Water and Effluent Treatment Magazine
Issue link: https://read.utilityweek.co.uk/i/283328
22 WET NEWS MARCH 2014 Alderney WTW and supply pumping station Knapp Mill (L&R) are two of three operational demand response sites that Sembcorp Bournemouth Water has. Demand response allows standby generators to be tested 'on-load' and at full capacity, making it an ideal way to prove engine resilience and optimise performance. Generating power on demand • Demand response is helping UK water treatment works and supply pumping stations to reduce energy consumption, avoid peak tariffs, lower energy bills and reduce CO2 emissions. Ziko Abram, director and co-founder of KiWi Power, explains. TECHKNOW • Reducing pumping operations for short periods of time, or shifting them to off-peak hours, can have an immediate impact on electricity demand • The programme offers financial savings on energy bills • Demand response allows standby generators to be tested 'on-load' and at full capacity • A reliable contingency for back-up power in the event of a black out or grid failure W hen several sites, whether they are ho- tels, NHS hospitals, airports, retail distribution centres or water treatment plants all agree to participate in a demand response event, then several megawatts (MW) of combined aggregated power can, in effect, be removed from a congested electricity network at short notice. This allows grid operators to avoid bringing polluting power stations fully online in order to provide extra capacity, or prevents the need to import expensive energy from abroad. The water industry accounts for around 5 million tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. In other words just 23 companies generate almost 1% of the UK's GHG emissions. Furthermore, water treat- ment plants could find them- selves responsible for more than doubling emissions as tighter water regulations take effect under the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD Decarbonising the electric- ity grid and generating more energy from renewables are two ways that could help the water industry meet emission reduction targets. If water companies can reduce pumping activities for short periods of time, or shi" them to off-peak hours, they can have an immediate impact on their electricity demand without requiring any capital investment. PROJECT SPECS • Help the water industry decarbonise the electricity grid, lower its carbon footprint and reduce CO2 emissions • Remove several megawatts (MW) of combined aggregated power from a congested electricity network at short notice THE VERDICT Demand response enables companies to provide a mechanism to optimise their pump scheduling, as well as utilise standby generation assets whilst delivering a revenue stream back to the business. Sembcorp Bournemouth Water is reviewing other potential sites having recognised the financial and operational benefits of the programme. ONSITE ONSITE DEMAND RESPONSE Sembcorp Bournemouth Water (SBW) is implementing demand response to better manage its electricity demand. SBW supplies more than 140 million litres of drinking water each day to nearly half a million people from its base in Bournemouth, and has net- work coverage in parts of Dor- set, Hampshire and Wiltshire. Currently, SBW has three operational demand response sites, which utilise assets at water treatment works and supply pumping stations at Alderney, Stanbridge and Knapp Mill. Demand response pro- grammes are able to utilise standby power assets following dispatch calls from National Grid to turn down energy con- sumption when the grid is busy. By participating in DR, SBW is not only saving money on its energy bills, it also ben- efits from having a reliable con- tingency for back-up power in the event of a black out or grid failure. Resilience testing Like a car engine, generators require frequent use to keep them working efficiently and, in order to ensure emergency preparedness, should be tested at least once a month. Testing 'off-load' can cause poor com- bustion, soot formation, clog- ging of injector rings and un- burnt fuel creating oil contamination. Fuel kept in storage for extended periods of time can lead to further deterioration and damage. Demand response allows standby generators to be tested 'on-load' and at full capacity, making it an ideal way to prove engine resilience and optimise performance. Generators are most valuable in DR programmes where they are able to synchronise with the mains grid supply because they can support significant site electrical loads. Should SBW decide to respond to a DR event, opera- tors working in the main