A new series on BBC 4 – The Secret Life of the National Grid – focuses on the UK’s electric power network and reminds us just how completely dependent upon it we are. Full of interesting facts, the first episode looked at the history of the UK’s electricity use, and remembered the days when only the well-to-do had electricity, and only the very wealthiest had plug sockets as well as light switches. According to the programme (which continues next week at 9pm), in the 1950′s, one of the biggest drivers for having plug points fitted was the ability to use an electric iron!

It also looked at how the Electricity Boards actively promoted the use of electrical appliances, such as cookers and immersion heaters, meaning that Electricity showrooms became a feature on high streets up and down the country. For more information about the programme, visit the BBC website, or click here.

I read with interest on BBC news today comments made by director of GCHQ (Government Communication Head Quarters) Iain Lobban saying that the UK’s critical infrastructure – such as power grids and emergency services – face a “very real and credible threat from cyber attack”.

Speaking to delegates at the International Institute for Strategic Studies, he stressed that the country’s future economic prosperity rests on ensuring a defence against such assaults. Apparently, around 1,000 malicious emails a month are deliberately targeted at government computer networks.

He also said that the threat offers an opportunity if the UK can get its defences right and maintain integrity of financial and commercial services, which will lead to competitive advantage.

What struck me were the words “real and credible threat”. Coming from a man at the centre of the intelligence industry, I’m inclined to take him seriously.

If power grids are attacked, the problem could be far wider reaching and affect far more businesses and organisations than a cyber attack on a specific computer system.

For years we’ve been working in partnership with our customers to protect against power interruptions caused by unforeseen or unfortunate circumstances, like natural disaster, human error, freak weather – all the kinds of events that when they occur can be devastating but that are not deliberate and therefore can be imagined and planned for. Here we are dealing with – and having to protect against – something equally devastating, the threat of which is growing like an alien force but the like of which it seems impossible to imagine.

On a positive note, however, there is much that can be done by businesses to ensure power continuity – independent of the national infrastructure – even if the National Grid were to suffer such an attack. And with such threats looming, it really is a case of “not if, but when” those power continuity systems will be required to come into their own.

While the debate surrounding the pros and cons of wind power rumbles on, the increasing numbers of turbines that are appearing across the country are beginning to make a real contribution to the UK’s energy supplies.

The National Grid reports that Monday 6^th September saw a record output for the wind farms of Britain – generating nearly 5% of all power going into the Grid at that time. The company confirmed that with output peaking at 1,860MW, the power generated by the wind energy sector was greater than that produced by three nuclear power stations.

The National Grid believes that over that 24-hour period (and taking into account embedded wind generation), nearly 10% of the UK’s power came from the wind alone. A great achievement, even if the UK is still a long way behind other parts of Europe in this field. Spain and Portugal, for example, consistently meet 50% of their energy demands through wind farmed along the Iberian Peninsula. But as mentioned in an earlier post, the political, social and economic infrastructure of these nations seems to offer greater support to the renewable cause than here in the UK.

When considering the 2020 target of generating 15% of the UK’s energy from renewable sources, this latest data should be encouraging news for the industry – and could go a long way to helping raise the common image of wind farms from ‘noisy blots on the landscape’ to valuable part of the renewable energy mix.

Riello UPS has just launched the Premium Pro series from 700VA to 3kVA. The range includes new energy saving features and provides on-line power protection for critical IT servers, telecommunications, EPoS and data applications.

The Premium Pro from Riello UPS has a digitally controlled inverter to provide true on-line power protection. Coupled with a new rectifier-charger, the Premium Pro operates at 0.99 power factor; saving 10% more energy than its predecessor range and achieving an operating efficiency of 98% in full on-line mode. The UPS avoids unnecessary power consumption by sensing circuits and battery chargers. The unit can also be configured to automatically power-off when no load is present therefore reducing further energy use. For more information about the Premium Pro series click here. To read the Press Release click here.

TV viewers were left watching blank screens yesterday as another London mains failure forced GMTV to delay their live broadcast. Crew and presenters were unable to prepare for the show after a burst water main cut power to the South Bank, affecting the London Television Centre Studies and transmitters where shows such as GMTV and This Morning are filmed. The show could eventually be seen by analogue viewers nearly twenty minutes later – with presenters hastily made-up and some with wet hair. Digital viewers had a longer wait as the signal operates on a separate supply that was not restored until almost 8 am.

Despite the apologies of the presenters and producers, Industry sources are claiming that the incident (which would have surely lost significant advertising revenue) could have been easily avoided. These sources claim that following budget cuts, ITV has refused to repair or replace a faulty emergency power system that should have kept the power on. An ITV spokesperson claimed they were ‘currently putting in place new back-up procedures to address any future issues of this nature’.

A note to the producers – Riello UPS have been addressing the issues of maximising protection while minimising cost of ownership for some time. As a result, a range of our UPS and power protection systems are keeping the cameras rolling in a number of studios across Britain….

During such sensitive times as the 2012 Olympics there will be no second chances for business continuity planners who will have to design systems that can cope with a range of scenarios, not least of which is a massive load increase on the electricity supply chain.

To help organisations prepare for the 2012 Olympics and the anticipated drain on supply, Riello has expanded our Master Switch range of Static Transfer Switches (STS) to include models up to 400A. Used in isolation or with a combination of uninterruptible power supplies and generating systems, the extended Master Switch range is ideal for use in projects that require the highest possible levels of resilience and protection of critical loads including data centres, security, surveillance and transportation systems.

For more information on our Master Switch range, click here.

Despite the general level of economic activity in the UK, Riello UPS continues to see its activities expand within the data centre market. It appears demand for internet and data processing continues to expand at a near vertical rate and so does the requirement for secure power. In line with our growth plans for 2009 we will spend more time at UK events and the first quarter sees us at Data Centre World and the Business Continuity Expo – keep an eye on our website events page for more info.

I heard the BBC release news on a report from Cap Gemini today about the state of the UK’s electrical infrastructure. This latest report calculates the gap between supply and demand and states that the gap will narrow rapidly. Demand continues to rise and power stations are due to close at a faster rate than new ones can be brought on line. The gap between supply and demand is forecast to drop to just 2.2%. Will there be more power cuts this winter? Well the forecasters are predicting a cold snap but looking for some light in the gloom, they say that a shortfall in industrial output will help reduce demand for electricity. Every cloud has a silver lining – so what happens in 2009/10 when the economy picks up?

This year Riello UPS has taken an associate sponsorship package with Data Centre Dyanmics. This is very much our first year at the conference and in 2009 we have signed up for a main Platinum Sponsorship package. Our association with the event is also a result of the critical need for uninterruptible power supplies within data centre environments – a role Riello UPS has been performing with its Master Plus UPS for some time.

The Energy Event came up on my radar the other day. The show focuses on energy procurement, management and efficiency. What caught my eye were a number of companies who act as energy consultants and work with clients to reduce their energy consumption. This opened up a new view on building management and gave more of an insight into the workings of a facilities manager. Uninterruptible power supplies are a component within such energy systems and innovations in this particular area are driven by a need to conserve energy and not add to existing cooling systems. We are also working with the Carbon Trust to help the industry take a lead in this area – one whose importance will continue to grow in an ever more energy conscious world.