LEDs & CFLs – Leading the World of Energy Saving Technology

The large chunk of money that we have to let go as our electricity bills has always been a matter of concern and problem for most of us. The consumers have always craved for obtaining some easy to implement and effective energy-saving technologies to get rid of the heavy burdens of their electricity bills. The introduction of LEDs as a leading energy-saving technology has helped a lot of use for the greater good.

CFL is an energy saving technology that is obtainable in easy to use CFL bulbs. The incandescent bulbs that you use in your homes and offices are not only expensive but also consume larger volts to emit light. However, a CFL is much efficient in regard as it easily cuts 60-80% of your electricity consumption by providing much brighter light in just 22-watts as compared to a 100-watt incandescent bulb. They not only cost less but also eliminate the need of replacing it for a long time as it lasts 10 times longer than the incandescent bulbs. Apart from this, the startup time of these bulbs is also less and they are quite easy to use. CFLs are not only beneficial in cutting cost but it is also eco-friendly due to their power of decreasing half-ton of the emission of greenhouse gases in the air. 

CFLs are available in different size and shape and can easily be used for lighting areas like bathrooms, kitchen, basements, staircase, table lamps, ceiling lights, and many more.

Just like CFL, dimmable LED lights also provide energy-saving benefits at low costs. Dimmers provide the benefit of cutting electricity consumption even without switching to CFL or LED lights. They can be easily installed with the complete lighting system of your house, without changing the lighting technology already being used. You can save energy by dimming your lights down without compromising with the convenience, beauty, and electric power quality. These dimmers are also available with remote controls and are completely programmed to security.

Another effective way to cut down on your energy costs is by using voltage optimization systems. For more information on what can be done to minimize your electricity bills, feel free to visit www.icopower-esco.com.

4 Significant Benefits of Power Factor Correction

Power factor correction is one of the many measures that can be applied to electric and power management systems to increase their efficiency. Some of the most significant benefits of power factor correction are:

1.      Preventing power factor penalties

Some industrial processing facilities utilize a large number of induction motors to function their pumps, conveyors, and other machinery. These induction motors permit the power factor to be intrinsically low for most industrial facilities. Many electric utility companies use a lower power factor to reduce the power factor penalty from your bill.

2.      Reducing demand charges

Many electric utility companies charge for maximum metered demand either on the basis of highest registered demand in kilowatts or a fraction of the highest registered demand in KVA, whichever is bigger. In case the power factor is low, the percentage of the measured KVA will be notably greater than the KW demand. Enhancing the power factor through power factor correction will, therefore, reduce the demand charge, helping to lower electricity bills.

3.      Increasing capability of existing circuits

Installing power factor correction capacitors at the edge of existing circuits close to the inductive loads lower the current flowing in each circuit. This lowered current flow, resulting from improved power factor, can allow the circuit to carry new loads. This prevents the expenses of renovating the distribution network when extra capacity is needed for additional machinery or equipment, saving individuals or companies thousands of dollars in redundant upgrade costs.

4.      Voltage power optimization

A lower power factor would mean a higher current flow for any given load. As the line current increases, the voltage drop in the conductor rises at the same time, which could lead to a lower voltage at the equipment. With a better power factor, the voltage drop in the conductor is close to negligible, optimizing the voltage power.

Power factor correction is also one of the finest ways for power quality monitoring and also helps negate resistive losses in the circuit. For more information, feel free to visit www.icopower-esco.com.

Avoid Common Electrical Issues with Power Quality Monitoring (PQM) Before They Become Bigger

Power quality refers to delivery of the energy required by electronics to run efficiently. Any change (sudden or gradual) in the power greatly affects the power quality that in turn reduces the efficiency and causes other problems. The three main aspects of electric power quality are the voltage, frequency, and waveform. Good power quality generally exhibits the following:

• Steady voltage supply
• Steady alternating current/AC frequency
• Smooth waveform of the voltage curve

In order to check & make sure the power quality is always good, it is important to invest in power quality solutions such as power quality monitoring which helps measure the supply of power to AC power units. 

Some common electrical problems caused due to power quality issues are:

• Overheating of electrical systems
• Automatic Resets
• Circuit Board Failure
• Power Supply Problems
• Memory Loss
• Data Errors
• Software Corruption
• Equipment Failure

There are various things, such as power surges, voltage sag, interruptions, etc. that can result in fluctuations in the voltage and cause these issues. A power quality monitoring system works by identifying these issues early on so you can fix them before they turn into bigger problems. Nowadays, a number of facilities are implementing a power quality monitoring system as a part of a broader objective to trim down their operating costs. If you also want to benefit from this power quality solution called PQM, get in touch with Icopower ESCO today! It is a leading Energy Saving Company in Seychelles and Kenya known for providing a wide range of energy efficiency solutions for on-grid corporate, institutional or private business owners. To find out more about them or how they can help you fix power quality issues, feel free to visit https://icopower-esco.com/ 

The Key Benefits of Power Factor Correction

According to a recent study, energy consumption is expected to rise by almost 30% over the next two decades. In order to keep up with our power-dependent lifestyles, we need to invest in better energy efficiency solutions. As a measure to move towards a more energy efficient future, businesses ought to measure how effective their electricity usage is through energy efficiency solutions like Power Factor. 

• What Is Power Factor (PF)?

Power Factor (PF) is the ratio of working power, measured in kilowatts (kW), to apparent power, measured in kilovolt amperes (kVA). It is usually expressed as a percentage — the lower the percentage, the less efficient power usage is. One of the main causes of poor power factor is the inductive load on the equipment, which resists changes in current & causes lag.

• How Is Power Factor Correction Performed?

The simplest way to improve Power Factor is to add Power Factor Correction capacitors to the electrical equipment. The capacitors work as reactive current generators that help to offset the non-working power being used by the inductive loads, thereby improving the PF (Power Factor). Not only are these capacitors cost-effective and easy to install, but they also offer an excellent Return on Investment (ROI) typically within 1-2 years. 

The Key Benefits of Power Factor Correction

• Reduces electric bills by eliminating utility penalties for poor power factor
• Increases capacity of the current
• Improves energy efficiency through reduced power losses
• Improves voltage to equipment
• Enhances lifecycle of equipment as less heat is generated within switchgear, cables, transformers & other equipment
• Environmentally-friendly – lesser power needs to be generated, so lesser carbon-dioxide is produced

If you want to avail these benefits, get in touch with Icopower ESCO today! It is a well-known company in Kenya and Seychelles that specializes in designing as well as installing capacitor banks tailored to a specific site’s requirements. They also offer energy efficiency project financing for facilities over a 3-5 years time period. Visit https://icopower-esco.com/ to learn more! 

Understanding The Cost Benefits Associated With Voltage Power Optimization

Voltage Power Optimization is the process of systematic reduction in the voltage to a level that is optimal for your particular electrical equipment. Adjusting the voltage levels results in a reduction in electricity consumption as well as associated costs. Some of the other key benefits of voltage optimization include:

·  A reduction in energy consumption and therefore a decrease in greenhouse gas emissions

·  An overall increase in the lifetime of your electrical equipment.

·  Potential decrease in maintenance frequency, effort & costs

·  Improvement in the overall power quality (depending on the voltage optimization technology implemented).

Additionally, voltage power optimization provides various other benefits, including protection against voltage spikes and surges, no maintenance, significant reduction of harmonics, independent 3-phase control for providing voltage phase balancing, & an intelligent interface for real time tracking of product and site performance. 

Virtually all sites can benefit from controlling the voltage; however as conditions as well as loads differ from site to site, how much you’ll benefit will also vary. Typically, the savings are determined by the type of voltage optimization system used, your site’s specifications, etc. To ensure maximum savings and performance, it is best to go for a comprehensive analysis of your site’s power conditions. As every site is different due to its unique infrastructure & specific requirements in terms of load, a customized voltage optimization strategy helps maximize the savings. Besides that, it is also important to always keep in mind the current as well as future needs of your company.

If you want to invest in an efficient voltage optimization solution, get in touch with Icopower ESCO today. Built around a proprietary and patented design, our voltage optimizers deliver consistent savings. Power factor correction is another very important technology solution that we provide to help reduce the overall power demand and lower your electricity bills. And, if you do not want to bear the consequences of frequent power fluctuations or let poor power quality increase your business downtime, go for power quality monitoring. To learn more about these services, please visit http://icopower-esco.com/ 

Making The Most Out Of The HVAC Controls – An Emerging Energy Saving Solution

An energy management system belongs to the special category of systems that are designed to run individual pieces of equipment more efficiently. Energy management systems permit the integration of equipment, enhancing the performance of the system, and reduce energy consumption. The EMS sensors monitor parameters such as air and water temperatures, pressures, humidity levels, flow rates, and power consumption. These performance points are then used to control electrical and mechanical equipment run times and set points.

Not many people are aware that any facility’s performance can be improved dramatically by installing and fully using HVAC controls, provided you use those controls correctly. Here are a few ways in which you can make the best out of the HVAC controls:

· Seven-day scheduling provides hour-to-hour and day-to-day control of HVAC and lighting systems and can account for holidays and seasonal changes.

· The night temperature setback allows for less cooling in summer and less heating in winter during unoccupied hours.

· Optimal start/stop allows the system to ramp up slowly, avoiding morning demand spikes or unnecessary run times.

Talking of HVAC upgrades, these can provide tremendous economic benefits, improve occupant comfort and system reliability, and reduce operating costs to become one of the best energy efficiency solutions. However, in order to maximize benefits and minimize capital investment, load-reducing measures such as lighting upgrades should precede HVAC system upgrades.

Icopwer ESCO is experienced in offering a delivery mechanism to provide the maximum amount of energy efficiency resources. We have extensive design and implementation experience in integrating multiple efficiency measures, mitigating technical and performance risks, and generating energy saving solutions for our clients at almost no capital investment.  In addition to that, we act as an energy-efficient project developer as we integrate the project’s design, financing, installation and operational elements like voltage optimization systems. Icopower ESCO’s remuneration is based on Energy Saving Performance Contracts whereby our payment is on a shared savings basis. You can know more by visiting our website http://icopower-esco.com/  or by writing to us at   fm@icopower.com.

The Impact Of Power Factor Correction On Your Utility Bill

Some of the top benefits of power factor correction are increased load carrying capabilities in existing circuits and reduction in demand charges on the power systems. The best part is that these benefits aren't just limited to the balance sheet. Rather, there are numerous environmental benefits too associated with it, which involves reducing the carbon footprint and serving the environment. Apart from that, it also impacts your utility bill the following ways:

· Reduces Demand Charges:

The electric utility companies charge based on maximum metered demand which is based on the greater of two - either the percentage of the highest registered demand in KVA meter or the highest registered demand which is measured in kilowatts. Nevertheless, you can reduce the electricity bill by lowering the demand charge and improving the power factor. Quite easy, isn't it?

· Decreases the Carbon Footprint:

When the demand charge of the power system reduces, less strain is imposed on the electricity grid, which in turn reduces the carbon footprint - all thanks to power factor correction. Nevertheless, when the demand for the electricity grid lowers, the carbon production is reduced drastically and this, in turn, helps in the improvement of the electrical efficiency of the power system.

· Avoids Power Factor Penalties:

Massive quantities of induction motors are being used by nearly all the industrial processing facilities for driving their conveyors, pumps, and other plant machinery. This causes the power factor to reduce drastically. Businesses can eliminate their bill's power factor penalty by making use of power factor correction.  

· Reduces Power System Loss:

The loss reduction from the conductor isn't sufficient to justify the capacitors' installation. However, this comes with an attractive additional benefit especially with plants that have long feeders or in times of field pumping operations.

To make the most of power factor correction, reach out to Icopower ESCO, a company known for providing the best power quality solutions in Kenya and Seychelles. They also provide services like power quality monitoring to help businesses cut down their energy costs and consumption.

Visit https://icopower-esco.com/ to know more!