Helping UK industry balance the energy trilemma

THERE ARE two areas of an efficient energy management strategy which can help reduce energy bills while cutting carbon emissions and protecting vital plant and equipment: voltage regulation and low-loss transformer technology.  

The UK's manufacturing and production engineering sectors are already ahead of many others, in terms of their consideration of carbon emission reduction. As energy-intensive sectors with a vital part to play in post-Covid economic growth, this is both positive and necessary.

It was never going to be an easy transition, and this is seriously compounded by the energy crisis and spiralling costs. In this context, efficient energy management plays a vital role. At Powerstar, we are seeing an increasing number of customers requiring solutions that both reduce energy consumption - and costs - while helping them to achieve sustainability targets.  

As two critical aspects of the energy trilemma, technological developments in voltage regulation and in low-loss transformers are proving successful in helping achieve these twin ambitions.

Cutting bills and emissions via voltage regulation

The National Grid is obliged to supply users with 230V power, but typically operates with a fluctuating voltage. To meet its statutory requirement, the Grid supplies a higher average voltage to compensate - around 245V.  Most electrical equipment in the UK is designed to work at 220V and operating at a voltage higher than necessary can damage equipment and shorten its lifespan. 

Traditionally, the problem has been solved through a solution that transforms the entire voltage to a site, but this is far from perfect as it leads to large losses. A modern alternative, and one which Powerstar has incorporated into more than 6,000 carbon reduction strategies, is a solution that transforms only the reduced voltage, meaning far lower energy loss. Such technology can either offer a set level reduction for high but stable incoming voltage profiles, or dynamically regulate a fluctuating voltage profile to maintain a specified set level. Put simply, by lowering the incoming voltage overall electricity consumption is reduced, which positively impacts on energy costs and carbon emissions.

A modern voltage regulation solution can bring immediate positive benefits for cost-reduction and lowered emissions, as evidenced by a project undertaken by Powerstar for Precision Products (UK) Limited, where we were able to stabilise the voltage profile and reduce the amount of energy wasted through the installation of an electronic-dynamic voltage regulation solution.

Precision Products is a manufacturer and worldwide supplier of piston rings and metallic seals. The business focuses on delivering solutions that adhere to its core strengths: speed and flexibility, making it a development partner of choice within the marine and industrial sectors. Having invested in a range of specialised machines and processes, the company was looking for ways to reduce energy consumption, to minimise running costs for specialised equipment and to reduce CO2 emissions.

The company's precision manufacturing process also meant that it was vitally important that any measures taken would not only avoid disrupting this process, but actively contribute to energy resilience. Any unexpected change to the power supply risks disrupting highly sensitive manufacturing equipment and resulting in significant costs through lost productivity, waste and repair costs.  

Powerstar undertook a comprehensive site survey and found that the site's average incoming voltage was fluctuating between 242V and 250V, much higher than the 220V that most electrical equipment operates at effectively. As well as costing money through significant energy wastage, this fluctuating voltage represented a significant threat to Precision Products’ energy resilience and risked ongoing damage to specialist equipment, subjecting it to unnecessary wear and tear, and shortening its overall lifespan.

To stabilise the voltage profile, and to reduce the amount of energy wasted, Powerstar recommended the installation of their MAX system, an electronic-dynamic voltage regulation solution. This new system secured total consumption savings of 7%, while eliminating 85.4 tonnes of carbon equivalent from annual net emissions. 

Low-loss transformer technology

Transformers play a critical part in the energy infrastructure for the UK as a whole, enabling electricity to be transferred from one circuit to another at changing voltage levels, improving the safety and efficiency of power systems. This is particularly relevant for manufacturing and engineering sectors, given their energy-intensive profiles.

However, the UK’s transformer fleet is facing a looming crisis of its own. Three-quarters of transformers in the UK have been in operation for 25 years or more, far exceeding the intended design-lifespan. Leading to a demonstrable growth in the need for transformer maintenance and refurbishment, this represents an additional cost to UK companies, while also contributing to the potential for ageing transformers to become a point of failure and a serious risk to continued productivity.

As they age, transformers become less efficient, and can be operating at 85%, which compares poorly to modern transformers whose efficiency can be as high as 99.75%. Since many transformers are, of necessity, operating at high loads, such losses are significant and increasingly costly.  High efficiency, low-loss transformers can make a huge difference, with the twin benefits of lowering costs - impacting the bottom line - and reducing carbon emissions, helping companies on their route to achieving net zero targets.

Modern amorphous core technology options are particularly beneficial for industries reliant on CNC machining, or for any company invested in machine technology bought into the UK from a global market.  

Machines are, of course, generally rated for their market of origin - for example Japanese or USA voltage levels. When sold into the UK market, they’ll come with their own step-down transformer. But this is not the most efficient option, and at Powerstar we are now routinely replacing these with new, low-loss solutions.  Amorphous core transformers dramatically improve the efficiency of equipment, while offering cost savings as well as emission reductions.  

Paradoxically, it is both sobering and encouraging to note that, while the initial cost of amorphous core transformers is a slightly greater initial investment than that of traditional Cold Rolled Grain Oriented (CRGO) transformers, the conventional option will consume its initial purchase cost in wasted energy within nine months - possibly even fewer, given the current energy market. And then repeat that cost to the business, year-on-year of the transformer’s predicted lifespan.” 

Over a 10-year period, a new amorphous core transformer will yield an average saving of more than £25,000, with an emission reduction of approximately 40,000kg.  

The combination of voltage regulation and low-loss transformer technology can help address two aspects of the Energy Trilemma - cost-effectiveness and sustainability. Energy security, as part of an overall energy management strategy for power resilience, is equally critical for UK industry. At Powerstar, we continually invest in R&D to help companies deal with the energy trilemma - now, more than ever, tasked with reducing energy demands and improving energy efficiency as budgetary and climate issues align.

Alastair Morris is chief commercial officer at Powerstar

For more information: 

powerstar.com

Tel: 0333 2301327