Electrical Contracting News (ECN) June 2017 | Page 56

SPECIAL
FEATURE
ENERGY MANAGEMENT
ENGINEERING ELECTRICAL SUPPLY
Dr Alex Mardapittas, managing director of Powerstar, discusses the importance of technologies that
offer multiple benefi ts as a way to future proof energy effi ciency investments.
G
rowing worries about
ever increasing energy
prices are cause for
concern for many
businesses despite
information released
by Ofgem earlier
this ye ar detailing
that there isn’t a justifi able reason that
companies should be experiencing them.
It is not only the energy suppliers that
are raising costs, the National Grid is also
contributing to the current situation by
increasing DUoS (Distribution Use of System)
and Triad tariffs for businesses that consume
moderate to high levels of electricity.
Alongside rising energy costs, many
public and private sector organisations
also have to manage critical power
supplies with technology that can provide
a full uninterruptable power supply (UPS)
functionality, due to the increasing number
of brownouts and blackouts the electricity
network is experiencing.
Battery based energy storage
The interactive,
responsive nature of
battery based energy
storage means
systems monitor and
measure electrical
supply to the load
and rapidly recognise
when power is
required.
56 | June 2017
A modern solution that is already
saving energy and improving UPS for
many businesses is battery based
energy storage technology. As the name
suggests the systems can store energy
from either the National Grid, at times of
low demand, or directly from renewable
sources in batteries, for use at peak
times or when required.
By providing companies with the ability
to go off grid at periods of high tariffs from
both the energy suppliers and the National
Grid, energy storage solutions allow
facilities managers to avoid costly DUoS and
Triad tariffs, resulting in average potential
savings of 24 per cent on electricity costs.
In addition to energy storage allowing
companies to utilise the stored energy to
make savings, and avoid the DUoS and
Triad charges, it also enables them to
redirect electricity back to the National
Grid. As a result, additional revenues
can be generated through Demand Side
Response (DSR) incentives, which provide
a cheaper option for many, rather than
consuming electricity during high tariff
periods throughout the year.
DSR can be any method of assisting
reserve, frequency response, peak
avoidance and capacity on the electricity
network. DSR incentives are broken
up into three categories: Demand Side
Balancing Reserve (DSBR), Firm Frequency
Response (FFR) and Enhanced Frequency
Response (EFR). By using energy storage
systems, companies can benefi t from the
highest level of DSR incentives, resulting in
signifi cant fi nancial benefi ts for users.
When it comes to providing UPS, some
facilities are currently utilising diesel
generators and combined heat and power
(CHP) units. However, even though both
are capable of offering off grid energy,
including managing power supply quality
issues such as blackouts, brownouts,
‘Energy
management
solutions
can act as a
safeguard
and offer a
future proof
UPS solution
for critical
sites.’
voltage spikes and dips, they are both
ageing technologies in an advancing world.
In comparison, battery based energy
storage technology is developing into an
advanced combined energy effi ciency and
UPS solution that can add value to the
development of smart cities. The interactive,
responsive nature of battery based energy
storage means systems monitor and
measure electrical supply to the load and
rapidly recognise when power is required.
When energy is required, the system will
respond almost instantaneously to provide
electricity for up to a period of two hours.
The adoption of energy management
solutions such as energy storage technology
can act as a safeguard and offer a future
proof UPS solution for critical sites such as
data centres, which have an ever growing
amount of electrical equipment. A correctly
specifi ed energy storage solution will also
be easily scalable, for growing demand,
with capacity increased by simply installing
and connecting additional batteries.
In order to maximise benefi ts, including
energy savings, CO2 emission reductions
and an optimised electricity supply, it is vital
to understand the bespoke requirements
of the facility in which the solution is being
installed. Any party deliberating installing a
system should always ensure the supplier can
deliver a concept to completion service, with
full energy analysis and monitoring of a site’s
electrical supply to ensure the delivery of a fi t
for purpose solution designed, developed and
commissioned with the customer in mind.