ADVICE & OPINION
POWER TO THE NHS
FMJ AIMS TO SUPPORT TECHNICAL EXPERTISE IN THE FM MARKET
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The NHS operates 24/7, every
day of the year, and a stable and
resilient power supply is critical
across all aspects of the organisation
and its facilities. The NHS is also
committed to achieving an 80 per
cent carbon emission reduction
between 2028 and 2032, to reach net
zero by 2040.
As part of a resilient power strategy
for healthcare, voltage regulation can
lead to real improvements. The National
Grid is obliged to supply users with 230V
power, but typically operates with a
fluctuating voltage. To meet its statutory
requirement, the Grid supplies a higher
average voltage to compensate - around
245V. Most electrical equipment in the
UK is designed to work at 220V and
operating at a voltage higher than
necessary can damage equipment and
shorten its lifespan.
Traditionally, the problem has
been solved through a solution that
transforms the entire voltage to a site,
but this is far from perfect as it leads
to large losses. A modern alternative,
and one which we have incorporated
into more than 6,000 carbon reduction
strategies, is a solution that transforms
only the reduced voltage, meaning far
16 FEBRUARY 2022
lower energy loss. Such technology can
either o„ er a set level reduction for high
but stable incoming voltage profiles,
or dynamically regulate a fluctuating
voltage profile to maintain a specified
set level. Put simply, by lowering the
incoming voltage, overall electricity
consumption is reduced, which
positively impacts on energy costs and
carbon emissions.
Any technology implemented as part
of a power resilience strategy within
the NHS must be proven to be reliable
and fully comply to the technical
requirements and best practice
guidelines laid out in relevant Health
Technical Memoranda (HTM). As power
disruption from the Grid is becoming
an increasing problem for healthcare
providers across the UK, voltage
regulation can help organisations
address this issue.
CASE STUDIES
Here, we look at how two NHS
customers - a large teaching hospital
and a smaller-scale health centre -
cut energy costs and reduce carbon
emissions.
She„ ield Teaching Hospitals is one of
the UK’s largest NHS Foundation Trusts,
employing more than 15,000 sta„ and
caring for over a million patients each
year across five hospitals and within
the local community. Nearly 6,000
sta„ work at The Royal Hallamshire
Hospital, in a wide variety of clinical
and non-clinical roles. The hospital
has around 850 beds for the care of
inpatients, a minor injuries unit, and
specialist outpatient clinics including
a prosthetic eye department and
ophthalmology centre.
While championing a ‘Be Green’
initiative, the Trust has to ensure that
any measures implemented do not
compromise power resilience. All
energy saving initiatives in which the
Trust invests must be tried, tested and
o„ er a good ROI, and all technologies
must be HTM compliant.
Following a comprehensive review
of power usage on-site, Powerstar
recommended implementing
voltage regulation technology. The
installation has achieved a 5.1 per
cent saving in energy consumption,
as well as a reduction in the power
demand from the Grid of 11.57 per
cent. The obvious benefits are a cut
in energy costs as well as a reduction
in the Trust’s carbon emissions as it
works towards NHS net zero targets.
A critical aspect of voltage reduction,
and one which is highly beneficial to
the NHS, is the protection that modern
voltage reduction technology provides
to vital equipment. Life expectancy of
expensive and specialist kit is increased
and maintenance costs reduced -
helping with budgetary constraints and
o„ ering longer-term carbon emission
reduction through less frequent need
for replacement.
While the benefits of a power
resilience strategy are obvious within
the context of large-scale hospitals,
similar benefits are equally evident for
smaller-scale and more locally focused
NHS providers. One such practice is
Widnes Health Care Resource Centre.
Opened in 2006, the Centre and its
infrastructure is relatively new and
home to Oaks Place Surgery, a small
GP practice that has been serving
the people of Widnes for more than
30 years. The aim of the Centre is
to promote and deliver e„ ective,
comprehensive primary health care
services, to the highest standards,
within a friendly and supportive
environment.
Powerstar installed a 226kVA voltage
regulation system at the site. This
has eliminated 46.8 tonnes of carbon
dioxide each year, providing a net
return on investment for the Centre
in two years and three months. As
part of an energy saving and carbon
reduction strategy, this represents a
15.7 per cent reduction in overall energy
consumption. In addition, as part of the
requirement to reduce costs, annual
savings on energy bills are £8,385.
The issues facing the management of
NHS facilities are complex and, as the
organisation continues to work towards
its 2040 target for achieving net zero
in the context of a global pandemic
and a volatile energy market, these
complexities are unlikely to ease. A
successful power resilience strategy can
help, enabling healthcare providers to
ensure stable energy supply as well as
reducing energy costs and protecting
vital equipment.
FAST FACTS