In the world of modern manufacturing, with just-in-time processes, total quality management, and high value products, any interruption to the security of supply and the manufacturing process in general can be of significant financial and reputational cost to a company.
In fact, a survey by Centrica Business Solutions found that energy-related failures can cost up to a total of 17% of a medium-sized company’s annual revenue[1]. The problems posed by the rise of energy-related failures, with Centrica finding that 81% of businesses have experienced at least one energy-related failure in the last 12 months[1], is a key driver for commercial and industrial to invest in energy storage.
In the case of Powerstar VIRTUE, its full Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) capabilities, which have been engineered to perform as a next-generation UPS allows for a seamless response for the system to support the load, with connection to the load taking place in less than a millisecond. Additionally, it offers site-wide resilience rather than the system-specific resilience provided by traditional UPS systems, which allows for the protection of an entire site rather than simply protecting isolated departments such as IT. UPS is crucial in enhancing the energy resilience of a site and can save companies significant costs as concerns over the security of supply persist.
The effectiveness of Powerstar VIRTUE for resilience can be seen in its application at Stoba Präzisionstechnik UK Ltd, a metallic parts manufacturer. Heightening energy resilience was of utmost importance to Stoba due to the high value of products that are manufactured on-site, meaning exceptional levels of quality and efficiency are required and any interruptions to the power supply of the site can be financially and operationally damaging.
After a thorough installation feasibility study and analysis of the requirements of the site, Powerstar recommended the installation of a 1MW VIRTUE battery energy storage system with full site-wide seamless UPS capabilities in order to provide full back up to the load in the event of an energy-related failure. The solution also included integrated voltage optimisation and smart management technology to provide additional benefits to the site’s energy efficiency and power quality.
The below graphs display the enhanced energy resilience that Stoba now benefits from following the installation. This data was taken as Storm Gareth hit the UK in mid-March 2019 and, without the presence of VIRTUE, would have led to several interruptions to the manufacturing facility. The graphs show the solution responding seamlessly to preserve the operations of the site despite a loss of supply, as shown by the difference between the ‘Supply Active Power’ and ‘Load Active Power’ graph. The continuous operation of the Load Active Power illustrates Powerstar VIRTUE’s ability to support operations without any interruption, even on sensitive equipment.
Supply Active Power
Load Active Power
This case study at Stoba highlights both the importance of energy resilience and how effectively it can be delivered through investment in leading-edge energy storage solutions like Powerstar VIRTUE. As both the energy transition and Industry 4.0 progress further the issue of energy resilience is set to become even more important and should be at the heart of any smart energy management strategy, particularly for companies with critical and ongoing operations and processes.
From the 1st April 2021, businesses can access new, temporary tax reliefs on qualifying capital asset investments, including increases in relief on plant and machinery expenditure.
The race to achieve net zero, and mitigate the most damaging effects of rising global temperatures, means that companies are facing enormous changes in how they operate.
On 24th April 2019, Solon Mardapittas, Powerstar's Chief Technical Officer, delivered an informative webinar explaining how businesses can manage their energy more effectively through the implementation of a complete, business-wide smart energy strategy that provides energy consumption savings, reductions in carbon emissions, and energy resilience
On Thursday, 12th March 2020, Powerstar CEO Dr Alex Mardapittas delivered an informative seminar on how to maximise energy efficiency and power resilience.
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