Electricity costs are among the most burdensome and significant costs charged from medium sized and large enterprises.
Yet, a reasonable entrepreneur ought to find a way to minimise the costs without reducing the efficiency of their operations or actually increasing it thanks to significant savings on electricity charges.
One of useful methods to achieve such savings is reactive power compensation.
Our customers are provided with the following services:
- Analysis of electricity supply invoices
- Electrical measurements
- Designing and selection of reactive power compensation equipment
- Comprehensive compensation system projects
- Compensation system upgrades and activation
- Maintenance and repair of reactive power compensation equipment
What is reactive power?
Reactive power is the part of electricity which pulses between the source of energy and the receiver and is not transformed directly into usable work or heat as it happens in the case of active power.
In addition to active power P=U∙I∙ cosφ, electrical equipment other than resistance based equipment (cosφ≠1) requires reactive power Q=U∙I∙sinφ to operate properly. Energy is taken from the source and, during part of the alternating flow, it is stored by the receiver as electric field or magnetic field energy and returned to the source during another part of the period, when the electric or magnetic field in the receiver disappears. The unit of reactive power (Q) is a var.
The geometric sum of active and reactive power S=√(P²+Q²) constitutes apparent power S=U∙I, whose creation and transmission must be fulfilled by the power supply grid.
- reduces the throughput of transmission lines and transformers
- increases transmission losses and causes additional voltage drops
Electricity suppliers shift the costs related to generation and transmission of reactive power onto recipients and charge them based on tgφ transgressions.
Transmission (so-called pulsing) of reactive power into the power supply grid may be reduced effectively by using compensation systems: automatic condenser batteries– for induction reactive power automatic compensation choke batteries– for capacitive reactive power.
If compensation systems are used, reactive power pulsing occurs within the circuit between the compensation system itself and the receiver, and it does not result in further burdening of the power supply grid in the direction of the source. Therefore, the possibility of “local” generation of reactive power makes it an additional burden in terms of transmission, which ought to be eliminated. The measure of energy consumption is the cosφ= P/S coefficient, used interchangeably with tgφ= Q/P.
How to reduce costs connected with reactive power?
Detailed review of an electricity bill provides a very good insight into whether or not the given entity suffers significant losses on reactive power and of related costs. If the charges are high, it is advisable to get in touch with a reactive power compensation advisor and select an appropriate device for the given enterprise.
Properly selected condenser battery parameters are of key importance for launching the process allowing savings and increasing the operating efficiency of the company’s electrical equipment.
Does installation of a reactive power compensation system pay off?
Depending on overall electricity consumption of the entity and its losses on reactive power so far, investment costs may be returned as soon as within 3 months, but sometimes the process extends to 24 months. Yet, looking from a long-term perspective onto business development and environmental benefits, this is certainly a good and beneficial investment.
Benefits connected with installation of properly selected reactive power compensation systems:
- possibility to reduce or eliminate unnecessary reactive power charges
- return of the costs of investment usually within 3-24 months
- in certain cases, possibility to reduce active power consumption by reducing active power losses
- reduction of electricity losses within the power supply grid
- on a global scale, protection of the environment
A professionally constructed reactive power compensation installation allows savings on many costs connected with fines for an incorrect power coefficient, overloading or damage to equipment.
Our customers have considerably reduced their electricity bills, you can start saving too!