missioncriticalpower.uk
ISSUE 3: FEBRUARY 2016
6
Big spenders: Energy efficiency drive as power margins dwindle
18
: DCIM dilemma: Whose budget line is it anyway?
20
: Power struggle: You might want belt and braces next winter
The UPS role in the Uptime Institute’s Tier Classification System See cover story, page 12
Power and accuracy when you need it most To find out more call or email us today: 01256 386 700, sales@upspower.co.uk
www.upspower.co.uk
Smart Energy & Power Quality Solutions
✔
Class A Power Quality Analyser
UMG 512
Power Quality �easurement to EN 50160 & IEC 61000-4-30
3in1
ISO 50001 Energy Management Power Quality Monitoring RCM - Residual Current Monitoring
Certified class A device Measurement of power quality according to EN 50160, IEEE 519, ITIC, ... Detection of short interruptions, transients, harmonics up to 63rd Flicker measurement according to DIN EN 61000-4-15 Residual Current (Earth Leakage) Monitoring Temperature Input (PT100�1000), 2 Digital inputs and 2 digital outputs Continuous and reliable storage of measured data (256 MB memory) Increase of Grid transparency and reduction of electrical losses Ethernet, e-mail, homepage, gateway Onboard PLC Programming and analysis software GridVis-Basic included in content of delivery Field of applications: substation; data center; commercial, financial and utility industry
Janitza Electronics UK Ltd
www.janitza.com
Phone: +44 (0)78 3311 1985
E-Mail: david.gilligan@janitza.com
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IN THIS ISSUE
10
18 Data centres
CHP
Data centre infrastructure management systems offers benefits that can’t be ignored. But who should pay for them?
CHP for data centres was a great idea. But Ian Bitterlin asks whether the time passed for the technology to be of much use
14
Power quality How effective power quality management leads to energy efficiency and resilience in spite of the rise of renewable power
22 Blackout risks
While the UK faces a potential power shortfall, there are suitable technologies available to minimise the risk of power cuts - and profit
20
missioncriticalpower.uk
ISSUE 3: FEBRUARY 2016
6
Big spenders: Energy efficiency drive as power margins dwindle
18
DCIM dilemma: Whose budget line is it anyway?
20
Power struggle: You might want belt and braces next winter
The UPS role in the Uptime Institute’s Tier Classification System
Blackout risks
See cover story, page 12
Power margins are thinning, so now is the time to get that back-up generation budget increase Power and accuracy when you need it most
37
To find out more call or email us today: 01256 386 700, sales@upspower.co.uk
www.upspower.co.uk
12
Cooling & air movement
Cover Story Modular UPS technology can help data centre owners meet the Uptime Institute’s Tier Classification System
How channeling heat loads has delivered energy savings at the Large Hadron Collider project
Comment
4
Data centres
18
Standby power
34
News
6
Blackout risk
20
Cooling & air movement
36
Insight
8
Energy efficiency
24
Products
39
CHP
10
Demand response
28
Directory
41
Power quality
14
UPS
30
Q&A
42
To subscribe please contact: missioncriticalpower.uk/subscribe missioncriticalpower.uk
February 2016 MCP
6
NEWS & COMMENT
Firms plan energy efficiency splurge as power margins tighten More than 90% of UK firms plan to invest in energy efficiency in the next 12 months, according to a survey of 51 company directors surveyed by Energyst Media, publisher of Mission Critical Power. The findings contrast starkly with a recent survey of 150 IT decision makers by The Green Grid, which found that nearly half of data centres have no energy efficiency objectives in place (see MCP, December 2015). Energy efficient lighting projects figure in the 2016 investment plans of 79% of
those surveyed, followed by investments in building controls (53%), behaviour change (53%) and on-site generation (42%). Meanwhile, with UK power margins thinning, some 63% said they had a plan in place to mitigate price or supply shocks that may result. However, about half of those polled believed gas (53%) and power (46%) prices would remain roughly the same throughout 2016 as in 2015. Alongside the survey, The Director’s Energy Report 2016 outlines risks to businesses in
Equinix completes Telecity acquisition Equinix has completed its £2.6bn acquisition of Telecity. The move doubles its capacity in Europe and adds more than 1,000 new customers to its books. Both shareholders and regulators approved the deal at the end of January. Along with the earlier acquisition of Bit-isle, Equinix has added another 40 data centres to its roster. It now has 145 data centres globally and will add seven new European countries to its portfolio, including Bulgaria, Finland, Ireland, Italy, Poland, Sweden and Turkey. Telecity’s chairman, John Hughes, will join the Equinix’s board of directors while Equinix’s EMEA president, Eric Schwartz, will serve as the head of the combined regional business in EMEA. Equinix president and CEO Steve Smith said: “Today is a very important day for Equinix as we close the acquisition of Telecity, which is a
MCP February 2016
significant milestone in our 17-year history. By increasing the scale of the Equinix interconnection platform in key markets throughout Europe, we are able to better serve global enterprises while creating meaningful shareholder value.” Hughes said: "The combination of Equinix and Telecity gives businesses more choice for interconnection, which is increasingly important in this highly digital age, when customers rely on connectivity to drive competitive advantage. “I would like to take this opportunity to pay tribute to all the committed, talented employees at Telecity who together built Europe’s premium data center business and remain committed to the smooth integration of our two companies. It is with great pleasure that I will continue to work with the combined business as a member of Equinix’s board of directors.”
the year ahead. These include more firms becoming exposed to time of use electricity tariffs under a piece of regulation called P272. About 160,000 more businesses will be affected in the course of the next financial year. Meanwhile, decisions made this year over the future of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme post 2020 could leave some larger companies with inadequate carbon leakage protection. The report also looks at demand response and the future of energy efficiency subsidies and policy.
Let private firms lead smartgrid trials Private companies should be put in charge of energy innovation projects rather than energy network operators, according to the head of the Energy Technologies Institute. The push to build smart grids for both electricity and gas is being stymied because the gas and electricity network operators “lack the scale to handle that sort of investment”, ETI chief executive Dave Clarke told MPs. Currently gas and power network operators lead publicly funded innovation projects – usually in partnership with commercial organisations – via competitions overseen by regulator Ofgem. However, the
Download your free copy at www.theenergyst.com/directors challenge of building a new, smarter energy system will require so much money that only large multinationals can fund it. Therefore they should lead the innovation projects, said Clarke. He also effectively told the Energy and Climate Change Committee that the UK’s regulatory framework was no longer fit for purpose and mooted an overarching energy authority. “At the moment, the system we have is more or less regulated through Ofgem. Does that encompass engineering, economics and consumer science? Not really. There are also issues about [the electrification of transport],” he said. “Clearly there is a need for better integration of regulators. Do we need some kind of energy authority which looks across power, heat, transport and gas?”
missioncriticalpower.uk
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Honeywell buys Elster for £3.5bn Honeywell has completed its $5.1bn (£3.5bn) acquisition of energy solutions firm Elster. The acquisition was first announced in July. The firm provides thermal gas
solutions for commercial, industrial, and residential heating systems and gas, water, and electricity meters, including smart meters and software and data analytics solutions.
National Grid pays firms to fire up generators National Grid has procured almost 803MW of extra power capacity to cover winter 2016/17, when the system is expected to be at its tightest for some years (see p14). About 475MW will be delivered by unproven demand-side response units. Part of it may well come from back-up and on-site generators at mission critical sites. National Grid is paying companies to turn on generators or shift power loads at times of system stress because the UK’s margin of power demand over power supplies is declining, creating both a threat and an opportunity to companies with heavy power use. The first of the so-called ‘transitional arrangement’ capacity auctions closed late January with 802.710MW in
contracts awarded at a clearing price of £27.50 kW/year. That is a higher clearing price than awarded to capacity providers in earlier auctions, but the delivery period is much closer – for the coming winter rather than towards the end of this decade. Those awarded contracts can choose to either deliver the full amount of capacity agreed, or a time-banded amount (payable at a rate equal to 70% of the auction clearing price). The lion’s share of the contracts (59%) went to unproven demand side response units. CHP and autogeneration took the next biggest share, with 274MW in contracts awarded, representing roughly a third of the total. About 146MW of demand side response exited the auction as the price fell below what
they wanted for their services. Of the aggregators of unproven demand side response (DSR) units bidding for contracts, Kiwi Power took the most in megawatt terms (173.6MW), over a fifth of the total auction. Other successful unproven DSR bidders include: Enernoc (65.1MW); EnergyPool UK (59.8MW); EDF (47.74MW); Flexitricity (39.9MW); Smartest Energy (19.9MW); and Eon (10.4MW). The largest DSR contracts awarded to non-energy companies or aggregators went to Tata Steel (15MW) and BOC (14MW). Meanwhile REstore secured about 12% of the total capacity auctioned via the two largest existing generating capacity mechanism units. It will provide some 94.2MW from CHP engines.
News in brief Deepwater data Microsoft thinks the future of data centres could be subsea. The firm said it has successfully deployed an underwater data centre off the coast of California and could potentially deploy future models in as little as 90 days. Microsoft completed a three-month trial in which a single rack was placed inside an 8ft tubular vessel and immersed in pressurised nitrogen. While the ocean may not be the first place technology companies think of setting up shop, Microsoft is reportedly now planning a version three times larger. It may also link the prototype to an energy source such as a wave or tidal turbine. Big telco project AT&T, Deutsche Telekom, EE, SK Telecom and Verizon joined the Open Compute Project (OCP) in late January. The data centre design share initiative, originally started by Facebook, aims to enable more efficient data centres through industry wide collaboration and shared IP. The new partners kicked off a new OCP Telco Project. Equinix and Nexius have also joined the group.
Facebook to build ‘advanced’ Irish data centre Facebook is to build a new £150m data centre in the Republic of Ireland that it claims will be one of the most advanced and efficient in the world. The internet giant, which has its global headquarters in Ireland, said the data centre will be powered by 100% renewable electricity from the country’s wind resource. Facebook has committed to powering half of its infrastructure from renewable sources within the next three years. missioncriticalpower.uk
“All the racks, servers, and other components have been designed and built from scratch as part of the Open Compute Project, an industrywide coalition of companies dedicated to creating energy- and cost-efficient infrastructure solutions and
sharing them as open source,” said the company. Meanwhile, Sky’s energy demand reduction drive has been recognised with the inclusion of its Edinburgh data centre as a participant to the EU Code of Conduct (CoC) for Energy Efficiency in Data Centres.
The code aims to develop and promote the use of energy efficient best practices and foster further collaboration between providers without impacting operating ability. The Edinburgh DC was accepted into the CoC after demonstrating adherence to a stringent set of practices on design, build and operation. Sky says its data centres already perform well above the industry average for energy efficiency, with a Power Usage Effectiveness (PUE) of 1.33, compared to an average of 2. February 2016 MCP
8
INSIGHT
Always on or nearly always on? In mission critical applications minimising data loss in the event of a power outage is crucial. However, depending on the criticality of the application you may need not just high availability but zero data loss. Stratus Technologies availability architect Andy Bailey explained how to achieve this to Mission Critical Power
U
nplanned downtime can have a detrimental effect on profitability, business continuity, reputation or employee safety. There are many high availability computing options for companies to consider. “Many data centres boast of being 100% available but they are often referring to cooling, power supply, networks etc., not the actual compute, says Stratus Technologies availability architect Andy Bailey. The firm makes its money by delivering availability systems for transactional MCP February 2016
processing applications that can’t go down. Industries such as financial services, telecom, industrial automation, manufacturing, process, building securities and IoT technologies use its kit, which is both hard and software. Stratus thinks that list will grow with the rise in always-on infrastructure and Bailey says companies are responding to the need to prevent even the smallest amount of application downtime by searching for technologies that either conform to or enhance their current IT infrastructures.
Serve up a double So how does Stratus prevent downtime before it occurs? The hardware option makes use of two servers that are closely coupled together creating a virtual machine that operates as one. These two servers are able to be in separate geographical locations and they ensure that there is always two of everything, one on each of the servers in real time. The two sets of CPUs, RAM, motherboards and power supplies are all processing the same information at the same time. So if one component fails,
its companion component is already there and the system keeps functioning. Bailey says the software option is better suited to a larger geographical separation but the hardware option offers greater resiliency (more nines). It has built-in virtualisation and supports Windows and Linux environments and has splitsite deployment for disaster recovery. The software enables virtual workloads to operate on commodity servers. The company says that in effect, it is bringing mainframe-like levels of availability to Intelmissioncriticalpower.uk
9
based servers. Its everRun Enterprise software is designed to keep Windows and Linux applications up and running continuously without changes to applications or in-flight data loss. The software runs on industry-standard Intel-based x86 servers without the need for specialised IT skills. Bailey says that helps bring down the ongoing cost of the system. What is high availabilty? Most approaches to minimising downtime, such as high availability (HA) solutions employ server clusters and failover mechanisms that restart on another host in the event of a hardware or operating system fault. However, the process of recovery takes time. It also implies that damage has already been incurred. Ideally, the systems on which virtualised business-critical applications run should prevent downtime in the first place. The terminology of
The process of recovery not only takes time but also implies that damage has already been incurred. Ideally, the systems on which virtualised business-critical applications run should prevent downtime in the first place
application availability can be split into three areas: 1. Backups and restores: Basic backup, data-replication, and failover procedures are in place via conventional servers. Recoverability translates into 99% to 99.9% availability. 2. High availability: Applications are accessible a very high percentage of the time. Users perceive little or no interruption if there is a failure. High availability translates into 99.95% to 99.99% availability. 3. Continuous availability: Even if there is a failure, server operations are not interrupted. Downtime is eliminated and data is not lost in the event of a server failure. Continuous availability translates into 99.999% availability. The cost of downtime The cost of downtime varies considerably depending of the industry that the application is operating within. If it is
life critical then there is little argument regardless of cost. But some other areas to consider are: productivity costs, recovery costs, customer loss, reputation damage and shareholder value impact. When a failure does occur, Bailey says the firm ensures that a server complete with the customer’s datas configuration is dispatched the same day to ensure redundancy is in place. The new server runs diagnostics and checks the components are the same and starts to copy across all data. Total cost of ownership (TCO) As with most purchase decisions, performing a TCO calculation is the best way to decide whether such a system is necessary for your business. What is interesting is that many applications that are not obviously mission critical (eg life threatening, high cost financial transactions) are justified by the downtime. l stratus.com
TABLE 1: UNDERSTANDING THE NINES Availability level
99%
99.9%
99.95%
99.99%
99.999%
Downtime per year
87.6 hours
8.76 hours
4.38 hours
57 minutes
5 1/2 minutes
$12,088,800
$1,208,880
$604,440
$131,100
$12,650
Total cost of downtime per year
Note the large difference in the cost of downtime between 99.95% and 99.99%. Just a 0.04% difference in downtime means a cost difference of greater than 4.5x. The value of greater availability is evident missioncriticalpower.uk
February 2016 MCP
10
CHP
Is it now too late for CHP for data centres? CHP for data centres was a great idea but has the way they operate meant that the time has passed for this technology to be of use, asks Ian Bitterlin
C
ombined heat and power is a wellestablished technology that extracts as much energy as possible from the fuel burnt in a thermal engine. The most typical of the CHP systems comprises a water cooled reciprocating engine fuelled by natural gas and driving an electrical generator so the energy recovered is in two forms: electricity from the generator; and heat extracted from the engine’s water-cooling jacket. In a typical system the energy efficiency of CHP can exceed 80%; 35% electrical MCP February 2016
80%
The energy efficiency a typical CHP system can exceed; 35% electrical output and 45% heat
output and 45% heat. However, no one should assume that this is a ‘green’ solution, as the energy source is usually a fossil fuel, but it certainly is ‘greener’ than burning the same gas in a CCGT utility power station where you can achieve 45% electrical output but lose 7% in power distribution. So the CHP’s carbon footprint is better than half that of the same fuel burned in the utility power system. Of course, we are talking here about the UK or similar countries where a significant
proportion of the utility fuel mix is fossil based since CHP makes far less sense in a near-zero carbon utility like Norway or low-carbon utility like France. In those places CHP is a high-carbon solution, no matter that it an efficient conversion process. The waste-heat from the CHP is medium grade and can be used for many heating applications or, by feeding the heat into ammonia-based absorption chillers, producing chilled water for cooling. In some cases, all three services (power, heat and cooling) can missioncriticalpower.uk
11 be produced, so called trigeneration, and the oft-cited application is a hospital – always needing power and heat in equal measures. The financial arguments in favour of CHP are less robust than the carbon footprint opportunity since the capital cost and operational costs tend to negate the efficient fuel conversion but what are the application drawbacks of CHP? If we find the right application, for example a load needing power and heat in a high-carbon utility, then there are few drawbacks but they quickly become large hurdles the further we stray from the ‘ideal’: } The capital expenditure is substantial compared to a utility connection and that connection is usually required in addition to the CHP to provide back-up during maintenance and repairs } If the load requires high availability, then a substantial amount of plant has to be installed to cover a minority of the operating time, e.g. water boilers to substitute for the CHP output } Maintenance costs are relatively high and the availability is usually less than 90% } If the load cannot absorb the majority of the heat the financial arguments collapse } Emissions are local and if you install more than 20MW (Thermal, about 7MW electrical) you will have to pay carbon taxes under the EUs Emission Trading Scheme (ETS) There are two other drawbacks that are more contentious so we will only mention them here and not debate them; the reputation for absorption chiller reliability has been less than perfect and, secondly, government subsidies are transitory (look at solarPV feed-in tariffs) and should not be used to justify the application of any technology. So what about data centres? Well, if we turn the clock missioncriticalpower.uk
back 15 years to when CHP was first mooted for data centres, the case was fairly clear: we had a shortage of high-power utility connections in places like Dublin, Amsterdam and east London and the attractions of building a self-supporting data centre were great, while the data centre of the time consumed around 40-50% of its power to run the cooling systems. Many CHP systems were proposed but never built as the ‘dot.bomb’ internet data centre bust-cycle proved that the ‘build and they will come’ mantra of greedy investors was entirely misjudged, while those that were built only survived for a few years once the drawbacks presented by a typical data centre became clearer – although the majority reverted to utility power. The drawbacks are the same today as they were back then but they have grown in size: } Data centres have become warmer places with ‘freecooling’ (no compressor operation) heat rejection resulting in cooling that now absorbs a typical 15-20% of the energy demand – and, in some special cases, even as low as 4-5% (using evaporative or adiabatic technology) } Data centres are very often built in scalable phases on a ‘build when the customer signs’ basis which does not suit high capital investment
If we turn the clock back 15 years to when CHP was first mooted for data centres, the case was fairly clear: we had a shortage of high-power utility connections and the attractions of building a self-supporting data centre were great, especially as 40-50% of its power was to run the cooling systems
CHP is now less attractive for data centres
up-front for centralised plant such as CHP } Partial load is an endemic condition in enterprise and collocation data centres which does not suit the financial model that CHP is based upon. Partial load can result in CHP running with 40% electrical load and less than 10% heat load – totally unsustainable operationally } Data centres require 24/7/365 availability which dictates redundancy in CHP and a fully rated utility supply in reserve – something that carries high capacity charges even if you don’t use it There is one topic left to consider which also makes CHP less attractive for data centres; the choice of fuel. The most popular fuel in successful CHP applications is natural gas – cleaner than diesel oil with lower NOX and SOX emissions and lower carbon content in the exhaust gas. However, gas is usually avoided in data centres as it is volatile, presents a fire risk and is highly problematical to store on site given that many facilities specify 48-72 hours of back-up. Fuel-oil on the other hand has low volatility and is easy to store in bulk. Of course, the CHP can be built to run on oil but the local emissions and fuel delivery logistics become an issue – consider that a 10MW data centre will require a CHP that consumes 30,000L of diesel per day. Options for bio-fuel and dual-fuel abound but the real problem remains that to justify CHP you need to consume a higher proportion of the heat available than modern data centres can provide a demand for. So, for data centres, time has passed, cooling loads reduced and the justification for CHP on technical and financial grounds has declined (quite substantially) and not increased. CHP for data centres has been overtaken by time. l Ian Bitterlin is a consulting engineer and visiting professor at Leeds University February 2016 MCP
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COVER STORY
The UPS role in the Uptime Institute’s Tier Classification System Data centre availability is critical to the success or even survival of most organisations today. Its importance is reflected in the Uptime Institute’s Tier Classification System that defines different tiers of availability for data centres. A review of the tier requirements quickly reveals that they consider UPSs and their performance as critical factors in overall availability. Alan Luscombe, director at Uninterruptible Power Supplies Ltd, looks at the Tier Classification system and its expectations of UPS performance. He then discusses how modern, modular UPS technology can help data centre owners meet these expectations and above all achieve the level of availability they need
D
ata centre operators buy in UPS systems to provide clean, uninterrupted electrical power to their centre’s IT and communications equipment – but the ultimate purpose of this power integrity is to maximise the data centre’s uptime as far as possible. As increasing numbers of organisations’ success or even survival today depends on the continuous availability of their IT and communications resource, data centre uptime has become a critical issue for all users. Since its creation in the mid 1990s, the Uptime Institute’s Tier Classification System has existed to help operators understand the issues related to uptime, and the steps they must take to achieve a level of uptime performance appropriate to their particular business needs. It has become the global standard for thirdparty validation of data centre critical infrastructure, and was introduced to consistently evaluate various data centre facilities in terms of potential site infrastructure performance, or uptime. The system comprises four tiers, from the most basic Tier l to the fully fault tolerant infrastructure of Tier lV. While higher tiers offer more expected uptime than those below them, they come with increased operational complexity and infrastructure MCP February 2016
costs. No tier is universally best; each organisation depending on a data centre must decide which balance of investment against risk is most appropriate for their particular circumstances. This article is intended to inform on how suitable choices of UPS systems can contribute to
improved data centre uptime. Accordingly we briefly review the four tiers of the classification system below, with particular reference to their expectations of UPS and power system performance. We then look at how currently available UPS technology can be deployed to meet these expectations. Tier requirements Tier l: Basic Capacity – A Tier l data centre provides dedicated site infrastructure to support information technology beyond an office setting. The infrastructure includes a dedicated space for IT systems, and a UPS to filter power spikes, sags and momentary outages. It also has ‘Always on’ cooling equipment and an engine generator to protect IT functions from extended power outages. Tier ll: Redundant Capacity Components – Tier II facilities include redundant critical power and cooling components to provide select maintenance opportunities and an increased margin of safety against IT process disruptions that would result from site infrastructure equipment failures. The redundant components include power and cooling equipment such as UPS modules, chillers or pumps, and engine generators. Tier lll: Concurrently Maintainable – A Tier III data
centre requires no shutdowns for equipment replacement and maintenance. A redundant delivery path for power and cooling is added to the redundant critical components of Tier II so that each and every component needed to support the IT processing environment can be shut down and maintained without impact on the IT operation. Tier lV: Fault Tolerance – A Tier lV site infrastructure is as Tier lll, adding the concept of Fault Tolerance to the site infrastructure topology. Fault Tolerance means that when individual equipment failures or distribution path interruptions occur, the effects of the events are stopped short of the IT operations. Note that the Tier Classification System does not prescribe specific technology or design criteria – it is up to the data centre owner to meet these with an approach that fits their own infrastructure goals. Notwithstanding this, some key guidelines for power system specifications emerge from the above; they include the UPS’s need to protect from power spikes and sags as well as momentary power failures, plus the requirement for an engine generator to cater for longerduration outages. Redundancy, modularity and the ability to perform missioncriticalpower.uk
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m
Fig 1: Off-line (left) and on-line UPS systems maintenance and repairs without shutdown also become essential for higher tiers. Choosing UPS topology to comply with tier requirements There are two major types of static UPS architecture available; off-line, and on-line. As Fig 1 shows, these share common features as well as having key design differences. Both include a rectifier/charger, a battery, an inverter and a static switch. The rectifier/ charger converts mains AC current into DC for charging the battery. Fig 1 also shows the fundamental difference, though; during normal mains operation, the off-line system’s static switch is connected to Bypass, so that raw mains power is fed directly to the load. By contrast, the on-line system’s static switch, during normal mains operation, is connected to the inverter output, so mains power reaches the load via all
the UPS components. There are also lineinteractive systems, which attempt to perform better than conventional off-line designs by offering voltage regulation features in the bypass line. On-line and off-line UPS systems On-line systems offer the greatest degree of compliance with tier requirements for power protection, because the load is supplied with processed power at all times. The regenerated power it receives from the inverter is isolated from input supply aberrations, with the rectifier and inverter providing a barrier to mains-borne noise and transient voltage excursions in addition to providing a wellregulated output voltage. Other tier requirements for UPS systems – redundancy, modularity and live system maintenance – can be met by using modern, modular UPS topologies. Advanced products
Fig 2: How modularity reduces excess redundant capacity in a 2(N+1) system missioncriticalpower.uk
such as UPS Ltd’s PowerWAVE 9500DPA comprise one or more racking frames. A single frame can be populated with one to up to five UPS 100 kW rackmounting modules, each of which is a complete, standalone UPS in its own right. This incremental addition of UPS capacity to track growth in data centre demand is known as vertical scaling. Additionally, up to six frames can be paralleled together for horizontal scalability, delivering up to 3MW total power. However, this modularity and incremental scalability also means that redundancy can be built in easily and efficiently. A single rack, for example, could be populated with five modules to drive a 400 kW load in N+1 redundancy mode; if one module fails, the others have sufficient capacity to fully support the load without interruption or intervention. This arrangement uses UPS capacity very efficiently, as only 100 kW redundant overhead is required. By comparison, a standalone system would typically require two units of 400 kW each to support a 400 kW load with N+1 redundancy. Note also that Tier lll and above require a redundant power delivery path, as shown by the 2(N+1) systems in Fig 2. This drawing illustrates how the addition of the redundant power path to the redundant UPS components in each path doubles the opportunity for
modular design to reduce redundant UPS capacity overhead. How modularity reduces excess redundant capacity in a 2(N+1) system The shown modular UPS systems can be repaired and maintained on-line, without interruption of power to the load, as the modules are hot-swappable. A faulty unit can be simply removed, and a replacement plugged in, without need for shutdown or bypass. The load is not denied power, nor is it ever exposed to raw mains. Availability improves as mean time to repair (MTTR) is reduced and levels of 99.9999% or ‘six nines’ are possible. Summary In this article we have seen how the Uptime Institute’s Tier Classification System provides a useful tool for data centre designers and operators endeavouring to establish the most appropriate level of availability for their installation. Our review has also highlighted a set of UPS characteristics that are defined by the various Tier levels’ demands. This has allowed us to discuss how modern, modular UPS topology can be deployed to comply with these characteristics. l To find out more: Tel: 01256 386 700 sales@upspower.co.uk February 2016 MCP
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POWER QUALITY
Good analysis and design central to power quality Effective power quality management will lead to energy efficiency and resilience. But without first running the numbers across an entire system, you probably won’t get the balance right, says Critical Power
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ith the climate discussions in Paris at the end of 2015, energy efficiency and usage reduction is understandably a hot topic. However, what does this really mean from a power quality management perspective for commercial operations? While there may be a plethora of different energy saving equipment available, how do you know which will really deliver? The only way of truly identifying this is by conducting a survey, at the outset, to ensure all relevant information and system characteristics are gathered. Without a detailed understanding of an entire system and what it is trying to achieve, it is very difficult to identify if a supply, with its associated load types, is even viable for power quality improvements. An effective survey will explore energy efficiency, conduct load or harmonic surveys and complete power quality investigations to give a complete picture. For example, what are the types of loads and what percentage do they represent? This could include HVAC requirements, determining transformer type and what the tap setting are, right the way through to the levels of harmonic current and voltage distortion and how they are impacting on energy costs. The list goes on, but only then with the right information in place, can the right type of action or equipment be identified to ensure it will give the best return, while also MCP February 2016
It is about adopting a holistic approach using a combination of tactics – site surveys to determine inefficiencies and a turnkey approach to installation, so there is the absolute assurance of business continuity
allowing for redundancy and built in headroom. Ultimately, an effective power quality management approach needs to be an integral part of a company’s overall strategy, encompassing critical decisions on energy investments, while avoiding energy risks. It must also be transparent about the total cost of ownership of equipment and maximising operating efficiencies, energy usage and running costs. As Martin Pearce, sales director at Critical Power, says: “Effective power quality management will ensure resilience, efficiency and the lowest total cost of ownership possible is achieved. Practically, it is about adopting a holistic approach using a combination of tactics – site surveys to determine inefficiencies (and potentially efficiencies!) and a turnkey approach to installation, so there is the absolute assurance of business continuity. All supported by remote monitoring and a
regular service maintenance plan.” In addition, through good analysis and design, an implemented UPS should protect your load adequately, both now and in the future, while also offering the scale of total cost of ownership and maximising operating efficiencies, energy usage and running costs. The likelihood is that power quality and energy efficiency issues will continue to proliferate as power demands increase and change. This is why it is so important that whatever the output from the climate conference in Paris, that businesses continue and in fact increase their focus on power quality management. The pressure to address this will continue to be principally from a financial cost-saving perspective. However, there is now likely to also be a shift in focus to it becoming more of an environmental one too. l criticalpowersupplies. co.uk missioncriticalpower.uk
POWER QUALITY
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Power factor correction releases extra load capacity Power factor (PF) is essentially a measure of how effectively electrical power is being used. The closer to 1 this figure it actually is, the more effective the usage. ABB has recently helped two industrial customers to improve their PF - freeing capacity for new loads without major investment in new infrastructure
T
hompsons of York is one of the largest animal feed compounders in the North of England. In Spring 2013, Simpson & Wood, the York-based electrical contractors, had become concerned that the existing power supply might not be able to support the increased production loads needed to meet the growing demand for the company’s products. Initially, it seemed that a major investment in new power infrastructure might be required. But aside from the huge cost and timescale issues, there was also very limited space for new equipment. Simpson & Wood decided to explore options for improving the efficiency of the existing site network and called in ABB’s specialist power quality consultancy service. ABB’s first step was to carry out surveys at three key areas – the main switchboard, the secondary switchboard and blending shed which established that they were operating at a significantly low PF. The verdict was that suitable power factor correction equipment (PFC) would significantly improve efficiency in these areas, freeing up more than enough load to support the increased production levels. In Summer 2013, ABB installed sophisticated Advance automatic capacitor banks in the three key areas surveyed. In total, this has saved 317kVA, releasing 421A of capacity. Not only has this enabled the existing power network to meet the demands
missioncriticalpower.uk
of increased site production, it has also resulted in decreased electricity bills for Thompson of York by reducing reactive power charges. The anticipated payback is less than four years. Helping take the pressure off its electricity supply The Water Hydraulics Co of Hull is experiencing a major surge in interest in its environmentally friendly and less costly alternative to oil-based systems and
Suitable power factor correction equipment would improve efficiency in these areas, freeing up more than enough load to support the increased production levels
was planning to expand its production facilities. There was however a major challenge. The site’s power supply - rated at a nominal 160kVA, which is equivalent to 215A maximum load – was already close to capacity. So the company was facing an investment of around £150k to construct additional power infrastructure combined with the disruption involved in digging up local roads. SC Humber, ABB’s power quality installation partner for northeast England, suggested that before any decision was taken a site survey should be carried out to check the site’s PF. ABB’s specialist engineers quickly established that the site was operating at a power factor of 0.57 with an 85kW load. The indication was that the normal load was 149kVA with a current of 205A. So there was a margin of just 10A before the mains incoming fuses, rated at 215A, would blow. In fact, working so close to the load limit was influencing the day to day running of the site, as operators had to stagger the starting of high-load equipment, such as compressors, in case the high inrush currents caused a trip. ABB recommended the installation of 100kVAr of power factor correction equipment based on its sophisticated Advance automatic capacitor banks. This will restore the PF at the Hull site to 0.95 with a maximum load of 124A, effectively freeing up a margin of 81 A for the new facility. l abb.com February 2016 MCP
16
POWER QUALITY
Future ready: the road to renewable power quality In a perfect world, all industries and applications would be fuelled by renewable energy and provide us with sustainable power. Unfortunately, as Steve Hughes, managing director of power quality expert REO UK, explains, there are many problems to resolve before industries can fully rely on a consistently sustainable source of power
D
Sense?
espite the continual introduction of government schemes designed to accelerate the take up of renewable energy across the UK and much of Europe, there never appears to be that much progress. This is hardly surprising. It is not because we are all addicted to burning the oil and gas reserves, rather that the power quality of renewable energy is often inconsistent and unreliable. The biggest obstacle that prevents our full conversion to renewable energy is its reliability as a source of power. Take solar power for instance, which is dependent on a suitable quantity of UV radiation in order to generate energy. It goes without saying that this is a risky source of power, offering little in the way of consistency, particularly in the UK, where the bad weather has become world famous. Add to this the fact that much of the generated power is wasted - as we are unable to use it all immediately - and it becomes clear that renewable energy sources are not yet a sustainable source of power. Lack of viable storage However, this isn’t entirely due to renewables at their source. While renewable energy can be slated for offering unreliable and unpredictable levels of power, it is ultimately a lack of viable storage solutions for generated loads that stand in the way of success. While predictable to a degree, renewables put us at the mercy of nature, whereas with the consumption of natural resources we have control over
MCP February 2016
The biggest obstacle that prevents our full conversion to renewable energy is its reliability as a source of power
how the steady, albeit steadily decreasing, supply is generated. Of course, technology is working towards addressing this energy storage issue. With Tesla’s home battery appearing to offer a means of reliably storing energy, it is conceivable that in the near future we could begin to see increased integration of our existing infrastructure with renewable campuses. Power quality issues However, what would happen after that? Renewable energy may sound very attractive in concept, seemingly a benevolent method of maintaining our electrical consumption without harming the planet. Aside from its intermittency, renewable energies are plagued with a host of power quality issues that have detrimental effects on our electrical infrastructure. The number one problem posed by renewable energies is harmonic resonance, which occurs at the grid interconnect point of parallel inverters. These harmonic currents cause all manner of problems, from
increased energy consumption to directly causing damage to components on the grid. Combine this with the already present risk of component damage due to power surges, which would only take a storm for a wind farm, and it becomes apparent why renewables have taken so long to develop and take centre stage. Nevertheless, there is hope. Employing harmonic filters can result in substantial reductions in the harmonic currents present, bringing the total harmonic distortion (THD) down to as little as 5% – which in some cases is a drop of more than 50%.
5%
Level the total harmonic distortion can be reduced to by emplying harmonic filters In addition, harmonic filters can be retrofitted into existing infrastructure to avoid the additional cost of redesign that may be faced in installing multipulse units. This not only results in a safer and more stable energy supply but ensures a supply that can further reduce CO2 emissions through the reduction of efficiencyinfringing harmonics. And, in the end, aren’t environmentally sustainable results like that the reason we’re looking to renewables in the first place? l missioncriticalpower.co.uk
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CRITICAL POWER : When it matters most
18
DATA CENTRES
DCIM: Whose line is it anyway? Matthew Larbey, director of Product Strategy, VIRTUS Data Centres, says data centre infrastructure management systems can no longer be an afterthought
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ata centre infrastructure management or DCIM, quite simply, is the coming together of facilities and IT management software within the data centre. A comprehensive DCIM deployment will comprise of specialised software, hardware and sensors that will allow customers to monitor and manage their usage as if they were at the data centre themselves. DCIM isn’t exactly new, in fact it has been around for at least five years. And with the increased efficiencies enabling customers to view and manage power usage to suit their needs, the commercial reasons for adoption are very compelling. With this in mind, it begs the question – why has uptake both in the UK and abroad remained slow? The DCIM landscape TechNavio reported in 2014 that the DCIM market would grow at an average rate of 16.52% each year until 2018. This is a steady number, but there are still millions upon millions of racks that have not yet utilised DCIM, leaving a huge opportunity for businesses everywhere to benefit from the rich analytics that it offers, enabling them to both enhance efficiency and save money. However, offering DCIM and getting customers to understand and use it are two very different challenges. Although it’s a fairly straightforward technology, if customers don’t know what it is and how it can save on their power usage and overall costs, there’s a risk it will be overlooked and under-utilised,
MCP February 2016
Whose budget should be used to pay for DCIM, with neither side stepping up to take responsibility – IT or facilities?
as is evident at the moment. That’s not the only issue though, as the ability to flex power and usage requirements up and down come into direct conflict with many commercial data centre models, which rely on long term, costly and inflexible contracts to safeguard their operations. This means that having DCIM under these conditions becomes ineffective unless customers have the power to amend their contracted usage commitments to reflect actual real-time usage. DCIM is driving change During the past 20 years, the business world has become increasingly digital in focus. Online interactions have a genuine impact on business performance and the economy; and underpinning it all are data centres. As a result, their role has undergone a revolutionary transition and they are now considered as critical
infrastructure powering the digital economy. Given the increased reliance of business on data centres, the space, power and cooling demands placed on them have also increased exponentially. In March 2015, Peter Greaves, expertise leader at Aurecon, claimed that data centres are responsible for consuming three percent of all the electricity produced globally each year; and left unchecked, this will continue to increase. As such, data centre providers and customers need to collaborate and examine how they can work together to increase efficiencies – reducing spiralling energy consumption and cost. DCIM is one way of facilitating this collaboration. Traditionally, data centre providers have been quick to highlight if customers need to buy more capacity, but not as quick to advise when to scale missioncriticalpower.uk
19
down requirements. DCIM creates this visibility and puts the control firmly back into the power of the customer – giving them greater visibility into their daily usage and allowing them to manage their capacity in real-time and act on the analytics. However, this is only useful if they have the flexibility to scale down their contracts in the event that they’re not using the initially agreed amounts. Several innovative providers are already offering this capability and actually using DCIM to create new commercial models, which makes choosing the right intelligent data centre provider more critical than ever. Overcoming challenges and finding value The benefits of DCIM are obvious for customers, but barriers to adoption still remain. This is particularly true for older generation data centres, not originally designed for DCIM, which struggle to install it retrospectively due to prohibitive costs. Issues over cost are further complicated by the fact that DCIM spans both IT and facilities – two areas which don’t normally overlap. This has been known to create disagreements, for example, over whose budget should be used to pay for DCIM, with neither side stepping up to take responsibility. It is understandable that some operators may see risk. Creating and offering a robust DCIM solution can mean a significant investment of time and money, with no guarantee that customers are going to buy the service from their provider. So who says it needs to be sold? DCIM is becoming an essential part of the intelligent missioncriticalpower.uk
16.5% The rate at which the DCIM market will grow each year
data centre. It shouldn’t be seen as an add-on, but something that is integral. With more customers come more demands and they will expect their providers to offer the most advanced solutions available. But then where’s the value for providers? If providers are offering an effective DCIM solution, and not charging for it, then not only will this attract CIOs, but also CFOs – both of which need to be onside when making important IT decisions. CIOs have the expertise, but they need CFOs onside to believe in and finance their decisions, making the CFO just as vital in some cases. Supplying visibility also creates value to providers – it creates trust and strengthens the customer relationship. Rather than a perceived fear that DCIM reduces the control of operators, it is simply a realigning of focus – giving the customer access to what is rightfully theirs. The customer’s IT consumes the power and therefore the data on that consumption is
theirs, so why shouldn’t they be provided with a mechanism to both monitor and control it? Sharing the benefit Data centres are no longer just a black box used for computing, they now have the opportunity to be agile and react to what is actually happening. But to make this a genuine reality, operators need to meet their customers half way, which will result in shared benefit. Operators will be able to ensure that they only use the amount of power absolutely required by their customers, and the customer will be able to analyse its usage. The vital part though, is allowing the customer to act on the results, and reduce its power if it is using too much, or increase it if it requires more. This all leads to the relationship between the two stakeholders becoming more honest, flexible and mutual. With so much to be gained, the industry can’t afford to view DCIM as an afterthought any longer. l virtusdatacentres.com
February 2016 MCP
20
BLACKOUT RISKS
Blackouts: How’s your back-up looking? Is the UK’s power system on its knees? Are we headed for some near Armageddon of darkness and cold? Probably not, but for the opportunist, now is the time to ask for that increase in the back-up generation budget. Brendan Coyne reports
I
f you believed everything you read in the papers, you’d be forgiven for thinking the UK’s power grid was on the point of collapse. It’s not. The grid is 99.9999 reliable, a reasonable SLA. But power margins are thinning and next winter will be the tightest for years. In some scenarios, regulator Ofgem thinks it could be a negative figure. It’s not likely to lead to Armageddon (plenty of other energy-related forces will take care of that), but it would be wise to ensure your back-up is fighting fit before the first frosts bite. What’s going on? In short, the power system is going through structural change. It is at the awkward phase. Big old utilities are struggling with huge debt and falling power prices. Power generation economics are being disrupted by wind and solar. When the wind blows and the sun shines, wholesale power prices tank. All those old gas and coal stations, now facing higher costs for carbon emissions. Some become uneconomic and are left to skulk around waiting for the wind to stop and the cloud to roll in. They can’t set and forget their generators anymore and their revenues are far less predictable. Less certain revenues turn off investors, so new gas plant doesn’t get built, despite the fact that intermittent power, while predictable to a degree, requires back-up. An energy storage revolution may well solve the problem in years to come, but we could do with it now. The government’s policy to incentivise new gas plant, the capacity market, is actually
MCP February 2016
There is a binary ‘misconception’ in talking about security of supply. Either the lights stay on or there is ‘some nearArmageddon of darkness and cold’
paying significant subsidies to existing old power stations and rafts of small diesel and gas generators. They can bid lower in the market’s reverse auction, which pays generators to be available – and again if they are actually used – because they don’t have the large construction costs of big new power stations and are less exposed to revenue uncertainty. Government argues its approach is technology agnostic and delivers the best price for bill payers. In the short-term, perhaps that’s true. The policy will certainly force the UK to become more energy efficient if it fails to incentivise sufficient new generation, which you could argue is policy success. Meanwhile, coal is being phased out. Wave goodbye to 19GW, almost a third of the UK’s power, within the decade. The Institution of Mechanical Engineers warned in January that if the government proceeds with its plan to close all unabated coal fired power stations by 2025, the lights will almost certainly go out. The UK
would require 30 new gas-fired power stations to plug the gap, but has neither the knowhow, resource or time to build them, warned the IMechE. Whether EDF’s new reactor at Hinckley C is just steam and mirrors remains to be seen. But it’s near certain not to be operational by 2025, given EDF’s struggles with new nuclear at home and in Finland. But we’re ok for now? Yes, we are ok for now – and it is worth noting the IMechE rarely sounds upbeat. This winter, National Grid calculates a 5.1% buffer between the most amount of power the UK draws and the available power from generators. It can also call on businesses to either shift power loads or switch to on-site generation and pays them to do so. It has several gigawatts of power contracted in reserve and several more gigawatts available by asking generators to turn up to maximum output. Interconnectors to the continent will also bring more power in times of shortage because missioncriticalpower.uk
21 the price will become more attractive. So far, National Grid has only issued one notice of insufficient supply margin (NISM). It’s a warning that there might not be enough power to meet national demand for a certain part of the day and it’s when power generators or demandresponders can make good money. In November, Grid suggested between 7-10 NISMs may be likely over winter, particularly if it turned colder. There are a handful of other measures Grid can take if there’s still not enough power, but a NISM is when the papers will talk about blackouts and emergency measures. So far, this winter’s been wet and mild. But if the mercury drops next winter, they may have a few more headlines. No margin next winter While National Grid is procuring more demand side response and will pay generators to be on standby for next winter, regulator Ofgem’s predictions put margins at between 0-4% over 2016/17. In it’s worst case scenarios, with low imports from interconnectors, the margin is actually -1.9%. Loss of load expectation – the number of hours power supply cannot meet power demand – jumps from 1.2 hours this winter, to 10.3 hours for 2016/17 (or between 2 and 15 hours across all of Ofgem’s scenarios). It’s still a relatively small period – 10.3 hours is 0.12% of the year, and any turndowns or disconnections would be controlled, i.e not switching off the whole country. The UK system has never suffered
TABLE 1: DE-RATED CAPACITY MARGIN BY SCENARIO AND SENSITIVITY 2015/16 De-rated capacity margin [%]
Exc. SBR/DSBR
Inc. SBR/DSBR
2016/17
2017/18
Gone Green 2015
1.0%
4.9%
2.2%
4.1%
Slow Progression 2015
1.2%
5.1%
0.8%
3.2%
Consumer Power 2015
1.0%
5.0%
2.4%
5.1%
No Progression 2015
2.1%
6.4%
0.0%
3.6%
Higher supply
5.1%
9.1%
5.1%
8.0%
High supply
3.8%
7.9%
3.8%
6.7%
Lower supply
0.4%
4.4%
0.0%
2.6%
Lower demand
5.3%
9.5%
5.3%
8.2%
Low demand
4.0%
8.1%
4.0%
6.8%
Full imports
4.3%
8.4%
4.3%
7.1%
Low imports
-1.0%
2.8%
-1.9%
1.5%
High plant availability
4.0%
8.0%
4.0%
6.8%
Low wind availability
0.1%
3.0%
-1.1%
2.4%
Source: Ofgem – Electricity Security of Supply a complete system black start. The last serious event occurred with hurricane Michael Fish in 1987 and even then only part of the grid had to be rebooted. As Simon Skillings, former Eon UK head of strategy turned consultant at E3G Trilemma UK says, there is a binary “misconception” in talking about security of supply. Either the lights stay on or there is “some near-Armageddon of darkness and cold”, he told Scotland’s recent energy security inquiry. Skillings also thinks that the UK power system would cope even if most coal stations shut down earlier than planned. That may be true. But even the most resilient mission critical sites will be acutely aware that as capacity margin falls, energy prices go up. Energy Managers Association chief executive Lord Redesdale
said last year he would “put money on brownouts or blackouts” before the end of 2015. An energy services company, Utilitywise, made a bet with him that wouldn’t happen. Its head of strategy, Jon Ferris, duly enjoyed a free lunch. However, the two went mano a mano again last month. Ferris said he wouldn’t make the same bet for winter 2016/17. Redesdale puts the chances of blackouts at 80%. Ofgem’s margin estimations, based on National Grid’s own future scenario modeling, give such fears credence, however slight. But others, such as Skillings, think they should calm down. The winter after next (2017/18) will remain tight, although less so then the coming winter, according to Ofgem’s figures. It predicts demand to drop further (UK energy demand has declined
Coal was going to shut anyway The IMechE’s warning about the perils of closing coal stations articulates fear that UK policymakers are making a big mistake. Energy secretary Amber Rudd announced last year that ‘unabated’ coal plants – that is, those not seriously retrofitted to drastically reduce emissions – would close by 2025. The call came as part of a policy ‘reset’. But actually, coal plants were going to close by then, if not before, due to restrictions placed on them by European legislation. The theory is that by reinforcing the message that coal will close, investors will look again at building new gas plants. Whether that will happen under the current set of energy policies remains to be seen. missioncriticalpower.uk
19GW The power that will be lost with the phasing out of coal-fired generation
steadily in the past decade or so) and for more mothballed power plant to return to the system. The regulator expects loss of load expectation to return to somewhere near the acceptable and the margin of available generation over supply to be between 3 and 7%. Better, but it’s still a slim margin. National Grid has an excellent record in keeping the lights on and the UK grid resilience is the best in Europe. New technology, embedded generation and increased focus on flexible power use is changing the market structure so that old metrics around peak margins are no longer the defacto. The regulator is confident that the power system operator has the tools to do its job. That said, if there was ever a good time to ask for an increased back-up generation budget, you probably won’t get a better opportunity. l February 2016 MCP
22
BLACKOUT RISKS
Does the UK have a power generation problem? While the UK is facing a generating capacity shortfall there are suitable technologies and systems available to ensure that there are not power cuts, writes Robin Koffler, Thamesgate Group director and co-founder of EcoPowerSupplies
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pike Milligan once joked: “And God said, ‘Let there be light’ and there was light, but the Electricity Board said He would have to wait until Thursday to be connected.” The UK is undergoing an energy revolution. Some of this is evident in wind turbine and solar photovoltaic (PV) installations. Other developments are less obvious but will impact how electricity is generated and delivered across a historically underfunded infrastructure. As the energy landscape changes, so the balance of power will move from the National Grid and District Network Operators (DNOs) to consumers and their site assets. In addition to low energy costs and meeting EU 2020 low carbon generation commitments, energy security MCP February 2016
is another prime responsibility of energy secretary Amber Rudd. Rudd recently announced the intention to close the UK’s remaining coalfired power stations by 2025 with restricted use by 2023. At that time the UK is also expected to retire many of its nuclear reactors that generate around 10GW of electricity. More than likely, licences will be extended as new technology emerges to warrant their safety. Compare this with China, which added 39GW of coal-fired power stations in 2014 and is also developing its nuclear and renewables generating capacity. At some point it appears inevitable that the UK will experience a power generation gap. How will it stay powered? The answer lies in a combination of virtual power stations (VPS) and local
energy storage systems (LES), connected via the Internet-ofThings (IoT). The virtualisation of power generation Ultimately, it is the responsibility of National Grid to ensure energy by balancing ‘supply and demand’, and for this it has a sophisticated monitoring and management system. Sources of power generation include traditional, nuclear and renewable power as well as imported supplies via an under-the-channel connector to mainland Europe. National Grid also has additional means to access extra generation capacity and reduce demand through paid-to-client services. Some generating stations are also paid to be on standby (up to £36m annually).
During the past two to three years National Grid’s reserve capacity has fallen to alarmingly low levels below 5%. The latest report (2015/16 Winter Outlook), published in October, introduced a ‘Winter View’. This featured an expected loss of load expectation of 1.1hours/year, equivalent to a de-rated safety margin of 5.1% and the expectation that contingency reserves would be needed to assist system balancing this winter. It is hardly surprising when considering a loss of load expectation of 1.1hours/year and the National Grid initiating Demand Side Balancing Reserve (DSBR) measures, that the national press and social media buzz with warnings of imminent power cuts. The DSBR request in early November resulted from a period of low renewable power generation (due to a mild autumn and low winds) missioncriticalpower.uk
23
and a rise in power station infrastructure failures. One of the biggest challenges National Grid faces (and one of its licence obligations) is to maintain the supply frequency within ±1% of 50Hz. When demand is greater than generation, the supply frequency falls and when generation is greater, supply frequency rises. Supply frequencies outside the ±1% window can lead to power outages, pollution and client system faults. Changes in supply frequency can result from a power station failing, or the opening/closing of the European supply connection. National Grid has to ensure that it holds sufficient generation capacity in automatic readiness or demand is held in check to manage circumstances that could result in frequency variations on a second-bysecond basis. Three of its main programmes for this include: the Short Term Operating Reserve (STOR), Frequency Response and the aforementioned DSBR. These programmes are managed by demand side aggregators, (also known as system operators) who use IoT technology to connect client loads, generation and energy storage capacity. The demand side aggregator creates a virtual power station made up of a range of client generation assets including: standby generators, batteries, uninterruptible power supplies, CHP plants, hydro, wind turbines, solar PV systems, fans, waterpumps, heating, ventilation, air conditioning (HVAC), chillers and compressors. It is a ‘virtual’ system that is monitored and controlled (but with client authorisation) by the demand side aggregator’s software and technology. Under the STOR programme, a demand side aggregator must provide at least 3MW of power missioncriticalpower.uk
Generators and uninterruptible power supplies (UPS) can be considered forms of local energy storage (LES) systems from either a single source or from an aggregate supply, within four hours of instruction and maintained for at least two hours. Owners are paid an annual connection fee and feedin-type tariff when their assets are used. Owners also have the option to decline a request to connect, as any connection should not disrupt their own site operations. With the Frequency Response programme, the demand side aggregator can use the client’s assets to help rebalance the grid frequency. To on-site assets the demand side aggregator installs an approved monitoring system that monitors frequency on a second-by-second basis and triggers assets to power up or down for up to 30 minutes. DSBR is another way that National Grid can balance supply and demand. This service can be made available to smaller organisations provided that they have halfhourly metering on site. Under DSBR, National Grid pays organisations to use less energy at peak times, between 4pm and 8pm, and from November to February. The above National Grid services provide sites with potential to link assets into virtual power stations and generate revenue from them.
The schemes can suit offices, retailers, industry and any other building operating with one or more suitable assets and the necessary half-hourly metering. Another solution to power generation is local energy storage. Local storage systems Generators and UPS can be considered forms of LES systems. They store energy in their batteries for later discharge to cover power cuts allowing critical IT systems to run on (until the power cut clears or a standby generator starts) or close down in an orderly manner. In a typical UPS system, energy is stored within a maintenance-free valve regulated lead-acid (VRLA) battery set. Such batteries will have five or 10-year design lives determined by the number of charge/discharge cycles and ambient temperature. Lead-acid batteries are relatively low-cost and suited to standby power: the technology is tried and tested in this type of application. VRLA is not, however, suited to higher frequency cycles of the type that can be experienced in energy storage (every 24hours) and the recharge time can take up to 24 hours to 80% capacity. For energy storage systems, Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are more suitable particularly
3MW
The minimum under the Short Term Operating Reserve an aggregator must provide from either a single source or aggregate supply within four hours of instruction and maintained for at least two hours
the type used within electric vehicles. In the solar PV market, energy storage is now seen as a take-off technology for 2016/17 and one that could transform the UK solar market, post Feed-in-Tariff. Whereas previously, solar PV panels may have been installed to maximise financial returns, energy storage systems add even more of a local-consumption element. For solar PV, peak power generation occurs when the sun’s irradiation is greatest. The energy generated can then be stored for use at night or during the day when electricity costs are highest. Alternatively, night time electricity can be used to charge the Lithium-ion batteries that are discharged during the day to reduce running costs. As electricity costs continue to rise, more organisations will look at using locally stored power, generated from a local wind turbine or solar PV installation. A typical split of around 30:70 (local consumption:export) is considered the most financially viable ratio. The export component could be used within the National Grid’s STOR programme with the local component used to keep systems powered during the DSBR season. Summary While the UK may be facing a generating capacity shortfall there are suitable technologies and systems available to ensure that the UK does not experience power cuts and can keep increasing the amount of energy available to meet demand. In the next five years up to 25-30% of UK power generation will be ‘virtualised’ and more innovation from battery and UPS manufacturers and demand side aggregators is expected. l ecopowersupplies.com February 2016 MCP
24
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Eight ways government could incentivise energy eficiency As the Treasury reviews business energy taxes, energy consultant Mervyn Bowden outlines ways in which government could incentivise energy efficiency
A
s the UK reviews its position on fiscal treatment of energy, this is not always the plain sailing you would perhaps expect. As a society we constantly find new ways to use more energy and, at a global level, this is partly linked to greater prosperity in developing countries but more so to exponential growth in population. Hopefully this will be balanced as least in part by technical improvement. A lot of noise is made around events such as COP21, which certainly raises awareness of issues, extravagantly and bureaucratically, and makes it increasingly important that nations drive their own efficiency programmes. While there’s talk of a lot of collaboration “management by committee” has never been a cause for celebration, or success. Speaking of committees, the EU is the master of bureaucratic confusion and demonstrates that “one size fits all” will never work. Not a recipe for getting things done successfully as I’m sure our own David Cameron will attest after his recent quaint attempts to persuade EU member states to change their ways to mirror our own rather inconsequential wants and needs.
There is much hypocrisy when comparing UK intensive user rates for energy against those in the rest of Europe
The new and refurbished Route 1 concerns new facilities, mainly buildings. Generally this, from observation, is on track, on the agenda and allows some of the most innovative technologies to be incorporated into designs. Encouraged and pinned down by progressively tightening building regulations and commercial common sense, new buildings are becoming ever more efficient and often incorporate renewable/shared energy generation as well as that improved efficiency. Similar efficiency is being driven through the transport and manufacturing sectors through their tightening of standards and increased expectations on performance and the economics which go with it. The UK uniquely has set itself apart by setting eye-watering targets for a number of energyrelated aspirations, risking
placing us at a commercial disadvantage and risking corporate exits to lower energy price zones around the globe. There is much hypocrisy when comparing UK intensive user rates for energy against those in the rest of Europe. While much research, development, creativity and innovation has been, and is being, devoted in this space, there are a number of ongoing flaws which must as a priority be remedied if progress is to continue apace: 1. Commissioning and handover of new schemes and buildings. Because of insufficient time allocation within project processes this area often suffers and sometimes doesn’t happen at all, meaning that the expected design efficiency is, in reality, way below the planned level and costs those paying the energy bills significantly more than
So, the burning question, what should we do? Thinking primarily of buildings, which provide significant ongoing potential for savings, there are probably two sensible routes. MCP February 2016
missioncriticalpower.uk
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
expected. Surely the main contractors should pick up the tab for this? Penalties should most definitely be applied by clients for a shortfall in performance but how often does this happen? 2. “Value engineering” continues to reduce capital costs at the major expense of future running costs by taking out key energy efficiency components from new builds and refurbishments. See also design and builds where contractors skimp on energy efficiency systems and equipment. 3. Management of ongoing performance is often missing and results in excessive energy consumption and running costs. Skills and expertise in running buildings effectively from an energy performance perspective are still far too scarce. 4. Innovative technologies often take far too long to become established and opportunities to introduce them earlier are missed. 5. Measuring and comparing energy efficiency still seems to be a major problem. Taking the (mandatory) Display Energy Certificates in the Public Sector one must lament their practical use for comparing energy performance – there is a need for urgent review which may come from the UK GBC’s recent initiative. Existing stock The bulk of buildings, processes and vehicles – those that already exist – and with experience of the Energy Saving Opportunities Scheme, improving efficiency is probably more about the financials, ownership, energy management of assets and activities than it is about the actual technologies themselves. missioncriticalpower.uk
Some of the fundamental problems have been associated with a complete absence of meaningful data on which to base scientific audit routines. A screeching need for an appropriate level of granular metering which is standardised, easy to collect data from and link to management controls would save billions of pounds very rapidly but again needs linkage to some accurate form of comparison. The current programmes are too slow. Let’s not forget energy management skills. Very few buildings are run with energy efficiency as the prime driver - after core business of course. Energy management is often lumped in with FM, waste management, cleaning, sustainability and other activities which actually conflict with sound energy management. Take maintenance, for example, whereby plant and equipment is used well beyond its accounting life resulting in poor performance, breakdowns and additional cost rather than biting the bullet and replacing it. Similarly how many maintenance programmes are driven with energy efficiency as the prime consideration? Energy management is massively influenced by finance. Whether it’s related to market commodity costs, infrastructural needs or equipping facilities with state-of -he art plant, systems, lighting and mor,e the concerns are over: 1. Making cost reductions 2. Return on investment 3. Availability of capital 4. Avoiding thinking about life cycle costs This provides several potential areas where the government may usefully intervene (lite) to encourage energy efficiency.
What can inform the revolution? I’d identify a number of key measures – mostly financial but some managerial – which would help: 1. Make energy efficiency a tax-deductible activity, any expenditure on efficiency schemes, R&D, monitoring and metering systems should be given a simple relief from Corporation Tax. This could even include the cost of energy management itself.
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plan covering perhaps 5 years forward setting out potential savings and the cost to achieve them. This would be of far more practical use than the woollier aspects of Esos and could be incorporated into ISO50001 easily. 7. Mandate landlords immediately to sub-meter tenants on a retrospective basis. Landlords are some of the biggest energy suppliers to their tenants, and don’t suffer the degree of regulation
What a difference a 50% cut in energy costs would make to most businesses – it won’t come from the supply side so has to come from a radical and persistent approach to reducing demand 2. Measures should encourage, rather than purely incentivise, greater efficiency. Who needs subsidies when ROI’s can top 50% p.a.? 3. Penalties from schemes like Esos, whatever is chosen as the future demand side option, should be recycled into training, and licencing, qualified energy managers. 4. Perhaps a system of ‘energy efficiency capital credits’ as a levy on I & C energy bills to artificially inflate the cost of energy and make efficiency more financially worthwhile. The credits could be used, perhaps through energy suppliers with services arms, to pay for energy efficiency work. Either way, a mechanism which rewards efficiency simply and quickly. 5. Replace the Enhanced Capital Allowance scheme with one or more of the above. 6. Set tangible targets for energy reduction and make it mandatory to have an auditable energy management
applied to primary energy suppliers – perhaps they should. 8. Finally, I would link energy efficiency to business rates much as vehicle tax is linked to emissions. Marketing the benefits? Taking some of the grander aspirations of COP21, it surely isn’t sensible for a nation’s flagship energy efficiency scheme to quote the benefits of saving 0.7%, as Decc does. What about 40% or even 50% over a defined and manageable timescale with structured guidance, and incentives, for getting there? And extend throughout SMEs. What a difference a 50% cut in energy costs would make to most businesses – it won’t come from the supply side so has to come from a radical and persistent approach to reducing demand. Let us hope the government’s current review drives an accelerating efficiency agenda – soon! l February 2016 MCP
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HEAT NETWORKS
Pipe dream without subsidies? Heat networks could provide a way for data centres to export waste heat. But they are seriously expensive infrastructure. Will anyone take on the risk? Brendan Coyne reports
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eat networks could be a way of harnessing excess heat from data centres and other mission critical site. But gas network operator Wales & West Utilities told MPs that its recent trials at Bridgend had indicated that investors – either institutional or households – would require a seven year payback. It calculated that subsidies of 75p/kWh would be needed. Unsubsidised district heating might otherwise take three decades to deliver returns. “Solar has taken off because of that subsidy,” Chris Clarke, director, asset management and health, safety and environment, Wales & West Utilities, told the Energy and Climate Change Committee in late January. Those calculations suggest subsidies some 50% larger than the most generous early Feedin tariffs for solar PV. However, like-for-like comparisons are unreflective, given the infrastructure component of heat networks. Because vast amounts of heat are wasted in power generation, heat networks can also play a much larger decarbonisation role than other technologies. Heating buildings accounts for about half of the UK’s total energy demand and around a third of its carbon emissions. Using waste heat would therefore dramatically reduce the UK’s energy use and carbon emissions. London, for example, “has enough waste heat to heat the whole of the city”, Association for Decentralised Energy CEO Tim Rotheray told the committee. Yet heat networks account for only about 2% of UK heating, despite Decc finding in 2013 that they could deliver around 20%. In countries such as Denmark and Sweden, they make up around 60%. MPs heard that MCP February 2016
Pimlico District Heating was built in the 1950s and was Britain’s first district heating system. It used heat from Battersea Power Station on the other side of the Thames. This shows the now disused heat and return pipes running under the Thames
the disparity was down to economics. No regrets? “The seventies oil crises caused different countries to react in different ways,” said Rotheray. “Denmark went for efficiency, France went for nuclear power and the UK discovered gas in the continental shelf and developed the gas network.” Those infrastructure assets were publicly owned before being transferred to the private sector within a regulatory framework. Heat networks are currently unregulated. “[Without that framework] it is unsurprising that district heating has not developed in that way,” said Rotheray. “But it is a no-lose opportunity. Heat networks are heat agnostic. It could be that the heat comes from a mine or a data centre. If you assume that heat demand will remain, that people will always want heat and hot water, then it is a no regrets decision.” The 300GW question While government may rightly baulk at 75p/kWh subsidies (the proposed Hinckley C nuclear
2%
The UK heating that currently comes from heat networks
Contract for Difference rate is 9.25p/kWh for 35 years), it will not be able to electrify both heat and transport if the UK is to reduce its CO2 emissions 80% by 2050. Whichever option it takes will be hugely expensive. Given that the UK’s winter peak heat load is around 300GW, government should start making use of waste heat by creating a level playing field for investment, the committee heard. “The government has put in place £300m to develop good quality projects. We have to build them properly and then the government, during this parliament, has to develop a regulatory framework so that if you are an institutional investor, you will be able to [accurately] evaluate different options,” said Rotheray. Energy Technologies Institute CEO David Clarke agreed. “The level playing field is key, along with the citing of [new] power plants so that the heat can be used,” he said. “Making them ready to use the waste heat whether or not it is used from day one.” Rotheray said local authorities would play a key role in bringing forward new heat networks and called for clarity following changes to the Planning Act as to whether they could mandate developers to include district heating within new schemes. Rotheray, while unconvinced
of the need for 75p/kWh subsidies as mooted by Wales & West, also called for certainty on the current subsidies for combined heat and power. “It is more complicated because it spans two silos – heat and electricity – within energy policy. So we need certainty on the Contract For Difference Feed-in Tariff (CfDFiT) and certainty on the Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI). Government deliberately decoupled them and that has created an issue.” Bankable subsidy Rotheray said his association had estimated that about £700m of investment would have come forward with policy clarity, “but none has, because of the inability to ensure that the subsidy regime integrates properly and that you can bank the CfD.” Without that certainty, industry would probably keep going for gas boiler replacement, he said. “That means the opportunity is gone and they are no longer generating power on site and are exposed to [wholesale power] prices… So there is genuine time pressure [for government to get it right].” l Energyst Media is polling readers for their views on heat. Please take our short survey at theenergyst.com missioncriticalpower.uk
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DEMAND RESPONSE
Mapping Britain’s heat storage potential Open Energi explores the potential for the UK to use its heat storage capabilities to provide much-needed flexibility for the grid
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he energy system is undergoing a huge transformation away from centralised generation to small-scale, distributed power. National Grid’s Future Energy Scenarios (FES) models indicate that by 2020, smallscale, distributed generation will represent a third of total capacity in the UK and, as a result, speed of response to changes in energy supply and demand will be more important than ever. And it is not only the increase in distributed generation that will prove challenging for the UK grid. The coal-fired Eggborough, Longannet and Ferrybridge power stations, which currently represent about 6.4% of UK generation, are all closing by next winter, and with gas power stations procured under the Capacity Market now in doubt, the cushion between supply and demand is smaller than ever. Flexibility essential A new source of flexibility is urgently required, and storage to provide this flexibility will be an increasingly essential part of a responsive, secure and sustainable energy future for the UK. Energy storage is commonly understood to mean batteries and pumped hydro systems. While both are valuable, current costs, installation times and issues around recycling and decommissioning are all prohibitive to wider deployment. But storage exists in a number of forms, including through demand side response (DSR), which takes advantage of latent heat in energyintensive equipment and MCP February 2016
Using DSR, asphalt plants can deliver a full response to National Grid within two seconds
Internet of Thingsbased forms of demand response can adjust the consumption of energyintensive devices to make use of power when it is available
devices to create new flexibility for the grid. If too much energy is supplied at any given time, it doesn’t have to be stored in a battery: instead, Internet of Things-based forms of demand response can adjust the consumption of energyintensive devices to make use of power when it is available. In instances when there is not enough power, demand can be deferred rather than drawing from a battery to supplement supply. This smart DSR approach is ideally suited to heating and cooling assets that have the characteristics of stored energy devices. By harnessing existing everyday equipment, from fridges to furnaces, and invisibly switching them on or off for a few minutes at a time, energy demand can be adjusted to meet available supply in real-time, creating a distributed storage technology. Take the asphalt plants which manage the complete asphalt production process for road construction as an
example. Liquid bitumen for road surfacing is stored in large, well-insulated tanks, and a heater maintains the temperature of the bitumen between a low set point (typically 150°C) and a high set point (typically 180°C). These tanks have ‘thermal inertia’, meaning the amount of energy they use can be adjusted and the temperature of the bitumen won’t be immediately affected: bitumen tanks can be switched off for an hour and the temperature may only fall by between 0.5-15°C. Using demand response technology, bitumen tanks can deliver a full response to National Grid within two seconds (quicker than traditional thermal generation) and for up to 30 minutes, provided they are within their set-points. The average duration of Open Energi’s switch requests to bitumen tanks is just 3.3 minutes. Balancing supply Cooling systems such as supermarket refrigeration also provide a distributed storage network that can help to balance UK-wide electricity supply and demand in real-time. Open Energi estimates that if Dynamic Demand was deployed in the commercial refrigeration assets of the five largest retailers in the UK, it could meet approximately 6% of the UK’s total 1.8GW requirement for Frequency Response, roughly equivalent to 100MW. This would generate revenues of up to £10m a year for the asset owners and reduce UK CO2 emissions by about 227,600 tonnes a year. Other latent heat storage missioncriticalpower.uk
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UPS
Power selling Demand for power from our fast growing population in an increasingly dependant digital economy has put a massive strain on the UK power grid, which is causing more frequent fluctuations in power supply during peak hours. Power Control Ltd talks up its ability to deliver the best options for critical sites
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usinesses are more aware than ever before of the great financial impact that any breaks in power could have and are now looking towards even more sophisticated uninterruptible power supply (UPS) solutions to deliver the high compliancy and flexibility that they require from a power protection system. Already recognising a notable shift towards more intelligent power protection investment policies is UPS specialist Power Control Ltd (PCL). The company’s managing director Mark Trolley recently says: “The need for additional levels of power protection has never been greater. The significant rise in power disturbances, which are being further augmented by the increase in dependence on data storage and continued infrastructure growth, have meant that many are assessing their existing business continuity strategies. Educated approach Trolley says the user is taking a more educated approach when it comes to power protection, which is why PCL has invested heavily in its own research and technical developments. PCL is able to provide its clients with a solution based approach, offering a carefully selected portfolio of UPS products and
MCP February 2016
services that will meet each users individual requirements. “Looking at the complete power protection landscape is key,” says Trolley. “We pride ourselves on our ability to provide guidance through entire project solutions. Our experience has earned us the reputation of being a total solutions provider, capable of achieving maximum protection and efficiency from all emergency power equipment.” In terms of solid state UPS, also referred to in the market as ‘centralised’ or ‘standalone’, PCL understands that users require the highest level of reliability and resilience. Working with UPS manufacturer Borri, PCL offers the a UPS from 10kVA – 800kVA, which can be paralleled for further growth or redundancy to 6.4MVA. Borri offers a wide range of onsite facility server rooms to data centre owners looking for a low TCO and maximum protection. The rise of modular UPS systems has added another dimension to UPS selection and enabled users to maximise efficiency by deploying a right sized UPS for initial requirements, which can then be scaled up or down to meet future demands. Responding to the move to modular, PCL has recently partnered with a global leader in ICT solutions, Huawei.
The need for additional levels of power protection has never been greater. The significant rise in power disturbances are being further augmented by the increase in dependence on data storage and continued infrastructure growth
Huawei’s advancement into network energy and power protection has created infrastructural networks that are not only easy to control and preserve but are also able to grow. A highlight in the Huawei UPS range is the highly modular UPS5000-E 25kW – 800kW series. Most suitable solution Trolley continues: “Where many UPS companies have chosen to hone in on one particular technology, PCL’s experience extends to both, which allows us to advise clients in selecting the most suitable UPS solution for their long term business needs and individual requirements. “PCL recognises the importance of quality power protection and provides the market with innovative and inspired UPS systems – be it a solid state or modular solution.” The future of power protection is forever changing. It is vital that UPS specialists are aware and embracing the latest developments and trends in technology. PCL operates from its purpose built facility in the UK. It provides an extensive selection of backup power systems, both solid state and modular, along with the experience, skills and services required for a full lifecycle managed solution. l pcl-ups.com missioncriticalpower.uk
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UPS
Healthcheck for batteries BCL director James Abbey explains that there is a lack of awareness towards the importance of ensuring regular testing and maintenance of batteries
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rett Communications Ltd (BCL Power) was established in 1994 as a telecoms battery service company. Today the company offers end-to-end solutions for UPS batteries and critical standby power equipment, including battery testing and maintenance services. “We have seen a real problem where people have had services on their UPS’s but not an actual service or test on the batteries,� says Abbey. “The importance of regular battery maintenance is really simple because it is the key component within a battery back-up system. If you don’t have them tested regularly, then you don’t know the condition of them. And if you don’t know the condition of them, you don’t know if they’re going to work when they are needed. Therefore, it is important that the client can get accurate and efficient information about the systems, so they can be preventative rather than reactive, and that’s where we come in.� In delivering these solutions, BCL Power believes that its supplier relationships
within the industry gives it an advantage. “We are a UK distributor for Midtronics Stationary Power equipment,� explains James. “This really gives us an edge over our competitors because we not only provide the battery management service, but also the tools themselves.� The Celltron Advantage features complete software modularity and add-ons, including the base unit that provides battery conductance (state of health assessment), voltage and integrated temperature measurement. All system levels offer these benefits: } Highly efficient test process: 50% reduction in test time from other battery analyzers } Less invasive testing approach reduces battery discharge, voltage measurement skew and allows for more tests on a single internal battery without recharge } Full compatibility with Midtronics CELLTRAQ Battery Data Management System for simple and efficient data tracking,
reporting and decision making; data transfer via USB } Field software updates, including module add-ons } Interchangeable test interfaces for technician ease of use and lower maintenance cost } Integrated battery temperature measurement } Integrated lighted test interfaces } Test continuity/accuracy indication on test interfaces } USB data connection and storage compatible } On board battery pack to support test time of 6-8 hours As far as BCL’s own future is concerned, the company is focused on expanding its
product offering as its target markets become increasingly aware of the importance of battery testing. The core of BCL’s customer base comes from telecoms divisions of a number of sectors including banking, education, government authorities and NHS trusts. However, with significant success as a supplier of Midtronics Stationary Power, BCL are now looking towards the future of battery management solutions. With power such a critical part of maintaining reliability across all sectors, the company proposes a sensible solution to making sure this reliability is maintained. l bclpower.co.uk
UPS with reduced TCO for large DCs AEG Power Solutions has launched its latest Protect Blue UPS. Aimed at large data centres that require the highest standards of reliability, the Protect Blue provides an efficient and flexible UPS solution in power ranges from 250kW to 4MW, reducing total cost of ownership and saving money for data centre operators, and is suited to cloud and hybrid IT. The new version of Protect Blue is based on a modular architecture with 250 kW power blocks that makes it MCP February 2016
simple to adapt to increasing or decreasing load by just adding or removing blocks. These modules can be configured in parallel to up to 4MW, and
support n+1 redundancy. To increase operational safety, the blocks have decentralised control mechanisms. Protect Blue is transformerless, and uses 3-level IGBT inverter technology to achieve efficiency of more than 96% in double conversion, and more than 98% in Eco mode. In times of constantly increasing energy prices, this efficiency helps to reduce operating and cooling costs, and thus significantly reduce total cost of ownership (TCO). A new IGBT-based Vienna
Rectifier automatically corrects the input power factor to more than 0.99 and limits the harmonic rejection to the mains at a THDi of less than 3%, at nominal load. Protect Blue with its special version ‘Smart Grid Ready’ is able to feed energy back into the grid and to communicate with intelligent power supply systems. This version is compatible with alternative energy sources and contributes to a sustainable energy management of data centers. l aegps.com missioncriticalpower.uk
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STANDBY POWER
Data centres and hospitals Finning UK & Ireland is working with customers in two diverse, mission-critical sectors to ensure a reliable and continuous supply of power
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side from the obvious cost implications of a power outage for any businesses, there are two sectors that place particular emphasis on a constant supply of energy – data centres, where even a few seconds’ downtime can badly tarnish a site’s uptime and consequently the fees it can levy, and hospitals, where standby power infrastructure could mean the difference between life and death. Supporting the hospital In 2014, Finning helped Guy’s Hospital, part of Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust, to upgrade its old standby generator system to meet current and future demands for MCP February 2016
continuous power to sustain its worldwide recognition in the delivery of medical care. The hospital is currently building a new, state-of-the-art cancer centre that will act as a hub for south-east London, providing specialist cancer services, training, development and research. The new centre will enable Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust to improve its cancer treatments and outcomes when it opens to patients later this year. As part of the ongoing upgrades, the hospital has been increasing its electrical standby power capacity. Working with Eta Projects, the trust’s specialist power engineering consultant, Finning supplied
a generator system able to provide 100% of the standby power requirement to the cancer centre in the event of a mains power failure. In the event that the power does go down across the entire hospital, the generator sets will be able to provide approximately 80% of the standby power it needs. As part of the project, Finning provided three Cat C175-20 generator sets, each providing an output of 3200ekW – the highest output available from a single highspeed generator set in the UK market. The units are able to provide a combined 9600ekW of reliable, mission critical standby power. missioncriticalpower.uk
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Compact size, high power output The C175-20 was chosen because of its compact size and high power output; meaning that all of the new units can be housed within the site’s existing generator rooms without making any major building modifications. The generators are interconnected to the main 11,000v electrical intake sub-station for the hospital through a dedicated generator distribution switchboard. The generator sets will be linked to the hospital’s existing logic control systems to ensure that standby power is readily available and appropriately prioritised within just 15 seconds in the event of an outage. The generators are designed to operate in synchronous parallel mode and as single systems through manual intervention by the Hospital Estates Engineering team should the need arise. Prior to delivery to site, the new generators were subjected to intensive factory testing which included load bank testing for four hours at 100% load and a subsequent 1-hour test at 110% load. In addition, transient load tests were applied at various step loads from 60% to 100%. As added value and to demonstrate confidence in the generators, the test engineers applied a single load step at 110% and the generators took the load without stalling.
The key objective [of BIM] is to reduce the capital costs and the carbon burden from the construction and operation of the built environment by 20%
Building information modelling One of the most exciting developments in the data centre space during the past few years has been the growth of building information modeling (BIM). The process is becoming increasingly important in all aspects of a building’s design and operation and Finning missioncriticalpower.uk
is now making BIM objects available for a growing number of its Cat generators, especially those specified for standby power for data centres. There are many definitions of BIM but, in essence, it is the means by which everyone can understand a building through the use of a digital model. Modelling an asset in digital form enables those who interact with the building, from initial design, through construction to operation and maintenance, to optimise their actions, resulting in a greater ‘whole life’ value for the asset. Through BIM, the UK construction industry is undergoing a digital revolution, with the goal that all team members work with the same, most up to date, information. Although BIM has been around in embryonic form since the 1970s, the real impact has come since the Government Construction Strategy was launched in 2011, which required
9600ekW Combined output of the three Cat C175-20 generator sets
the use of collaborative 3D BIM on all centrally procured building projects by 2016. The key objective is to reduce the capital costs and the carbon burden from the construction and operation of the built environment by 20%. This requires product manufacturers to create BIM ‘objects’ and to make them readily available to anyone involved in the building and maintenance supply chain A BIM object is a combination of many things: } Information content that defines a product } Product properties, such as
thermal performance } Geometry representing the product’s physical characteristics } Visualisation data giving the object a recognisable appearance } Functional data, that enables the object to be positioned and then behave in the same manner as the product itself For example, by using the BIM object for a generator set, an architect can virtually place the product in the building, check clearances and tolerances for doors, ducting, cabling and other services at the design stage and be confident it can then be installed as planned. The same model can then be used in the construction phase, so the installation takes place more efficiently, saving time and avoiding remedial work. Finally, the same model is used by the building services’ and maintenance teams to plan predictive and reactive maintenance work. The investment in creating BIM objects power generation equipment has been significant as Ian Wilcoxson, market sector manager – Data Centre Power Solutions from Finning Power Systems explains: “Customers have always valued our ability to provide rich data about the operational performance of our generators enabling very effective Power Utilisation Efficiency (PUE) and 99.99% uptime and above. “Now, with the introduction of BIM modelling by Caterpillar across our standard standby power range, we are able to provide equally rich data about many other characteristic of the equipment, to help ensure the construction and maintenance of data centres is as cost effective and streamlined as possible.� l finning.co.uk/ powersystems February 2016 MCP
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COOLING & AIR MOVEMENT
The impact of raising data centre temperatures Raising IT inlet temperatures to improve data centre efficiency might not produce the desired outcome, says Schneider Electric
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o optimise energy usage, a holistic approach to temperature management is required taking into consideration all of the various cooling equipment deployed, ambient climate, the size of the load and the operation of the IT equipment itself, comments Schnieder Electric in its latest White Paper, The Unexpected Impact of Raising Data Center Temperatures. Despite an ongoing industry effort to raise data centre operating temperatures, many data centre managers have been slow to follow this guidance and their caution could be well founded according to Schnieder, a global specialist in energy management and automation. Cooling trade-offs White Paper 221 describes in detail the cooling mechanisms of a typical data centre and evaluates the trade-offs and consequences associated with particular cooling strategies. Despite the high cost associated with data centre cooling, it is of note that the potential savings on offer have so far not captured the imagination of an industry, which is notoriously conservative by nature. “Data centre operators are struggling to make decisions about raising temperatures in the white space,” says Kevin Brown, Schneider Electric’s vice-president of data center global solutions and strategy. “They want answers to questions like, is it safe to do so? What is the right
MCP February 2016
The notion that Free Cooling guarantees reduced energy consumption is overly simplistic thanks to the complex dynamics of a data centre
temperature? Is it worth the increased risk? White Paper 221 helps to explain the implications of making the choice to raise IT temperatures.” The idea that higher ambient temperatures inside a data centre can reduce energy costs is enshrined in the revised TC9.9 standard concerning best practices in data centres, issued by the American Society of Heating, Refrigerating, and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE) in 2011. By permitting higher ambient temperatures inside a data centre, it said, operators could avail of more ‘Free Cooling’ hours in which the chillers that cool the overall data centre could be switched off. However, the notion that Free Cooling guarantees reduced energy consumption is overly simplistic thanks to the complex dynamics of a data centre. Running at higher temperatures can produce energy savings but often it does not. For example, raising the IT temperature set point allows the chillers to avail of economiser modes for a greater part of the year, which produces immediate energy savings. However, these can be offset by the greater burden placed on other parts of the cooling infrastructure. Schneider Electric analysed data centres in three US cities with different climates: Chicago, Seattle and Miami. In each case it compared the energy consumption and total cost of ownership of the
data centre in three operating temperature scenarios. In the first case, to establish a baseline, it assumed a fixed IT inlet temperature of 20°C; in the second it allowed temperatures to float between 15.6 and 25.7°C; and in the third case it fixed temperatures at the higher level of 26.7°C. Cost savings variables The analyses of the White Paper demonstrate that there are many variables that influence cost savings (or cost penalties), and that raising temperatures is not always a good thing. Before making temperature changes to a data centre, it is important to have a solid understanding of the design conditions, system attributes, load and so on. The White Paper also shows that both cooling architecture and local climate conditions have a significant impact on the optimal IT temperature set point. Other factors such as server fans and the airflow CFM curve are key drivers. Overall, the research carried out to write The Unexpected Impact of Raising Data Center Temperatures revealed that the facilities using direct and indirect air economiser modes performed better than those with packaged chiller architecture. l White Paper 221, The Unexpected Impact of Raising Data Center Temperatures, is available as a free download from: schneider-electric.com/ whitepapers missioncriticalpower.uk
COOLING & AIR MOVEMENT
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Large Hadron Collider benefits from energy savings solution One of the key data centres supporting the Large Hadron Collider is using EatonWilliams ServerCool to achieve significant energy savings and channel the heat loads
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ERN’s Large Hadron Collider (LHC) relies on many strategically placed data centres across the world to process the vast amounts of data generated by the world’s largest experiment. With heat loads and energy costs a major concern, ServerCool in close collaboration with Serviware and IBM in France designed an energy efficient critical cooling solution for France’s National Institute of Nuclear Physics and Particle Physics in Lyon, one of the 11 Tier 1 data centres (CC-IN2P3). Greater capabilities The project at the CC-IN2P3 data centre was driven by the use of iDataplex cabinets, selected for their ability to deliver greater processing capabilities. The initial heat load missioncriticalpower.uk
100kW The inital heat load generated by the five cabinets at the CC-IN2P3 data centre
generated by five cabinets was 100kW, which would increase ultimately to 160kW. ServerCool recommended a strategy using ServerCool cooling distribution units (CDUs) on a common secondary manifold to provide N+N redundancy to the iDataplex systems and support SNMP connectivity. The CDUs were installed as part of a high-density computing upgrade within an existing data centre. Air conditioning alone would not
be able to manage such a highly concentrated heat load. The use of iDataplex and CDUs are a very effective and energy efficient upgrade solution, consuming 40% less power per kilowatt than the incumbent air handling systems. “Power usage and efficiency were a major concern. With the ability to achieve significant energy savings over conventional server and data rack cooling systems, ServerCool offered a cooling solution that could meet IN2P3/CNRS exacting requirements,” says ServerCool general manager Mark Luxford. The LHC is one of the biggest scientific experiments ever and it is estimated that it will produce approximately 15 million gigabytes of data annually.
Storage infrastructure To cope with the amount of material generated ERN is collaborating with more than 33 countries to operate a distributed computing and data storage infrastructure: the LHC Computing Grid (LCG) enabling scientists across the world to access and analyse data. After initial processing, the LHC is distributed to 11 large Tier 1 computer centres strategically sited across the world. These data centres in turn make the LHC data available to more 120 ‘Tier-2’ centres enabling scientists to access LHC material from their home country, using local computer clusters or even individual PCs. l eaton-williams.com February 2016 MCP
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EVENT NEWS
London gets ready to host Data Centre Summit South The Data Centre Summit South conference and exhibition takes place on 10 February at London’s Barbican Centre. The organisers say the free event gives data centre professionals the opportunity to find out more about the latest technology, hear from some of the industry’s most acclaimed experts and network with their peers
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ome of the industry’s most respected thought leaders will speak about a range of technology trends and best practice issues at the Data Centre Summit South conference and exhibition. According to Mordor Intelligence, the global colocation data centre market is predicted to grow from $25.07bn in 2014 to $44.69bn by the end of 2019 and London is recognised as leading the way in developing and operating state-of-the-art facilities. The conference programme has been designed to cover as many areas as possible and with two seminar streams running concurrently throughout the day, delegates are guaranteed to find out valuable information about subjects that relate to their specific interests. The line-up comprises speakers from all sectors of the data centre industry including manufacturers, architects and consultants involved in the design and build of data centre environments, as well as specialists from leading technology companies. Conference highlights Highlights of the conference programme include Ian Bitterlin of Leeds University, who will look at whether the data centre industry can maintain its relentless growth and the impact of the Internet of Things (IoT), and Tony Day, global director of data centre projects at Schneider Electric, who will draw on his experience to highlight some MCP February 2016
Fieberg of R&M. They will be joined by David Wolfenden of heatload.co.uk offering a four-step approach to data centre testing and Kevin Linsell of Adapt, who will explain why the economics of IT are changing and the opportunities presented by new cloud economics.
The global colocation data centre market is predicted to grow from $25.07bn in 2014 to $44.69bn by the end of 2019 and London is recognised as leading the way
key industry trends. Also taking the stage will be Jonathan Arnold of Volta Data Centres, who will examine connectivity issues, Neil Stobart of Cloudian on enterprise storage strategies, Andy Bailey of Stratus Technologies exploring how to keep data centres fully operational, and Peter Williams of Mayflex on the importance of using network tools to monitor traffic. Dave Hitchins of Molex Premise Networks will discuss outsourced multisite IP infrastructure project management, while the benefits of modular data centres are to be explored by Glenn Conlon of Cannon Technologies. It doesn’t end there though and Barry Shambrook of TCL Data will take a look at the pros and cons of raised floors, while the subject of indirect evaporative cooling is to be tackled by Christian
Speak direct In addition to the seminars, during regular breakout sessions delegates will get a chance to speak directly to leading manufacturers and distributors including Schneider Electric, Riello UPS, Geist, Sudlows, Stulz, Raritan, Draka, Excel Networking Solutions and Olson Electronics. Exhibitors will showcase new products and hold demonstrations of their cutting edge technology. Hosted by Data Centre Events, the company’s managing director, Ian Titchener, commented: “Data Centre Summit South is designed to attract busy individuals who cannot spare the time to attend longer events, don’t want to travel long distances and who wish to learn game changing information from key industry thought leaders. “London is the hub of the UK’s data centre industry and I’m confident that those who attend will find it a thoroughly beneficial use of their time.” l Delegates can find out more and register for free by visiting datacentresummit.co.uk missioncriticalpower.co.uk
PRODUCT CASE STUDIES
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Transforming offshore power Crestchic has secured a fifth order from NOV Portable Power for a 4.0 MVA step-up containerised transformer to support a series of offshore power installations
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OV Portable Power markets and manufactures rental products that supply power to a variety of locations. It is part of National Oilwell Varco (NOV), a leading worldwide provider of equipment and components used in the oil and gas industry. NOV Portable Power first approached Crestchic in 2012 to request a 2.9MVA containerised transformer for general power rental applications. Since then, the company has placed a further four orders, with the most recent being the 4.0 MVA step-up transformer packaged in a bespoke 10ft container enclosure for offshore decommissioning purposes. The solution needed to
be flexible to accommodate various voltages and compact footprints. The 4.0 MVA multi-tap transformer provided the customer with a variety of voltages up to 14,400V and a range input voltage for the generators. This means the transformer is suitable for a variety of projects with different voltage requirements, in comparison with other options, such as a generator with a MV alternator, which would be unsuitable for this requirement as its voltage cannot be changed to match the needs of different applications. The transformers came filled with Midel oil, which is proven to offer an environmentally
friendly synthetic alternative to other fluids such as mineral oil. Midel transformer oil is a nonflammable material ensuring fire safety, which is a key requirement when operating offshore. Crestchic’s transformers are also fitted with ABB Safeplus medium voltage switchgear, with either low-voltage Schneider Electric master pack air circuit breakers and/or
three/four pole isolators which allow individual generators to be taken in and out of service without disrupting overall power supply. Steve Smith, general manager UK at NOV, commented: “We have a strong and professional working relationship with Crestchic and that is why we have continued to use them for our power needs. They have once again provided us with a solution in line with our requirements. “Offering compact design, ease of use and a weather-proof container, as well as flexibility in voltages, there really was only one choice when we needed a new transformer.” l crestchic.co.uk nov.com
A private utility network DP World contracted Morrison Utility Connections (MUC) to design, procure, install and commission the electrical infrastructure to facilitate the electrification of the new London Gateway logistics park. London Gateway is a stateof-the-art, highly automated deep-sea container port that will house a new 9 million square foot logistics park – the largest of its kind in Europe.
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Modelled on DP World’s flagship Jebel Ali facility, in Dubai, London Gateway will provide 2,700 metres of quay, six deep-water berths with depth alongside of 17 metres, 24 giant quay cranes and an annual capacity of 3.5 million TEU (twenty-foot equivalent units). Beginning in October 2014, the 46-week high-profile private network project centred on the development of electrical
infrastructure, including the construction of two new 33/11kV primary substations, the installation of over 35km of site wide 11kV cabling, 8km of 33kV cabling and numerous secondary substations to provide power and lighting to the logistics park. Civil and electrical design was completed in house, including the 11kV and 33kV and 33kV cable and cable route, 33/11kV compound, 11kV switch room and all associated protection and control design requirements. Prevailing and significant on-site ground condition risk also required a redesign from the original client substation specification to a more suitable engineered solution – an elevated switch house with piled foundation, minimising works below
ground and removing associated ground risk. The protection and control system design included interfaces with both existing private (port owned) 33kV networks and DNO networks. A large portion of the project covered complex SCADA and network monitoring and automation, enabling the client to view everything down to power flow on its low voltage distribution network. The works will energise the first plots on site, including a 316,000 sq ft distribution centre and the 386,00 sq ft Common User Facility (CUF) that will enable occupiers to share warehousing and transportation, materials handling equipment and labour. l morrisonuc.com February 2016 MCP
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PRODUCTS
Essential guide to small scale combined heat and power possible payback on investment of different sizes of systems in various applications. A section on finance outlines the opportunities to benefit from CHP technology without any capital outlay via Discount Energy Purchase or Energy Savings Agreements. Capital Purchase options are also explained. The guide also includes sections on system integration, technology, a glossary of terms and case studies of organisations using CHP to save money, reduce carbon emissions and improve energy resilience. Download the Essential Guide to Small Scale Combined Heat and Power at energ.co.uk/chp
ENER-G has published a detailed new guide to small scale combined heat and power, which is available free to download. The 20-page manual covers all aspects of selecting, designing and financing a CHP scheme – from applications and fuel options – through to economic modelling and financing and integrating the technology into buildings. Advice is provided on the stages of feasibility assessment and how to comply with the CHP Quality Index, which is the route to gaining tax exemptions and financial incentives for CHP. Illustrations of the economics of CHP are included in the guide to demonstrate the
Micro Data Centre launches Dataracks – the firm behind cold aisle containment – says it has another innovation that will benefit the data centre industry: the Micro Data Centre (MDC). The company claims it combines all the cooling, security and power supply options required for 19” racks in a compact, convenient and cost-effective package. A new concept for the sector, reckons Dataracks, the self-contained MDC provides flexible, readily scalable capacity that can be installed virtually anywhere with a power supply and access for cooling pipework or ventilation. It uses high efficiency cooling
technologies to deliver high efficiency and complete environmental independence, lowering the cost of ownership and allowing rack densities to be increased as needs change. Suitable for any business where space or access is limited – such as office blocks, hospitals, GP surgeries, retail, industrial automation and academia – the MDC eliminates the need for bespoke data centre designs, providing a complete solution that simply requires the addition of servers. Dataracks managing director Jeremy Hartley commented: “As a company with a strong history of innovation in server cabinet and rack technology, we are proud to be leading the way in data centre miniaturisation. Regardless of their size, most organisations are looking for the same features in a data centre – flexibility, security and cost effectiveness. The MDC offers all the benefits of a complete data centre without the cost and complexity of bespoke installations.” dataracks.com
MCP February 2016
Seamlessly automatic transfer of power sources
Power downtime or disruption is never acceptable for data centre equipment. It is common for mission critical devices to apply primary and secondary power sources. However, some network devices and entry-level servers are not designed with power redundancy. For single corded equipment Austin Hughes InfraPower Automatic Transfer Switches (ATS) provide dual power sources. If the primary source becomes unavailable, it switches to the secondary power source seamlessly. The ATS is bundled with an input preference switch allowing users to set the power source preference to supply the output. Sometimes
the manual power input switching function is essential, especially during maintenance in data centres. True RMS local AMP measurement is via a digital meter with blue LED display, allowing rapid access to the aggregate load on the circuit. It prevents circuit overloads during equipment installation and allows the user to plan the capacity based on actual real-time current monitoring. One ATS cost effectively provides power redundancy to multiple pieces of critical equipment and is available in rack mount models with 8 to 20 IEC outlets. www.austin-hughes.eu
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Q&A
John Marshall Swegon Cooling’s business development manager for data centre cooling on rude people, mind reading and directing movies
Who would you least like to share a lift with? Why? Katie Hopkins (pictured). I find her exceptionally rude. I could go on, but I won’t! You’re God for the day. What’s the first thing you do? Bring my Dad back. Then sit back in shock that I actually exist. If you could travel back in time to a period in history, what would it be and why? The 1920s/1930s American ‘flapper’ era. The music and style was fantastic, the men and women really knew how to dress with class. Failing that, the 1960s, just for the music. Who or what are you enjoying listening to? (music, radio etc) I was bought the Adele and Sam Smith albums for Christmas, so they have been in the car. I’ve a musical background, and both have stunning voices you can only be envious of. What unsolved mystery would you like the answers to? I’d be interested to know if there any intelligent lifeforms out in the universe. What would you take to a desert island and why? A picture of my kids for obvious reasons, a football to keep me occupied and my body MCP February 2016
footballer, so I’d say film director. Creating a film would be incredible. What would you do with a million pounds? Build a house, have a nice holiday, and try a few professional ideas I’d always had, including invest in producing a movie.
I’m a movie buff and own more than 1,400 DVDs… Creating a film would be incredible
active and, finally, a solar powered DAB radio as music would make it bearable. What’s your favourite film (or book) and why? Film is impossible. I’m a movie buff and own more than 1,400 DVDs, and I could argue what genre etc. Book is easier, Joseph D Pistone autobiography (the real life Donnie Brasco). How he did what he did was incredible.
What’s your greatest extravagance? Probably my TV. I waited months for it to come out, it was the first LED on the market. Collectively I’d say my watches too. What is the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? Hope for the best, prepare for the worst. What irritates you the most in life? Rude and inconsiderate people.
What would your super power be and why? Read minds. It would make my job so much easier.
What should energy users be doing to help themselves, particularly in the current climate? Use efficient products. Data centre specific, invest in energy efficient cooling solutions, free cooling products and so on. They all have an ROI worth investing in.
If you were blessed with any talent, what would your dream job be and why? If I was younger then professional
What’s the best thing – work wise – that you did recently? Kick started our e-shot campaigns. Brand awareness is key right now. We have great products, but not enough people know this. l
If you could perpetuate a myth about yourself, what would it be? I would help anyone out.
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