to IP20. For a more versatile lighting solution, the Goodlight Moderno range of LED downlighters will provide complete flexibility once installed. Housed in an adjustable body, the light can be directed exactly where it is required, utilising its 350° rotational mechanism and models are available in narrow, medium or wide beam angles. Features include a high performance LED Chip and exceptionally low wattages from 10W to 30W. The Moderno is available with DALI dimming as optional and a choice of Daylight (5,000K), Natural (4,000K) and Warm (3,000K) colour temperatures. For accent lighting requirements, the new Goodlight Modula LED Downlight is a versatile, low voltage architectural luminaire with multiple aperture options to provide precision lighting performance using interchangeable Pinhole, Wide Spot, Square and Elliptical light guides. The Modula, with its effective thermal management, features a die-cast aluminium heat
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sink that draws excess heat away from the LED chip, improving the overall performance and longevity. With an anti-glare design, this architectural LED downlighter meets UGR<19 and is protected to IP20. Available in 10W and 15W models, with Daylight, Natural and Warm colour temperatures. Goodlight’s Architectural LED Downlights collection is complemented by a further three luminaires: the versatile and minimalistic Intra delivers glare-free lighting, ensuring suitability in VDU and workstations. The Nero is designed to light up walls and corners providing a wide, asymmetric light distribution perfect for wall washing and creating a sense of space. Rounding up the collection is the Hydra, a multi-functional, waterproof LED Downlight that has been designed for demanding environments requiring a higher degree of protection. It is suitable for both interiors and exteriors with protection to IP65. www.goodlight.co.uk
WATER MANAGEMENT
WATER MANAGEMENT: MINIMISING THE HIDDEN COST OF LEAKS Michelle Burns of Water Plus, the UK’s largest water retailer, reveals the hidden costs of an interrupted water supply, and outlines the steps facilities managers can take to minimise disruption.
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hile fixing leaks and burst water pipes may not top the evergrowing list of priorities for public sector facilities managers, the cost of a disrupted water supply can have a major impact on your organisation. It can also cause logistical issues for organisations with large numbers of people on-site such as universities and hospitals. The financial cost of a burst pipe can be significant and can lead to the loss of as much as one cubic metre of water – equivalent to 1,000 litres – an hour, which could cost as much as £26,000 a year, if left unchecked. Many organisations simply aren’t aware of their responsibilities regarding the maintenance and repair of the water infrastructure within the boundaries of their premises. In the event that you don’t have a preventative maintenance programme in place, you should develop a plan of action, at the very minimum, to fix any issues should you experience an interruption to your water supply. While, for many, it’s difficult to know where to start, there are some simple steps you can take to be prepared and to quickly get your system and sites fully operational again.
CONTACT YOUR WHOLESALER If you experience a sudden drop in water pressure, or your supply should stop completely, it’s worth contacting your water wholesaler. They are responsible for ensuring the supply of water to your site so should be an immediate first port of call. Your wholesaler will be able to advise on any problems they’re aware of in the wider network near your site, as well as any actions they’re taking to fix them. They can also advise whether they’re able to deliver additional water to your site while your supply is off.
EARLY DETECTION IS KEY The problem with hidden leaks is that they’re just that – hidden. To minimise the costs associated with a leak, you first need to know how to identify it.
INSPECT YOUR PREMISES Thoroughly search your business’ premises for any obvious leaks throughout its infrastructure. This could include faulty taps or urinals, overflowing toilet cisterns, or dripping overflow pipes outside. Each of these drips all add to your water bill.
MONITOR YOUR METER Your water meter is usually a good indicator of consumption, with any unexpected increases often a prime indicator of an undetected leak. The most efficient approach is to stop using the system completely for at least an hour, taking readings before and afterward to see if consumption has still risen. For many organisations, this kind of disruption simply isn’t practical, which is why it’s important to check your water meter regularly so that you can build up a rough idea of how much water you typically use in your organisation, or per site, daily. Once this baseline has been established, any unexpected spikes in usage – often signalling a leak – can be identified and dealt with quickly.
MANAGING AN ON-SITE SUPPLY INTERRUPTION If you think you have a leak and the wholesaler says there are no network supply issues, you’ll need to arrange a repair. If this is the case, it’s important that you and members of the facilities team know the location of stop-taps on your sites, so they can be accessed quickly to stop the flow of water. In some cases, a drop in pressure could even be due to your stoptap having been partially closed by accident – an easily-fixable issue you can solve without needing to contact your wholesaler.
You’ll also need a contingency plan in place for alternative water supplies for use during planned work on the network or if supply stops suddenly due to a burst pipe on site or on the wholesaler’s network. You can take steps ahead of time to ensure that sourcing a replacement water supply is as painless as possible. This could include installing injection points so that water can be added to your system, putting additional water storage facilities in place, or creating a plan to allow water tankers to access your site quickly and easily with the right connections for them to deliver or inject any water. Some specific public sector organisations, such as hospitals and prisons, are likely to be classed as “Category 1 sensitive sites” by their wholesaler. This means that they will be given priority for alternative emergency supplies.
BE PROACTIVE Aside from the practical elements of getting your water back up and running, communication is key. As such, you should ensure all employees are aware of any contingency plan, so that you always have somebody on-site who knows what to do – and who to contact – should a supply interruption occur. It’s also really important to make sure your retailer has the best contact name/s and number/s at your organisation to liaise with. Given how much even innocuousseeming leaks can cost, not repairing them can be akin to washing money down the drain. Preparation is therefore essential, so facilities managers should focus on having a plan in place to reduce the unexpected costs a burst pipe on site or a supply interruption can bring. www.water-plus.co.uk
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