POWER, ENERGY & RENEWABLES Occupancy sensors are capable of determining the
exact number of people in a space and their exact location, so HVAC systems can be turned off when a section of a manufacturing facility is empty. Long term data can produce monthly energy reports, highlighting areas where temperature control is wasting energy.
TURN OFF THE LIGHTS Another significant consumer of energy in industry is lighting - as much as 37 per cent of a warehouse or manufacturing facility’s electrical consumption is for lighting, according to Green Energy. However, a smart lighting system integrates sensors, light sources, connectivity and analytics to make significant energy savings. Manufacturers can create an adaptive lighting system that changes according to conditions and staff patterns. Smart sensors can detect factors such as occupancy and daylight to ensure that lights are only switched on when necessary.
OPTIMISED SENSORS The signals generated by these IoT sensors are commonly analogue values, which must be conditioned and digitised so that energy consumption trends can be analysed. This can be achieved using numerous off-the- shelf integrated circuits (ICs). However, to achieve optimised sensor performance, an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) may be the better choice. An ASIC is a custom device designed specifically for the customer’s application, allowing the ASIC design team to invest in performance where it will most benefit the particular application. Swindon will be able to optimise the entire signal path down to the finest detail, while removing unnecessary features to reduce cost. Smart sensors in industry must endure challenging
environmental conditions, such as vibration and ingress, so must be robust. When designing an ASIC, the developers integrate as much of the circuitry into a single package as possible. This reduces component count, resulting in higher reliability, reduced power consumption, and greater protection from environmental factors. By having the system designed in a single silicon die,
it provides a company with Intellectual Property (IP) protection, as an ASIC is extremely difficult to re- engineer or “re-use” in other designs. Swindon provides full ownership of the completed system design, so manufacturers can be confident that their IP will remain for their benefit alone. Additionally, smart sensors in industry must remain in operation for many years. With standard IC components, obsolescence will inevitably become a problem. However, a custom silicon solution ensures ASIC supply for the lifetime of the sensor. ASICs are designed with non-obsolescence in mind, and the ASIC supplier will work closely with the manufacturer to produce a non-obsolescence plan. Despite the unpredictability of energy prices in
recent years, manufacturers can keep costs under control by reducing their energy use. IoT sensors can track energy consumption, occupancy and environmental conditions, allowing manufacturers to make savings wherever possible. By utilising ASIC technology within the smart sensor ensures optimised functionality with a safe supply for years to come.
Swindon Silicon Systems
www.swindonsilicon.com
UKManufacturing Autumn 2022
RISING ENERGY COSTS AND VOLATILITY
HIGHLIGHT POWER STRUGGLE FOR UK MANUFACTURERS
significantly impacted their margins and ability to remain competitive in the last two years. This is the headline finding from Aggreko’s report The Power Struggle: Manufacturing. While solutions are available to help counter this through distributed solutions, some government support, and EaaS contracts, Aggreko is seeing an increase in manufacturers turning to them for more flexible solutions. As businesses grapple with
T
increasingly volatile energy prices, Aggreko commissioned the new research to determine how attitudes to decentralised energy solutions have changed since its 2019 report Bridging the Energy Gap (BTG). The latest survey encompassed 251
manufacturers across the UK, spanning junior and senior managers, directors and C-suite executives. The primary findings from this report
draw the energy crisis into sharper focus, with 75 per cent claiming that the rising cost of energy is having a direct impact of their business’ ability to remain competitive. Moreover, 65 per cent admitted that they had experienced a power cut in the last 18 months. Chris Rason, managing director at
Aggreko Northern Europe, says: “Our latest research serves to compound concerns that were highlighted in our 2019 report Bridging the Energy Gap. The rising cost of energy has long been a concern for the UK manufacturing sector, though recent events have escalated the scale of this challenge to entirely new levels. “At this juncture, it’s important to re-
evaluate how attitudes to on-site power generation might have changed in the last three years to ensure that manufacturers are equipped with effective means of navigating this crisis.”
he majority of manufacturers currently face the perfect energy storm as they admit rising energy bills have
Despite the Department for Business,
Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS) recently announcing new funding for high energy usage businesses, belief that this will aid the UK manufacturing industry remains lukewarm, with only 28 per cent claiming to be “very confident”. Moreover, this scheme does not currently address the dwindling stability of grid connections and increased risk of power outages, meaning that the sector must contend with these challenges alone. In light of these issues, over 60 per cent
over manufacturers are now considering generating their own electricity using distributed solutions – a 12 per cent rise from BTG. Energy as a Service (EaaS) contracts were cited as a popular way of achieving this as it removes the barriers of high upfront capital investment, though there were concerns that getting locked into such contracts could leave businesses exposed to high demand penalties from the provider. In response to this, Aggreko has
evolved the business model of ‘Hired Energy as Service’ (HEaaS), wherein customers can access distributed energy solutions without being locked into long-term contracts and fixed energy pricing. The modular nature of such agreements also allows supply to be scaled up or down at short notice in accordance with site demand. Rason concludes: “The results of our
latest report indicate that many UK manufacturers are looking to on-site power generation as a solution to the current energy crisis. However, capex budgets and restrictive contracts remain a key barrier here. “For this reason, we believe that adopting flexible methods of on-site power generation, such as Aggreko’s Hired Energy as a Service, will be key to helping businesses navigate this challenging period.”
Aggreko
www.aggreko.com
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