Think of this when you say smart energy

When referring to modern technology, companies bandy the word "smart" around a lot, especially when talking about energy efficient devices. We have smart meters, smart grids and even smart cities. In November 2015, for the first time in history, the National Grid resorted to paying large companies to turn off their heating, ventilation and air conditioning (HVAC) systems in an effort to keep the lights on in Britain. Here, the sales manager of systems integrator Boulting Technology, Nick Boughton, discusses a smarter approach to energy efficiency.

Nick Boughton, sales manager of
Boulting Technology

We are living and working in a post-industrial economy in which electricity consumption in commercial buildings is significantly higher than it was 25 years ago. Back then, offices comprised of the odd computer, lighting, a photocopier and perhaps a fax machine and that was about it. If it got too warm, you opened a window and if it got too cold, you put another jumper on.

In comparison, many modern offices are like mini data centres. HVAC, modern computers and servers are power-thirsty equipment that consumes energy especially at peak times of the day. When you think about all the technology parks around the country, made up of these types of offices, you could argue that the National Grid resorting to last ditch tactics is perhaps inevitable.

It is important to remember this is the first time the National Grid has had to implement this kind of emergency action. The reason given was that a number of old coal and nuclear power plants have been shut in recent years and while they have been replaced by new gas powered and renewable sources, the margin between capacity and demand is now much smaller. And if the margin becomes negative, someone’s lights will go out. The perfect storm is a cloudy day with no wind, when solar and wind sources generate less energy.

Two things are worrying about this situation. The first is that the money paid to companies to reduce energy consumption comes from levies on consumer energy bills. The users pay for this. The second is that according to some predictions, we will be relying less on coal and more on renewable energy, nuclear and natural gas in the future. In fact, earlier this year, the UK government pledged to phase out coal plants by 2025, which means the transition will happen sooner than expected. To make sure the UK is not caught unprepared, alternative power supplies need to be set up as soon as possible and more efficient energy management needs to be implemented in consumer and industrial environments.

This is where smart grids come in. Today’s smart grids use software to manage decentralised energy generation, transmission and distribution according to the demand. Despite the technology and systems being available, the National Grid felt it had to resort to paying companies to manually turn off their HVAC.

Gone should be the days of tactics like phoning power plants to up the generation because there is an advertisement break in Christmas Day's episode of Coronation Street and everyone has just turned the kettle on. Energy management needs to be smarter.

Instead of paying companies to manually turn off their HVAC systems, there is no reason why this cannot be done automatically. The infrastructure and technology is available and in some cases, already in place.

For roughly 15 years, high and medium voltage grid applications in the UK have been using smart technology. In this context, smart means the technology works from detailed analytics and adjusts supply to suit peaks or troughs in demand automatically. In recent years, we have also started to see intelligent technology introduced into low-voltage applications too.

Every building is equipped with low-voltage circuit breakers that control and protect the distribution of power for things like lighting, HVAC and IT systems. Traditionally, these have been straightforward on/off dumb switches based on tried and tested technology because they have to remain reliable over long periods. However, with the quest for greater energy efficiency and smarter control of low-voltage applications, more intelligent breakers are required in modern office environments.

Building operators have started using smart circuit breakers to have more control over day-to-day energy operations. Smart circuit breakers can act as a network analyser to monitor power quality and give warnings that allow for the protection of sensitive electrical equipment. More important on the energy efficiency front is that the latest circuit breakers manage the power flowing through them and keep it below set limits. They do this by automatically disconnecting non-priority loads, like HVAC, in the event of load peaks.

Energy efficiency and smart technologies go hand in hand and the wider the adoption of devices like smart circuit breakers, the greater the results for the environment. In addition, going without HVAC for an hour probably will not affect a company greatly. However, if power margins continue to stay low, we risk blackouts and manufacturing lines could suffer costly downtime. Definitely not smart.

Choosing the right critical power supply

Today, more than 3 billion people live in cities and the urban population of the planet increasing constantly. This means a growing demand for electrical power and more complex requirements for buildings and manufacturing facilities. Add strict energy standards to the equation and the process of identifying the right critical power supply for individual applications becomes exceedingly tricky. Here, Pat McLaughlin, Boulting Technology’s Operations Director, discusses what companies should keep in mind when choosing a switchboard.

Fault capacity and ruggedness
Before commissioning a low voltage switchboard, consider what kind of external fault you can expect to have in the application. Usually this means choosing a fault rating higher than the maximum supply capacity. The rule of thumb is: fault rating = (transformer VA /700) * 20. This way, your system should be safe even in the event of an external fault.

Boulting Power Centre

Another thing to consider is the product’s lifespan. Switchboards generally have relatively long lives and can last anywhere between 25 and 40 years, perhaps even more if you treat them right and ensure the regular maintenance they deserve. However, this also means they need to be rugged and durable, so they can withstand the occasional knock and abuse life throws their way.

Location and security
Industry has a tendency to leave the electrical room layout to the very end of the building design and adapt it to suit whatever space is left over. Try to avoid this approach if you can.

Ideally, you want your electrical room to be spacious and well ventilated. If possible, there should be enough space to allow repair and replacement work to take place as smoothly as possible. Switchboards are only installed once, but there’s a good chance you will need to add cables or modules as time goes by. Devices may have shrunk, but the laws of physics and the size of cables haven’t changed.

Access to your building’s power centre boards should only be granted to authorised personnel, rather than allowing just anyone to walk in and out. Ideally, the switchboard should be located in a secured room, out of the way, so visitors don’t just stumble in while looking for the rest rooms. In addition, electrical gear is a tempting target for thieves, so it’s important to protect it accordingly from malicious attacks or vandalism.

Futureproofing
Because of their long lifespan, switchboards should be designed to last a few decades. One way of future proofing a low voltage assembly is by using a modular design. There’s a chance that as you grow, you will require more capacity. You can easily achieve this by putting a bus coupler on the end, so you can extend and modify the switchboard without shutdown. Modularity also means that if a section of the power centre breaks down it can be easily replaced without having to turn off the whole thing.

Speaking of growth, another thing you might need if you want your switchboard to be future proof is a few spare distribution and motor control feeders. They might add to the final cost, but they might also be a lifesaver a few years down the line. You can’t predict the future, but you can make it easier for those who follow you.

Keeping it simple
To make sure sources can’t be cross-connected, even if the electrical control fails, all the switches should be mechanically interlocked. Interlocking switchgear ensures personnel are safe and equipment is operated according to the correct procedures.

Labelling in large switchboards can be very confusing, so colour coding is a good way of keeping track of supplies. Sometimes special symbols can also be used for multiple sources of supply, but colour coding is the simplest and best method. It offers an ‘at a glance’ view of the system and minimises the risks of mistakes.

Very few switchboards these days will operate critical processes manually, so remote signalling and switching is something you should consider when choosing a switchboard. It’s important to make sure that if the main power goes down in the middle of the night, or over the weekend, the generator needs to be on and fully functional.

Testing
Speaking of generators, you need to ensure that you test them regularly using a load bank. You should design the switchboard in such a way that testing is easy; otherwise excuses will appear and testing will be delayed. Make sure this doesn’t happen and you won’t be left in the dark when the power goes out. Switchboards need constant attention to always be at the top of their game.

These are just some of the main things to consider when deciding the requirements for low voltage switchboards. It can be a difficult process, but luckily help is never too far away. To find out more about what options are available for your low voltage assembly, get in touch with Boulting Technology on +44 1925 720 090.