POWER


inform maintenance planning and identify potential points of failure. Monitoring and reporting tools can inform strategic load-planning and sustainability strategies. The more technology and the more assets that can be connected to the microgrid’s control software, the more it learns and the more intelligently it functions. Working in tandem with the BESS and any on-site renewable assets, AI-driven energy management control software has the capacity to transform the way our energy systems work.


minimising the complexity of such a project. A microgrid can work independently of the wider national network - in ‘island mode’ - or it can work in conjunction with Grid energy, making it a flexible solution that provides the power resilience manufacturers need. To offer this protection, as well as more sustainable and cost-effective energy, a microgrid is comprised of several elements, including distributed energy technologies - such as Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS); on-site renewables, for example solar PV or wind turbines; heat pumps, and generators. Whatever the distributed energy solutions across the microgrid, though, these are managed by intelligent energy control software. Power resilience is critical to protect equipment, maintain manufacturing processes and guard valuable product against the damage caused by downtime should there be Grid supply issues - whether outages or minor disruptions. A BESS with Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) is a vital element of any microgrid designed to meet these demands. Although many sites will already use UPS for backup power, the traditional UPS option serves no purpose other than to power specific equipment in an emergency. But it will be losing energy constantly even while not in use, which is - or should be - the majority of the time. Essentially, it is a sunk asset. By contrast, a modern BESS with integrated UPS can protect an entire site, with approximately 95 per cent lower losses than its traditional alternative. Whether as part of a microgrid or as a standalone solution for energy management offering UPS capability, a BESS works with renewable assets to manage the mix of Grid and on-site power. Any on-site renewable assets will be


UKManufacturing Autumn 2024


subject to the vagaries of the weather: the inflexibility of renewables as a predictable power source requires energy storage for optimum cost- and carbon-reduction. Investing in solar PV or wind turbines is redundant without a storage solution to manage this clean energy - to be stored as generated and used when required. When looking to both emission reduction and cost savings, the BESS can be used to store Grid energy bought when purchase price and emissions are at their lowest, for use when needed. A further benefit of this shift to localised power generation is the reduction in transmission losses - between 8 and 15 per cent as compared to centralised generation. The carbon intensity of power supply from National Grid depends on a number of factors, including the time of day and level of demand. Electricity is generally less carbon-intensive at night, outside of peak demand, and so a BESS can reduce both cost and carbon by storing this cheaper, lower carbon energy at night for use during the day. To control and coordinate the management of


energy, between renewable energy generated on- site, energy stored in the BESS and Grid supply, a microgrid depends on intelligent management software, or Energy Optimisation System (EOS). Powerstar’s AI-enabled microgrid controller functions as a central intelligence hub, integrating technologies into a cohesive and dynamic network. Advanced algorithms and machine learning enable real-time decision-making and trend- prediction to optimise the use of centralised power and on-site energy generation, depending on the most efficient option at any given time to ensure resilience and peak performance. Detailed data - covering the grid, the specific site and associated assets - provides crucial information which can


Microgrids offer significant benefits - for power resilience, infrastructure efficiency, and greater sustainability in an increasingly electrified world where power supply is becoming decentralised - but they are complex projects. Each microgrid will be bespoke, tailored to an individual site and factoring in different technologies (including existing assets), customer requirements, power flows, and all external factors. The balance of internal demands and external environment can potentially compromise the project, and it can be difficult to predict every possible set of circumstances. This is where digital twinning, modelling and simulation technology, is a crucial planning phase of any microgrid project. Here, the entire site and proposed power infrastructure solution is created in a digital space, allowing for the system to undergo robust testing against a range of scenarios incorporating different internal and external factors, to ensure it will operate as intended in any given circumstance. This rigorous testing, prior to any installation, delivers an efficient and reliable solution, helping to avoid work further down the line as well as proving the business case to stakeholders, before any further costs are incurred. Implementing a microgrid solution is a significant investment, despite the clear benefits for power resilience, energy savings and sustainability improvements. But it is possible to work incrementally, harnessing existing assets or beginning with investment in BESS technology which offers immediate benefits particularly for energy-intensive, high-value or high-volume manufacturing. When looking to futureproof your energy infrastructure, a custom solution may be able to evolve into a microgrid.


In an increasingly electrified world, there is a difficult balance to strike: the demand to reduce emissions and work towards net zero, and the need for resilient, reliable, and secure energy. These are not inevitably competing requirements, though. The journey towards a microgrid solution, where you can operate with independence from external pressures, can be exploerd as one major project - with the full security of digital modelling to demonstrate its efficacy - or it can be undertaken incrementally, with initial investment in assets that prove their worth, separately and prior to any larger-scale project. The key to unlocking any and all of these benefits is to work with experts who have the depth and breadth of engineering expertise to help inform the decision-making process and who can offer strategic advice on the most appropriate solution for your company, your site, and your energy needs.


Powerstar www.powerstar.com


13


Page 1  |  Page 2  |  Page 3  |  Page 4  |  Page 5  |  Page 6  |  Page 7  |  Page 8  |  Page 9  |  Page 10  |  Page 11  |  Page 12  |  Page 13  |  Page 14  |  Page 15  |  Page 16  |  Page 17  |  Page 18  |  Page 19  |  Page 20  |  Page 21  |  Page 22  |  Page 23  |  Page 24  |  Page 25  |  Page 26  |  Page 27  |  Page 28  |  Page 29  |  Page 30  |  Page 31  |  Page 32  |  Page 33  |  Page 34  |  Page 35  |  Page 36  |  Page 37  |  Page 38  |  Page 39  |  Page 40  |  Page 41  |  Page 42  |  Page 43  |  Page 44  |  Page 45  |  Page 46  |  Page 47  |  Page 48  |  Page 49  |  Page 50  |  Page 51  |  Page 52  |  Page 53  |  Page 54  |  Page 55  |  Page 56  |  Page 57  |  Page 58  |  Page 59  |  Page 60  |  Page 61  |  Page 62  |  Page 63  |  Page 64  |  Page 65  |  Page 66  |  Page 67  |  Page 68