Council achieves success with voltage optimisation
As part of a campaign to reduce carbon emissions by nearly 30% by 2014 (based on 2008/9 figures) Reigate & Banstead Borough Council is installing Voltis voltage-optimisation units from Marshall-Tufflex Energy Management. The first unit, rated at 300 A, has been installed in Reigate Town Hall and is achieving electricity savings of nearly 10%. A second 300 A unit is to be installed in the Harlequin Theatre at Redhill, and the council is also considering installing a unit in a leisure centre.
Raymond Dill, environmental initiatives officer, says, ‘We had looked at voltage optimisation previously, but were uncertain whether it worked. We therefore researched the system more thoroughly. I still had my doubts, but looked at the savings predicted from Voltis and considered that even if it delivered half those savings it would achieve the required 5-year payback criteria. We trialled it and were pleasantly surprised. I am happy with it, and the savings are good.
‘My view now is don’t hesitate to put voltage optimisation in at the first stage of any carbon-reduction programme. Other systems such as energy-saving lighting may lessen the impact of voltage optimisation, but by the time you have installed them you will already have made significant savings with Voltis.’
The system in Reigate Town Hall was installed over a weekend to minimise disruption to the 250 staff working there. Public-sector energy-efficiency fund Salix provided 50% of the project funding.
