Energy Manager June 2020

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JUNE 2020

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JUNE 2020

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ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

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NEWS

BCIA RELEASES NEW TECHNICAL GUIDE: THE IMPACT OF CONTROLS ON THE ENERGY EFFICIENCY OF BUILDINGS

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he Building Controls Industry Association (BCIA) has released a new Technical Guide to add to its portfolio of online Guides available to download.

The new Guide, entitled “The Impact of Controls on the Energy Efficiency of Buildings”, focuses on the British and European standard, BS EN 15232-1:2017, which assesses the cumulative impact of building automation and controls – commonly referred to as BACS - on the energy efficiency of buildings.

Terry Sharp, President of the BCIA, said: “It is a well-documented fact that buildings account for over 40% of global energy consumption, and buildings rarely perform as well as their designers calculated.

BCIA member companies use the BS EN 15232 Standard as a guiding light for control system design and operation, so we have released this Technical Guide to help manufacturers and systems integrators understand the Standard better and improve the performance

of the buildings they work on.”

The BCIA’s Technical Guides are designed to help members and those in the building controls and BEMS

industry work more effectively. All Technical Guides can be downloaded from the “Resources” section of the BCIA website. www.bcia.co.uk

Vattenfall to bring low carbon heating to London homes and businesses

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attenfall Heat UK has signed an agreement with Brent Cross South developer Argent Related to provide low carbon heating to homes, shops, and other businesses in the redevelopment scheme in Barnet, north London. At 8MW, the district heating system will be the largest installation of its kind in the UK. Working in collaboration with Argent Related and London Borough of Barnet, Vattenfall will design, build and operate the district heating network over the coming decades, with a view to eventually removing all CO2 emitting sources.

The district heating network will provide low carbon heating and hot water to 6,700 new homes and half a million square metres of new office, retail and commercial space as part of the proposed regeneration scheme. It will include 8MW of heat pumps, supplying over 80% of the total heat requirements of the site, alongside other low and zero carbon heat sources to keep the Brent Cross South site warm. Engineers are also working on a plan to use the infrastructure to cool Brent Cross South in the summer, as well as heat it in the winter.

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The cutting-edge installation is expected to be operational from 2023. It will be developed to its full scale over the coming decades, building on Vattenfall’s experience in constructing and operating some of Europe’s fastest growing heat networks in cities such as Amsterdam.

Vattenfall was appointed preferred partner for the district heating infrastructure in early 2019 by Argent Related, who are developing the site in partnership with Barnet Council. The district heating solution will enable all partners to achieve its ambitious decarbonisation goals and to provide reliable and affordable heat to customers.

The system will be ‘future-proofed’ at the design phase by taking a staged approach to the installation of the heat generation infrastructure. This means that the most recent and innovative technology can be installed when it is required, as opposed to reinstalling new technology when those in use become outdated. A range of existing and future low and zero carbon heat sources will be integrated into the network to further expand it, including heat pumps, electric boilers

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

and even waste heat from datacentres.

Adriana Rodriguez, Regional Director (South) at Vattenfall Heat UK , said: “This is a really exciting partnership with Argent Related and means we can install a state-of-the-art heat network that will deliver affordable, reliable, and low carbon heating for people in the Brent Cross South redevelopment.

“Vattenfall’s purpose is to power climate smarter living. Working with ambitious partners who share our vision and values, like Argent Related and Barnet Council, means we can make regeneration in London climate-friendly.”

Anthony Peter, COO of Brent Cross South DM, said: “Brent Cross South will be a new town centre which encourages people to thrive, leading healthier lives, and which is being designed to ambitious sustainability targets. We have chosen to work with Vattenfall to help us deliver future-proofed energy infrastructure with the aim of achieving zero carbon heating within a generation.” vattenfall.com/uk

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NEWS

New report highlights crucial role of renewable hydrogen and massive expansion of wind power in UK’s future energy system

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owering the Future: RenewableUK’s Vision of the Transition” sets out a wide-ranging vision of how the UK’s energy system is set to change between now and 2050, the Government’s target date to reach net zero emissions.

Despite the short-term impacts of Covid-19 on energy use, RenewableUK expects low cost renewable power to grow rapidly in the next ten years to meet new demand from electric vehicles, low carbon heating and renewable hydrogen. By 2050, RenewableUK predicts renewables could be providing over three quarters (76%) of the UK’s power needs.

The study highlights the huge potential for green hydrogen – hydrogen produced using renewable electricity – as a zero-carbon alternative to fossil fuels like gas or petroleum.

The UK’s mix of high renewable energy capacity and strong climate change policies mean that renewable hydrogen is likely to become cost competitive in the UK faster than in other parts of the world.

Renewable hydrogen can be used instead of gas in factories – in heavy industries like steel-making - where progress on decarbonisation has been slow to date, as well as heating boilers in homes. Green hydrogen from renewables can also be used to power a turbine in the same way as a combined cycle gas turbine (CCGT) plant currently works, and in hydrogen fuel cells for heavy good vehicles and shipping.

A net zero emissions energy system would see low cost wind energy

capacity grow six-fold to over 120GW by 2050, attracting tens of billions in investment, alongside other renewable sources like solar and innovative floating wind and marine energy. In addition to these power sources, RenewableUK expects energy storage to grow exponentially as batteries and other forms of storage scale up to ensure our power supplies remain balanced at all times.

The document envisages significant changes in the way consumers use the energy system, with clean electricity rather than fossil fuels used to power transport and heating through electric vehicles, solar technology, heat pumps and other sources.

As well as benefitting from cheap renewable power, consumers will have opportunities to reduce energy costs by, for example, selling power stored in batteries or EVs to the grid when it’s needed most and buying electricity when it’s cheaper. This flexibility will be a key characteristic of our electricity system, and of energy companies’ business models, in the transition to net zero.

The report sets out a series of recommendations to Government to deliver the right markets and policies to secure low-cost energy, decarbonisation and energy security. These include holding annual auctions for contracts for largescale renewable generators to provide lowcost power, rather than every two years, and targeting support specifically at innovative technologies which are not yet able to compete with more established power sources in these auctions.

RenewableUK’s Chief Economist Marina Valls, who wrote the report, said “This is an incredibly exciting time for the energy sector. We’re entering an era of rapid technological change as we move closer towards total decarbonisation, using an even wider range of technologies such as renewable hydrogen alongside more wind, solar, battery storage and – crucially - people participating far more pro-actively in the way our modern energy system operates, making it more flexible.

Our members are delivering innovative, low-cost, practical solutions in the battle against climate change which remains a long-term threat to our way of life. Renewable energy sources are penetrating the global energy markets faster than anyone expected, and generating power cheaper than fossil fuels sooner than anyone predicted”.

“In the world we are trying to build, the transition to a modern energy system ultimately means two things: reduced emissions and reduced energy bills for households”.

RenewableUK’s new modelling in the report shows that, working with Government to ensure that right policies in place, the UK’s world-leading offshore wind industry can attract £54bn in private investment to quadruple capacity to 40 gigawatts (GW) by 2030 which will provide more than one-third of our electricity, and grow further to 90GW by 2050. www.RenewableUK.com

How can a flexible energy system help deliver net zero?

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he launch of a vital project that will investigate the role of a flexible energy system in achieving a net zero economy has been announced today by a new cross sector consortium. The project, led by the Carbon Trust and supported by Imperial College, will explore the potential for an integrated and flexible energy system to reduce the cost of reaching the UK’s net zero economy goal by 2050.

The Flexibility in Great Britain project will conduct in-depth analysis based on modelling, research and stakeholder interviews to investigate how different sources of flexibility across the heat, transport and power sectors can reduce overall system

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costs to consumers. This work will also explore the business models required to deliver an integrated flexible system.

It builds on influential Carbon Trust reports from 2016 (see Notes to Editors), which identified that the cost of a future energy system in Great Britain could be reduced by £40 billion with greater flexibility and the implementation of storage.

The project’s findings will be published in early 2021 and are expected to inform energy system stakeholders and policy makers’ work on net zero commitments, heat decarbonisation pathways and the rapid transition to low emission transport options.

The consortium represents a broad

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

range of organisations across the energy system including: Bryt Energy, EDF Energy, the Greater London Authority, the Institution of Gas Engineers & Managers, SBM Offshore, Scottish & Southern Electricity Networks, SP Energy Networks, Statera Energy, UK Power Networks, and Western Power Distribution.

The consortium will engage with the Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy (BEIS), Ofgem, the Committee on Climate Change, the National Infrastructure Commission and National Grid throughout the project.

Imperial College London will lead on advanced energy systems modelling. www.carbontrust.com

NEWS

RINNAI ANNOUNCES SOCIAL DISTANCING AIDS & APP FOR INSTALLERS ON SITE, FREE AUDITS ON HOT WATER NEEDS, SPARES KITS, LEGIONELLA PROCEDURES – AND CONTINUES FULL SUPPORT FOR ESSENTIAL WORKS Rinnai gears up with social distancing innovation and continues full support services to all essential works - NHS facilities, care homes, schools, and supermarkets – and restart industries

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innai is introducing new services centred on social distancing for installers – in addition to continuing its dedicated operational support to Essential Works, plus the provision of FREE audits on hot water supply systems and technical guidance on legionella testing for bringing systems back into service.

The new social distancing aids from Rinnai, allows remote viewing of plant rooms used via an App on any standard iPhone or Android simply by clicking a link. It allows the installer and Rinnai, in real time, to view a site and plant room to provide the best solutions for hot water delivery.

Another innovation is the ‘Help Me Choose’ facility – simply visit www.rinnaiuk.com and follow the instructions related to your projects and the company will respond with a full specification.

Provided there is a constant supply of gas and water the Rinnai units are guaranteed to supply temperature accurate hot water in unlimited quantities for all hygiene regimes in all types of healthcare sites or temporary accommodation.

Tony Gittings, for Rinnai, has also pointed out that, “We can also offer a number of other services such as a system health, Legionella procedures, commissioning advice and much more.”

The Rinnai services for restart and continued essential works are: • Service and system health checks readily available • Restart kits are readily available • Spares stock – readily available • Rinnai’s Runcorn UK HQ emergency weekend opening and sales support – open for any emergency / essential equipment provision of new units and for spares.

• Weekend operational & technical support help line – simply call 01928 531870 and select sales and if the call is not answered immediately, leave a voicemail and the company will respond within an hour.

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Collection of new units/spares from Runcorn HQ for Saturday and Sunday. All will adopt ‘safe distancing’ in any contact for this or deliveries.

Emergency delivery on working days and weekends / out of hours – under “essential works” circumstances and, where possible, Rinnai will readily offer a delivery service to site.

Out of hours and weekend technical support – installers, site managers, contractors and all end-users simply call 01928 531870 select technical and if the call is not answered immediately leave a voicemail. Response will be within one hour between 0800–22:30, seven days a week.

This means that there be a technical response every day of the week.

Rinnai’s complete range of hot water heating units are available for next day delivery on orders placed before the previous mid-day.

All Rinnai units give instant and constant flows of hot water for hygiene and cleaning use in all healthcare, care homes, supermarkets, food manufacture and mobile hygiene, including any new or planned sites.

Installers and sites can speak to the company direct via the contact points below Call 01928 531 870 or email engineer@ rinnaiuk.com and sales@rinnaiuk.com Alternatively use the smart online contact points “Help Me Choose” or “Ask Us a Question”, all held on the website homepage at www.rinnaiuk.com For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

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NEWS

Understanding the true value of carbon capture and storage: new paper highlights strong case for technology investment and deployment

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he Global CCS Institute, a think tank backed by governments, industry, research and financial institutions, released today an expert paper aiming to assess and redefine the value and full range of benefits of carbon capture and storage (CCS).The report demonstrates the positive society-wide benefits of the technology, including economic, social and environmental benefits and opportunities linked to this clean energy technology’s deployment.

“CCS needs to be an integral part of the solution to building resilient and climate neutral economies and deliver net-zero emissions. Investment in the technology also drives economic growth and employment. This paper brings together recent data, insights and analysis on CCS’ full potential. We hope that it will help policymakers assess the range of opportunities advanced by investing and deploying the technology”, said Guloren Turan, General Manager, Advocacy and Communications, Global CCS Institute.

The paper highlights the imperative need to conceptualise the full potential and multifaceted value of CCS and reveals that it can benefit whole communities, industries, countries and regions.

The analysis of the report finds that as part

of a portfolio of climate mitigation solutions, CCS is a cost-effective and versatile option able to significantly reduce CO2 emissions in several hard-to-abate industrial sectors such as cement, chemicals, and steel, as well as provide low-carbon, dispatchable power. It will also be crucial to decarbonize hydrogen production currently the source of some 700 mtpa of CO2 emissions (equivalent to combined total emissions of the UK and Indonesia), as well as delivering negative emissions. The deployment of CCS today also lowers the overall cost of the energy transition as well as the risk of falling short on global climate targets, increasing resilience of climate strategies by diversifying technology options.

The report also examines CCS’ role as a driver of economic growth and employment.

Addressing social aspects and supporting a just transition, CCS can alleviate the geographic and timing mismatches of the transition.

For example, jobs in emissions-intensive industries such as cement, iron and steel are high-quality and high-paid, and often local communities rely on them. CCS application will support the preservation of these jobs.

Furthermore, CCS will support the creation of an industry workforce and supply chain fit for a net-zero economy while also creating

and maintaining both direct and indirect employment. In fact, to reach energyrelated sustainable development goals and the Paris Agreement, more than 2000 facilities will be needed by mid-century, requiring at least 100,000 employees.

The technology’s deployment can also create value to society by creating new net-zero industries and innovation spillovers potentially catalysing innovation-led economic growth in other industries. The opportunities to re-use infrastructure for CO2 storage and transportation in harmony with the large-scale deployment of CCS could also result in significant synergies including ease of permitting and cost reductions as well as deferring decommissioning costs, freeing up overall resources for the energy transition.

Globally, there are now 19 large-scale CCS facilities capturing an estimated 40 million tonnes of CO2 every year. An additional 32 facilities are at various stages of planning and development.

The full report can be downloaded https://www.globalccsinstitute.com/ wp-content/uploads/2020/05/ThoughtLeadership-The-Value-of-CCS.pdf

STARK CUSTOMERS HAVE REDUCED THEIR ENERGY USE BY 50% MORE THAN THE AVERAGE BUSINESS IN LOCKDOWN, SAVING NEARLY £750,000 A DAY MORE IN AGGREGATE THAN THE INDUSTRY AVERAGE

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t a national level, National Grid data shows non-domestic electricity demand during the first month of lockdown (March 25th – April 17th) falling by 19.6% compared to the same period in 2019.

Analysis by Stark’s team of data scientists showed Stark customers had reduced their electricity consumption by a staggering 29.5% during this period, thanks to Stark’s superior data and analytics tools.

In total, Stark customers are saving nearly £750,000 every day more than the average for UK businesses during lockdown. £16.5 million of electricity spend has been saved collectively by Stark customers during the first 22 days of lockdown alone.

How did Stark customers achieve a 29.5% reduction compared to the national average of 19.6%?

All Stark customers benefit from industry

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leading data quality and access to Stark ID. Stark’s flagship analytics service.

Great data and access to Stark ID during the lockdown has empowered Stark’s customers to take even greater control of their energy, with access to features such as: • Ability to set automatic alerts on all their sites for complete visibility.

• Option to upload updated occupancy parameters into Stark ID to monitor buildings that are empty.

• Run time of use reports (ToU) to make sure nothing was left on.

• Identifying and monitoring baseload, ensuring energy bills remain as low as possible while sites are unoccupied.

• Access to unlimited accounts

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

Figure 1 - Stark customers compared to National Average,

allowing everyone to contribute, even from home.

Stark has been running free webinars for all their Stark customers with record breaking numbers of attendees. All our previous webinars are available to watch at any time.

Since lockdown started, all of Stark’s officebased teams have been working remotely and on hand to assist their customers. www.stark.co.uk

NEWS

LOCKDOWN CREATES RADICAL SHIFT IN UK’S MINDSET ON ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

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lmost two-thirds of workers (64%) have evaluated their environmental impact during the coronavirus pandemic, and the majority (53%) are seeking permanent changes to their working week once lockdown restrictions ease, according to a newly released survey.

The new research from Hitachi Capital UK has established the enforced lockdown for many Brits has altered their outlook for the long term future. A staggering 40% of workers are now considering greener commuting alternatives post-lockdown, with over a quarter (26%) now more likely to buy an electric car than they were before the pandemic.

The study of over 1,800 UK adults illustrating a wider evaluation of day to day working life during lockdown also found that 41% cite the time and cost savings of ditching the daily commute as the main reason home working is a more attractive proposition. The flexibility of working from home is identified as the most significant benefit by 13% of respondents.

Analysing the sector by sector landscape,

those working in marketing (37%) are most likely to now consider buying an electric car for their commute as a result of the lockdown.

However, working from home comes with its own set of challenges, with 38% stating they will appreciate their work colleagues more in the office when the lockdown ends.

More than one in four (26%) admit finding it hard to stay motivated working from the confines of their own home.

Whilst there is an overwhelming clamour for greater home working after the lockdown restrictions end, almost one in five (19%) also miss face to face time with colleagues, despite regular video calls.

Meanwhile, the greatest clamour for home working beyond the lockdown comes from recruitment and HR professionals (69%), followed by IT workers (63%) and legal professionals (61%).

In contrast, those working in business & consulting (51%), marketing (50%) and education (46%) are most eager to return to their regular place of work alongside their

colleagues when the restrictions end.

Northern England (43%) has the highest proportion of workers stating they will appreciate their work colleagues more in the office when the lockdown restrictions are eased, followed by workers in Scotland (39%) and the Midlands (35%).

Robert Gordon, CEO of Hitachi Capital UK, said “Our research shows that people are not only re-evaluating how they work, but also the impact they have on the environment and what long term changes they are prepared to make.

“The lockdown has created a positive and fundamental shift in attitude when it comes to the environment, with the majority of people placing more importance on reducing their carbon footprint than ever before. Over a quarter of commuters would now actively switch to an electric vehicle, a significant shift pre the lockdown. Even more want more agile working, suggesting a reduction in commuting and travel for work, which again will impact on the environmental economy. www.hitachicapital.co.uk

Sefton Council elects to self-supply water in partnership with Waterscan Sefton Council is expecting to improve its environmental performance and achieve significant efficiency savings by entering a self-supply water partnership.

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efton Council has applied to Ofwat for a water and sewerage self-supply licence (WSSL) following an in-depth options appraisal to determine how best to enter the open water market.

The agreement will provide the Council with greater control of its water management, Jonathan Williams, Utilities Officer at Sefton Council, commented: “Our ambition to selfsupply water is driven by our goals to both enhance our environmental performance and achieve cost savings across our property portfolio. Having undertaken a thorough needs analysis, we are confident that selfsupply will help us to achieve these goals, in turn paving the way for further investment and innovation across our borough.”

Cllr Paulette Lappin, Sefton Council’s Cabinet Member for Regulatory, Compliance & Corporate Services said: “A self-supply licence will mean we’re an active participant in the water market. It will give us much more control over our water use and effluent discharge, enable us to make effective and confident strategic decisions based on accurate information, and build on the

success of existing programs like our Climate Emergency Declaration” Sefton Council’s Energy & Environmental Management Team is responsible for managing gas, electricity and water utility services for council buildings, schools and sport and leisure facilities. Combined, this portfolio of sites totals 184 measured and 64 unmeasured supply points.

With a diverse estate to manage, the team recognised the need for a sophisticated understanding of water service provision, the wider marketplace, regulation and compliance.

Sefton Council has therefore taken the decision to enter into a partnership agreement with specialist consultancy Waterscan to assist with its water procurement. With this agreement, Waterscan will conduct meter readings, deal with central market operating system transactions, manage wholesalers and provide technical support and services to uncover further water efficiencies. The Council will pay water and sewerage charges through the usual settlement process and be able to build a direct relationship with the Wholesaler.

Waterscan’s Water Strategy Manager, Anastasia Sousanoglou, highlighted further benefits of Sefton Council being active in the water market. She said: “While many large organisations in the private sector have confidently approached the open water market, it’s incredibly important that the public sector isn’t left behind because of the significant impacts that it has on effective, sustainable water stewardship, nationwide.

“Sefton Council - along with Blackpool Borough Council which was granted a self-supply licence in 2018 - will have an important contribution to make in ensuring that public sector needs are met as the market evolves. It will be able to exercise a public sector customer voice as a member of MOSL, the market operator, and through attendance at Self-Supply User Forums.” https://waterscan.com/

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

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OPINION

HOW ENERPHIT CAN BE A CATALYST FOR CHANGE Duncan Smith draws on his experience in Scotland’s social housing and construction sectors to outline the potential for post-COVID change and how EnerPHit could be a solution at scale.

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t’s hard to imagine where we are just now compared to just three months ago, it seems a different world. We watch and listen to the personal tragedies, lives changed, careers impacted, companies closing and employees joining the queues for food banks, across the world, not just here in the UK. When it is over many people will have lost loves ones, their businesses and their livelihoods, and there will be as much commiseration and relief as there will be celebration; if indeed any.

However, the virus will be stopped, and life will continue. And when the dust settles, we’ll be presented with an opportunity for change. Perhaps a once in a generation opportunity. Both within our society as well as our industry.

What change should be up for discussion? For me, everything. Big or small government, modern monetary theory, the living wage, globalisation, nationalism, localism, universal basic income, energy security, food production, the environment, ethical consumerism, the type of society we want and the sustainability of our planet.

How do we go about changing things? What do I know I’m just a labourer who reads books above his station?

These are arguments are reserved for much smarter folk that me.

So, what can we change? What can I change? Within the construction sector, my sector, we need new thinking, big thinking, joined-up thinking. We need leadership, optimism

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Queens Cross Housing Association’s Cedar Court (Image by Collective Architecture)

and ambition in a post-COVID world. Not small-mindedness.

So how do we create a more sustainable world and one that’s fit for our children? One that we’re proud of through the things we do in the sector we work in.

For me the same issues will exist post coronavirus as they did before the crisis, indeed they’ll be exacerbated. How do we address climate change, mitigate fuel poverty, improve the energy efficiency of our homes and comfort levels for residents, whilst at the same time upskilling our workforce and creating an innovative, dynamic and sustainable sector?

I’m tired of hearing people say that a deviation from the norm can’t be done, isn’t possible. That technology and practices are too complicated, unworkable or products and systems are too expensive, residents won’t use them or worse abuse them.

I disagree entirely. Everything is possible. How can we shape the future of our industry in a positive way? I think those choices might soon be before us. We must articulate the solutions at a strategic level.

Taking things back to the most basic form, what is too expensive and how do you measure cost? There’s an old phrase in the construction sector that many of you will be familiar with: “You buy it cheap, you buy it twice”.

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

We need to look at the cost over the lifetime of a product a design or a system and take a more holistic approach. An example might be a product, such as aluminium, double the cost of plastic but it last four times as long, around fifty years. So, over a longer time period it’s half the price. Follow my logic?

We need to look at the systems and practices that we use and ask if they are value for money both now and in the future. In many parts of the UK the cost of energy to heat a home is comparable with that of the mortgage.

That cannot be sustainable, not just for the environment but for households too.

With regards our historic homes if we carry out retrofit works to a house and it doesn’t move the cost in any way that the householder is able to see the benefit, are we doing the right thing? Is it worth it? Is it value for money? It’s subjective I know.

We need to aim for a significant

OPINION Wilmcote House (Image by ECD Architects)

reduction in energy consumption allowing the remainder to be provided by renewables.

This can only really be done through building fabric improvements and fundamentally increased airtightness levels.

In some urban areas we can look at district heating, but we still need to do all we can to improve the fabric.

We cannot address climate change unless we address how much heat we need keep our homes warm.

One way of achieving this is through adopting an EnerPHit model as standard, both within private and social housing. The EnerPHit standard requires a heating demand of no more than 25 kWh per m2. To do this we need increased fabric improvements, glazing and airtightness levels less than those of current new build standards.

I believe EnerPHit can be a catalyst for change and several social landlords have delivered EnerPHit projects [or near EnerPHit] over the last couple of years including Portsmouth City Council [Wilmcote House] and Queens Cross Housing Association [Cedar Court] through ECD Architects and Collective Architecture respectively. In fact, James Traynor at ECD has written a really good book which is well worth a read during lockdown if you’re looking for inspiration. ( https://ecda.co.uk/2019/11/28/newfrom-riba-publishing-enerphit-a-stepby-step-guide-to-low-energy-retrofit/ ) In terms of costs, it is more expensive to take a home to EnerPHit than a standard or “cosmetic” retrofit approach. Recent research by the Scottish Ecological Design Association (SEDA) estimated £25,000 on average and at scale. But what does it save long term, what are the physical and financial benefits?

From a purely monetary value to the resident it’s possible that it could reduce the costs of heating a home by 90% to

under £200 on average. A typical saving on a heating bill [excluding electricity and hot water] could be £700 a year, £7,000 within a decade and so on.

For residents, homeowners and tenants, this could be a significant impact on their lives, especially within those lower socio-economic areas.

For the landlord, the removal of the requirement for heating system cuts down on repairs, and maintenance, as well as the future replacement of traditional gas boilers or electric storage systems.

Using available industry figures for social housing in Scotland from the SHBVN this could be as much as £18,000 over a thirty-year period.

Offsetting a significant amount of the average upfront costs.

From a health perspective, I believe the benefits are almost equal to if not more than the financial. Many existing, and indeed new homes have poor, or substandard, levels of ventilation. This impacts the internal environment in a negative way through high carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, damp and mouldy homes.

We see the effects of people living in poorly ventilated homes regularly.

The long-term health of people living in that type of environment is still not fully understood, outside of studies carried out by academic and health professionals.

Fresh, clean air and warm dry homes will have a dramatic if not transformational impact on the lives of those living in them.

Of course, not everything can be retrofitted to EnerPHit standard and where we can’t we must look at where renewables, such as heat pumps, can be best used.

The experience of Denmark is one we need to look at more closely in terms of communal and district heating. There are large areas of Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Dundee, Stirling, Inverness and Perth that are well suited to district heating.

A recent study “Piping Hot” by Scottish Renewables is well worth a read and shows the potential that exists.

However, we shouldn’t use

renewables or district to offset fabric improvements but to compliment them. It’s not one or the other it should be together.

Photovoltaics (PV) [integrated rather than mounted] can and should be a standard on all new build and retrofit projects, but there are legal issues within mixed tenure blocks that we need resolve if we are to give each household a share of what’s produced.

Together with fabric improvements district heating and renewables there’s a massive opportunity here in Scotland, not just to improve the living conditions within households across the country but to address climate change and eradicate fuel poverty.

But there’s an opportunity to invest in our industry, to upskill our workforce in new practices and ways of working. To develop new ways of thinking about our buildings and addressing their efficiency such as offsite construction and modular housing.

If we take this opportunity it would have enormous benefits in building a sustainable and dynamic construction sector that’s fit for the coming decade and the climate emergency.

However, for all this to happen more and more of us, individuals, companies, specifiers, designers, buyers, providers and most crucially end users, must be convinced by the argument and become advocates of change for an EnerPHit approach.

An approach that reduces demand for energy to the minimum through fabric improvements and provides the remaining demand through sustainable means.

An approach that looks beyond the cosmetic and the short term and looks at value and the long-term benefits.

Let’s not go back to business as usual.

Let’s not settle for more of the same. Let’s develop a new norm, one that we can be collectively proud of and one that delivers benefits to households and businesses alike. One that builds a sustainable future.

If COVID has taught us anything is that real and significant change is possible in a short space of time. We shouldn’t squander this opportunity to change. We shouldn’t revert to the tired old ways of doing things. They didn’t work before; they won’t work now. We should embrace the possibilities that change could bring.

The climate emergency doesn’t present us with the same immediacy in terms of our actions that COVID does, but its effects will nonetheless be comparable over the long term unless we change. duncan.smith@renfrewshire.gov.uk

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

11

OPINION

COVID 19 – MORE INCONVENIENT TRUTHS George Richards, Director, JRP Solutions

T

he current global pandemic has had an unprecedented impact upon our lives changing the way in which we work, shop, commute, socialise, exercise and even how we entertain ourselves. How long this ‘new normal’ will last only time and Government policy will tell but one thing is certain the old normal has gone forever.

WHY? Because what the pandemic has made all of us do as individuals is to examine almost every aspect of our lives and to challenge what had become the norm. For instance, here in the UK the primary social activity at weekends for many had become retail therapy often buying things we didn’t need with money we didn’t necessarily have from retailers with questionable claims of sustainability and ethical procurement.

Nevertheless, our High Streets were increasingly populated by coffee shops, building societies and charity shops and our local independent retailers struggled to match the alure and prices of the major online retailers. But perhaps, just perhaps, no longer as lockdown has resulted in people turning to local independent businesses for many of their needs and in response these same businesses have reinvented themselves by offering home delivery service or new services resulting in new customers and a new connection with the local community.

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SO WHAT HAS THE IMPACT BEEN AT AN ORGANISATIONAL LEVEL? One of the biggest impacts has been home based working with millions now working from home discovering that not only our telecoms infrastructure is sufficiently robust and reliable to enable effective home working but their staff can be trusted to work with minimum supervision. In fact, home based staff are often more productive as they don’t have the time or stress related with commuting and whilst their domestic circumstances might offer distractions these are probably no more impactful than the chats around the coffee machine or the opportunist meetings we all find ourselves dragged into when in the office.

Moreover, organisations have woken up to the fact that not only can their staff can be trusted to work remotely without adversely impacting upon organisational effectiveness or productivity they are also questioning the economic and operational viability of continuing to operate large estates.

This will not only have an impact upon their own business model and associated costs but those of their suppliers including cleaners, maintenance staff, food service businesses and support staff.

From an environmental perspective, there will be less travel related emissions and energy consumption and waste associated with commercial premises will also be significantly reduced.

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

However, manufacturers have faced a different set of challenges depending upon the criticality of their products and the associated level of demand.

For example, food manufacturers have faced an increase in demand for their products whilst managing a reduced workforce and practicing safe working practices including social distancing whilst for others the last few months has been quite simply a fight for survival.

For many the fragility of supply chains has also become very apparent and the continuance of modern supply practices such as Just in Time called into question.

Geographically contiguous suppliers had largely become a thing of the past and as globalisation took hold supply chains became extended and suppliers ever more distant from their customers often leading to a disconnect between supplier and customer.

Conflicts, political unrest, natural disasters and severe weather events in regions thousands of miles away have a real impact upon the rest of the World particularly where key components, raw materials or food is usually sourced. The World has become interconnected and interdependent to such an extent that it is almost impossible for any single country to be entirely self-sufficient.

With increased sustainability reporting it is no longer acceptable for organisations to absolve themselves of responsibility of the actions of their suppliers no matter how geographically

OPINION

distant they might be or how far down the supply chain they are. Companies are being compelled to be more transparent and legislation such as the recently introduced Streamlined Energy and Carbon Reporting (SECR) combined with greater stakeholder awareness and pressure will result in more accountability and improved sustainability. Greenwash simply won’t cut it anymore!

In 2019 the UK Government announced a legally binding target to achieve Net Zero GHGs by 2050 compelling all organisations to achieve the same with some electing for more ambitious targets.

To achieve Net Zero an organisation will need to address not only their own direct emissions i.e. Scopes 1 & 2 but also those of their suppliers. In so doing, organisations need to have a far greater understanding of their suppliers, not only in terms of their GHG emissions but also in terms of their sustainability as a whole including issues such as child labour, slavery, impacts within their local environment and communities. In reality, an organisation needs to fully understand of all their sustainability impacts resultant from their business activities and to seek to improve them wherever possible.

The Covid-19 pandemic completely dominates the news headlines leading to David Attenborough recently warning that climate change has been “wiped off our front pages”.

However, I believe that whilst it may have a temporary impact upon individual’s awareness and their immediate priorities it has also forced people to re-evaluate how they live their lives from walking or cycling as opposed to automatically jumping into their car and to really appreciate the simpler things in life.

Similarly, organisations have had to adapt their working practices to the demands and constraints the lockdown has placed upon them which in turn has led many to challenge the old ‘normal’ which, I believe, will hopefully lead to significant systemic change.

From a business perspective, business as usual is simply not an option and as the former Governor

of the Bank of England, Mark Carney warned in a recent BBC interview “Businesses ignoring Climate Change will go bust within 10 years”.

Our previous rampant consumerism, irresponsible procurement and operating practices has caused irreversible damage to our planet which is clearly unsustainable and therefore has to change. www.jrpsolutions.com

www.energymanagermagazine.co.uk

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THE ONLY PUBLIC SECTOR ENERGY JOURNAL ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

13

ENERGY SUPPLY

WEST MERCIA ENERGY AND BIRMINGHAM CITY COUNCIL; 1 YEAR ON …

In 2018, Birmingham City Council (BCC) appointed West Mercia Energy (WME) as their new gas and electricity framework provider.

They opted for WME’s Procurement Only service provision with the contract commencing on the 1st April 2019. We caught up with BCC to review the first year of their new contract.

SWITCHING SUPPLIERS ON LARGE COMPLEX PORTFOLIOS CAN BE CHALLENGING. HOW WAS YOUR EXPERIENCE OF THE TRANSFER PROCESS? BCC has a significant portfolio, well in excess of 2,000 supplies, including corporate sites, streetlighting and schools, so managing this was understandably our biggest apprehension in changing suppliers.

The management of this process was excellent. An ‘onboarding plan’ was put in place at the very beginning and regular progress meetings took place between all relevant parties.

Once the transfer application process began, we were provided with regular progress reports throughout. In summary, the whole onboarding process was a success, which is no mean feat when you consider the size and complexity of our energy portfolio.

WHAT HAVE BEEN THE KEY BENEFITS TO BCC SINCE THE MOVE TO WME? WME has brought a range of benefits to us as a Council, but also to our considerable number of contracted schools. We are particularly pleased with the comprehensive budgetary information provided throughout the year which helps us inform our schools of their upcoming budgets. We receive final pricing well in advance of the new FY, this despite us running more than one trading strategy for our portfolio.

In addition, we receive regular MIS reporting from the framework supplier, Total Gas and Power (TGP), which helps us manage our portfolio more thoroughly, particularly our school sites. Billing is timely and accurate, and queries are managed and resolved in a timely manner by a dedicated CRM team.

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WHAT HAS BEEN THE BIGGEST CHALLENGES TO OVERCOME IN THE FIRST YEAR OF WORKING WITH WME? The biggest challenge was getting the portfolio in a position to transfer. Managing a large public sector portfolio can be difficult to keep on top of with the high churn of buildings being removed and added to the portfolio all of the time. We have a large number of schools who utilise the Councils corporate contract and checking key school contacts took some time and resource.

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE OTHER PUBLIC BODIES CONSIDERING SWITCHING PROVIDERS? Do not just stick with your incumbent framework provider / energy supplier because that is who you have always used. There may be better out there.

In addition, ensure you have a good grip on your starting portfolio. An accurate list of meter numbers, site addresses etc. Billing addresses and AQ’s are also really important.

Where we had gaps, WME and TGP were extremely helpful in sourcing information from national databases, liaising with our incumbent suppliers and supporting us in any way they could to gather any missing information.

HOW HAVE YOU FOUND THE SUPPORT FROM THE WME FRAMEWORK SUPPLIER, TOTAL GAS AND POWER? TGP have been excellent. They have been ever present at meetings and their suite of reporting provides everything we need to manage our portfolio. It is clear that they have an excellent relationship with

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

WME, with each having clear and defined roles to successfully deliver the contract.

This has no doubt aided the successful implementation of our new energy contract.

FINALLY, WOULD YOU RECOMMEND WEST MERCIA ENERGY TO OTHER PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANISATIONS? Absolutely. The support we have received from the day we signed the contract to date has been excellent. WME are a personable and proactive company and nothing we have asked of them has been too much. They have gone above and beyond our expectations of what is required to support our contract. We are surprised at the level of support provided under a ‘Procurement Only’ service provision.

They provide a high quality and professional energy provision and the service we have received from both them, and their framework supplier, Total Gas & Power has been first class. We have no hesitation in recommending WME to other public sector organisations.

Gavin Owen, Business Development Manager for West Mercia Energy added ‘’We are delighted with the feedback received from our first year working with Birmingham City Council, the largest Local Authority in the UK. It is a testament to the hard work of all involved to date’’.

West Mercia Energy is a leading purchasing organisation jointly owned by four Local Authorities. With over 25 years’ experience successfully managing energy contracts for the public sector, WME specialise in managing large multi-site portfolios throughout the public sector working with Local Authorities, Town & District Councils, Blue Light Services, circa 2,000 education establishments and the NHS. While BCC opted for WME’s ‘Procurement Only’ service, the majority of WME’s customers opt for their Fully Managed service provision.

In addition to OJEU compliant frameworks and risk managed energy procurement, this offering includes bill validation, siteworks, account management, energy monitoring platforms amongst much more.

If you would like to speak to WME about their range of service options, please contact Gavin Owen, Business Development Manager. gowen@westmerciaenergy.co.uk www. westmerciaenergy.co.uk

ENERGY SUPPLY

Providing Energy Services for the Public Sector WME are a leading purchasing organisation with over 25 years’ experience specialising in managing energy contracts for the public sector.

IT’S OUR MISSION

To provide a cost effective, trusted and hassle free solution to all of your energy needs

Local Authorities

Charities

Blue Light Services

Schools & Academies

NHS

District & Town Councils

OJEU frameworks include: Flexible Gas & Electricity

Fixed Price Gas & Electricity

Oil, LPG & Water

Fully Managed and Procurement Only service provisions available customerservices@westmerciaenergy.co.uk

0333 101 4424

westmerciaenergy.co.uk

West Mercia Energy is wholly public sector owned and operates solely with other public sector organisations

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

15

POWER GENERATION

GREEN TRANSFORMERS TO HELP REDUCE CARBON The country’s biggest electricity distributor is launching a long-term programme to swap electrical transformers for more energy efficient models.

U

K Power Networks is introducing state-of-the-art amorphous steel core transformers at substations, which are a key part of the infrastructure that delivers power to 8.3 million homes and businesses across the East of England, London and South East. These step down the voltage to safely deliver power from the national grid to local properties.

The replacement programme is part of UK Power Networks £500 million investment into the electricity network each year, and helps towards the country’s ‘Net Zero’ ambition.

The company has already installed more than 50 high-efficiency transformers as part of a collaborative trial. Now it is planning to replace, over time, about 15,000 transformers which will save more than 8,500MWh per year – enough to power approximately 2,700 homes - and result in a carbon saving of almost 2,200 tonnes annually.

The new models will be used for the majority of new construction projects, and where existing equipment needs replacing.

Paul Dyer, senior assets engineer for UK Power Networks, said: “These amorphous steel transformers bring significant environmental benefits and their wider roll-out will be an important decarbonisation measure.

“This investment also helps reduce the energy that is usually lost while

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UK Power Networks has started replacing substation transformers with state-of-the-art green models like this.

electricity is transported by 80%, and will play a key role in helping us cut carbon and deliver our Green Action

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

Plan to improve local environments.”

To find out more about the Green Action Plan see: https://bit.ly/2T2jNB6.

POWER GENERATION

AMORPHOUS METAL TRANSFORMERS – MYTH BUSTER

Amorphous metal core transformers (AMTs) - Myth buster

Wilson Power Solutions are pioneers in manufacturing distribution transformers with Amorphous metal core. Wilson Power Solutions have over 1200 Amorphous Metal Transformers (AMT’s) across the UK. These transformers have helped hundreds of organisations to significantly reduce their carbon emissions and energy losses.

Wilson Power Solutions bust some myths by explaining the technology used in AMT’s and how they pave the way for more energy efficient transformers.

amorphous metal transformers (AMTs) - Myth buster

WHAT ARE AMORPHOUS CORE TRANSFORMERS (AMT’S)?

The cores of conventional transformers consist of stacks of laminations that are made from silicon steel with an almost uniform crystalline structure (CRGO). In transformers with amorphous cores, a ribbon of steel is wound to form the core.

The big benefit of amorphous transformers is that amorphous steel has lower hysteresis losses. Simply put this means that less energy is wasted as heat during magnetisation and de-magnetisation of the core (see IR imagery below).

WHAT ARE AMORPHOUS metals?

Amorphous metals are made of alloys that have no atomic order.

They are made by rapid cooling of molten metals that prevents crystallisation and leaves a vitrified structure in the form of thin strips.

Due to the lack of systematic structure, this type of metal has also been given the name "The Metallic Glasses".

COMPARISON OF PROPERTIES CRGO CRYSTALLINE CORE

e2 AMORPHOUS CORE

Infrared images illustrate significantly lower temperature in an amorphous metal core (right) compared with a traditional silicon steel core (left).

Properties

Amorphous metal CRGO Steel

Density

7.15 (g/cm3)

7.65 (g/cm3)

Specific resistance

130.00

45.00

Saturation flux density

1.56 (Tesla)

2.03 (Tesla)

Typical core loss (at 50 Hz, 1.4 Tesla) 0.20 Watt/kg

0.90 Watt/kg

Thickness

0.025 mm

0.27 mm

Space factor

0.86

0.97

Brittleness

Higher

Lower

Available form

Ribbon/foil*

Sheet/Roll

Annealing temperature

360°C

810°C

Annealing atmosphere

Inert gas

Inert gas

Special annealing requirement

Magnetic field annealing

-

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

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POWER GENERATION Amorphous metal core transformers (AMTs) - Myth buster

Core forming with CRGO end protection layer.

Core stack assembly with epoxy coating applied

Bolted Short Circuit Constraints using Amorphous Core Material

Material Width Availability Constraint

MYTH: A transformers qualification is conditional on the devices ability to withstand electrodynamic stresses during bolted short circuit tests (IEC 60076 Part 5).

This constitutes the major limitation of using Amorphous Core Transformers - and has limited the use of these types of transformers to low outputs and single phase devices below 250kVA.

TRUTH: To evaluate the short circuit withstand capacity of amorphous metal transformers, we have conducted a short circuit test on a 1000kVA, 35/0.4kV transformer. It has passed the SC test successfully and the design is established and validated. For transformers of ratings above 250kVA we use foil for the LV windings. Usage of foil reduces axial forces and increases the short circuit withstand capacity of transformers. Radial forces are supported on the sides of the coil by a core pressing frame arrangement and solid phase to phase and phase to core insulation.

We use epoxy diamond dotted (EDD) paper as inter layer insulation for LV & HV windings. EDD paper is made by applying heat curable resin in the form of square shaped dots on both sides of the kraft paper. The pattern of the resin dots ensures that there is sufficient space between them for oil impregnation. Windings made by this process are dried in the oven during which resin melts and cures.

Through this process the layers are glued together and the complete winding becomes a solid block. The short circuit strength of such windings is considerably higher than that of conventional systems.

Limitation in the Magnetic circuit design using Amorphous Core Material MYTH: Magnetic circuit comprises of single phase pre assembled rolled sheet elements, annealed at approx 350 Deg C - this dictates rectangular section design with all associated constraints in winding & short circuit stress resistance.

TRUTH: The construction of amorphous core dictates windings of rectangular construction . Once a design has been established, rectangular windings can be easily made. Rectangular windings also withstand short circuit forces by using foil and radial clamping arrangements as highlighted above.

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ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

MYTH: In silicon steel technology, the mother rolls are approx 1000mm wide and can be used to produce many varieties of widths of steel to optimise magnetic circuit designs and create designs to meet many varying customer standards. Amorphous steel sheets are currently only available in 3 widths which restricts design optimisation. Additionally, the number of world wide suppliers of Amorphous steel is extremely limited making the material price extremely volatile and unpredictable.

TRUTH: Even though the availability of amorphous material is limited to only three widths (142.2mm, 170.2mm and 213.4mm), by varying the number of core stacks and their thickness we can achive optimum transformer designs. Since patent expiry of amorphous steel production there have beena number of additional suppliers and raw material prices are stable.

Intrinsic Fragility of Amorphous Material MYTH: Material fragility is both the most immediate and most problematic constraint in the use of Amorphous core material. The material itself was initially known as "metallic glass". The fragility of amorphous sheet is equivalent to that of glass and like glass it bursts into tiny fragments once pushed beyond its bending limit. Sheet splinters are unavoidably produced when opening and closing circuit elements during coil installation TRUTH: Because amorphous material is very thin (2025microns) splinters are produced during the manufacturing process. We avoid the occurence of core splinters by applying the process below: a. Epoxy coating is applied on both sides of the assembled core except at coil openning position. Thus individual core laminations become a solid block and will remain in position. In addition to this the core assembly is wrapped with CRGO sheets to provide mechanical strength. b. To reduce the effect of forces on the core assembly during transformer operation, FRP insulation is provided between LV and core. Forces generated during transformer operation are absorbed by FRP thereby reducing force on core.

Wilson Power Solutions have received IEMA Sustainability Impact Award for the Amorphous Metal Transformers and the energy savings they achieved across the country which helped organisations reduce their carbon emissions and save money.

Wilson e3 Ultra Low Loss Amorphous Transformers have launched 18 months ago.

They meet Tier 2 EU Eco Design regulations and set the bar for Tier 3 Eco Design specification for transformer losses. Upgrading from Tier 1 to a Wilson e3 helps organisations save around £100,000 and 150 tons of CO2 over the lifetime of a transformer (based on 1000kVA at 70% load factor). www.wilsonpowersolutions.co.uk ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

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MONITORING & METERING

THE HIDDEN CHALLENGES OF EV CHARGE POINT INSTALLATION

I

nstalling an EV charge point is not quite as easy as, say, installing a new electric heater. For a start, there are likely to be special earthing requirements, but you can expect a competent installer to take care of these.

If you are the owner or manager of the premises where the charge point is being installed, however, there are other hidden aspects that you need to be aware of, most of which relate to the effect the charge point will have on your electricity supply system. Before looking at these in more detail, it’s important to realise that EV charge points come in many types and sizes, and this has to be taken into account when planning an installation.

The least powerful types, which

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Many businesses are actively considering the installation of electric vehicle (EV) charge points, which from the environmental point of view is undoubtedly an excellent move. But, says Julian Grant of Chauvin Arnoux, if the provision of EV charging facilities is to go smoothly, careful planning based on accurate data is essential. are often described as “standard” or “slow” chargers have a rating of 3 kW or even less, while one of the latest “superchargers” may well be rated at 130 kW or more. While adding an extra 3 kW load to an existing installation is not likely cause many problems in terms of supply capacity, adding a 130 kW load is almost certain to be more of a headache. So why would you choose a high-power charger? The answer is simple: the higher the charger power, the faster it will charge a car.

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

A standard charger can be expected to take between 8 and 12 hours to deliver a full charge, which may well be fine if you’re charging your car at home overnight, but is probably not ideal for workplace charging, especially if visitors are likely to expect access to charging facilities. On the other hand, a supercharger can deliver a useful amount of charge in as little at 10 to 20 minutes. This is perfect for a motorway service area, but not really necessary in most business environments.

MONITORING & METERING

It’s likely, therefore that most businesses will choose mid-range chargers rated at up to 7 kW single phase, which will charge a car in 3 to 4 hours, or up to 22 kW three phase, which have a charging time of 1 to 2 hours.

The next question is how many charge points you are going to install, as most businesses are likely to need several, especially if they’re looking to the future.

When you’ve chosen your charge point rating and decided how many you need, it’s time to consider the capacity of your electricity supply system. If you have a three-phase supply, you’re probably on a maximum demand tariff, and if you exceed the maximum demand agreed with your energy supplier, you’ll incur stiff financial penalties. But how close are you to your limit and will your new EV charge points push you over?

It’s possible to estimate your current maximum demand by carrying out calculations based on previous energy bills and using your knowledge of the electrical loads you already have in place.

A much more accurate and reliable approach is, however, to monitor your energy usage. This is easily achieved with a modern portable energy logger (PEL) such as the PEL103 from Chauvin Arnoux.

This can be installed quickly in a distribution board, in many cases without even having to turn off the supply. It will log data over any time period you choose – hours, days or weeks – so that you can get a detailed picture of your energy usage. This is useful because your peak load may not necessarily occur at the time you would expect.

With the results from the PEL you will immediately know whether you have the spare supply capacity – often called headroom – that you need for your

charge points or whether you are going to have to budget for an upgraded service from your energy supplier.

But that’s not all your PEL will tell you. Another important concern with EV charge points is harmonics. The supply system is AC, but to charge a vehicle you need a DC supply so at some point in the charging system – either in the charger itself or in the vehicle – there is going to be a rectifier.

Rectifiers are inherently non-linear loads that generate harmonics, and if the harmonics in your supply system are outside the limits prescribed by your energy supplier, you may be required to disconnect the load(s) that are causing the problem – which could well be your much needed EV charge point.

Your PEL will, however, give you accurate information about the harmonics in your supply system, once again logging this information over a period of time, if you wish. This is useful before you install the charge point to let you know whether you’re already approaching the prescribed harmonics limit, and after you’ve installed it, to ensure that you are still meeting your supply company’s requirements.

This is not, by the way, just the supply company being picky. Excess harmonics in your supply system can cause heating and vibration in motors, heating in neutral conductors, poor performance of electronic devices, and many other problems that will end up costing you money. This means that you too will have a vested interested in making sure that harmonic levels are low and stay that way.

Finally, let’s consider load balancing.

If you have a three-phase supply and you’re installing three-phase charge points, this shouldn’t be an issue, but

what about if you have a three-phase supply and you’re installing single-phase charge points? This can be problematic because even if you’re installing them in multiples of three and distributing them across the phases, there’s no guarantee that they will all be in use at the same time. The upshot is that with single-phase chargers, there’s always a risk that they will unbalance your supply.

This is a particular problem if your business uses three-phase motors, because an unbalanced supply will cause them to run badly, with excess vibration, and to operate inefficiently using more energy than they should ,which will cost you money. In tackling this issue, the PEL is once again your friend. It will let you see how well your phases are balanced – and don’t forget you’ll need to check this when the chargers are in use and when they’re not. It will also help you to see the effect of redistributing your existing loads to provide the best balancing possible.

As we’ve seen, a PEL is a very useful asset when planning EV charge point installation, and also after the installation is complete to verify that the loading, the harmonics and the supply balance really are within expected limits. Is it worth buying a PEL for this? Only you can decide, but it could easily save you much more than its purchase price, especially when you remember its ongoing usefulness. Quite apart from any consideration of the EV charge points, regularly monitoring your supply system to check for balance, level of harmonics, unexpected out-of-hours usage and power factor can save you a small fortune. A PEL is not just for now – it’s truly a friend for life! www.chauvin-arnoux.co.uk

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

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HEATING

LEGIONELLA CHECK ON CONTINUOUS FLOW HOT WATER HEATING UNITS AND DELIVERY SYSTEMS Rinnai Continuous Flow Hot Water Heating Systems & Units - Legionella check before Restart – or the ideal time to switch to continuous flow how water delivery

A

ll hot water delivery systems in any commercial or institutional site need to be given detailed consideration to the potential of Legionella proliferation during the shutdown. This will necessitate that certain procedures and measures are carried out before the system can be made ‘live’ and function efficiently.

ACOP L8 guidelines, produced and published by the Health & Safety executive, lists the details and necessary procedures to ensure system cleanliness.

According to ACOP L8, continuous flow direct to outlet systems are seen as low risk for Legionella, due to it allowing for a full turn-over of water volume, no stored water and accurate temperature control.

Start with an inspection: The first and most important point of a comprehensive and detailed inspection of the appliances is to ensure they can operate to maximum efficiency, especially if there is no record of what procedures were taken when the system was shut down.

So, to bring a continuous flow hot water heating system back to into active service please note the following procedures and consideration: • With the water heaters still shut down allow fresh cold water into the system and flush all outlets for a minimum of 5 minutes. This will allow all stagnant water to be removed which should take any bacteria with it. Another method

22

can be to flush the system with a suitable biocide chemical.

• Once the above has occurred and, if the appliance has followed a regular and appropriate service regime, the water heater can be brought into service and the below steps carried out 1. Set appliance to 65°C (if it is not already).

2. Open gas supply.

3. Turn on secondary pump, check water heater is operating correctly by checking gas pressures and allow to recirculate for no less than 1 hour.

4. After one hour if possible, adjust TMS’v to 55° and flush all outlets for a minimum of 5 minutes.

5. Carry out sample tests for all water outlets for any Legionella presence.

6. If the appliance has not had a service within the last 4/5 months, then a full service should be carried out before above steps 1 – 5 are carried out.

Other modes of hot water delivery systems will have their own sets of procedures. Best advice to site managers and maintenance personnel is to ensure they should obtain specific sets of information and procedures for their particular system. This may be time consuming, but it is important to check for possible Legionella given

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

that the lockdown has been here for several weeks – and it has been an ideal time for bacteria proliferation.

Or sites may want to consider that it is the perfect opportunity to switch to a continuous flow system of hot water delivery. This will ensure a limitless supply of hot water is available, provided there is no interruption to gas and water supplies.

Continuous flow is acknowledged as more technologically advanced, more efficient, more cost effective with less front-end costs and better Whole of Life economics.

• Comprehensive Restart Kits are readily available direct from Rinnai. If there are any questions or queries regarding continuous flow hot water heating systems please contact Rinnai direct by telephone or email.

• FM, Installers, site managers, contractors and all end-users simply call 01928 531870, select technical and if the call is not answered immediately leave a voicemail. Response will be within one hour between 0800 – 22:30 / 7 days a week. This means that there be a technical response every day of the week.

• Email engineer@rinnauk.com or sales@rinnuk.com • Visit www.rinnaiuk.com and see the website homepage “Help Me Choose” or “Ask Us a Question”.

For more information on the RINNAI product range visit www.rinnaiuk.com

HEATING

LOCHINVAR AND HCP EXCEL FOR ROTHERHAM SCHOOLS Boiler, water heater and heat pump company Lochinvar has provided 20 condensing gasfired water heaters as part of a major upgrade of plant rooms at eight schools in Rotherham, South Yorkshire.

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he manufacturer, which has been providing hot water solutions for educational buildings for more than 40 years, formed a strategic partnership with HCP. The brief was to upgrade services to improve performance, cut running costs and reduce the environmental impact of the vital heating and hot water systems in a total of 10 plant rooms.

One option was simply to replace existing atmospheric water heaters with like-for-like models. However, HCP opted for Lochinvar’s high efficiency, condensing technology because it reduces energy consumption and carbon emissions while also providing improved reliability and longevity.

HCP’s strategic asset management (SAM) team used lifecycle asset data and technical knowledge to create a best value model and decided a strategic partnership with Lochinvar, FM provider Engie and the installation company Staffordshire Plumbing and Heating (SPH) would deliver the best outcome.

“The water heaters on the Rotherham Schools PFI project were at the end of their serviceable life,” said HCP’s Dan Earnshaw. “At the heart of the replacement strategy was the need to install equipment that would provide longevity and reliability.

“For these reasons we collaborated with Lochinvar, Engie and SPH to prepare and deliver the strategy on behalf of our investor client, while also providing considerable energy cost savings for the end user.”

The models chosen from Lochinvar’s EcoKnight range have efficiencies ranging from 93 to 95%, which also comfortably meets current regulations. The schools now

expect to achieve savings in energy consumption and carbon emissions of around 15%.

As circulatingtype water heaters, EcoKnight products are designed for installation with separate storage vessels and most of the plant rooms now feature two water heaters alongside two SST stainless steel storage vessels.

High-quality stainless steel is prominent in the construction of the EcoKnight range. All models feature a grade 316l stainless steel heat exchanger and the SST storage vessels are also constructed from this reliable material. Standard warranty periods are five years on the EcoKnight heat exchanger and 10 years on the SST storage vessel, reflecting the quality of the material and products.

EcoKnight water heaters can provide hot water outputs ranging from 709 to 3,819 litres per hour, based on a temperature rise of 50ºC. They are compact and designed for ease of handling and positioning.

SST storage vessels are specifically designed for use with circulating water heaters and are available in four models with storage capacities ranging from 300 to 1,000 litres.

Lochinvar service technicians commissioned the water heaters and related components after they had been installed by family run SPH, based in Stoke-on-Trent, which has

20 years’ experience in providing a range of domestic and commercial heating and plumbing installations.

Engie, which manages the sites on behalf of HCP and the schools, will provide ongoing maintenance. www.lochinvar.ltd.uk

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

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NEWS VENTILATION

VENTILATION TO PLAY A CRITICAL ROLE IN RE-OPENING OF UK BUSINESSES A leading ventilation specialist has urged businesses to consider the role that ventilation can play in maximising the health and safety of employees as they return to work.

Alan Macklin, Technical Director at Elta Group and Chairman of the Fan Manufacturer’s Association (FMA), has drawn attention to the critical role that ventilation will play as the UK begins transitioning out of lockdown. With many workspaces having been unoccupied for a prolonged period of time, guidance has been issued by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and AirConditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) on how to optimise ventilation as buildings reopen1.

1 https://www.ashrae.org/about/news/2020/ashrae-offerscovid-19-building-readiness-reopening-guidance

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ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

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ecommendations include to purge ventilate for two hours before and after occupancy, and to maintain trickle ventilation even when the building is not occupied i.e. overnight. As many systems have been inactive for several months, a thorough and strategic approach must be adopted to ensure the health and safety of employees.

Alan comments: “For several years, there has been a focus on increasing the energy efficiency of commercial spaces. While this is understandable and important in its own right, it has all-toooften been at the expense of both building and occupant health, with increasingly air-tight structures leading to a reduction in indoor air quality (IAQ).

“Following the devastating impact of the COVID-19 crisis, there must now be a focus on health and good IAQ in workspaces. By following the guidance on how to use ventilation systems effectively after a period of inactivity, businesses can contribute to a healthier working environment for employees.”

Ongoing research into the transmission of COVID-19 has highlighted another facet of indoor air that could impact occupant health – relative humidity levels. That’s because alongside a number of health concerns, such as asthma or skin irritation, evidence suggests that dry indoor air can result in higher rates of infection transmission.

Alan continues: “Finding the optimum relative humidity level can be challenging, because if it

goes too far the other way and air is too humid, it can cause health problems of its own. Research into this area has been accelerated as a result of the coronavirus, and there is currently a general consensus that between 40-60% humidity is optimum for occupant health.

“It’s important to stress that we still don’t know enough about the virus to make definitive recommendations. However, the pause in activity necessitated by the lockdown has presented us with the opportunity to re-set our ventilation priorities, and gear it towards optimising the health of both the structure and its occupants. By adopting a measured approach to the reopening of buildings, and using ventilation systems effectively, we can ensure that our air is as safe and healthy as possible.”

For more information, please visit: https://eltagroup.com/

WATER MANAGEMENT

WATER INDUSTRY WARNED THAT COVID-19 COULD BE HERE FOR YEARS A warning has been issued to the water industry by the founder and chairman of tech and innovation consultancy Isle Utilities that Covid-19 could potentially be around for two to three years until a vaccine has been found and more than three billion people vaccinated.

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peaking at British Water’s Better Together video conference at the start of May, Dr Piers Clark - who is heading up a global Covid-19 sector-wide collaboration initiative over WhatsApp - explained that resurgence of the virus around the world was likely and could be seen in waves that last between ten and 20 weeks, depending on the extent and severity of lockdown measures, WWT Online reports.1 He went on to say that the water 1 https://wwtonline.co.uk/news/prepare-for-covid-19waves-water-industry-told

industry has an important role to play, with monitoring of sewerage systems providing a rapid early detection method for identifying community outbreaks of the virus, leading to targeted lockdowns.

“We’ve had a dedicated team working on this, pulling out the best information that’s available from all around the world.

At a macro level, the evidence is becoming increasingly strong that this virus is going to be with us for years,” Dr Clark went on to say.

The Better Together virtual calls were organised by British Water in response to the pandemic, giving members the opportunity to gain insights on how the crisis is affecting the industry, as well as finding ways to best support the sector.

Lila Thompson, chief executive of British Water, said: “The insights we receive from our Better Together speakers are highly valued

by British Water members, which is why more and more are joining us each week.

“Conversations have moved to how companies are now planning ahead to ensure they can emerge from this crisis in a strong position, while preparing themselves for potential resurgences.”

Earlier in May, Bangor University researchers began looking into how analysing sewage could

help predict a second peak of coronavirus up to two weeks before people become symptomatic.

According to the BBC2, the team have been looking at samples from Welsh water treatment works to trace how many people have been infected, with people shedding the virus in faeces up to two weeks before symptoms become apparent. Norovirus has been tracked through the sewage system in the past.

Professor Davey Jones of the School of Natural Sciences explained that this is an effective way of tracing viruses, in part because it is possible to capture data on most of the population simply and cost-effectively.

In Wales, around 75 per cent of the population were connected to 21 Welsh Wateroperated individual treatment plants and Mr Jones went on to say that it is possible to see if different parts of the country have different regions being infected by different viral strains by assessing the genetic code of the virus.

Are you looking for help and advice relating to wastewater management at the moment? Get in touch with us today. www.h2obuildingservices.co.uk 2 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-52544247

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

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RENEWABLE ENERGY

UK POLICY SHIFT: LOCAL COMMUNITIES VS. RENEWABLE ENERGY? Tristan Ward and Mustafa Latif-Aramesh THE GOVERNMENT HAS CHANGED COURSE. A sentence which often instils elation or dread depending on the policy in question.

In this instance, (with unlucky timing on the eve of the COVID-19 outbreak), the Government has launched a consultation on changing its approach to renewable energy.

The Government asks whether its Contracts for Difference scheme should be expanded to include onshore wind and solar photovoltaic. To date, the scheme has resulted in the award of contracts for 16GW of new renewable electricity capacity, including nearly 13GW of offshore wind capacity – but the Government considers an expansion to the scope of the scheme is now required.

While this article concentrates the Government’s proposal for how developers and local communities should engage with one another when onshore renewable energy projects are proposed, the government’s proposals also include the extension of the scheme until March 2030, measures aimed at strengthening delivery incentives and supply chains, the removal of new coal-to-biomass conversions from future auctions, and including energy storage.

Why are these suggestions being brought forward now? In two words: Net Zero. UK policy is moving toward an “ultralow carbon power sector” in order achieve the “net zero” carbon target by 2050. This ambition is in line with the Committee of Climate Change’s recommendation that there should be at least a fourfold increase in the UK’s renewable energy capacity.

THE DEVIL IN THE DETAIL: LOCAL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT Both developers and landowners need to be aware of the Government’s proposals – in the Government’s words – “tough new guidance for renewable energy developers to ensure local communities given more effective voice and make sure they have a definitive say on developments that affect them”.

The apparent intention to make it harder to obtain planning consent for renewable energy renewable projects does not sit easily

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with the Secretary of State for Business statement in the same announcement that “Ending [Britain’s] contribution to climate change means making the UK a world leader in renewable energy”.

Objectors to wind energy projects have turned to the planning system to try to prevent consent being granted.

In R (The Friends of Hethel Limited v South Norfolk DC) for example, objectors argued that the turbines would damage the setting of a listed building; and in R (Wright) v Resilient Energy Severndale Ltd the objector successfully argued that a promised yearly donation to the community of around £20,000 for the 25 year lifetime of the turbine had been improperly taken into consideration by the planning authority in deciding to grant consent.

In this vein, it is not clear how the proposals out for consultation interact with existing planning policies such as existing local plans, the National Planning Policy Framework, and the National Policy Statements for schemes under the Planning Act 2008.

Developers should take legal advice to ensure inconsistent requirements are reconciled, and to take advantage of overlapping requirements to avoid duplication of their efforts (and additional cost!).

Broadly, the Government makes three proposals to increase local community benefit and engagement.

taking significant risks before a site is ready for local community investment is not clear. If the proposal becomes law, developers will wish to consider how this risk is rewarded.

Community benefit funds are also mentioned. Such funds have become fairly common in large infrastructure projects, but transfer of the concept to the renewable energy sector should enable efficiencies in providing these community benefit funds. For example, a centralised or combined fund paid for jointly with other developers in order to reduce administrative costs could be beneficial.

Of course, there is no one size fits all community fund, but developers should take opportunities to collaborative. This is could be the intention behind the Government’s proposal to create “a register of renewable energy developments in England that lists available projects and community benefits”.

The Government’s consultation also reminds developers to consider how to engage with the local community on their community benefit funds. The timing of consultation and engagement could be challenging: developers should provide information enabling the local community to respond in a fully informed way, but over-development of proposals costs money that is wasted if is necessary to change course.

LOCAL COMMUNITY INVESTORS?

LIFETIME INVESTMENT?

First, and the starkest part of the Government’s suggestions is that developers provide “an opportunity for communities or local people to invest in the project, with this opportunity additional to a community benefit fund”.

How precisely this marries with initial investors in a development

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The Government’s second proposal is that “community benefits… last the lifetime of the project”. That requires thinking beyond the initial construction stages, and considering how operational benefits of projects could be utilised.

Government has also made clear that if a project or site is sold, successor operators must comply with

RENEWABLE ENERGY agreements with the local community.

This, of course, is a matter for agreement between developers, but parties will need to ensure agreements and consents can be transferred and are acceptable in the market.

LANDSCAPE AND VISUAL IMPACT? Thirdly, Government wants developers to assess “the potential effect of a proposed renewable energy development on visual amenity and landscape”. This is of course a fundamental requirement of the Environmental Impact Assessment Directive (where applicable), and an aspect which is mentioned in virtually every planning policy document.

We think this proposal wholly or partly stems from opposition to onshore developments discussed above, bearing in mind the Contracts for Difference scheme had initially excluded onshore wind and solar energy from support.

LOCAL COMMUNITY TEETH This proposal is directed at requiring developers to meet (or placate) the needs (or concerns) of local communities.

Government promises that Local Communities “will have a definitive say on whether projects are allowed to proceed.” How is this to be achieved?

A clue comes in the Government’s further statement that “It will remain the case that no English onshore wind project can proceed without the consent of the local community.” Currently government guidance provides that no planning consent for wind energy development is to be granted unless firstly the site is in an area identified as suitable in a local plan; and secondly, it can be demonstrated that the proposal has community backing. The consultation document does not specify how Local Communities could actually have a definitive say or how a developer could evidence it has engaged appropriately.

How will developers mitigate such rules?

Clearly by engaging with communities as recommended by the proposals, though this may not be so easy given the decision in R (Wright) v Resilient Energy Severndale Ltd. More generally, developers need to involve themselves in the development of local plans, to ensure area are designated as suitable for renewable development, and they also need to be prepared to challenge unreasonable decisions by judicial review where appropriate.

NEXT STEPS This is, of course, all the subject of a consultation so we must wait to see how the renewable energy sector and local community groups react, and more importantly how the Government responds. That said, developers should build the proposals into their plans on the assumption they will be incorporated into law more or less unaltered. www.bdbpitmans.com

BATTERY CHARGING TECHNOLOGY AND PHOTOVOLTAICS: THE PERFECT COMBINATION FOR GREEN LOGISTICS

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he use of renewable energy offers companies a number of options for reducing their ecological footprint and therefore making an important contribution to environmental protection. Fronius helps its customers to take the right steps towards CO2neutral charging infrastructure and therefore reduce operating costs whilst also being more sustainable.

Companies are currently being confronted with sharply increasing electricity prices and ever stricter environmental protection requirements.

At the same time peak currents represent a big challenge for the infrastructure and the network stability and drive energy consumption, and consequently costs and the CO2 balance, upward. In addition to efficiency and cost effectiveness, sustainability is also becoming an increasingly important subject across all sectors.

“We are seeing a clear trend that companies want to be more active when it comes to CO2 reduction and decarbonisation, and are looking for feasible, practical solutions. This is precisely what Fronius offers,” explains Patrick Gojer, Business Unit Head Marketing and Sales Perfect Charging.

“We are there as a partner to support our customers on the way to a CO2-neutral charging infrastructure. In order to do this, we identify possible potentials for achieving savings in ongoing operation, and create the requirements for the necessary transparency. Our many years of experience both in battery charging technology and in solar energy allow us to offer the customer holistic, intelligent and simultaneously sustainable charging solutions.” Another key advantage is that the entire system comes from a single source, meaning that Fronius is also the only contact for any maintenance and service work and can respond quickly and in a targeted manner.

SELF-GENERATED SOLAR ENERGY FOR THE FORKLIFT FLEET The use of renewable energy, and photovoltaic systems in particular, plays a big part on the route towards CO2neutral intralogistics. Industrial buildings with their large flat roofs are often ideal sites for solar collectors. The energy that they produce can be put to excellent use, for example for the operation of electric forklift trucks. They are responsible for up to a third of total energy consumption

in many companies. “The self-generated solar energy ensures greater independence from the public grid, reduces both energy costs and CO2 emissions and is therefore an important step towards greater sustainability,” says Gojer.

Fronius offers the most progressive technology available on the market for charging traction batteries for electric forklift trucks with the Selectiva charger range. These can be optimally combined with the Fronius Solar Energy business segment, which specialises in the design and implementation of tailor-made photovoltaic systems including inverters. https://www.fronius.com/en-gb/uk

ENERGY MANAGER MAGAZINE • JUNE 2020

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RENEWABLE ENERGY

RATHLIN-VALENTIA – POLES APART BUT LINKED

BY COMMON NEED Two islands at the opposite ends of Ireland are making ‘energetic strides’ in the face of the COVID 19 crisis to develop a new green hydrogen energy strategy for a new decade.

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athlin Island off the coast of Co Antrim and Valentia Island off the coast of Co Kerry are both committed to seeing a green hydrogen future that even includes new ‘green ferries’ operating to both islands.

Both locations are on a ‘green’ journey , Rathlin have had their energy audit completed, Valentia have their energy master plan, both have a common denominator, namely hydrogen as being the key to a better future. It has been said if you focus on sustainability, business can gain and there are environmental and financial benefits, its all interlinked. And in the troubled times of COVID 19 this is more needed in these communities than ever before.

Michael Cecil, Rathlin Development and Community Association Chairman reckons the island is braced for the COVID challenge, saying: “All small and medium islands suffer from energy poverty as traditionally most have no means of producing energy or fuel, this leads to a reliance on transporting everything using very inefficient methods.

During periods of bad weather, ferry downtime or even the current COVID-19 lockdown transportation becomes even more difficult - all leading to insecurity of supply.

“COVID-19 has shown the public quite clearly how we are damaging our planet - since lockdown and with the reduction in transport and industry there has been a marked improvement in air quality, there is anecdotal evidence that nature has bounced back somewhat. We need to ensure we don’t revert back to how things were pre-covid. That will involve new thinking around travel and energy.”

Likewise Colum O Connell, Chairman of the Valentia Energy Group knows that fresh new thinking is needed now too , saying: “Valentia, like the rest of Kerry has a huge dependency on the tourism sector. A recent study by PWC showed that Kerry is the county that has had the biggest impact on tourism due to the COVID crisis. This is one of the reasons we are looking to develop a hydrogen based economy so that we can create employment opportunities in Valentia that enable us to diversify away from tourism type employment.”

Both islands are in tune with each other

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in what they want next. There has been a desire to move Rathlin Island towards carbon neutrality and the ‘Rathlin As A Carbon Neutral Island’ document produced in September 2019 was a step in gathering thoughts and momentum. That same month the DFI facilitated a meeting on Rathlin between representatives from Rathlin Development and Community Association, , Belfast Metropolitan College, Invest NI, NUIG, and Energia. This meeting focused around hydrogen as a fuel of the future. While consent has been granted for a community turbine the goal is to make a clean energy transition to zero carbon through the use of Green H2.

In the coming years the community has aspirations to explore options around retrofitting the ‘Rathlin Express’ passenger ferry with hydrogen fuel cells, hydrogen storage tanks and electric drives. There is a need to secure a hydrogen supplier to meet the potential demand from the ferry. A pilot of hydrogen powered vehicles on Rathlin and a new identity for the East Lighthouse on the island are all envisaged. A citizen engagement event in May 2019 and a East Lighthouse Insight Report in August 2019 demonstrated that there is support for research and development on the site into what renewable energy offers. Michael and the RDCA are very open to the envisaged ‘green’ future with Michael saying: “Our roadmap outlines our ambitions around H2 and this includes a plant producing green H2 in the short to medium term, that is very much part of the plan. Yes, our desire is to develop green ferries coupled with an island green transport all linked back to wind energy and an associated H2 plant can become a tourist and education attraction in its own right.

“The brief for the lighthouse development is quite clear in that the entire venture must aim for carbon neutrality in its build and operation. We hope that pilot projects and medium scale research can take place onsite to be rolled out to the wider community.”

Decarbonisation is on the agenda in Valentia too. In January 2020 the Valentia Energy Co-Operative was formally registered.

A reduced carbon footprint ties into a bigger story about climate change. This is an issue that is being discussed on Valentia ? There are wider questions around how the co-

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operative make a feasibility study and the GenComm projects Decision Support Tool (DST) both work to allow these plans to come to fruition. Colum O Connell explains the direction the group proposes saying: “The people of Valentia recognise the global challenge around carbon reduction.

They also recognise the opportunities that may become available should we get behind a carbon reduction program that cannot only reduce carbon but enable energy independence and create high value employment opportunities. The feasibility study and decision support tools empower the community members to understand the analysis and options and make decisions that make a real impact on their future.

“Decarbonisation can take shape in many ways on Valentia. The initial focus is to decarbonise the heating systems on the island. Our energy master plan identified that in our residential heating systems, 40% consumed oil or gas, while 20% consumes carbon intensive turf or coal. Hydrogen can provide an achieveable transition path for decarbonising this area. We also have a plastics factory which uses significant volumes of gas as part of its manufacturing process, and hydrogen offers a real alternative here also.

“The ferry is a key service to the community of Valentia. Our ferry is due for replacement and a hydrogen fuel vessel would complement our decarbonisation strategy. We have seen funding models for such vessels in Orkney and Norway, and we see no reason why this model cannot be repeated in Valentia.”

Both Rathlin and Valentia are areas of natural beauty but the communities want to embrace the clean energy option. The lighthouse on Rathlin was built into the cliff face between 1912-1917 and the light was first exhibited in 1919. You are just 11 miles in distance from the Mull of Kintyre in Scotland. The Valentia lighthouse first exhibited light in 1841 and on a good day you can see the UNESCO World Heritage Site Skellig Michael and the remote Blasket Islands from the lighthouse site.

The desire to turn Rathlin into a full green economy will be welcomed for economic , environmental and educational reasons.

RENEWABLE ENERGY Michael and the Rathlin Development Community Association want to develop their green energy initiative and have posted a partner search on the H2020 call ‘Decarbonising Islands Using Renewable Energies and Hydrogen-H2 Islands’. The scope of such a project covers the complete value chain of H2 (production, transport, storage, distribution) in order to decarbonise an island. The solution should provide energy flexibility and improve the islands system resilience through the use of renewable hydrogen, acting as a buffer. Hydrogen can enable sector coupling where you can manage seasonal energy and H2 production demand balancing and allow a large integration of renewable energy on the island. All the hydrogen is produced from the renewable energy capacity on the island. An example is how Sardinia became ‘hydrogen ready’.

These two islands, Rathlin and Valentia, may be 395 miles apart but their peaceful relaxed atmosphere together with the islands long histories attracts many visitors. Both are attractive tourist destinations, both have small native populations in their hundreds, both have a ferry, Valentia has a lighthouse, Rathlin has 3, and both were communication leaders of their time. Valentia was the eastern terminis of the first commercially viable transatlantic cable. Rathlin was where the first commercial wireless telegraphy link was established.

Now in 2020 both strive for an energy security with green hydrogen as the catalyst.

Both now strive for low carbon economies and a sustainable tourism based on green hydrogen. Rathlin’s plan is for tourism, energy and the economy , 360˚ Destination Green© ‘2030 goals are to make a clean energy transition to zero carbon through the use of Green H2, to energise the low carbon economy and develop the tourism initiative’.

The key strategic objective of both is to use green hydrogen as the catalyst to future proof the islands socially, economically and environmentally. The rugged features and the distinct history does not hide a new ambition to be trendsetters for the rest of the remote communities in Europe to follow.

Already in 2020 a paper `Hydrogen From Offshore Wind, Investor Perspective On The Profitablity Of A Hybrid System Including For Curtailment’ extended the debate. The authors included researchers from the MaREI centre in Cork. Their words are now ringing true as they wrote, “As we continue to decarbonise our energy systems there is an increasing interest in and potential to develop offshore windfarms.”

Michael says: “We see green H2 as a sustainable fuel across the Island , everything from our lifeline ferries, cars and commercial transport, domestic and commercial heating systems - all of which bring our carbon footprint closer to zero.”

Indeed it beggars the question can the island indirectly help build a more competitive

Northern Ireland energy market, perhaps the Community Action Renewable programmes of the past may not have had Rathlin top of their plans ?

Michael is positive saying: “We have always seen islands as microcosiums of wider society. Projects like green H2 production, storage and distribution are challenging in Rathlin Island remote locations, if an Island can achieve this with its limitations then anywhere can.”

Michael also sees job creation as a distinct possibility in this new Green H2 world saying: “Yes as the renewable energy operation will require management Valentia Island and maintenence as well as any associated H2 plant. H2 will have to be distributed to customers on a retail basis. Once we start this journey seriously other projects and developments will create employment in their own fields, perhaps through pilot projects, education etc. “ There is a wider discussion about an unbalanced energy demand due to tourism demands at different times of the year, Michael is clear what he would like to see in relation to this dynamic, “ Firstly a reduction in energy usage throughout the year. Secondly we are actively trying to expand our tourist season over the entire year if possible. We hope to attract the “right kind” of tourist going forward. More of those seeking to explore the Island because of our sustainable development and learn from it.”

Both communities strive for energy security with green hydrogen as the catalyst. The catalyst can lead to other growth, energy sustainability, community stability and organic firmness. Hydrogen can be produced without a carbon footprint and hydrogen has a high energy density making it suitable for long term storage.

Colum from the Valentia group tells of their particular journey, “Our priorities right now are very much focused on getting funding for a pilot program to commence producing hydrogen. This comes off the back of a strong foundation of analysis, documentation and community support. Having completed an Energy Master Plan (funded by SEAI), we got a clear baseline of what our baseline Energy consumption was on the island. From this a register of opportunities was created and an energy strategy was defined. This strategy identified hydrogen as an integral part of our journey to energy independence. Following on from this we completed a feasibility study on the production of green hydrogen in a community owned setting. Following a series of community meetings, we got overwhelming buy in from the community on Valentia and

a strong mandate to follow through on the strategy on the behalf of the community.”

Colum agrees with the message if you focus on sustainability, business can gain and there are environmental and financial benefits maintaining ,“I could not agree more.

We are all aware of a number of financial risks associated with consumption of fossil fuels. We have seen the volatile nature of oil prices and its very nature leads to uncertainty in a commercial environment. We are also at the beginning of the introduction of carbon taxes which will only add to the bottom line costs. The introduction of a sustainably sourced fuel which can be produced in a constant supply of price can only be an attractive offering to commercial organisations. Conversations we have with local businesses say the cost of energy is a major priority for them to stay competitive. “ Mobility, heating , marine are all areas that can benefit and as Colum explains that’s not all : “Tourism is an integral part in our local economy and developing a tourism friendly channel is key for us. We have structured the energy co-op so that an education stream can be created. This stream will look to develop a ‘Cool Planets’ Experience, which will build an education experience on sustainable energy.

This can be a link to the Eco tourism sector.”

A new energy plan is vital argues Colum and a hydrogen solution can produce jobs, Colum says: “Short term this has provided a focal point for the community to have a real conversation about the opportunities associated with carbon reduction and how we can take a community based approach to the challenge. Long term we have the opportunity to create valuable employment for the island and achieve energy independence.

“A community owned model will be key to this. This could lead to roles in engineering, transport and education.

This proposition is very exciting for us.”

Innovation in the energy world is alive and well on these two islands.

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RENEWABLE ENERGY

GOING GREEN WITH GRAPHENE SPEARHEAD PROJECTS SHOW POTENTIAL OF “WONDER MATERIAL” IN RENEWABLE ENERGY

There is huge demand to find greener renewable alternatives to our traditional, finite energy sources. Now, graphene is unlocking new possibilities within the energy sector, creating a more efficient and sustainable future. Here, Francesco Bonaccorso, deputy head of innovation of the Graphene Flagship, explains how its researchers have created a series of initiatives in order to take graphene from the laboratory to the commercial market.

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ince it was first isolated in 2004, graphene has become a hot research topic. Graphene has been embraced across a variety of industries, most notably healthcare and material applications. And, now, graphene technology is being applied to renewable energy.

World’s first graphene solar farm According to a 2019 report by the Financial Times, it is forecast that coal, oil and gas will still contribute about 85 per cent of the world’s primary energy supply by 2040, compared with 90 per cent today. While these figures underline the need to reduce the levels of dependence on non-renewable sources, another report stated that the global supplies of renewable electricity could expand by 50 per cent in the next five years – powered by a resurgence in solar energy.

Among the Graphene Flagship’s spearhead projects, a series of initiatives undertaken with partners, is its Solar Farm initiative. The project created the world’s first graphene-enabled solar farm in Crete, Greece. Led by its partner, the University of Rome Tor Vergata, a public research university in Rome, Italy, the project explores the production of graphene-enabled solar cells that could help bolster the European Union’s efforts to reduce dependence on fossil fuels.

In fact, the Solar Farm project has already seen great sustainability progress in developing its solar modules. This involves the production of large area graphene perovskite solar cells; single photovoltaic panels assembled from connected solar cells that are designed to increase the efficiency, and lower the cost, of solar energy.

Researchers have already achieved power conversion efficiencies of 15.3 per cent with the technology, which is a remarkable result.

Going forward, the project aims to surpass this figure and pave the way towards the future exploitation of graphene-basedperovskite solar cells. In tandem configuration with siliconbased solar cells, it is foreseen to achieve power conversion efficiencies beyond present records.

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BATTERIES FOR A BETTER WORLD Reducing our reliance on nonrenewable sources is one thing, but what about sustainable developments in energy storage? According to the Consortium for Battery Innovation (CBI), worldwide demand for battery energy storage will significantly increase in 2025, and graphene and related materials could play a vital role in meeting that rise.

With this in mind, another of the Graphene Flagship’s energy spearhead projects, entitled Technology of Silicon Graphene Lithium-ion Batteries for Large Scale Production, aims to increase the electrode quality of lithium-ion batteries. The project has advanced the integration of silicon-graphene composites into lithium-ion batteries for high-energy and high-power applications.

Due to its high surface area, large electrical conductivity, lightweight characteristics, chemical stability and high mechanical flexibility, graphene can increase the energy capacity, charge rate and stability of lithium-ion

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batteries. In practicality, the lifespan and recharging time of batteries used in electronic applications — ranging from electric vehicles and mobile phones to laptops — could significantly improve.

Innovative projects like these can open the door to new areas of research and product design. To this end, the production of silicon-graphene lithiumion batteries, coupled with the world’s first graphene-enabled farm, are just a few of the sustainability-focused projects that the Graphene Flagship is working on.

While it remains to be seen how graphene can transform the energy industry, its journey has only just begun in creating new opportunities for applications in energy storage and energy conversion. It seems likely that graphene and related materials could be exactly what is needed to help engineers find greener renewable alternatives to traditional materials to develop next-generation energy devices.

For more information about graphene and projects funded by the Graphene Flagship, please visit: graphene-flagship.eu

CARBON OFFSETTING

CARBON OFFSETTING A KEY CONSTITUENT OF YOUR SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY Stefania Allegrini

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n a time where the world is starting to wake up to the realities of 2050 climate neutral objectives, preventing 1.5 degrees of global warming and an increased awareness of common goals relating to modifying political, social and economic practices, the integration of sustainability is becoming an ever increasing focus for organisations of all sizes.

With the growth of energy generated and procured from renewable sources, an increasing focus on energy efficiency measures and wider CSR initiatives, it is easy for the concept of carbon offsetting to get overlooked in sustainability strategies.

The reality is, carbon offsetting can include all of the aforementioned elements and at very least, be a key pillar of a well-rounded sustainability strategy.

There is an ever-growing trend in the uptake of voluntary carbon offsets and for those responsible for the energy, sustainability and CSR of an organisation, this can prove to be a valuable part of the impact your efforts will make.

For every organisation, public or private, the question of how to achieve carbon neutrality, or a ‘net zero’ carbon footprint, is now at the forefront.

In the last 6 months alone, several local authorities have joined many other private sector organisations in acknowledging that there is a climate emergency and now is a pivotal time to decide how they will tackle this.

Climate and Sustainable Development experts ClimateCare, a leading organisation in this market, are among those offering Carbon Offsetting solutions. As a leader in global carbon markets and climate change, they helped shape the first voluntary carbon markets and pioneered the use of carbon finance for communitybased development projects.

For those who are unfamiliar with offsetting, Peter Ryde, Marketing Director at ClimateCare explains: “Offsetting at its most basic, is a step by step process with a hierarchy of actions. To start, businesses, will need to measure their emissions

to understand what their footprint is. Once they understand what this footprint looks like, they must define clear targets and then avoid what they can (such as non-essential air travel), and of course reduce what they can’t completely eliminate (such as energy use). However it’s often hard to reduce emissions, residual emissions, that offsetting can balance so you can take full responsibility for your climate impacts. This involves financing an equivalent amount of emissions reductions outside of the business”.

Peter explains that ClimateCare work with “multiple companies, of all sizes, that have pledged to achieve carbon neutrality and designs and develop high quality carbon neutral programmes that meet a business objective and have integrity and rigor.

Peter believes achieving net zero by 2030 is indeed possible “if you are well informed and dedicated to the cause”. Every meaningful effort counts, and carbon offsetting can be a key aspect of any sustainability strategy.

When thinking of offsetting, one may be led to think this is something relevant only for medium to large scale corporations or public authorities.

Peter stresses how all “businesses need to take responsibility for their entire carbon footprint in order to achieve a carbon neutrality . Anything less than that is not a responsible position for a business today”.

As a boutique Clean Energy and Environmental Recruitment Specialist, Climate17 have recently offset all their Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions, working with ClimateCare as part of their Sustainability Strategy.

As a business, Climate17 wanted to contribute in a small way to supporting projects that cut carbon emissions and improved the lives of people in some of the world’s poorest communities.

Climate17 are also now looking at using offsetting more regularly to offset any travel emissions for their candidates attending interview with clients.

David Blake, one of Climate17’s founders, felt this was “a necessary

step to act in line with our values as a responsible organisation”.

If you integrate with the right offsetting partner, the direct impact you can have as an organisation can be directly attributed to your contribution.

Peter Ryde at ClimateCare goes on to say that, although he has only recently joined the company, he is enjoying ClimateCare’s varied work, which involves working with major public and private sector clients to fund sustainable development projects that reduce carbon emissions at scale, measurably increase quality of life and deliver towards the UN Global Goals.

ClimateCare work with a wide range of projects, both in the UK and internationally, many of which are entirely exclusive. To be able to communicate that your organisation is supporting projects relating to reforestation, clean energy, food, clean water and sanitation is beneficial for your companies profile both internally and externally.

You also have the benefit of choice and the projects you get involved in can be bespoke to your business. It goes without saying, if you want to truly align yourselves to the UN SDGs, genuinely see a direct and fast impact from your investment, as well as be able to use all of this to demonstrate a strong CSR initiative, this is an excellent option.

Whilst considering the inclusion of an offsetting partner in your strategy, you should not lose sight of the bigger picture during this very surreal time.

Let’s not to forget, that even amidst the current pandemic; Climate Change isn’t going to disappear. Peter Ryde makes a valid point that “prior to COVID-19, awareness of the effects of climate change were increasing. It’s up to all of us to take responsibility to fight the climate crisis as we would the pandemic, as such global collaboration will be required in much the same way. The past few weeks have seen Governments throughout the world collaborate to fight a global pandemic and we hope to see a similar mindset with regards to carbon neutrality too”. www.climate17.com

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CHP

CHP IS SOLUTION TO HUGE INCREASES IN CLIMATE CHANGE LEVY Energy bills for most organisations will rise following further big increases in Climate Change Levy (CCL) rates on natural gas, says Hugh Richmond, CEO of Edina.

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he decision was announced in the March 2020 budget.

It will affect all businesses and public bodies in scope of CCL, except those with Climate Change Agreements or using low carbon technologies such as ‘good quality’ Combined Heat and Power (CHP).

The Climate Change Levy is a UK-wide environmental tax on electricity, gas, LPG and solid fuels supplied to businesses and public sector consumers, with the aim of improving energy efficiency.

CCL on natural gas was increased by 19.7% (to £0.00406 per kWh) on 1 April 2020. Each subsequent year there will be similar double-digit percentage tariff increases through to April 2023, when the tariff will hit £0.00672 per kWh. “Most businesses will see their energy bills rise due to these hikes in CCL on natural gas, which is a fixed, non-negotiable cost for the majority of organisations. However, organisations using high efficiency CHP will benefit from financial relief,” said Hugh Richmond.

“Those using natural gas CHP on-site and qualifying as ‘good quality’ under the Combined Heat and Power Quality Assurance (CHPQA) standard will be exempt from CCL payments on gas used for power generation. They will also avoid CCL on self-generated electricity used on-site, thus achieving double savings. This makes the economic case for CHP even more attractive, as illustrated by the rapid return on investment – often within three years.”

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CCL makes up approximately 5% of total charges on a typical business energy bill and is one of the largest environmental taxes.

Large increases in CCL rates were first introduced on 1 April 2019 when the Carbon Reduction Commitment (CRC) Energy Efficiency Scheme was abolished. The ‘lost’ CRC tax revenue was offset by much higher CCL rates for most energy users. In 2019 this resulted in a 67% increase on natural gas (from £0.00203 per KWh to £ 0.00339) and a 45% increase on electricity (from £0.00583 per kWh to 0.00847).

Gas producers currently pay lower CCL charges than electricity producers, even though there has been much greater success in reducing power emissions, compared to the more difficult task of decarbonising gas. The

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government is levelling up the disparity.

As such, CCL rates on electricity will decrease by 4.4% both this year and next year – to stabilise at a levy rate of £0.00775 per kWh through to 2023.

On-site CHP/cogeneration is a highly efficient process involving the simultaneous production of electricity and useful heat. It is almost

CHP

twice as efficient as using individual boilers and conventional power generation, where the waste heat is normally wasted to the atmosphere and transmission losses occur in transporting power to the end-user.

CHP can help organisations reduce their energy costs and ensure the security of their supply. It also provides a costeffective way to make carbon savings.

If a project meets the CHPQA assessment criteria for efficiency and environmental performance, it is certified as ‘Good Quality CHP’. It is then eligible for partial CCL exemption, as well as other financial incentives.

These include preferential business rates and taxation benefits under the Annual Investment Allowance.

CCL must be paid by most organisations, except light energy users and charities. Certain heavy energy users can also qualify for exemption by negotiating a Climate Change Agreement, but most other organisations are liable for this significant levy. Using efficient on-site CHP

provides a proven route to reducing the financial sting of this environmental tax on both gas and electricity costs.

Edina is a market-leader in the supply, installation and maintenance

of Combined Heat and Power (CHP) units and the exclusive distributor of high-efficiency MWM gas engines in the UK and Ireland.

Further information: www.edina.eu

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NET ZERO

FIVE FUNDED GREEN ENERGY ASSETS FOR YOUR NET-ZERO STRATEGY Successfully adopting and using new technologies is an essential part of reaching net-zero emissions. Energy and sustainability services company, SMS, takes a look at the foremost carbon reduction (CaRe) assets on the market today, which they can fund, design, install and deliver for your business as part of an integrated net-zero strategy.

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here is no single certain route to net-zero carbon emissions, whether speaking from the perspective of our national 2050 target or from the standpoint of an individual organisation.

With so many moving parts, there remain plenty of unanswered questions, ifs, buts and maybes whenever the topic is deliberated.

However, as the climate clock keeps ticking, none of us – not government, not industry, nor consumers – can really afford to stand still despite the uncharted territory. What is clear is that we must start reducing carbon emissions now, no matter what.

Therefore, in these early days of embarking on net-zero decarbonisation journeys and the general absence of well-trodden zero emissions pathways, it is up to UK businesses and public

sector organisations to blaze their own trails and become leaders of sustainability. Most won’t be able to achieve this entirely on their own – they’ll need to work with experienced energy and sustainability partners, who not only have the required technical expertise and energy market knowledge, but the strategic acumen and engineering skills to deliver achievable zero carbon outcomes.

At SMS, we are already working with our clients to put such plans in place and help them make sense of net zero. This includes acknowledging that, whilst there might not be a single route to carbon neutral emissions, clear potential paths certainly do exist and are achievable – particularly in terms of the low-carbon energy assets and solutions that are readily available to invest in and benefit from. Successfully navigating and

NET ZERO deploying these solutions requires a deep understanding of your organisation’s relationship with energy and carbon, and also being able to utilise this knowledge to decide which combination of carbon reduction assets are best suited for your business.

As a leading energy and sustainability services company, we are not just building these bespoke strategies with our clients, we are also helping remove the substantial financial obstacles standing in the way of net-zero pathways. Our Carbon Reduction (CaRe) Asset Funding allows our customers to access and invest in low-carbon technologies at scale and at no upfront cost, kickstarting a passage to zero emissions without any commercial constraints to hold it back.

Below we look at five of the foremost low-carbon asset classes for your business’ net-zero energy strategy.

ON-SITE GENERATION Investing in energy efficiency measures are often a great place to begin a carbon reduction strategy, but what comes next? Generating electricity on the same site that it is consumed could reduce grid supplied energy costs by up to 80%, but this requires investment in suitable onsite renewable technologies for your business, ideally making use of ‘free’ resources such as the sun and wind. Whilst Government subsidies (e.g. the feed in tariff) have encouraged the uptake of renewables, as technology costs come down these support mechanisms have been largely phased out. Despite this, the rise in non-commodity costs and pressures for greater CSR mean the business case for onsite renewables has never been more appealing. The key is to size a renewable technology (or combination of) with battery storage to meet the energy demand on the site.

BATTERY STORAGE With businesses facing rising energy demand, an increasingly instable grid, limited site capacity and – if already introduced on site – intermittent renewable generation, battery storage has become recognised as an integral part of a low-carbon energy strategy for any large energy user. Besides facilitating and improving your utilisation of on-site renewable generation and maximising efficiency through more flexible energy usage, installing a battery can make your business more resilient to brownouts, protecting your production from interruptions and your

other assets from damage by providing a backup or emergency power supply.

ELECTRIC VEHICLES & CHARGING With transport today the largest source of emissions in the UK, making up 26% of the country’s carbon emissions, investing in clean transport is an area where organisations can make a very practical and impactful contribution to addressing climate change.

Simultaneously, making the transition to EVs now can also help substantially cut costs in the long term, as well as creating new revenue streams and boosting brand reputation. Besides the cost and tax savings of switching your petrol/diesel fleet to an electric one, EV charging as a solution in its own right brings with it a plethora of commercial advantages, including the potential to bring in new customers requiring charging facilities and related retail opportunities.

EV infrastructure also presents an opportunity to integrate with on-site renewable generation such as solar and battery storage, which can further reduce energy costs, unlock flexible energy value through Demand Side Response, and generally enhance sustainability across your entire estate.

HEAT SOLUTIONS Like transport, the provision of heat currently contributes around a quarter of all UK greenhouse gas emissions, however general awareness about its impact on the environment, the need to move away from natural gas heating, and indeed what the alternatives might be, are much lower. This doesn’t make the transition to low-carbon heat any less important than it is for the transition to EVs – if anything it makes the case stronger. Despite being a

much less developed market, there are some proven solutions available for businesses to benefit from and integrate into their net-zero strategies today. For example, heat pumps utilise a range of heat sources including air, ground, water and waste heat and can be fully powered by your on-site renewable generation, providing significant carbon emission reductions compared to alternative to ‘conventional’ gas fuelled heating systems.

LED LIGHTING & CONTROLS With a vast majority of UK building stock ageing and highly inefficient, boosting the energy efficiency of UK businesses is one of the greatest immediate challenges for the country’s decarbonisation. Major improvements are required not only to reduce emissions, but to lower energy bills, improve comfort and practicality, and prepare the building stock for a switch to low-carbon heating and other technologies. Besides heating, lighting is one of the main culprits for wasted energy. Investing in more efficient LED lighting and smart controls and sensors could drastically reduce running costs, make your business more sustainable, as well as deliver improved standards of lighting and greater control over output.

SMS (www.sms-plc.com) is a leading energy and sustainability services company that partners with public sector organisations to reach net-zero carbon emissions. SMS can provide the funding to help you access and deploy any combination of the above assets at scale, as well as providing an integrated net-zero strategy and delivery model, including project scope, design, installation, operation and ongoing maintenance.

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DRIVING THE FUTURE

HYDROGEN FUELS NET-ZERO MOBILITY Mark Griffin, Hydrogen Market Development Manager for Clean Fuels, BOC, explains how using hydrogen as a transport fuel benefits councils and fleet operators.

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he government’s ‘Road to Zero Strategy’ is driving the transition to zero emissions across all vehicle types for public and private modes of transport. The end of the diesel vehicle is in sight and forwardlooking councils and fleet operators are taking action to provide clean transport alternatives, from delivery vans to refuse trucks and bus fleets.

Zero-emission vehicles produce no greenhouse gas or air pollutant emissions at their tail pipes. Currently, only hydrogen fuel cell and pure battery electric vehicles can deliver zero emission transport.

Both battery and fuel-cell vehicles use electricity to drive electric motors, and both electricity and hydrogen can be produced using power from renewable energy sources.

HYDROGEN AS A FUEL Hydrogen is the most abundant element in the universe. It is produced in a number of ways, which vary in efficiency, carbon intensity and cost including as a by-product from the chemicals industry or through a process called steam methane reformation (SMR). It is also possible to produce green hydrogen from electrolysis – a process that extracts hydrogen from water with no emissions.

Hydrogen is stored as a compressed gas at the refuelling station until it’s needed and is then pumped into a vehicle under pressure. One of the key benefits of hydrogen is that refuelling is a fast and familiar process, similar to refuelling a diesel vehicle. It takes around 10 minutes to refuel a bus, which can cover a range of around 350km, and 5 minutes for a car enabling a range of 500km.

There are zero emissions from the fuel-cell vehicle – just clean water from the tail pipe – and they are virtually noiseless.

REFUELLING STATION INFRASTRUCTURE Refuelling stations need a hydrogen supply, which can either be delivered to

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site from an offsite production plant or produced onsite. To produce hydrogen on-site, an electrolyser is required to extract hydrogen from water. A compressor unit takes the extracted hydrogen and compresses it for efficient storage. The station also requires a hydrogen store, which is capable of storing hydrogen under pressure, and a dispenser for pumping the hydrogen gas to the vehicle under pressure.

For any refuelling station, ensuring reliability is essential. At BOC’s Kittybrewster facility in Aberdeen, every refuelling has been successful since the station’s launch in 2015, and the reliability rate is 99.5% with no failed refuels.

Also important is the need to ensure that the refuelling capacity is large enough to supply the vehicle fleet for which it is intended. Producing 300kg of hydrogen daily is enough to fuel ten 42-seat buses, with each bus able to travel up to 350km between refuelling.

By using a modular design, it is possible to scale up hydrogen production to match the needs of a growing fleet.

COST OF OWNERSHIP There are several factors that contribute to the cost of operating a hydrogen refuelling station. Two of the main determinants are the volume of hydrogen produced (cost reduces with increasing volumes) and the cost of electricity used in the

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electrolysis process. For a low-carbon solution, operators typically source power from renewable sources or a supplier offering a green tariff.

Some operators aim to achieve cost parity with diesel at the pump, while others recognise that there is a significant value associated with reducing air pollution and carbon emissions.

Producing hydrogen using methods other than electrolysis does create some CO2 emissions. It can, however, be cheaper, improve local air quality and provide a pathway to using green hydrogen in the future. With any new project, BOC works with local councils and vehicle fleet owner/operators at the outset to help them understand the economics of hydrogen use, align the costs with their objectives and identify potential sources of funding.

Element Energy, a specialist low carbon energy consultancy, reports that by the mid-2020s bus manufacturers expect it will be possible to purchase a fuel cell bus for less than £350k. This

DRIVING THE FUTURE

cost assumes relatively low production volumes – a few hundred per year. With expansion in the global supply of the key components of fuel cell systems and hydrogen tanks, it is reasonable to expect prices to reduce to below £300k by the end of the decade.

At these bus prices, the total cost of ownership of a fuel cell can fall below even the best case battery electric options (when coupled with the price of hydrogen that will be available at high-volume refuelling stations).

Element Energy concludes that, as cities regulate to require zero emission buses during the 2020s, the fuel cell bus has the potential to be a major part of achieving this political ambition.

RENEWABLE ENERGY AND GRID BALANCING With more renewables on the grid, energy supplies are becoming more intermittent, and real-time electricity prices more volatile.

When supply exceeds demand, energy becomes very cheap – sometimes negatively priced, as the alternative is that operators must be paid to curtail generation. Building energy storage facilities helps to balance the grid by storing energy when it exceeds demand, then using it when demand picks up again.

Using electrolysis, hydrogen can act as a very cost-effective energy store and so help balance the grid. The flexibility of the proton exchange membrane (PEM) technology used within the electrolyser enables the electrolysis process to be switched on and off very quickly to respond to electricity price volatility and take advantage of low electricity prices. Hydrogen provides a way to store electricity when it is cheap, which can reduce the cost of hydrogen at the pump.

ESTABLISHED, PROVEN TECHNOLOGY

first open access hydrogen refuelling station in Swindon, UK, in 2011. In 2014 the site was further developed to become the first commercial scale production and refuelling station with the installation of an onsite electrolysis unit producing green hydrogen powered by solar. Since then, BOC has been working with partners to develop a public UK hydrogen refuelling network, including the first UK hydrogen station on a public fuel forecourt at Shell’s Cobham service station on the M25.

BOC’s relationship with Aberdeen City Council to develop, construct and operate the Kittybrewster refuelling station, is a major success. Together, they are creating a blueprint for rolling out hydrogen technology across towns and cities in the UK, helping to reduce carbon emissions and air pollution, which is a major benefit for all. www.boconline.co.uk

Hydrogen refuelling is in daily operation worldwide. BOC launched the

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LIGHTING

WHY SHOULD WE BE CONCERNED ABOUT GLARE?

Nigel Box, Technical Director at Sylvania Lighting Europe, talks us through the impact glare can have in our working environment.

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ellbeing within the office is vitally important to keep employees comfortable as well as ensuring they can be as productive as possible. Office work can be particularly demanding on the eyes, especially when employees are required to stare at screens all day, whether they are in office spaces or working from home remotely. Lighting can play a huge role in creating the right ambience within a space and, in some cases, if not done correctly can cause a number of health issues.

Glare is a visual sensation caused by excessive and uncontrolled brightness and it can range from being simply uncomfortable right through to completely disabling. It is subjective, and sensitivity to glare can vary widely.

THERE ARE TWO COMMONLY CONSIDERED TYPES OF GLARE: Discomfort Glare – this is the sensation of annoyance or even pain induced by overly bright sources, but it will not actually stopping you seeing.

Discomfort glare can be caused by direct or reflected glare and can be a result of simple bright sunlight.

It can impact individuals in different ways and will have varying degrees of intensity, however, even in milder cases it can cause visual discomfort such as eyestrain and fatigue. For those that suffer from a sensitivity to light, glare can occur at any time of day.

Disability Glare – is the reduction in visibility caused by intense light sources in the field of view and can cause a loss of visibility from stray light being scattered within the eye. As the name suggests, disability glare is far more detrimental than discomfort glare and the high level of light produces a glare that can actually interfere with or block vision. It can be, for example, a result of bright sunlight shone directly into the face or bright lights from an oncoming vehicle.

Both glares simultaneously influence as the eyes try to auto correct the issue. This can cause loss of concentration, more frequent mistakes, and fatigue. So, what can we do when designing lighting schemes to counter the effects of glare?

UNIFIED GLARE RATING (UGR) The glare of all luminaires that are in the room regularly can be evaluated with the UGR method, as specified in the standard EN 12464-1 “Lighting of indoor workplaces”. Part 1 of BS EN 12464 specifies requirements for lighting in main offices areas and

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the associated areas in terms of quantity and quality of lighting. In addition, recommendations are given for good lighting practice including studying glare and shielding against it, colour aspects and appearance, colour rendering, maintenance and energy efficiency requirements.

UGR is calculated using a precise formula. Essentially, this formula measures the luminance of a luminaire divided by the background of visible luminance from the room. The UGR ranges from 5 to 40. The lower the number, the better. For example, a low UGR of 10 means the glare is so discreet it will go unnoticed, while a UGR of 30 will definitely cause distraction.

UGR is applicable to lighting installations, not luminaires. The formula requires the prior knowledge of the position and brightness of each potential glare source. It is quite accurate, but relatively difficult to work with. It is best calculated with computer software.

Glare calculations are complex and involve summing all the light from all sources at a particular angle entering the eye at a particular location. Strictly speaking, there is no such thing as a ‘UGR19-compliant’ luminaire. There are luminaires whose performance supports a UGR-compliant design or installation, but compliance can only be determined once the ergonomics and geometry relative to the occupants of a space have been assessed. If a manufacturer claims UGR19 compliance, then it can only be for a set of pre-determined conditions.

Thus, a luminaire UGR is a simplification which enables us to determine if it is likely to cause discomfort in specific types of work or office environment.

TABULAR METHOD This is a procedure which is followed in order to determine the UGR value of a lighting installation in a standard room.

The lighting designer should bear in mind that the ‘standard room’ rarely represents real world situations. In this method, the floor has a standardised reflectance of 20%, walls: 30% to 50% and ceiling up

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to 70%. White walls or ceilings with a higher reflectance (75 to 90%), such as frequently occur in indoor spaces, are not taken into consideration in this approach.

The observer is positioned either across or along the luminaire axis. It does not permit an angle of vision diagonal to the luminaire axis. Also, it is based exclusively on rectangular room geometries. It must be applied for each individual type of luminaire, if more than one luminaire type is present in the room.

Sylvania offers a number of solutions that are ideal for office environments including the new Optix Linear luminaire.

With its high-performance glarecontrolled optics with optimised diffusers and reflectors, Optix Linear is perfect for a wide range of applications such as office, education, data centres and other circulation areas. Optix Linear can be mounted individually or in continuous runs with seamless light effect providing greater flexibility over the design of the lighting scheme. It is available in Warm White (3000K), Neutral White (4000K) and Tuneable White (3000K – 6000K) colour temperatures. Optix Linear meets and exceeds UGR <16, with aluminised optics plus the implementation of CRI 90 for increased visual comfort, meeting the required standards and making it ideal for office environments We have learnt how to work in different environments over recent months and when we go into the office it will feel different to how it was previously. Ensuring we can still be productive and comfortable in our office environment will still remain a top priority and, as we’ve seen, lighting can play a key role in making sure our wellbeing is enhanced. Glare is an important issue and something that needs to be considered carefully when lighting a space. www.sylvania-lighting.com

PSSA

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Corporate membership of the Public Sector Sustainability Association is available to any private sector organisation wishing to reach committed and influencial sustainability professionals in Government, Local Authorities, NHS, Education and Housing Associations.

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WHAT DOES IT COST The introductory rate for annual membership is £495+VAT.

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