Steve Hughes, managing director of power quality specialist REO UK, gives us his insight into the trends in power quality for 2019.

Spark Energy. Extra Energy. Gen4U. Future Energy. Usio Energy.Iresa. National Gas & Power. These seven small companies have one thing in common. During 2018, each ceased providing electricity supplies to British customers.

During last year there were no fewer than 73 active electricity suppliers  licensed by the regulator Ofgem . In 2017 there were 60. This time seven years ago, there were just 14.

When I first wrote this Diary, Margaret Thatcher was prime minister, and Peter Walker her maverick energy secretary. Way ahead of his time, he was a great champion of renewable electricity. 

It was an enthusiasm not shared at the Treasury, then run by arch climate change denier Nigel (now Lord) Lawson. He went out of its way to block any renewables progressing. Even so, Peter Walker would litter his speeches with ecstatic hymns of praise to various embryonic  renewable electricity initiatives. 

Lighting controls specialist BEG has enabled a brand-new London free school to achieve its energy efficiency ambitions and provide an enhanced learning environment for its pupils. Elinore Mackay spoke to Stephen Payne of BEG to find out more about the project on what benefits the project has already brought and what can be expected from the future

 A decision from the European Court of Justice has brought to a crashing halt a UK Government scheme  which has already paid out £5.6bn. The money has gone almost entirely  to those in business to sell  electricity, ostensibly to ensure the lights stay on in winter. 

The struggling tabloid “I” newspaper was chuffed to be sponsored by Octopus Energy for a four page supplement. It was entitled Energy Saving Special. Which largely consisted of advertising and editorial, urging householders to switch to buying electricity from Octopus. 

The International Energy Agency in Paris has long been a champion of carbon capture and storage development. Nine years ago, they were solemnly projecting that  there would be over one hundred CCS plants operating across the developed world by 2020.

The average supply voltage in the UK is 242V. Because of that electricity supplied to many sites across the UK is higher than necessary and responsible for energy losses in voltage dependant equipment. Electrical Review spoke to Wilson Power Solutions.

Voltage management is an energy saving technique addressing this issue by modifying supply voltage to a site in order to reduce losses in voltage dependent equipment. There are a number of dedicated voltage management solution providers in the UK. But it’s an increasingly well know “secret” that for sites with MV supply, a simple, straight forward and cost effective solution exists that doesn’t require any dedicated voltage management equipment: Managing site supply voltage at source via MV/LV supply transformer(s).

Modernisation can deliver multiple technological, operational and legislative benefits, even in industries where automation has not traditionally played a key role. Elinore Mackay spoke to Alexey Chernik, head of the automation and drives department at Azov Controls.

Within any company, a defective electrical cable has the power to cause significant disruption. Heightened safety risks and interruptions to business operations mean that detecting and resolving these problems is crucial – especially when high voltages are involved. Dan Wagner, operations manager at Smith Brothers, explores the methods, apparatus and expertise involved in specialist cable fault testing.

Clearing operations at Germany’s embattled Hambach Forest , to make way for utility RWE’s proposed  expansion of a lignite coal mine, were halted by a Munster court. Asked to decide whether the forest is protected by EU environmental rules, the judges said RWE did not provide sufficient evidence why cutting down the old forest is, as claimed, to maintain energy supply security. They ordered that deforestation be stopped. 

For years, British proponents of nuclear power have strenuously denied any connection between the production of  nuclear weapons and that of electricity. Remember that compelling slogan Atoms For Peace?