South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust - Rochford Hospital

About South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust - Rochford Hospital

Rochford Hospital is a mental health hospital that underwent a £25m redevelopment and was opened in February 2008. The building is highly efficient and the redevelopment involved implementing high frequency lighting and LEDs throughout the building and variable speed drives on most of the motors.

How powerPerfector were able to help South Essex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust - Rochford Hospital

After Rochford Hospital sent its 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 plugged in 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 240 volts (V), 10V higher than the nominal supply in the UK. The far point voltage is lower than the level usually observed therefore only a -6% optimisation setting was required. 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. 12 weeks after the installation the electricity consumption was analysed to find a reduction of 5.7%, equating to annual carbon dioxide emissions saving of 33,000kg.

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.

"By implementing its policies on sustainable development and particularly its carbon reduction plan, SEPT aims to achieve a 25% reduction overall in its CO₂ emissions by 2014 from the 2009 baseline.
"At an early stage powerPerfector Voltage Power Optimisation was included in the investment program to secure a lasting reduction in carbon emissions and costs from our energy in building. Installing the powerPerfector unit came at just the right time for us, as the new CRC tax adds to the spiralling cost of electricity.
"The commitment of our staff to the highest standards of environmental stewardship is demonstrated be hitting the energy consumption targets we set ourselves and we continue to see improving efficiencies across the Trust. Staff said they were surprised to see how much could be saved by reducing the over voltage at the Rochford site."

Raymond Wood
Sustainable Development Manager
South Essex Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust

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 – Rochford Hospital is now protected.