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Energy 30
(IFC). Masdar has been successfully working with DFIs including these to successfully progress and present ground-breaking renewable energy projects in different developing countries. Collaboration will also be important to generating innovative financing solutions that allow developers and financiers to build their involvement in emerging markets. For example, at Masdar we have been working closely with Etihad Credit Insurance (ECI), the UAE’s export credit agency, to work on solutions which support and enable the participation of commercial banks in the financing of renewable energy projects in these emerging economies. These partnerships are essential to ensuring we can attract the additional capital needed, thereby boosting cost competitiveness. As partners continue to effectively collaborate, opportunities will increase. If governments in emerging economies continue to work with DFIs and developers such as Masdar, the development of large-scale renewable energy programs focused on competitively priced clean energy for citizens can progress sustainably, providing real energy security for these countries.
Today’s energy challenges are so wide-reaching that no single company or sector can tackle clean energy alone. Close collaboration between government, finance and industry is key. The three must work as partners to ensure that both short and long-term investments in industrial decarbonisation are sustainable and affordable.
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Growing amounts of investment are pouring into sustainability and green energy.
Established in 2006, Masdar, Abu Dhabi Future Energy Company, is a global leader in renewable energy and sustainable urban development. Masdar means “source” in Arabic.
Their mandate is to help maintain the leadership of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in the global energy sector, while supporting the diversification of both its economy and energy sources for the benefit of future generations. Masdar is developing commercially viable renewable energy projects in the Middle East & North Africa (MENA) and international markets, and champions innovation in clean technologies. The company is currently building the world’s most sustainable city.
It’s crucial that developing countries like the Seychelles have access to affordable clean energy.
MASDAR
masdar.ae
EV UPTAKE IS FACING BUMPS IN THE ROAD IF WE DON’T FIX CHARGING INFRASTRUCTURE
With the government preparing to ban the sale of petrol and diesel cars by 2030, the uptake of electric vehicles is set to increase 20-fold over the next seven years. This would undoubtedly play a major part in helping us decarbonise our country and reach our net zero target by 2050.
But, across the UK, our current charging infrastructure is unable to sustain this predicted growth. Estimates show we would need to be delivering ten times the current number of charging points before the 2030 cutoff. And it’s not just the number of chargers we need to look at. If we want to avoid the seemingly random concentration of infrastructure in a few hubs around the country, and vast areas without access to public EV charging, we need to adopt an evidence-led strategy to charging infrastructure which will avoid businesses and local authorities wasting money installing the wrong types of chargers in the wrong places. This is the only way we will be able to build consumer confidence in EVs. With 80 charging points per 100,000 people in London currently, compared with just 10 Yorkshire and the Humber, it’s time we found a better solution for the effective roll out of charging infrastructure in the UK.
Understanding assets, and consumers
Since the government’s ‘Green Industrial Revolution’ set out the plans to phase-out petrol and diesel cars, companies and councils around the UK have been taking steps to ensure they are prepared with adequate EV charging provisions. Afterall, failure to cater for electric vehicle drivers will ultimately isolate businesses of all types from a large, growing customer base. Similarly, councils must consider how EV charging supports local centres, protects critical revenue streams, and democratises EV uptake. But we need to look more closely at the type of infrastructure that is being installed. More often than not, due to a lack of a data-led approach, critical errors are made in terms of the number and type of charging points needed. Incorrectly assessing what is needed across an asset portfolio is not just a costly financial error but is also a problem that can increase costs by overestimating demand on the national grid. Across the UK, almost one in five public charging points are rapid chargers. That’s great if your vehicle is low on charge and you are stopping off for a quick trip to your local shopping centre. However, if you are parking for a longer duration your vehicle doesn’t need to be charged within twenty minutes. Understanding consumer behaviours and the needs of an individual asset is key to implementing a successful EV charging strategy which will help consumer make the jump to an electric vehicle.
The need for a data-led approach
It is time for us to look to data-driven strategies to help make informed decisions on EV charging provision. Currently, decisions often worth millions of pounds, are being made without real insights, creating unnecessary risk and expenses, and sometimes resulting in a lack of infrastructure which hampers EV take up. The cost of EV chargers vary considerably, particularly between lower powered AC chargers and higher powered DC units - where grid capacity is a constraint, we have seen grid connection costs between £50,000 to £2m per MW. Overprovision can be an expensive mistake which can lead to both high costs and loss of revenue.
With StratEV, Hydrock’s bespoke EV charging modelling tool, we can draw together data to predict charger usage, power demand and revenue to provide efficient solutions that reduce cost and maximise future uptake. The benefit of modelling when developing an EV charging strategy is the degree of certainty that the data-led approach provides. Devising an EV infrastructure strategy using data takes the guesswork out of the equation and helps make informed decisions.
The future is EV
We all make conscious efforts to be more sustainable – from using a reusable water bottle to separating our cardboard parcel boxes in the rubbish. The transition to electric vehicles is a key part of building a more sustainable future – but for this to happen we must deliver the right charging infrastructure. Drivers, from all corners of the country, need to be confident that the move to an electric vehicle is a sustainable solution, and this means providing them with the certainty that they will be able to charge their car wherever they are. This can only be achieved by adopting a data-led approach which will eliminate inflated infrastructure costs and risks.
JAMES MCKECHNIE
National Director - Transportation & Mobility Analytics, Hydrock
hydrock.com
MANAGING THE ENERGY CRISIS IN UK MANUFACTURING
The UK’s energy price cap has been rising at a colossal rate. While domestic rates are being kept below the threshold, albeit still gutwrenchingly expensive, business rates are not covered by the cap, meaning there are wild variations in costs for business energy. Martyn Williams, managing director of COPA-DATA, gives his advice for curbing industry’s rising energy costs.
Wholesale energy costs are now at record high levels. No extent of shopping around for a better rate can avoid the reality that energy will cost you more, regardless of your supplier. In industry, energy costs have always been a substantial but essential expense — particularly for facilities that operate with a vast array of equipment.
The legacy dilemma
Many industrial facilities still operate on legacy machinery. If not most of the equipment on site, at least some will have been in operation for several years or decades and are likely to have poor energy credentials. Unfortunately, much like the consumers now wistfully regretting their decision not to invest in solar panels, most manufacturers simply don’t have the capital expenditure to invest in more efficient machinery.
Unfortunately, one of the most common barriers to efficiency has been competition from other revenue-generating projects for funds. However, the current cost of energy is now at a level that cannot be ignored should businesses want to maintain their profits and, in some cases, stay afloat.
For facilities with energy intensive equipment, there are ways to improve efficiency by installing complementary automation, such as variable speed drives (VSDs) or soft starters to manage the energy output of motors, replacing oversized motors and pumps, and running pumps at their efficiency speeds. However, these efforts can be misplaced if manufacturers do not have a full overview of where energy is being consumed.
Capturing energy data
The backbone of good energy management is the collection and analysis of energy data. Manufacturers need clear insight on how much energy is being used, where and what for. While many manufacturers believe they do have some kind of energy data management system (EDMS) in place, these are often relatively basic. In fact, some are only as sophisticated as a domestic smart meter and are inadequate for an industrial facility.
Ideally, manufacturers need an EDMS that can collect data from equipment of any age or manufacturer. Legacy equipment often is not Internet of Things (IoT) compatible, so it is advisable to opt for an EDMS that can communicate across a range of protocols. This can ensure it will connect with the programmable logic controller (PLC) in question. Often, you will not yield as much data from legacy machinery as native IoT-enabled equipment, but they can provide enough insight to identify key pain points.
Actioning energy analysis
A common drawback of many energy management initiatives is actioning consumption data. There’s so much data that managers often don’t know where to begin, particularly if data analysis and modification have to be done manually. To reap the benefits of an EDMS investment, it’s best to look for a platform that can offer visualisation of energy usage data in a single location.
For instance, a dashboard that shows the performance of all equipment within a facility, allowing manufacturers to identify any aspects of the plant that are not efficient. Let’s say a plant manager spots a conveyor operating for several hours per week when it is not needed — a simple modification of switching this machine off periodically could yield a decent energy saving. Likewise, the system could also spot opportunities for significant energy savings, such as an under loaded motor that needs replacing or a fault in the HVAC system.
For example, zenon functions as an EDMS, and can also provide alerts for any deviations in energy usage. For manufacturers with many industrial assets, this can identify energy flow issues before they cause spikes in consumption and cost.
Industry will not be supported by Ofgem’s price cap — and there is no sign of support from the Chancellor for businesses in this area - so manufacturers must take energy management into their own hands and invest in technology to support energy initiatives.
COPA-DATA
copadata.com/en
YOU CAN’T MANAGE WHAT YOU’RE NOT MEASURING
As energy costs continue to rise, reducing costs and carbon emissions is an increasing priority for business leaders. Shayne Wilson, of Pilot Group, explains why energy management and monitoring is of real strategic importance.
As energy costs soar, energy management and monitoring has never been more significant. According to energy analysts Cornwall Insight, SMEs have faced an average gas bill hike of more than 250% in the last year alone.
Another price increase is expected in October, where, according to the most recent forecasts, we should expect energy prices to rise even further, by a staggering 51%.
Despite this, in a study carried out by the Office for National Statistics, nearly half of all businesses surveyed reported they are not implementing any actions to reduce their carbon emissions.
The three main challenges preventing these businesses from taking action are:
concern over the cost of implementation lack of expertise to assess different options for change lack of knowledge on how to measure energy outputs.
Decreasing energy consumption reduces running costs for businesses, lowers carbon emissions and shows customers that a company is environmentally conscious. So why is it proving so difficult to convince business owners to take a serious look at their energy outputs and learn how to make it more efficient?
Increased awareness around the strategic importance of energy management and monitoring is vital to overcome these barriers for change. After all, you can’t improve what you
