The huge drive to bring down the cost consumers are paying for their electricity globally, has seen the emergence of energy saving technology, tools and programmes. Many large energy users in Ireland have set strict targets to reduce their energy emissions and costs and are embarking on extensive energy management programs to reduce energy bills.

On Wednesday 24th February, Premium Power will be attending Future in Pharmaceuticals at Croke Park, Dublin and will be holding a workshop on power quality in energy management.

The workshop aims to outline the links between energy management programmes such as ISO 50001 and their potential effect on power quality in high tech manufacturing facilities. These links may not be immediately apparent however if gone unchecked may lead to unplanned production downtime.

Two contrasting industry case studies will be explained highlighting both the good and bad practices that have been adapted when rolling out energy saving initiatives. Some of the main facets of poor power quality include harmonic distortion, short/long power interruptions, transients, surges, flicker, unbalance, under/over voltages and EMC issues.

Common causes of power quality problems can be directly linked to a concentrated use of variable speed drives, diode bridges, non-detuned capacitor banks, and electronic lighting ballasts. This type of equipment is commonly installed in manufacturing facilities to reduce electrical energy consumption. With increasing use of electronic loads which are sensitive to minute power fluctuations, unplanned outages may cost a plant more in the long term than the potential savings in power consumption that the energy management programme hoped to achieve.

The workshop will provide a focus on managing the risk in a facility when embarking on energy saving programs. What should be looked out for? What is the real return on investment in monetary terms? What are the guidelines that offer a systematic approach to allow well informed decisions to be made?

We hope to see you there on the day to answer these questions and discuss this very relevant industry topic.

Premium Power’s hive meeting workshop takes place at 12 noon on Wednesday 24 February in Suite 681, Croke Park, Dublin.