INDUSTRY NEWS
ECA WARNS FEED-IN TARIFF CHANGES COULD DISCOURAGE RENEWABLE INVESTMENT
The group CEO of the Electrical Contractors’ Association (ECA), Steve Bratt, has warned that the government’s decision to substantially reduce Feed-in Tariff (FiT) subsidies for photovoltaic (PV) installations larger than 50kW is a mistake that could dissuade community projects, including schools and local authorities, from large scale PV installation that would generate an income and contribute to UK carbon reductions. The ECA submitted recommendations to government saying the downward ‘fast track’
revision of FiTs should only apply to very large scale installations. Bratt commented, ‘The ECA believes that the new limit for lower FiTs should have been 150kW, not 50kW. This would have encouraged community scale projects, such as solar panels on school and local authority buildings. Now in these cash strapped times, communities and civic amenities have lost a potential revenue stream that could have reduced their ongoing operating costs.
‘The ECA notes that the government’s reasoning behind scaling down the tariffs was to prevent very large installations from diverting cash away from homeowners, but reducing FiTs for installations under 150kW is a bridge too far. Any significant re-alignment of the tariff away from smaller scale PV technology could fundamentally damage confidence in the renewable sector.’
NEW SURVEY SHOWS
SUPPORT FOR PART P
According to a new industry survey, 85 per cent of registered electricians believe that Part P of the Building Regulations for England and Wales should be retained – but with improvements. More than 3,500 electricians who
are registered under Part P completed the survey, which was coordinated by the Electrical Safety Council (ESC). And 90 per cent of respondents also believe that all electricians undertaking notifiable work in domestic premises should have to register as competent persons. The survey forms part of an evidence gathering exercise on Part P, which will be submitted to the government’s review of the Building Regulations. The review will also cover Part P, which currently provides the only legal protection for householders having electrical work done in their home. ‘Last December, the government announced plans for reviewing these regulations and identified areas where there might be potential for deregulation,’ explained Phil Buckle, director general of the ESC. ‘Since then, we have been working with a range of partners to identify changes that can be made to Part P while ensuring that it remains fit for purpose.
‘Our objective is to provide an
informed view and information which will allow the government to balance the needs of the public – who need to feel confident in the standards of work being carried out in their homes - with the industry’s desire to avoid unnecessary red tape.’
SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC CALLS FOR WIDER USE OF IEC61850 STANDARD
Schneider Electric is highlighting the benefits of complying with standard IEC61850 throughout the entire electrical distribution system, following a growing trend for customers to recognise the benefits of adopting a common communications protocol. Although the standard has been in place for eight years, it was originally developed for use on electrical transmission systems above 132kV. Now Schneider Electric is seeing a growing requirement to comply with IEC61850 on medium voltage (MV) distribution systems as it allows inter-operability between solutions from various manufacturers. IEC61850 defines the functionalities of devices in a high voltage system and ensures there is a common communications system architecture within substations throughout the process level, cubical level and station level. However, Schneider Electric is encouraging system integrators, consultants and DNOs to look beyond the levels set out by the standard and recognise the benefits of complying with this standard at equipment level also. Matthew Chapman, protection and
control engineer from Schneider Electric, explained, ‘High voltage and medium voltage protections, with their relevant communication protocols, are not dissociable and communication is the common denominator between all the different systems with a differentiating value. Private proprietary and closed protocols do not facilitate the installation of equipment from different manufacturers and communication gateways are necessary to convert the different protocols to enable the different pieces of equipment to communicate between each other.’
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