Decarbonisation Technology - May 2024 Issue

of 19 tonnes of CO 2 per year, exceeding the original forecasts. Cost savings are projected at nearly £18,000 per annum at the Kenfig facility. As a pilot site, the performance of the VO units is being monitored with a view to adopting VO technology at other manufacturing sites and larger depots across the estate. technology, it can prove a further valuable asset within a smart microgrid. Transformers have been a vital part of energy infrastructure for many businesses for a long time, but this longevity is a problem in itself. The UK’s transformer fleet is ageing, with 75% still in use after more than 25 years (long past their intended design life), making them potential points of failure, risking downtime, Low loss transformers Where VO is integrated with transformer and impacting productivity. Inefficient models also waste significant amounts of energy, with the associated costs and emissions. Nevertheless, transformers are becoming even more critical assets since on-site renewables produce direct current, which requires a transformer to convert it to alternating current. Replacing an outdated cold rolled grain oriented steel (CRGO) transformer with a modern amorphous core transformer can lower core losses by up to 80%, meaning greater efficiency with cost savings and reduced emissions (see Figure 5 ). Conclusion Although grid constraints can often be the starting point for organisations looking to implement increased electrification and seem a hurdle to overcome, the issue may be turned into a positive. Where a range of energy management technologies (BESS, VO, and amorphous core transformers) are driven by intelligent energy control software, those businesses investing in their energy infrastructure can achieve more resilient power, greater flexibility in asset management, and improved energy efficiency. This can lead to cost savings and carbon emission reduction – the ultimate goal of the transition to clean energy. VIEW REFERENCES Stuart Little

Figure 4 Voltage optimisation stabilises the incoming voltage to a site

VO technology helps address the issues of overvoltage and conditioning and reduces incoming voltage to the optimal level, with the associated cost, emission, and equipment protection benefits. VO was one of the first technologies The Wernick Group considered when looking to reduce emissions. A UK provider of permanent and temporary buildings, site accommodation, and off-grid power solutions, it has an ambitious net-zero target date of 2040, which includes a 45% reduction in Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2035. A pilot site, its manufacturing facility in Kenfig, Port Talbot, was selected to prove the concept prior to a wide-scale roll-out. A review of half hourly data (HHD) on energy consumption and a feasibility study were undertaken. Two VO units were installed, with a +25% headroom to help futureproof the system. These two VO units have reduced energy consumption by 9.2%, equating to a saving

Figure 5 Super low loss amorphous core transformers can lower core losses by up to 80%