INFRASTRUCTURE BANK

Commenting on the Committee of Public Accounts inquiry report on the creation of the UK Infrastructure Bank, Guto Davies, head of policy at the Association for Consultancy and Engineering (ACE) said:

“We welcome the recommendations made by the Committee into the establishment of the UK Infrastructure Bank, notably on sharing of performance metrics, encouraging a collaborative cross-departmental approach and more detail on how its advisory function will work in practice.

The establishment of the Bank is a great opportunity for communities across the UK, and we need to ensure that it is set up to be as impactful as possible as quickly as possible.

“The Committee recommends that a full-suite of performance metrics are developed covering productivity and performance.

“We believe that there is an opportunity here to also include metrics around regional skills development and social value which will create a broader base on which to measure impact.

“Furthermore, the moves to encourage cross-departmental engagement are welcome, and could help the establishment of more co-ordinated placemaking approach throughout the UK.”

Guto Davies concludes: “The Bank’s advisory function also has a role to play here, and we need to ensure that this approach is mirrored in its engagement with local authorities of all sizes, reducing the need for competition, tendering and ring-fencing when allocating investment to projects across the country.”

Technology Seminar & 74th Annual Luncheon

17th March 2023 - Leonardo Royal Hotel London Tower Bridge - Energy Security in Uncertain Times

The IPowerE’s 2023 Technology Seminar and Annual Luncheon is to be held at the Leonardo Royal Hotel London Tower Bridge. The day will commence at 10.00am with a technology seminar, followed by a 3-course luncheon and guest speakers in the afternoon.

The morning seminar will comprise a multi-stream programme covering a range of technologies and subject matter, so there will be something which is relevant to everyone’s business.

The Annual Seminar & Luncheon is well established as a key event in the calendar of the power and prime mover industries and is an occasion not to be missed. Book your place now and take the opportunity to catch up on the latest technology developments and to hear and engage with internationally renowned speakers, plus the chance to network with other members, clients and colleagues.

Industry Speaker: National Grid

Guest Speaker: Penny Mallory

Often best known for her passion for motor sport, Penny’s first love has always been people. Penny has spoken all over the world, an Event Host and a familiar TV Presenter. Based on over twenty years of sporting and business experience, Penny talks about The Psychology of Success.

“I love the buzz and physical challenge of running, riding and boxing. But to find real balance in life, it is essential to achieve some moments of stillness and mindfulness. I believe that balance is the key to unlocking pure, true potential” says Penny.

Against the odds, Penny Mallory became the first woman in the World to compete in a World Rally Car. Her story is unusual and inspiring. Penny shares the ups and downs of her story from ‘homeless waster’ to ‘Rally Champion’, inspiring audiences to achieve greater things for themselves. Her unique and inspirational story shows there is no limit to what you can achieve with will determination, focus and commitment.

Penny has also entered the boxing ring for two fights, one opponent being TV chef Monica Galetti. She has completed 4 marathons, various hell runners and a Triathlon. She has learnt to play polo and completed a successful ascent in 2008 of the tough North face of Europe’s highest mountain, Mount Elbrus and more recently -summited Mount Kilimanjaro.

ABB LAUNCHES THE WORLD’S FIRST VIRTUALIZED PROTECTION AND CONTROL SOLUTION

ABB has introduced its new SSC600 SW - according to the company the product means that customers are no longer tied to specific hardware allowing them to optimize their IT infrastructure.

With many systems accommodated on one platform, they can reduce the number and type of devices and hardware in substations.

This greatly simplifies performing maintenance activities. The inherent separation of functionality from hardware (virtualization) allows integrated, system-wide upgrades and additional functionality, without introducing the need for new hardware.

As an example: an SSC600 device can protect 30 bays, whereas with a virtualized approach, customers can install multiple SSC600 SW instances on a single computer for even bigger systems.

Further, with virtualized functionality, a substation owner can replace different kinds of old equipment with the same type of new equipment. This substantially reduces the amount of knowledge required to maintain the substation because of the smaller amount of hardware variants.

To create a robust power system protection and control solution that provides the flexibility and enhanced resiliency necessary to face increasingly complex grids, SSC600 SW supports Linux KVM and the VMware Edge Compute Stack platform. new.abb.com

Hyflexpower Demonstrator Successfully Completed

ENGIE Solutions, Siemens Energy, Centrax, Arttic, the German Aerospace Center (DLR) and four European universities, together forming the Hyflexpower consortium, have announced the successful completion of the first stage of an innovative research project on renewable energy.

Located at the Smurfit Kappa Saillat Paper Mill in Saillat-sur-Vienne (France), this program becomes the first industrial facility in the world to introduce an integrated hydrogen demonstrator.

The aim of the HYFLEXPOWER project is to demonstrate that green hydrogen can serve as a flexible means of storing energy which can then be used to power an industrial turbine. The hydrogen is produced on site with an electrolyzer and used in a gas turbine with a mix of 30-vol. % hydrogen and 70 vol.-% natural gas for power generation.

The project marks the implementation of the world’s first industrial-scale power-to-X-to-power demonstration with an advanced turbine with high hydrogen content fuel. In 2023, trials will continue to increase the hydrogen ratio up to 100%. While the large-scale availability of green hydrogen is still some way off, the members of the consortium are focused on looking beyond 2030 and trialling new technology, such as hydrogen, today. This project will allow the partners to understand the technical feasibility of using hydrogen while retaining much of the existing energy infrastructure. This demonstrator would open great perspectives for industry, says Siemens. www.siemens-energy. com

EODEV - MAKER OF HIGH POWER HYDROGEN GENERATOR SETS

EODev is offering electro-hydrogen power generators in the 10 to 1750 kVA power range. The first models will be available for order starting from the first half of 2023 and will enter production in 2024.

New Thermal Management System For Batteries From Modine

Modine Manufacturing Co., a specialist in thermal management solutions, has launched a new edition of its EVantage battery thermal management System designed to meet the demands of a wide variety oif applications

The new Battery Thermal Management System with a Liquid-Cooled Condenser (L-CON BTMS), combines proprietary heat exchanger technology with smart controls and electronics designed to withstand dirty, harsh environments found in poqwer industry applications.

The Modine L-CON BTMS is designed to fit into diverse chassis layouts and offers plug-and-play integration and can optimise the temperature range for an entire bank of batteries with a single unit.

With the freedom to integrate battery thermal management on space-constrained off-highway and commercial chassis, manufacturers can ensure optimal battery performance in harsh, dirty environments, Modine said. www.modine.com

EODev says it has sold close to 100 power generators globally, including the 110 kVA GEH2 and the 70 kW REXH2 onboard model, both of which are equipped with a Toyota fuel cell and a lithium-ion iron phosphate battery.

With a footprint of less than four square meters and an optimised mass, the GEH2 is equipped with the latest generation of fuel cells from its partner Toyota, giving it exceptional durability and reliability. The company calls it ‘the most compact and efficient electrohydrogen generator on the market’.

A company spokesman comments: “GEH2® electro-hydrogen generator brings you the energy you need, without CO2 emissions or fine particles. With the GEH2 and its record-breaking energy density, you benefit from instant power of 110kVA in an optimized volume.” www.eo-dev.com