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Innovation
October/November 2013 www.esb.ie/em
48TH INTERNATIONAL UNIVERSITIES' POWER ENGINEERING CONFERENCE sponsored by ESB International
ESB INTERNATIONAL
ESB International sponsored the 48th International Universities’ Power Engineering Conference (UPEC 2013) at the Dublin Institute of Technology, Dublin, Ireland from September 2nd to 5th. The event was organised by the School of Electrical Engineering, the DIT Electrical Power Research Centre (EPRC) and the Dublin Energy Lab (DEL).
UPEC is a long-established conference and provides a major international forum for the presentation, discussion and exchange of information concerning new trends in electrical power engineering. The conference is very popular with young researchers, PhD students and engineers from the electrical power industry, with over 180 young researchers, PhD students and engineers from the electrical power industry in attendance. John McSweeney, ESB Head of Innovation, addressed attendees at the Gala Dinner and Ollie Brogan, Managing Director, ESB International spoke at the Opening Ceremony.
Papers were presented at the UPEC conference by Jan Bednarik, Specialist Design Standards (Control & Protection) HV Stations, on ‘The Design of Salthill 110kV substation'. Tony Walsh, ESB Networks presented on ‘The Investigation of ADSS cable use on Distribution and Transmission Networks’ while Clem Power, ESB Networks presented on ‘The Voltage Regulator'.
AMBASSADORS COVER OVER 105,000KM AS PART OF THE GREAT ELECTRIC DRIVE
ESB is installing a nationwide network of charge points with 95% of major towns and cities
THE FIRST GREAT Electric Drive, which got underway in September 2012, has now drawn to a close with 21 ambassadors covering a total of approximately 105,000 kilometres of pure electric driving. Over the course of the trial the Ambassadors recorded combined fuel cost savings of €13,500, eliminating over ten tonnes of CO2 emissions by driving their ecars. This is roughly equivalent to two Olympic-sized swimming pools of C02 prevented from entering the atmosphere.
To mark the completion of Ireland's first nationwide electric vehicle trial, an event was held in Dublin on September 17th with Ambassadors, key stakeholders and media attending. The event also provided a platform to report on the findings of research conducted during the trial, which gathered information about driving trends, charging patterns and attitudes to electric motoring.
Commenting on the fuel saving, Beatrice Whelan from Kildare, one of the Ambassadors, said: “I used the ecar for my daily commute to work, which is approximately 100km via Monastervein to my workplace in Citywest via the M7.I charged the ecar at home overnight using a specially installed home-charge point and I found that instead of spending €70 each week on petrol I was spending €7 to €10 on electricity to re-charge the ecar”.
The key findings were:
• Electric car Ambassadors drove on average 300 kilometres per week with two covering more than 400km
• Combined fuel cost savings of €13,500 were achieved during the period of the trial.
• The electric cars cost less than 2 cent every km to fuel.
• The average motorist could save almost €2,300 on running costs by driving electric
• While the Ambassadors had the ecars, nine out of ten jour neys were taken in the electric vehicle as opposed to their conventional car
• Three quarters of charging was done at home with fast charging proving the second most popular method
Speaking about the success of the Great Electric Drive, ecars Manager, Dermot McArdle, said: “We are delighted to have completed our first Great Electric Drive and feel the savings achieved and the perception change of the Ambassadors, speaks for itself. ESB is installing a nationwide network of charge points with 95% of major towns and cities having access to EV charging infrastructure, which makes electric vehicle driving a realistic alternative to traditional means of transport in Ireland”.
The average annual mileage covered by private motorist in Ireland is approximately15,000 km. For a motorist covering this kind of distance it is possible to save up to €2,000 on fuel alone with a further €300 of savings possible when maintenance, car tax and insurance are taken into account.
“I am pleased to say that the ambassadors have shown the real benefits and cost savings of electric driving and proven that ecars are not only a viable option but a smart option for the future in Ireland,” he added
Ambassadors were chosen from a field of almost 12,000 applicants to take part in Ireland's first nationwide ecar trial. Four Ambassadors trialled an electric vehicle for the year; one for six months and 16 trialled the ecars for a period of three months each. Ambassadors were provided with a Nissan LEAF, Renault Kangoo ZE, Mitsubishi iMiEVs and a Smith Edison Transit van.
To view videos of the event and the Ambassadors comments: http://www.youtube.com/ESBecars
Following on from the success of the Great Electric Drive, ESB has announced it will run the Great Electric Drive 2014, providing an opportunity for more members of the public to trial an electric vehicle. The Great Electric Drive 2014 will feature a broader range of ecars and the application process for the GED2014 will begin in January.
Oman Power and Water Procurement Company delegation visits ESB International
ESB INTERNATIONAL
ESB INTERNATIONAL is currently executing a major customer services consultancy project in the Gulf state of Oman and pursuing additional business in the region. In mid-August, ESB International and ESB hosted a delegation from Oman Power and Water Procurement (OPWP), the Omani ‘single buyer’ organisation. The delegation was led by OPWP Chief Executive Ahmed Saleh Ali Al Jah-dhami and Bob Whitelaw, a Senior Advisor to OPWP and former CEO of the Electricity Holding Company. The delegation also included the Omani electricity regulator John Cunneen.
Oman was among the pioneers of independent power plants (IPPs) in the Gulf region. OPWP, as Single Buyer, purchases all the output under long-term power purchase agreements (PPAs). Since some PPAs will begin to expire within a few years, OPWP is considering how the next steps towards gradually increasing competition might best be taken. The opening of Ireland's electricity sector and ESB's role in adapting to fundamental change is seen as an excellent reference.
ESB International, together with senior colleagues in ESB Corporate Centre, Generation & Wholesale Markets and Electric Ireland, delivered a whistle-stop two-day programme covering the requested topics, including other visits kindly hosted by EirGrid and CER - for all of which the Omani visitors expressed sincere thanks.
New wind contract in South Africa won by ESB International
ESB INTERNATIONAL
ESB INTERNATIONAL recently completed a Lenders Technical Adviser (LTA) Wind Services Contract in South Africa with Arup as the lead consultant. This is Wind Energy Solutions’ first LTA contract in South Africa and it is hoped to be the first of many wind contracts over the next few years. ESB International will work with Arup, to jointly target, bid and win work together with independent power producers/developers in the wind energy sector.
The timing of this contract is very appropriate, as ESB International participated in the South Africa Wind Energy Conference, which took place in September in Cape Town and formally opens its new office in Johannesburg in November.
This first LTA contract in South Africa is ahead of the opening of the new ESB international Johannesburg office on Monday, November 11th next. The South Africa Wind Energy Conference took place September 25th to 27th in Cape Town.
The contract entailed feasibility and due diligence assessment for an independent African developer, African Clean Energy Developments Pty Ltd, which is developing wind farms in South Africa near the town of Cookhouse in western South Africa. The development has been separated into two discrete wind farms: The Cookhouse Wind Farm (currently under construction) and Great Fish River Wind Farm. ESB International's role on this contract concentrated on the wind resource feasibility and due diligence assessment as part of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.
South Africa has recently targeted 10,000GWh of Renewable Energy to be developed which is equivalent to 3,72 5MW of generation capacity. It is ESB International's goal to win a share of these generation opportunities.
