Did you know the UK’s National Grid (and I should imagine most other energy utilities the world over) employs a team of people who do nothing other than demand forecasting?

Electricity is one of those things we take for granted. You come into the office, switch on the lights, computer, kettle and - hey presto - it all works! Simple! So why a whole team to manage and forecast demand? Well, too much electricity entering the Grid can cause problems like overloads, circuit-breaker tripping and even blackouts. Too little and the frequency of supply falls, causing sags and brownouts. It’s great that we can sleep at night knowing there is someone out there taking care of all this so that we don’t have to! Or do we?!

With demand for energy so high and supply increasingly challenged, isn’t it time, particularly as business people, we started to adopt a more proactive stance towards energy consumption?

Measuring true electricity usage, particularly by businesses, is not straightforward but nor is it rocket science. There is a science to it, which, with a bit of professional guidance is within the grasp of most business professionals. But imagine what you could do armed with that information? Firstly, you’d have greater ability to consolidate you energy bills with your supplier and get a cheaper rate perhaps. With a better idea of peaks and troughs in consumption you could even consider money saving initiatives like ‘Peak Lopping’, which is a way of reducing energy bills and securing supply during peak times. It is the practice by which the user has a contractual agreement with their energy supplier to switch from mains to back-up generator during peak periods. In return for this ‘interruptible’ supply, the user gets a significant reduction in their energy bill. A by-product is that the power continuity plan, UPS and back-up supplies are being utilised and tested under load conditions. And if you have an accurate graph of energy consumption, you will have an accurate idea of power protection requirements in terms of sizing your generator and back-up UPS.

At the moment, most companies are happy to leave this in the hands of their utility supplier to ‘guess at’ and manage but how do you know that their ‘assumptions’ or readings about how much energy you use are accurate and that they have your best interests at heart? The time will come I believe - and in the not too distant future - when demand forecasting and energy consumption management will be mandatory practice for big business. But you might as well start now so that when it does happen, you’re ahead of the game.

For more information about demand forecasting and measuring energy consumption read The Power Protection Guide.

I was disappointed to learn that the UK’s first Energy Saving day ended with no noticeable reduction in the country’s electricity use. Disappointed but not wholly surprised.

E-day, which started at 1800hrs on Wednesday 27th February 2008 and finished at the same time on 28th was supposed to encourage people to switch off electrical devices they did not need but instead National Grid recorded a 0.01% increase in electricity consumption despite the event being backed by campaign groups such as Greenpeace, Christian Aid and the RSPB, plus major energy companies EDF, e.on and Scottish Power.

I’m not surprised it was a flop for several reasons; firstly, it received little publicity. Secondly, why schedule it in the middle of winter and in the middle of the working week!? Other than not leaving the TV, or other electrical equipment on standby, what devices, machinery or equipment can people do without during their normal working life? It is a symptom of modern society that everything is powered by electricity and most professionals and businesses are unable (and unwilling) to go back to manual operation.

Thirdly (and this is contentious one), I believe that saving the planet from global warming is too big an issue for people to swallow and is therefore not the right one to ‘incentivise’ them to save energy. Of course, I care about the environment (many of my blog entries lay testament to that) but I believe people’s apathy towards this event is very telling. Do they really believe it’s possible to save the planet? Or, do most people feel it is too late anyway, the damage has already been done? The pleasures of living in an ‘always on/always connected’ world are too strong to worry about tomorrow. Some people think saving the planet is not up to us but in the hands of ’the Gods’, a religious icon or ethereal power?

I believe the best and only way to ‘incentivise’ people, particularly business people, into saving energy is through the wallet. Make the core issue saving money and the secondary issue about the planet and you will more likely motivate the masses. Environmental issues are far more of a pr story than money saving ones but the people behind such initiatives as this need to ask themselves why they are doing it - is it really to save the planet or to get publicity? and there lies the rub I fear.

At Riello UPS we take energy saving seriously from an environmental perspective and economic one. Many of our customers, particularly large data centres, are demanding that energy saving innovation be incorporated into UPS technology and we’ve responded by designing units with low input current distortion, maximum input power factor, progressive rectifier start-up and battery care systems to optimize performance that will all combine towards savings in running costs and total cost of ownership over the lifetime of the product. We feel this is a practical step towards saving the planet.

For more information about energy saving UPS visit: Riello UPS

I read with interest on Guardian online that Britain’s oil and gas companies, including BP, Shell and British Gas which recently announced record profits, are saying they need improvements in tax breaks if they are to meet higher production targets in the North Sea.

On the one hand, in my view, it seems they are holding Britain (and every energy consumer in the country) to ransom; ‘give us the economic incentive or we wont invest in North Sea Gas!’. But if we can’t produce enough Gas at home our imports will have to increase and that, I think, is bad news. We have little or no control over foreign supplies, which could be affected by political, economic or regulatory issues beyond our control. We can’t influence continuity or security of supply nor pricing. I think for these reasons Britain’s energy companies should be given some incentivising tax breaks to protect our North Sea interests. Of course it’s a contentious issue and one that will run and run but how else are we supposed to compete on the world stage if we do not protect, or invest in, our own energy assets? Limited as they are we need to keep them operational.

I was asked to write an article last week about choosing the right UPS provider and it got me thinking about all the issues  to be considered as well as the all important price. Too many business managers are forced into selecting on price when doing so could actually cost more in the long run if it results in a less than perfect installation. Does the provider understand the mechanics and characteristics of your business, for example? There is a vast difference between protecting the critical systems of a healthcare establishment and a retail operation, for example. Do they add value to the installation by offering consultancy, site surveys, extended warranty, monitoring and maintenance, and so on, which reduce the overall running costs and total cost of ownership of the equipment? Does their culture match yours? Will you find their engineers lounging about reception, smoking and loudly regaling about last night’s football or will they be smartly but appropriately dressed, polite and professional whenever they are onsite?

Price, of course, is important but it should reflect criticality of the installation as well as value for money from the UPS itself and the benefits of the long-term partnership that the provider brings. UPS is critical to continuity of operations in the event of a power failure. It, therefore, needs to be given the same consideration as any other critical equipment in my view and a provider chosen because of their knowledge, sector expertise, ability to add value and product innovation.

For more informaiton on selecting a UPS provider visit: Riello UPS 

I feel short-changed, having read the specifications and code of practice of the new business continuity standard BS 25999 from BSI. As I mentioned here the other day, problems with mains power supply are far more common than most potential disasters. Incidents of interruption in electricity supply stood at 21 million in 2006 (according to a DTI report), other disasters (such as fire, flood, terrorism, public disorder and so forth) combined could not reach that total. Securing electricity supply is not merely about installing UPS, as with BCM it requires a well thought through and planned out strategy and this is not mentioned once in either the code or specification.

I do not wish to appear to knock the standard. It is, in my view, long overdue and much needed. But I feel that by not specifying a power continuity strategy, it is left wanting. Without electrical energy there would be no business continuity for most businesses and operations. That is a fact. It should, therefor, in my view be a central theme for any BCM strategy and therefore mentioned in BS 25999.

If you want to know more about what constitutes a power continuity strategy read The Power Protection Guide.

With this year’s DataCentreWorld conference and expo approaching, I’m reminded of the difference an uninterruptible power supply (UPS) footprint can make in a data centre where every square metre must earn its keep. Had you noticed how much data centre development is happening in The Channel Islands – well, as much as pressure on building land and the constraints of a few hundred square kilometres of beautiful sea-worn rock allow! As well as the usual resilience and power imperatives, one particular comms multinational was set on the smallest possible UPS footprint. And not just because space was tight either; this particular ‘big ask’ was driven by their awareness of the commercial benefits from a 35% space saving realised by their chosen power protection installation. It’s easy to focus on savings – in this case space. But how much more positive to take a bullish gains perspective instead – and imagine the customer’s delight on realising how many more revenue-earning client racks they could get into space that might otherwise be filled with essential, but bulkier, UPS kit. It’s a salutary tale and one I’m sure I’ll re-tell more than once as I leave my footprint in Barbican Hall 1 next week.

Last week I read with interest that more than half (60%) of UK companies are considering certification on the new British Standard for business continuity – BS 25999, according to a survey by Business Continuity Expo 2008. 

It would seem that UK plc is waking up the fact that downtime, of any description, is no longer excusable - particularly on the world stage where the nearest competitor in many business sectors is merely a click away.

I wonder, however, how much emphasis is being placed on certification rather than development of true business continuity practices and implementation of continuity solutions, like power continuity? Without electricity these days there is no business continuity.

I am all for the British Standards and think it is a good thing that so many organizations are planning to take BS 25999 seriously. My concern is that they do not adopt a ‘shortcut to compliance’ attitude as I fear so many of their competitors will.  Anyway, in terms of power continuity, here are a few tips:

1. Obtain a true measurement of your energy use and power capacity. This will highlight areas where you can implement energy efficiency measures whilst enabling you to size power protection equipment such as UPS and generators.
2. Identify systems that can be affected by power problems and categorise them into critical, essential and non-essential loads.
3. Assess typical power quality problems in your area: sags, brownouts, surges, electrical interference, harmonics, blackouts and possible applicable solutions.
4. Consider UPS power protection and emergency back-up power generation (diesel generator, flywheel). Build in maximum levels of reliability and resilience.
5. Develop monitoring and maintenance plans. Consider remote monitoring of UPS by a reputable provider like Riello UPS as an option. Build in a test schedule whereby equipment can be tested under load conditions to ensure it is working.

For more information on power protection see The Power Protection Guide.

It looks like plans to build one of Europe’s largest wind farms on the Isle of Lewis in the Outer Hebrides, Scotland, are to be turned down.  As one would imagine, local anti-wind farm campaigners are gleeful whilst supporters of the 181 turbine scheme feel embittered.  

I have mixed feelings; on the one hand I am all for harnessing the power of wind to produce energy. We need more energy and we’re not getting enough from fossil fuels. Having visited the Western Isles a couple of years ago, I can tell you, it is one of the windiest places I know!  

However, it is also one of the most beautiful and unspoilt and a big part of me recognises that that is its charm and uniqueness and it should be preserved. Whilst there, I felt like I had entered a very special community that welcomed me with open arms but was not trying to be anything other than what it was nor pander to my whims merely because I was a tourist, like some other holiday destinations. Where else can you go these days where the locals leave everything unlocked because there is no crime? Or you can walk mile upon mile on golden sandy beaches and not see another human being? I can’t help but disagree with Angus Campbell, vice-convener or Comhairle nan Eilean Siar (quoted or BBC News website): “……….Are we to become and environmental museum? Is any development at all to be allowed in the Western Isles?”

There are other parts of Britain, like Yorkshire, Staffordshire, Northumberland and Wales, for example, where ex-open cast mining sites used to be located. Surely they, or similar habitats, can be utilised? I don’t know but what I do know is that it would be a tragedy to do anything that would change the very fabric of the Hebrides – the jewel in the crown of the British Isles.

As if proof were needed that the world is on the brink of an energy crisis, look no further than South Africa! The country is rich in gems and precious metals and some of the world’s largest gold and platinum mining companies. This week they suspended production due to a ‘national emergency’ and spate of recent power cuts, which have ground business to a halt in many areas. 

Two things come to mind: firstly, thank goodness this is 2008 and not a bygone era! Mining company owners and bosses back then would have cared less about health & safety and minors being trapped underground by a power cut than they obviously do now! Drastic though it may seem, they took the right course of action shutting everything down. Secondly, if these companies are some of the world’s largest (and one would assume, richest) in their field, why do they not join forces and lobby the Government for more action on energy issues; including infrastructure construction and maintenance? Surely, above all these days, this is the one element that is an obstacle to a country’s economic growth. 

I love this quote from Goolam Ballim, chief economist of Standard Bank Group, based in South Africa: 

“Power is like Oxygen, it’s essential for any half-modern economy.” 

Absolutely! And protecting its source should be foremost in every business owner’s mind. 

For more information on power protection, visit: Riello UPS

It’s interesting that people assume the electricity that comes out of the mains power supply is as pure as distilled water. It isn’t. It is contaminated by all sorts of ‘nasties’ that can lead to sags, surges, brownouts, harmonics, flicker, frequency deviations, interference, interruptions, distortion as well as complete blackouts. In turn, these problems can have dire consequences. Firstly, they will shorten the life of equipment by causing wear-and-tear and they can also cause complete breakdown.  

With computer systems, these problems are magnified as equipment tends to be sensitive to fluctuations in voltage current. They can result in data corruption or loss, which for many companies may be devastating in terms of business continuity, reputation and customer service. In extreme cases, harmonics for example, has been known to cause fires.  

What can be done?  

UPS is the answer. Not only does it protect equipment from complete mains power failures, it also contains filters and conditioners that keep the voltage current to within an acceptable level and cushion against many of these problems. This can be helped with a little insight and research into which power problems are most prevalent at your site, their magnitude and frequency. This information will enable you to choose the right solution for you. Large sites may benefit from power monitoring, a service offered by specialist (like Riello UPS) to record disturbances over a specific time period.  

For more information about power problems visit Riello’s website.