Interserve Project Services Limited

About Interserve Project Services Ltd

Interserve Plc is one of the world's foremost support services and  construction companies. It is based in the UK with revenue of approximately £1.9 billion and a workforce of 50,000 people worldwide. Interserve Plc is involved in all stages of the life cycle of buildings and industrial facilities. Interserve Project Services Ltd (IPSL) provides professional services to enable the design, construction and maintenance of a broad range of buildings and infrastructure. IPSL has in depth expertise assessing and recommending energy conservation measures to customers, and based on this experience has specified powerPerfector units at its main office site in Erdington, Birmingham.

How powerPerfector were able to help Interserve Project Services

After Interserve Project Services sent its annual electricity consumption details for the Erdington site, it was possible to give a provisional quote for a powerPerfector unit and the energy savings that would be expected. A voltage logger was then sent for one week, which recorded the voltage level in the building by connecting to it in to a regular mains socket. It was found that the average voltage at the site was 237 volts (V), 7V higher than the nominal supply in the UK. After a survey of the site by a powerPerfector Approved Contractor, the installation took place. There was no noticeable change to the operation of the building, although continuous carbon savings were instantly being made every day at the site. After installation the electricity consumption was analysed to find a reduction of 7.4%, equating to annual carbon dioxide emissions saving of 37,700kgs and an annual financial saving of £5,000.

Getting the source right

powerPerfector is the world’s only Voltage Power Optimiser, giving energy, carbon and cost savings by efficiently optimising a site’s supply voltage. By optimising the voltage, electrical equipment runs more efficiently and consumes less energy. The declared electricity supply in the United Kingdom is now, as a result of European Harmonisation, 230V with a tolerance of +10% to 10%. This means that effective voltage can be anywhere between 207V and 253V depending on local conditions. Most electrical equipment manufactured for Europe and the UK is rated at 220V and operates more efficiently at this level. Forcing appliances to operate at a higher voltage in the UK (242V is the average supply level) leads to significantly higher energy consumption, increased heat losses and a reduced life span. Optimising voltage with powerPerfector brings your supply voltage to the “higher efficiency” operating range of your equipment. Without this, the ‘raw’ supply voltage to your site is likely to be at the top end of the range of voltages your electrical equipment can tolerate. As well as reducing energy consumption, this reduces the strain on your equipment, extending its lifespan according to many of our clients. It is estimated that 90% of sites in the UK are operating at too high a voltage and could therefore benefit from installing a powerPerfector.

Voltage Power Optimisation. The less obvious benefits

Reduced maintenance, longer life
All electrical equipment has an optimum voltage at which it works best. A powerPerfected supply delivers that optimum and reduces the strain on your electrical equipment, leaving it to work more reliably and for longer.

Better quality power supply
Some things you may have accepted for years, but product faults can turn out to be caused by a poor quality power supply. For instance, the life of incandescent light bulbs is almost doubled when the supply voltage is optimised. Now imagine that in relation to an IT network or an expensive piece of manufacturing equipment.

Missing the penalty kick
Power factor penalty charges – which are now uncapped in the UK – can be avoided if your power factor is above 0.95. If your power factor is at around 0.9 at the moment, powerPerfector could remove your exposure to these charges by improving the electrical efficiency of your site.

Lower harmonic distortion and reduced neutral currents
powerPerfectors are able to filter harmonics on the mains incomer. Harmonic distortion is on the increase and can lead to random failures of electronic equipment – particularly computers.

Protection
Common transients – very brief spikes in voltage from the grid – are eliminated by powerPerfector. Transients at this level can cause catastrophic damage to equipment, but smaller, more common transient events will also shorten the life expectancy of electrical equipment over time.