Rolls-Royce is expanding its portfolio of energy systems with the addition of microgrid solutions for mines from MTU Onsite Energy. This means that mine operators will now be offered a sustainable energy supply system that can be operated in remote regions independently of public power grids. The solutions combine renewable Read more…
UK energy price cap predicted to fall in autumn
According to the ICIS Power Index (IPI) Analysis there is a real prospect that UK energy bills are likely to fall from 1 October due to the substantial reduction in wholesale energy prices. On 1 April, Ofgem, the body responsible for the regulation of the UK energy market, raised the Read more…
Power technology trends for 2019
Power Control’s director, Rob Mather, explores some power technology trends for 2019, aimed at driving energy efficiency and improving resilience… The need to balance resilience, efficiency and cost savings in mission critical sectors is driving some key technology trends around battery storage, UPS systems, and intelligent monitoring. Among these trends Read more…
Distributed energy market opens up opportunities for mission critical sites
The falling cost of distributed energy technologies is opening up opportunities for hospitals and industrial sites to make a major impact on emissions reductions. A report by Centrica shows that new energy technology could meet more than half of the 20% carbon reduction target by 2030 for the healthcare, industry and Read more…
Onsite generation ‘will continue to boom’
A boom in onsite generation is in now sight and the UK market has the potential to triple in size, according to Jonathan Maxwell, CEO of Sustainable Development Capital Limited. “There is a very substantial opportunity,” he suggests. “The intensity of focus from large corporates on minimising their carbon footprint Read more…
‘Too many data centres operate in reactive mode’ warns consulting firm
Nils Gerstle from Collaboretix Enterprise Consulting warns that failures are all too often due to a reactive approach to data centre management. Data centre failure can be described as a critical failure of any of the elements constituting the data centre and impacting the entire facility. These may include many components, Read more…
Loadbanks deliver resilience for Europe’s greenest mine
Crestchic has provided two of its 1MW resistive only loadbanks to the first ever underground data centre, based in Norway. The Lefdal mine, a 120,000 sq m facility based within an old mine shaft, is set to be one of Europe’s largest and greenest data centres. The facility is powered Read more…
Eaton reports pilot success for UPS-as-a-reserve
Louise Frampton recently caught up with Eaton’s Mike Byrnes and learned how UPS-as-a-reserve has been received by the data centre sector since its initial launch Two years ago, Eaton announced its move into developing technology that would enable participation in demand-side response (DSR) and set its sights on engaging data Read more…
Transformers: robots to the rescue?
More needs to be done, through early detection and improved inspection regimes, to mitigate the risks posed to critical infrastructure by unexpected transformer failures. Louise Frampton reports Transformers are critical elements of power networks. When they fail unexpectedly, the impact on critical infrastructure – such as hospitals and industry – Read more…
Government urged to act on blackout warnings
As the UK transitions to a lower carbon economy, the GMB union is warning of the need to ensure a safe and secure energy supply. The energy union has called on the Government to heed ‘nightmarish’ blackout warnings from the Institute of Engineering and Shipbuilding in Scotland A new paper, Engineering Read more…
Countering the risks of battery storage
Battery storage has been a hot topic in the energy industry for a couple of years now. As the ‘halcyon days’ of high DFR revenues slip away, it’s important for businesses to counter the risks with a sensible and technologically smart approach. According to the recent 2018 Battery Storage report by The Energyst, Read more…
GridBeyond CEO: Hybrid behind-the-meter storage wins despite market flux
According to the recent 2018 Battery Storage report by MCP‘s sister title, The Energyst, 64% of industrial, commercial and public sector businesses surveyed are considering the implementation of behind the meter battery storage as part of their energy management strategy. At the same time, 80% of of those organisations point to revenue Read more…
Energy in industry 4.0: harnessing the connected site
Advances in Industry 4.0 can enhance energy strategies and improve the resilience of critical sites. DSR is often seen as a risk to critical sites, such as data centres, healthcare sites and even some manufacturing processes. What many don’t realise is that with the right technology in place, overall risk can Read more…
Reaching faster power restoration: webinar on fuel cell technology
GenCell, the fuel cell power solution provider and manufacturer, has announced that it is hosting a webinar, “How to Reach Faster Power Restoration”, taking place on November 5th, 2018 at 9am (PST) / 12pm (EST). The webinar will feature insights from Stephen Johnston, Growth Development Manager of San Diego Gas & Read more…
Powerstar announced as a chosen supplier on the Essentia Energy Storage framework
Powerstar, a provider of smart energy solutions, has been selected as one of only six companies to be a trusted supplier for Essentia’s battery energy storage framework. As part of the agreement, the company will supply Powerstar Virtue battery energy storage solutions to the NHS as well as other public Read more…
Supporting Ireland’s data centre growth
Interxion’s DUB3 data centre has been designed using energy-saving, modular architecture. At the heart of the design was the need to guarantee service delivery and quickly scale up capacity to support customer growth plans Interxion is a leading principal supplier of data centre, colocation and connectivity services to some of Read more…
80% of businesses believe a quarter of energy needs will be generated onsite by 2025
Most businesses will take control of their own energy use by generating a quarter of their electricity onsite by 2025, with 77% of businesses in the UK and Ireland predicting this change will take place in just seven years. This is according to a new study of over 1,000 businesses, by Read more…
Fears over cyber threat to power grids
The modernisation of utility infrastructures is enabling increased efficiencies and reliability through digitisation, connectivity, and IT-based approaches. Smart cyber assets are transforming both power and water grids, allowing operators to deploy and leverage a new generation of functionality and customer services. However, smart utilities are also highly vulnerable to cyberthreats, Read more…
Load banks to provide UPS testing for BT
Creschic Loadbanks has supplied a fleet of 30 transportable and 27 state-of-the-art loadbank trailer sets to telecommunications giant, BT. Ranging in size from 60kW to 600kW and all operating on a 1.0 power factor, the equipment will be used to complete the load testing of UPS and generator systems during commissioning Read more…
Half of all UK works put underground assets at risk: fears over critical infrastructure
According to a new report, 44% of all excavation work in the UK takes place without a thorough underground asset search, putting the UK’s critical utility infrastructure at constant risk of being accidentally damaged. The report, Digging Up Britain, by Line search before U dig (LSBUD), has revealed that despite Read more…