Voltage Optimisation

What is voltage optimisation?

Voltage optimisation (VO) is a transformer-based technology which optimises the incoming supply from the national grid to match the voltage required by equipment at your organisation. Optimising the voltage, will reduce your commercial energy use and costs as well as lowering your carbon footprint and CO₂ emissions at the same time.

An added benefit of voltage optimsiation can also be the reduced maintenance costs, which leads to increased operational lifespan for your electrical equipment. By stabalising and resolving any power flow harmonics issues which can be found in some buildings the lifespan on your electrical equipment can be considerably increased. An example of this can be found in our St Johns School and Sixth Form College case study.

Powerstar’s voltage optimisation solutions have online, remote monitoring capabilities, providing full visibility of asset performance, savings, and more. Unlike other providers, our solution uses a unique patented method for regulating the voltage.

Find out how Much You Could Save

The cheapest and greenest energy is the energy you don’t use.

Are you worried about the ever-rising cost of electricity for your business? Find out how much money you could save by completing our 2-minute Energy Saving Calculator.

Grab a recent electricity bill, fill out a few details and within just a few minutes you will have a savings estimation.

Try our Energy Savings Calculator

Guaranteed Voltage Optimisation Savings

When we complete a voltage optimisation proposal for you we will give you a guaranteed savings amount. If your savings are below the guaranteed saving we will refund the difference. So with Powerstar, you are guaranteed to save!

How does this guarantee work?

We base our proposals on your site having a 242V supply, this is the national average supply voltage. We use this and the supplied usage data to work out how much you will save. If after the first year you don’t hit the percentage saving and all other conditions are met we will refund the difference.
We can also conduct a site survey to give you an even more accurate saving amount.

We’ve put together a handy 4-page voltage optimisation pdf including how the technology works, how much you could save, and our range of products. Download our info document

Download Our Info Doc

How voltage optimisation can help your business?

Spikes, sags, or fluctuations in your voltage supply or a consistent overvoltage can cause damage to equipment, disrupt operations, and waste energy. Sudden changes in voltage can trip sensitive electrical equipment. Consistently supplying equipment with a higher voltage than required can cause damage or premature burnout.

Optimising, conditioning, and reducing your incoming voltage supply protects your electrical equipment while reducing electrical consumption, costs, and carbon emissions. The Importance of commercial voltage optimisation, regulation & management cannot be underestimated for any business looking to develop a net-zero strategy.

What are the key benefits of Voltage Optimisation

The benefits of commercial voltage optimisation for your business include:

Lower Your Carbon Emissions – Lowering your carbon footprint and increasing your business’s green credentials and helping you towards your Net-Zero target
Waste Less Energy – Using less energy means lower electricity bills saving your business money. A typical business could save thousands of pounds every year.
Improved Power Quality – Better power quality means less wear and tear and maintenance costs for your electrical equipment potentially significantly prolonging it’s life.
Smart Energy Management Systems – Monitor your energy savings to see just how much you are saving

Speak to our expert team to see how Voltage Optimisation can help your business

Why voltage optimisation is necessary?

Voltage optimisation, or regulation is necessary because the voltage of electricity supplied by the National Grid typically fluctuates. In order to meet their binding requirement of supplying users with 230V, with a tolerance of +10% and –6%. This means that in practice, UK sites can be supplied with voltages ranging between 216V and 253V. The National Grid actually supplies a higher average voltage – typically around 245V – to ensure that the lowest value is still acceptable.

In the UK, electrical equipment is generally designed to work at 220V. This means that it is always operating at a higher voltage than necessary, which causes damage and reduces its working lifetime.

How does a voltage optimiser work?

We use our own patented technology to achieve the voltage reduction, which is far more efficient than other voltage optimisation or regulation solutions. Traditional solutions transform the entire voltage supplied to a site, and thus suffer large losses. The Powerstar solution transforms only the reduced voltage and therefore loses far less energy in doing so.

Voltage management also smooths out the peaks and troughs that can occur in voltage supply from National Grid, making your site more resilient by supplying equipment with a steady, reliable voltage and avoiding sudden surges or sags in the supplied power

The technology can either provide a set level reduction for high, but stable incoming voltage profiles, or can dynamically regulate a fluctuating voltage profile to maintain a desired, & optimum level.

For more technical information about commercial voltage optimisation view our technical specifications below.

Technical specifications

Voltage regulation Install for Tom Appleyard

How to implement voltage optimisation

Voltage optimisation can be implemented as a standalone technology to protect equipment from voltage supply issues along with its other benefits. It can be connected to a high voltage or low voltage supply.

If you operate your own high voltage infrastructure, it can be integrated with an existing distribution transformer. Alternatively, your transformer can be replaced with a new, efficient distribution transformer with integrated voltage regulation. If you operate a low voltage supply only, it can still be implemented on your site.

Integrated into a battery energy storage solution with full Uninterruptible Power Supply (UPS) capabilities you can harness all the benefits of a consistent, uninterrupted power supply. This benefits your site by providing comprehensive power resilience and improved power quality. Due to its additional benefits of reducing electricity consumption and bills, it also improves the overall return on investment (ROI) of the battery energy storage solution.

Which sectors & businesses benefit most from voltage optimisation?

Sites that are being supplied with overvoltage or undervoltage will see the most benefit from voltage regulation, but almost all sites will be able to secure savings via improved energy efficiency. Most infrastructure and equipment will operate more efficiently and with less need for maintenance at lower voltages.

Voltage optimisation is best suited to environments where there is sensitive or critical electrical equipment, with long operating hours and a high level of electricity consumption. This means it performs well in sectors such as manufacturing, defence, retail & leisure, distribution & logistics, and healthcare.

While voltage regulation offers both improved power resilience and potential energy savings, it is important to note that the benefits it offers vary significantly depending on-site, and in particular depending on the current voltage you are being supplied with by the grid. This means that a site survey from a reputable supplier is a vital first step when considering voltage optimisation technology.

Contact us to book a site survey or to discuss how our voltage optimisation solutions could benefit your organisation.

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Related case studies

MI Dickson

Consumption of this site has decreased by over 8,000 kWh after the Voltage Optimisation installation, despite production volume being increased by almost 10%

Supermarket Chain

The client is a major supermarket chain with multiple stores and distribution centres across the UK.

Amann Group

Find out how this Manufacturer saved 17.7% in annual electricity consumption and savings in annual electricity bills of £24,000 with Powerstar's Voltage Optimisation.

St Hilds School

Powerstar Voltage Optimisation saved this school 9.2% of their annual energy consumption, almost 50,000kWh per year.

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