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MILITARY, AEROSPACE & DEFENCE


INDUSTRY FOCUS


helping high value aerospace production lines negotiate the energy transition


Aerospace manufacturing often relies on high value, precision, production processes – any disruption to energy supply can lead to lengthy delays and significant costs. With power resilience business-critical, Simon Port, head of design and engineering at Powerstar, looks at the results an aerospace customer has gained since upgrading their energy security


W


hile winter power disruptions have not been as great a problem as they were last year, with the National Grid


expressing confidence in capacity and healthier gas storage levels, any disruption presents a real commercial threat for UK manufacturing. According to a recent report, the majority of UK organisations are unprepared for future energy shortages or disruptions, despite recognising that the demand for back-up power generation is on the increase. Energy security has always been a priority for high volume or high value manufacturers, but the energy transition is creating new threats to a reliable power supply. We are becoming an increasingly electrified


economy, and demand for electricity is predicted to rise by 50% by 2035. As processes become ever more digitised and as sectors fully embrace Industry 4.0, even brief power disruption can mean lengthy periods of downtime and damage to valuable product. For many manufacturers, Uninterruptible


Power Supply (UPS) has been a vital means to mitigate power disruption to critical equipment. But this option is increasingly untenable given its expensive, unnecessary energy usage and associated emissions. A traditional UPS is based on lead-acid battery technology. Although this can prevent power disruption to individual pieces of equipment, it has many drawbacks. The UPS is largely idle, yet loses up to 15% capacity as it continuously switches from AC to DC. For a 1MW system this equates to approximately £200,000 wasted energy spend. A sunk asset, it offers no benefit other than expensive emergency power. A modern Battery Energy


Simon Port


Storage System (BESS) can, however, help manufacturers futureproof their business through the energy transition, while offering cost-effective and site-wide power security. For one Powerstar aerospace customer, the payback on investment has been immediate and obvious.


aerospace manufacturing


A global leader in the manufacture of landing gear, suspension and tram coupling bearings to clients worldwide had been experiencing power disruptions which were leading to significant scrappage, with the added problem of disruption to production and the potential for reputational damage in the case of delays in customer order fulfilment. Given the high quality and precision of the manufacturing process involved, these power disruptions were halting production and meant the company had to destroy an average of eight material blocks each year, with each block costing more than £150,000. Powerstar engineers recommended BESS


to provide UPS across the whole site. The subsequent installation of a bespoke 1MW BESS with fast switching and sophisticated control software, which detects any Grid disruption and allows the BESS to take over, now keeps operations running smoothly until the Grid connection stabilises. Since installation, Powerstar’s modern BESS with UPS has protected the client from an average of four power disruptions per annum, equating to a payback period of less than two years. Particularly for high value production


processes – often the case with the aerospace sector – the complexity and inter-connectivity of multiple production lines and processes might require multiple traditional UPS systems. This can be costly – not only in the ongoing expense of continual operation, but also in maintenance to multiple units. In contrast, a modern BESS with UPS capability can protect an entire site, with 95% lower losses. For greener, cleaner energy


and reduced spend, a BESS with UPS capability offers a dynamic, intelligent and versatile energy solution with capabilities over and above the critical emergency power requirement. A BESS can store energy generated on-site, from renewables


such as solar PV or wind turbines, as well as storing Grid energy purchased when central supply costs are cheapest. This allows companies to seamlessly manage their energy usage for optimum benefit – both financial and environmental – working towards Net Zero while also reducing energy spend.


ai management


Investment in BESS technology provides cost- effective and flexible energy security in the immediate-term, and can help companies futureproof their energy infrastructure through the potential to develop a custom solution and evolve into microgrid. Here, intelligent energy management software makes real-time decisions to optimise use of the energy mix, while also collating site, grid, and asset data to inform strategic load planning, maintenance scheduling, to identify potential points of failure and highlight energy efficiency opportunities. The more complex the site infrastructure


and the more assets connected to the AI- driven management system, the more it learns and improves – and the more valuable an asset it becomes. AI management of energy, working in tandem with a BESS, has the capability to transform the way energy systems work. Ultimately, a high value aerospace


manufacturers’ first priority is a secure and resilient power supply. Investment in modern energy management technology gives businesses the opportunity to take much greater control of energy spend, with reduced emissions and the capability to futureproof energy management strategy through accurate data, and a transparent overview of their entire manufacturing operation.


powerstar t: 0333 230 1327 www.powerstar.com


Download Powerstar’s latest Manufacturing and Power Resilience White Paper here: https://offers.powerstar white-paper-0-0-0


.com/energy-efficiency- FEBRUARY 2024 design solutions 27


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