Powerstar cuts energy costs and
In the UK British Gas chairman Sir Roger Carr recently warned homeowners and businesses that they should be prepared for further price increases in gas and electricity, as suppliers look to pass on wholesale power price increases to their customers. His statement came just weeks before the company’s announcement of an 18% increase in gas prices and a 16% increase in electricity prices.
The increase in UK energy costs has been blamed on a number of factors including surging wholesale power costs, the increased burden of legislation, such as increasing demand from emerging economies and the Government’s Carbon Emissions Reduction targets.
CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme Due to the Climate Change Act, which has set legally binding targets to reduce carbon emissions by 34%, by 2020 and 80% by 2050 – based on 1990 levels – the UK government is keen to introduce schemes to encourage organisations to reduce carbon emissions.
One such scheme is the CRC Energy Efficiency Scheme.
A mandatory scheme, it features a range of reputational, behavioural and financial drivers which aim to encourage organisations to develop energy management strategies that promote a
better understanding of energy usage. The scheme was originally launched to encourage organisations across the UK, to monitor carbon dioxide emissions and for every tonne emitted they would have to surrender an ‘allowance’, which would be bought at the start of the financial year. Allowances could, under the original scheme, be sold on to other organisations at a price determined by the buyer, should they have too many.
However, following the Chancellor’s spending review in October 2010 and the subsequent budget in March 2011, if an organisation doesn’t surrender enough allowances, they will now be taxed directly by central government for every tonne of carbon dioxide they don’t submit allowances for. It is therefore, in the best interest of the organisation, to lower energy usage, not only to save money on their electricity bills, but also to reduce their carbon emissions to ensure they are not taxed by central government.
Voltage Optimisation
Today, more than ever, companies large and small are looking at new proven technologies to help them reduce their overheads, with a growing number recognising the benefits of reducing carbon emissions. A quick, cost effective, and proven method that many companies are implementing to lower carbon emissions and reduce energy costs is the installation of voltage optimisation systems.
Voltage optimisation is an electrical energy saving technique, in which a device is installed in series with the mains electricity supply to provide an optimum supply voltage for the site's equipment. Interestingly, it is also proven to improve power quality by balancing phase voltages and filtering harmonics and transients from the electricity supply, leading to reduced maintenance costs as less demand is placed on electrical equipment. The reason voltage optimisation can have such a significant impact on energy used is because on the whole, the National Grid supplies a higher voltage than is generally required. Although the nominal voltage in the UK is 230V, the average delivered is actually 242V. This ‘over-voltage’ means that energy consumption is not only higher, but as a result, the lifespan of equipment is shortened. Voltage optimisation can therefore improve the life expectancy of equipment.
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cover story
Building & Facilities Management – September 2011
Cover Story
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