Voltage optimisation (VO) offers businesses a way to cut electricity consumption by an average of 8%, helping them reduce costs and improve energy efficiency. Whether your goal is boosting your company’s green credentials or lowering operational expenses, voltage optimisation provides a simple, effective solution. In this article, James Goodby, director at Powerdown220, shares his insights from managing the largest ever VO project in the UK.

Why is Voltage Optimisation Important?

The UK Grid supplies electricity at an average of 242V, even though most electrical equipment is designed to run at 220V. This discrepancy leads to overvoltage, meaning many businesses are using and paying for more electricity than they actually need. Voltage optimisation works by regulating this supply and delivering only the necessary voltage, reducing energy use and improving equipment lifespan.

Investigate Before Investing in Voltage Optimisation

Before deciding on a VO system, it’s essential to gather data on your site’s power supply. Monitoring the voltage stability and load balance across all phases over four to six weeks provides a detailed picture of your energy use. Data loggers offer a passive, non-intrusive method to track this information. This allows for an accurate calculation of potential savings from voltage optimisation, typically down to within 1%. In most cases, the payback period for a VO system is under 18 months, and some providers even offer guarantees on savings.

Another benefit of thorough monitoring is that once a VO system is installed, it requires little to no maintenance. In Goodby’s experience, only about one in ten installations need any follow-up adjustments.

Eliminate Inefficiencies with Voltage Optimisation

While voltage optimisation is effective in cutting energy consumption, not all equipment contributes equally to the savings. LED lighting and variable speed drives, for example, tend to see less benefit from VO. It’s essential to exclude these items when calculating potential savings.

However, even when disregarding 50-70% of a site’s total energy load, significant savings of 5-10% are still achievable. Additionally, voltage optimisation extends the life of overvolted equipment, further reducing maintenance costs.

Integrating Voltage Optimisation with Renewable Energy

Businesses that generate their own electricity through renewable sources like wind or solar power can also benefit from voltage optimisation. Some assume that wasting energy generated by renewables isn’t a concern, but even renewable electricity has a cost. The system’s cost is divided by the kilowatt-hours it generates over its lifetime.

By integrating VO with renewable systems, businesses can improve efficiency, making the electricity they generate go further. VO also allows companies to sell more energy back to the grid, enhancing return on investment (ROI) by reducing energy wastage.

Coordinating Voltage Optimisation for Multiple Sites

For large-scale projects involving multiple sites, meticulous logistical planning is key to a smooth installation process. James Goodby’s experience managing large VO projects highlights the importance of synchronising schedules across production, delivery, and installation teams. In many cases, VO units can be installed in as little as 30 minutes per site, even with installations of 10 to 15 units per day. If you’re considering a multi-site VO rollout, partnering with an experienced provider can help ensure minimal disruption and maximise efficiency.

Voltage Optimisation: Financial and Environmental Benefits

By reducing electricity consumption and extending the lifespan of equipment, voltage optimisation offers both financial and environmental advantages. The technology has proven particularly beneficial for companies like Mitchells & Butlers, which commissioned the UK’s largest VO project. Energy manager Dale Fenton explained that VO “ticked both boxes” of cutting costs and enhancing sustainability.

Wondering if VO could benefit your business? Try our free voltage optimisation savings calculator at Powerdown220.co.uk to see how much you could save.