How Can EPSCs Help in Integrating Energy Saving Solutions?

 If you are new to the concept of Energy Saving Performance Contracts (ESPCs), here is some information that might come handy. EPSCs allow organizations to accomplish power quality solutions and energy saving projects without up-front capital costs. Getting in touch with an ESCO can work wonders as they finance projects with their own capital and are paid through a portion of the savings achieved. An ESCO aims at delivering the best energy saving solutions to produce positive cash-flow for the client companies.

Through Energy Saving Performance Contracts, companies enable their clients to leverage green, scalable, cost-effective, and easy to deploy integrated power quality solutions in order to increase energy efficiency, make lighting and power systems reliable, reduce carbon emissions, and lower the operation costs. Once the savings achieved by an organization are measured and verified, the client can opt for a fixed monthly payment out of the savings or a percentage share of the savings to be calculated monthly based on the total energy consumption.

Icopower ESCO is one of the most reliable energy saving companies in Kenya. We implement energy-saving measures at our own cost and have an established methodology to measure and verify the savings achieved. Also, we have adopted the International Performance Measurement & Verification Protocol (IPMVP) to analyze the energy savings, a methodology based on a combination of historical data evaluation and real-time measurement. Other services we offer include energy audits, energy monitoring, measurement and verification services, lighting retrofits, thermography services, installation services, maintenance services, and solar PV. 

For more information about the company we keep and the services we offer, feel free to visit www.icopower-esco.com. Additionally, you can write to us at fm@icopower-esco.com or kelvin@icopower-esco.com or simply dial +254 729606562 (office line).

5 Problems That Can Be Solved Through Voltage Power Optimization

Voltage power optimization in a technique used for reducing the voltage applied to electrical equipment. In this process, the supply voltage is carefully matched to the needs of the electrical equipment for substantial energy saving and extending the equipment’s life expectancy. Some of the most common problems that can be addressed through voltage power optimization include:

1. Voltage

Overvoltage is the input of a higher voltage than required for a piece of electrical equipment to operate at. Overvoltage often results in reduction of the lifetime of equipment, increased power consumption, and performance issues.

2. Harmonics

Harmonics are waveforms of currents and voltages that come about as a result of non-linear loads such as variable speed drives and discharge lighting. High levels of harmonic can damage sensitive electrical equipment.

3. Transients

Brief but large destructive surges in the voltage are called transients. Even though they do not last for more than a second in most cases, the destruction they cause can be significant. Most voltage optimizers these days come with transient protectors, aiding in power factor correction.

4. Phase Voltage Ambience

The 3-phase electricity supplied to most commercial sites and industries needs to be balanced to avoid overheating and wastage of energy. The balancing can be done quite easily using a voltage regulator.

5. Power Dips

Reduction in voltage over a short duration is called a power dip. A power dip is capable of both causing the machinery to stop and dropping out of relays.

Known for offering the best and most reliable energy efficiency technologies in Kenya, Icopower ESCO can be reached out to for voltage power optimization for your facility. Take your first step towards energy efficiency with Icopower ESCO. Visit www.icopower-esco.com for more information about the company and the services being offered.

 

Things to Consider When Choosing Voltage Energy Optimization Solutions

Voltage energy optimization systems have a lot of benefits to offer in terms of solving problems such as overvoltage, harmonics, phase voltage ambience, power dips, and more. To get the best out of voltage energy optimization solution, it is important you give the below-mentioned factors due consideration:

• Efficiency

Try to make sure that the voltage optimization unit that you are looking forward to getting installed has an impeccable efficiency of at least 97% and it is constant during different load conditions. Also, avoid getting a unit which has wearable or consumable parts to ensure that you don’t have to undertake frequent maintenance or repairs.

• Fast Voltage Management

Choose a voltage optimization unit that is capable of managing the voltage independently and in a faster manner. Ensure that the chosen equipment have high speed stabilization as it would help be sure that the machines don’t fail, and as a result, the production rate does not get affected.

• Uninterruptable Functions 

It is highly recommended that you choose a voltage optimization system that can keep manufacturing operating even in case of a breakdown or an overload, for that matter. In that order, a system that can bypass these issues should be given a higher preference.

Choosing a suitable voltage optimization unit will not only make your machinery and electrical equipment last long but also reduce maintenance and repair costs. Taking a step towards getting the right voltage optimization unit will surely help you reap great benefits in the longer run.

Icopower ESCO is energy saving company in Kenya that offers the best and most reliable, voltage power optimization solutions for all kinds of facilities. Take your first step towards energy efficiency with Icopower ESCO. Visit www.icopower-esco.com for more information about the company and the services being offered.

 

How Does Voltage Power Optimization Benefit Your Site?

Voltage power optimization is an effective energy saving technology that helps ensure that the power delivered to a site or equipment is clean, regulated and optimized so that it does not exceed the optimum level. Some of the major benefits of voltage power optimization are given below: 

• Your equipment is supplied with the optimum voltage
• Reduction in the energy consumption & associated costs 
• Decrease in the indirect greenhouse gas emissions
• Overall increase in the lifetime of your equipment
• Potential reduction in the maintenance frequency, effort, as well as costs 
• Improvement in the overall electric power quality (depending on the type of voltage optimization technology implemented)

Prior to the installation of a voltage optimizer, it is critical to assess the present mains voltage level. As electricity supply companies charge users in kilo-Watt-hours (kWh) and kW used is related to the mains supply voltage, the higher the voltage, the more kWhs is used. Icopower ESCO is one of the companies in Kenya and Seychelles that would gladly measure your mains supply voltage and can also help correct situations, such as over-voltage, under-voltage or phase imbalances through highly cost-efficient voltage optimization solutions. Built around a proprietary and patented design, our voltage optimizers can be installed on your existing infrastructure to reduce the voltage supplied to your equipment. Our voltage optimization system works by minimizing energy consumption while remaining within the operating conditions specified by the equipment manufacturer.

Icopower ESCO is an independent Energy Saving Company in Kenya that develops, implements, and arranges its own financing for projects designed to improve the energy efficiency for business facilities over a 3-5 years time period. Apart from voltage power optimization, we offer power factor correction, energy audits, energy monitoring, thermography services, lighting retrofit, solar PV, and various other energy efficiency solutions. For more info, please visit https://icopower-esco.com/.

Everything You Should Know About Power Quality Problems and Solutions

Even though power authorities in all parts of the world work hard on supplying the best electric power quality that is free from corruption, local or unforeseen circumstances such as neighbouring industries, storms or accidents have often been reported to intervene and cause irregularities in the power quality and cripple the operations. With the technology evolving each day, a lot has been done to make electronic equipment less tolerant to transient voltages.

Some of the most common problems one has to experience because of poor power quality include: 

1. Under-voltage
2. Temporary over-voltage (TOV)
3. Transients
4. Power outages
5. Noise
6. Dropouts
7. Harmonic distortion
8. Frequency variations

Most of the above-mentioned problems can be dealt with efficiently by relying on power quality solutions such as

1. Surge Protection Devices (SPDs)
2. Filters
3. Line Conditioners
4. UPSs
5. Short Break or Standby
6. True on line
7. Hybrid
8. Isolation Transformers

While we try to gather information about the problems and solutions related to power quality, it is important to understand what causes fluctuations in the supply. Most power surges and disturbances are often a result of lighting and power switching transients. Switching of inductive loads such as motors, air conditioning plants, domestic appliances and more can cause huge transient spikes.

Icopower ESCO deals with problems related to power quality with the help of voltage optimization solutions, power factor correction, and harmonics. Our mission is to analyze, design, and implement energy efficiency solutions that will create value for facility owners and operators across all sectors in East Africa and beyond and we work with our clients to reduce operating expenses, upgrade and maintain infrastructure, stabilize energy costs, improve infrastructure efficiency, increase energy reliability and conserve the environment by reducing the carbon footprint.

Visit www.icopower-esco.com to know more.

Power Factor Correction Capacitors Explained!

Power factor is a measure of how effectively you are using electricity. Improving the power factor can increase current-carrying capacity, improve voltage supply to the equipment, decrease power losses, and cut down electric bills. If you have a large commercial site, one of the reasons you must correct poor power factor is to restore the (KVA) capacity of overloaded feeders within your building. One of the easiest ways to improve PF is to add power factor correction capacitors to the electrical system. These capacitors act as reactive current generators and help offset the non-working power that’s used by the inductive loads, and therefore improve the PF.

 
Power factor correction capacitors can switch on daily whenever the inductive equipment starts. Switching on a capacitor produces a brief “over-voltage” condition. In case you have problems with variable speed drives turning off because of “over-voltage” at almost the same time daily, you must check the switching control sequence. If you face the problem of fuses blowing on some of the capacitors, check for the harmonic currents.

Icopower ESCO is one of the companies that that have been providing excellent power quality solutions to businesses across Kenya and Seychelles from the past many years. We design and install high-performance capacitor banks tailored to a specific site’s requirements. These are usually installed at the incoming mains supply to a building, but can be installed on any specific plant equipment that needs power factor correction. Our experts can also help troubleshoot and fine tune existing power factor banks for maximum functionality. The units have been manufactured in Italy, using superior quality components and sturdy steel powder coated enclosures for preventing corrosion and exposure to harsh environments. So, if you have been looking for energy efficiency solutions, contact Icopower ESCO today! 

If you have any questions, you can write to us at fm@icopower-esco.com

The Effects of Overvoltage and Three Phase Imbalance on AC Motors

3 phase AC motors are typical three phase loads & are used in many different equipment, such as pumps, refrigeration, conveyers, and air conditioning. The effects of over-voltage and 3 phase imbalance on AC motors are that they lead to saturation of the motor iron core, which wastes energy through eddy currents, increase in hysteresis losses, and excessive heat. This stress caused due to over-voltage further decreases motor lifetime.

 
Voltage power optimization helps prevent overvoltage that saves energy & increases motor life, without reducing motor efficiency or affecting motor speed. This is apparent especially if the motor is operating under many different loading conditions, since motor efficiency tends to reduce in case of over-voltage as well as less-than-full loading – however both these situations can be well-managed through the use of voltage optimizers. Moreover, substantial savings can be made through both - direct consumption of less power and through extended equipment life.

If you want equipment at your three phase site to benefit from voltage optimization technology, contact Icopower ESCO today. They offer a broad range of voltage optimizers that deliver reliable and consistent savings to a number of businesses across Nairobi and surrounding areas. The optimizers can be installed on existing infrastructure to reduce the voltage supplied to equipment, and minimize consumption while remaining within the operating conditions specified by the equipment manufacturer.

Icopwer ESCO is an independent Energy Saving Company with extensive design and implementation experience in integrating multiple efficiency measures, mitigating technical and performance risks, and generating energy savings for their clients at almost no capital investment. Their remuneration is based on Energy Saving Performance Contracts whereby the payment is on a shared savings basis. For more information, feel free to visit https://icopower-esco.com/ or drop an email at fm@icopower-esco.com