Electric.ie Jan/Feb 2021

ELECTRIC.IE • The Magazine & Website for the Irish Electrical Industry • 19 Schneider Electric Preparing for the All Electric, All Digital World W hile 2020 has been dominated by Covid-19 headlines, sustainability and energy usage has bubbled beneath the surface with ever increasing ferocity. Power efficiency is now a top concern for all, especially those working in business-critical applications seeking to meet increasing digital demands, manage energy costs, and minimise CO2 emissions. Downtime has become a key issue within increasingly complex electrical systems. According to a Centrica report, 39% of businesses today experience unscheduled downtime as a result of an energy-related failure, and one in three consequently lose revenue. Fundamentally, maximising efficiency requires a holistic understanding of all electrical and business functions. However, the details are more complex – the type and design configuration of an uninterruptible power supply (UPS), for example, can deliver significant cost savings. These are some key considerations for electricians when choosing solutions for critical projects: Tools to guide modernisation There are many digital resources available to help guide electrical contractors, business owners and operators. They provide data- driven insights and help users to identify basic power, cooling and IT requirements. Some, for example, can help to determine efficiency gains and long- term lifecycle benefits, while others offer the ability to select and deploy UPS technologies. Electricians and operators will frequently be the decision makers on product upgrades and replacements. To help this process, tools exist to ‒ Sean Miller, Electrician Programme Manager at Schneider Electric, explains the crucial role that electrical understanding plays in creating an energy efficient system. calculate the cost of maintenance and support contracts, replacement schedules and the estimated remaining life of a system. Ease of installation Many electrical professionals are beginning to move from traditional installation work to data centres and other infrastructure spaces. The complexity of deploying this technology can be significant, so electricians must be expertly trained. As such, new power products need to be easy to work with and install, and safe to service and maintain. The good news is that as new technologies evolve, manufacturers like Schneider Electric are simplifying their designs. Take the Acti9 Isobar P distribution board, which has split neutral cabling and plug-on RCBO technology to reduce total installation time. Paired with PowerTag, which provides wireless data analytics, this can help overcome many energy-related challenges and bridge the skills gap. Remote monitoring Deploying new power protection solutions with the ability to monitor and manage the status of critical equipment in real-time has become a fundamental consideration. IoT technology and advanced control circuitry allow systems to be managed from any location. Status information is continuously routed to a central console, providing operators with the visibility needed to schedule proactive maintenance and replace products that are nearing their end of life. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and machine learning algorithms identify and alert users to issues, enabling them to respond rapidly before problems arise. Solutions such as Acti9 PowerTag enable this level of insight and remote monitoring. Prioritising connectivity Interoperability is more important than ever to allow diverse hardware and software systems to work seamlessly across sectors and verticals. Connecting everything, from the shop floor to the top floor, embeds intelligence at every level and supports better decision making. Without complete connectivity bridging all functions and applications, maximum efficiency is impossible. The challenge and the opportunity for the next 20 years is to transition into a new all electric, all digital world, where we can use connectivity and remote monitoring for improved installations and increased safety. Electricians must make decisions now with this in mind, in order to be prepared for the future.