The County Hotel – Chelmsford

About The County Hotel

County Hotel is situated in Chelmsford in a perfect location for visiting the town or visiting the surrounding area. The hotel has 50 comfortably designed bedrooms with all the luxuries you need to have a relaxing stay. The hotel also boasts the County kitchen, function rooms, lounge areas and much more. With their environmental policy including reducing energy consumption, County Hotel understands the importance for a sustainable, green future.

How powerPerfector were able to help County Hotel

After County Hotel sent their annual electricity consumption details, 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 County Hotel was 244 volts (V), 24V higher than the nominal supply required in the UK.

After a survey of the site by a powerPerfector approved contractor, the installation took place. The installation was completed at a time which was convenient for the hotel which would cause little disruption. There was no noticeable change to the operation of the hotel, although continuous carbon savings were instantly being made every day. After installation the electricity consumption was analysed to find a reduction of 15.0%, equating to annual carbon dioxide emissions saving of 35,900kg.

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 -6%. This means that effective voltage can be anywhere between 216V 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. As a result of equipment specification and the range of voltage supply, there is an opportunity to achieve cost savings by optimising voltage at source and at the same time improve the operation and lifespan of a site’s electrical infrastructure. 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.

A few words from Graham McGregor, General Manager at County Hotel

“By using half hourly data, peaks and troughs in supply throughout the day powerPerfector were able to establish our precise consumption at any given time of the day. Looking at our day and night unit charges we were able to establish a reasonable level of reduction that could be established after installation. They suggested that a reduction of 9% could be achieved, it was clear that the project would pay for itself. Further analysis was done after installation which has shown a clear power consumption reduction of some 15%. Coupled with the installation of low energy bulbs throughout all our public areas and bedrooms we have as shown, from itemised bills from our electricity provider, a reduction of some 32% in our consumption. This is over a five month period from January 2008 to end May 2008 compared to the same period in 2009. Throughout the whole process powerPerfector have been there with support, analysis and advice. The bills that we now get clearly prove that the investment has paid off well above the 5% margin originally anticipated.”

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 as 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. The looming energy gap means that the risk of transients is increased – The County Hotel now protected.