Arloid Automation of London is launching a new partnership programme to enable property professionals and specifiers to access AI technology to reduce their customers’ energy use in the properties they manage in a move towards sustainability, net-zero carbon and savings on utility bills. This is also increasingly important with a
Barhale has been awarded a £4.5M contract by Thames Water to install a protective liner to minimise the impact of a third party tunnel boring machine on north London’s important Middle Level Two (ML2) Sewer. The protection liner to the ML2, part of Joseph Bazalgette’s transformative Victorian sewer system, will
Anglian Water is set to upgrade Ashton’s Water Recycling Centre (WRC), near Northampton. The firm is to install new equipment which will remove phosphorous from wastewater, improving river water quality nearby. Work began on site at Ashton WRC this month and is expected to finish by March 2023. As the
Yorkshire-based high voltage electrical engineering and contracting firm Smith Brothers has expanded its workforce with the appointment of two key hires and a pair of promotions. The onboarding coincides with promotions for existing colleagues too, as the business focuses on continuing to build its industry-leading engineering capabilities and innovative sustainable energy
When E.ON Energy, a UK power company, identified internal corrosion to water cooling lines that serviced its Connah’s Quay gas-fired Power Station in Flintshire, North Wales it called on Fyfe FRP’s UK approved applicator, Construction Composites UK (CCUK), to carry out emergency repairs. The company’s design and maintenance team had
Following the recent agreement to provide export cables for sister project the Norfolk Boreas Wind Farm, Vattenfall has today signed a contract with preferred bidders, DEME Group and LS Cable & System, for export cables for Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm. The consortium will provide around 180km of High Voltage
Dynamic Containment is making headlines in the field of batteries, but increasing the yield of the energy market is a much more important topic for investors. A speeding-up UK energy change is uplifting news for battery ventures. Inexhaustible targets are rising quickly. Coal, atomic and CCGT limit is resigning. The
Conrad Energy, the largest flexible power producer in the UK, continues to put supporting the transition to a low carbon economy at the heart of their strategic plans. Conrad Energy are delighted to have been awarded a stability pathfinder contract with National Grid ESO to help enable the operation of the UK’s
A UK developer has used Elon Musk company’s technology to deploy 98MW/196MWh storage system near grid-connection point for world’s largest wind at sea project. This makes it the largest facility of its kind in the UK and, indeed, in all of Europe. Harmony Energy confirmed last Monday that the Pillswood
Utilities have worked on a new joint venture that will create extra infrastructure and reduce roadworks for residents in the East End of London. For the past 18 months, UK Power Networks and Thames Water have been working with the Mayor of London’s Infrastructure Coordination Service and the London Borough
Arloid Automation of London is launching a new partnership programme to enable property professionals and specifiers to access AI technology to reduce their customers’ energy use in the properties they manage in a move towards sustainability, net-zero carbon and savings on utility bills. This is also increasingly important with a lack of certainty as to energy supply provision towards the end of 2023. Property professionals and specifiers are invited to join the partnership programme to offer their customers a reduction in their energy costs, as well as providing energy efficient buildings and an additional income stream. Developers, construction companies, building and facilities managers, utility providers, security companies, energy saving companies are all invited to join the partnership programme. Arloid Automation offers training and marketing resources to industry partners to support them in providing AI solutions to their customers and thus bring significant energy and carbon savings to a wider market. Artificial intelligence – used in conjunction with any building management system – can fine tune the operation of a building’s heating, ventilation and air conditioning systems with remarkable precision. This results in increased comfort for building occupants coupled with energy savings of up to 22%. “We are looking forward to introducing new partnerships across Europe, Turkey, and the United States. Our established partners in the Middle East are going from strength to strength resulting in additional revenue streams, energy reduction for tenants and sought after buildings with lower ongoing bills,” said Dr. Andrey Seleznev, Chief Commercial Officer at Arloid. It’s becoming increasingly clear that energy use needs to be reduced now to preserve and ensure that supplies are available in the future as well as lowering carbon emissions. The built environment has the most potential as it is responsible for about 40% of global energy use and emits around a third of the greenhouse gases (according to the United Nations Environment Programme). Property professionals and specifiers are invited to be a part of the solution by partnering with Arloid Automation to make this happen: the operation of a building management system with AI technology is now available but it is only possible by working together that the move can be made towards a more sustainable, resilient future. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Barhale has been awarded a £4.5M contract by Thames Water to install a protective liner to minimise the impact of a third party tunnel boring machine on north London’s important Middle Level Two (ML2) Sewer. The protection liner to the ML2, part of Joseph Bazalgette’s transformative Victorian sewer system, will see civil engineering and infrastructure specialist Barhale install a 75 metre length of non-structural liner. It will protect the 2 metre sewer while the Tunnel Boring Machines (TBMs) for HS2 pass beneath. The relining will take the form of a series of steel hoops installed at 600mm intervals internally to the existing sewer with additional supports and bracing added between. Access to install the liner will be provided by two shafts – one existing and one new. The latter will be constructed at a point where the route of HS2 will be in closest proximity to the sewer to optimise monitoring. The shaft will be constructed as a caisson but installed using underpinning from the collar rather than by jacking so avoiding pressure on the 19th Century, brick-constructed sewer. ML2 carries third party cables and additional measures have been put in place to ensure they are not disturbed. Steve Hills, Contracts Manager at Barhale, said that the work was an important measure. “The ML2 has been an important part of the capital’s infrastructure for more than one hundred years,” he said. “While it has more than stood the test of time, it is prudent to make sure that it is fully protected as HS2’s TBMs pass below. “Every element of these works has been carefully planned and designed so that there is the least impact on the sewer through construction and the maximum protection afforded for the future. “That design philosophy of minimising impact has also extended above ground where we have planned to minimise disruption as we negotiate an historic part of London around Regents Park.” Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Anglian Water is set to upgrade Ashton’s Water Recycling Centre (WRC), near Northampton. The firm is to install new equipment which will remove phosphorous from wastewater, improving river water quality nearby. Work began on site at Ashton WRC this month and is expected to finish by March 2023. As the upgrades are taking place on site at the WRC, Anglian Water customers in the Ashton area should not experience any disruption during the scheme. Phosphorous is widely used in soaps and cleaning products but can be harmful to wildlife when it reaches rivers and other watercourses. The investment at Ashton WRC, which is worth £4 million, includes new equipment to strengthen the current water recycling process and remove even more phosphorous from wastewater. “We’re really pleased that these upgrades to Ashton’s Water Recycling Centre will help to protect nearby rivers and increase our resilience to climate change, by helping us make sure the wastewater is treated to an even higher standard than usual before it’s returned to the natural environment,” said Polly Garrod, Regional Treatment Manager. “We know how important rivers and the wider environment are to our customers and local communities. That’s why we’ve committed through our Get River Positive programme that our water recycling processes will not harm rivers.” Anglian Water’s team has used detailed modelling of the local system to design a robust engineering scheme which will help to protect local watercourses in Ashton now and in the future. This investment means the water entering the River Tove from Ashton WRC will be even cleaner, protecting wildlife and water quality in the river, as well as other downstream watercourses. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Yorkshire-based high voltage electrical engineering and contracting firm Smith Brothers has expanded its workforce with the appointment of two key hires and a pair of promotions. The onboarding coincides with promotions for existing colleagues too, as the business focuses on continuing to build its industry-leading engineering capabilities and innovative sustainable energy solutions for public and private sector customers. Joining as SHEQ manager, Mark Bush will oversee health and safety within the organisation, to ensure the welfare of colleagues on-site and in the offices – protecting both mental and physical health. An experienced Safety Health Environment and Quality specialist, Mark has a wealth of experience in the electrical transmission sector – notably with Morrison Energy Services, Babcock International Group, and Siemens Wind Power. Elsewhere, Jerry Connolly has been appointed as a quantity surveyor, to manage the commercial elements of projects. Most recently having worked on the delivery team for Morrison Delivery Services, Jerry brings 41 years of experience on a wealth of builds, such as the Qatar airport extension, Mersey Gateway Bridge, and Eagles Meadow, Wrexham. Meanwhile, Liam Smith has moved into the position of operations manager – having first joined the company as an apprentice in 2006. In his new role, Liam will support on the delivery of all design projects, services, and infrastructure – orchestrating the day-to-day running of all the site staff. And finally, Alex Dixon has been promoted to tendering manager, and will oversee all incoming and outgoing project bids – with the aim of filling Smith Brothers’ order book for 2023 and beyond. Speaking about the organisation’s growing workforce, Dave Ogden, Smith Brothers commercial director, said: “At a time when sustainable power generation is a topic at the forefront of many minds, we are incredibly proud of the business we have – and central to that is our people and our culture. “Our new colleagues will prove critical to building our reputation in the high voltage power electrical engineering sector, and build on already impressive customer retention levels. In terms of the promotions within the team, they are thoroughly deserved and, from our point of view, it is important we recognise our colleagues and consistently provide an environment where they can continue to develop.” Established in 1999, Smith Brothers has bases in Elland and Sheffield and has worked with a vast range of organisations ranging from major nationwide utilities providers and blue chip brands, to local SMEs and construction partners. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
When E.ON Energy, a UK power company, identified internal corrosion to water cooling lines that serviced its Connah’s Quay gas-fired Power Station in Flintshire, North Wales it called on Fyfe FRP’s UK approved applicator, Construction Composites UK (CCUK), to carry out emergency repairs. The company’s design and maintenance team had carried out internal surveys of the lines and learned that the concrete encased steel pipes were corroded internally to a point where an exposed section of the pipe, that sat above the ground was at risk of failing. The team understood that was a clear risk of failure if repairs were not immediate to the 900mm diameter cooling water lines. These lines are used to carry water from a nearby river to the condensers at the power plant. If left to fail the power plant would be forced to halt operations resulting in a lengthy disruption to the power supply of E.ON’s residential and business customers. The company would also be faced with a costly bill to replace the condenser lines all together. The corrosion was likely caused by decades of continuous use; for large diameter pipes made from steel, ductile iron, or concrete, corrosion can lead to deterioration – threatening the structural integrity of the networks. CCUK worked with E.ON’s technical team to design an external composite wrap system that was able to take the full pressure of the line should a fail occur. Using a combination of bidirectional and unidirectional composite Fyfe FRP strengthening system, an emergency repair was carried out. A section of the pipe was excavated to allow surface preparation including crack repair works to the host pipe and the formation of a smooth transition where pipe diameters reduced using specialist epoxy mortars. All works were carried out during planned shutdowns and each repair took days under reduced pressure without significantly affecting the running of the station. The power station now has a fully encapsulated high pressure repair, complete with UV stable coating in place, that is deigned to take the full water pressure within the line. CCUK’s Operations and Marketing Director, Jamie Dempster said: “Our specialist repairs team was called to survey the 900mm diameter cooling water pipes, owned by E.ON Energy. We quickly determined that Fyfe’s carbon fibre strengthening system would be the quickest and simplest way to repair the pipes. “It took one week for our team to strengthen and restore the pipes, allowing them to regain their original structural integrity and continue normal function”. Jamie said the UK power and water industries are in need of innovative solutions which will provide structural strengthening, the upgrade of internal pressure capacity and a significant extension to the service-life of these structures. “Time and cost-effective technologies are required, while minimum disturbance and disruption of everyday operations during any repair work are necessary,” he added. Fyfe’s FRP system is extremely lightweight, versatile, and stronger than steel and being a carbon fibre product, it is environmentally friendly, making it a well-suited repair solution for the UK energy giant, whose ethos states “we’re taking action for climate”. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Following the recent agreement to provide export cables for sister project the Norfolk Boreas Wind Farm, Vattenfall has today signed a contract with preferred bidders, DEME Group and LS Cable & System, for export cables for Norfolk Vanguard Offshore Wind Farm. The consortium will provide around 180km of High Voltage Direct Current (HVDC) export cables for the onshore route and around 320km for the offshore route for the whole of the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone and will connect it to the national transmission electricity grid. Choosing innovative HVDC cables has allowed Vattenfall to cut the size of the cable route by a third, reducing the impact on the local area and making the project more sustainable. Catrin Jung, Head of Offshore Wind at Vattenfall, said: “We’re delighted to have taken the next step with LS Cable & System and DEME Group who will provide the export cables for the whole Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone. This is a big milestone for the project which is vital to deliver fossil-free living within a generation.” Rob Anderson, Project Director of Vattenfall’s Norfolk Zone, said: “It’s great to be working with our partners and using innovative, sustainable technologies for the Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone. Alongside the potential to level-up East Anglia with new green collar jobs and supply chain opportunities, the Zone has a critical role in delivering net zero in the UK.” Philip Scheers, Business Unit Director at DEME Offshore, said: “We are very proud that Vattenfall has again chosen to partner DEME and LS Cable & and System for this scope and that we will ultimately provide the cables for the entire Norfolk Offshore Wind Zone. DEME is doing its utmost to achieve net zero emissions and it is fantastic to stand shoulder to shoulder with pioneers such as Vattenfall, who shares our vision for a sustainable world.” Mr. Hyungwon Kim, LS Cable and System Executive, said: “We are pleased to announce the 320kV DC XLPE offshore cable being supplied by LS Cable and System will be manufactured solely with renewable energy which is also certified by LS’s Environmental Product Declaration Certification. We would like to thank our client Vattenfall and our partner DEME offshore with whom we look forward to working to bring clean, green energy to the UK from British offshore wind. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Dynamic Containment is making headlines in the field of batteries, but increasing the yield of the energy market is a much more important topic for investors. A speeding-up UK energy change is uplifting news for battery ventures. Inexhaustible targets are rising quickly. Coal, atomic and CCGT limit is resigning. The cold, low wind, and atomic blackouts have seen the network giving six power edge see across Winter 2020-21, with market cost signals answering appropriately. As sustainable volumes develop and firm limit resigns, there is set to be a primary expansion in these times of snugness, bringing about rising returns for adaptable resources. UK battery returns have been out of this world across the colder time of year, principally because of high incomes from the new Dynamic Containment (DC) recurrence reaction administration. In the present article, we take a gander at the elements set to disintegrate the DC party excitement. We likewise backtest battery gets back from wholesale & balancing markets and set out why this is a more significant story for battery financial backers. Dynamic containment is evolving National Grid presented another DC recurrence reaction administration in Q4 2020 which has considerably expanded UK battery incomes. Graph 1 shows Grid’s interest in this assistance (concealed in green – up to 1.4GW) which as of now altogether surpasses the battery limit ready to supply DC (the light blue line – around 0.7GW). Graph 1: Pricing & Volume of Dynamic Containment Source: National Grid ESO What might be compared to 150 £/kW/year in annualized income terms? DC incomes at these levels are altogether higher than both: Therefore it right now pays for battery administrators to concentrate on DC versus energy market choices, despite the fact that we are beginning to see more cross-market streamlining. Prior to dashing out to put resources into batteries to gather these profits, there are a few changes coming to the DC market that mean a lot to process. The network has hailed a bunch of DC rule acclimations to produce results from late this mid-year. These include: The point of these progressions is to boost battery administrators to offer the minimal expense of administration arrangement, better objective necessities, and lessen by and large expenses. Benchmarking battery revenue shows that the progressions will likewise reasonably drive more batteries into the energy market at night tops, which are for the most part a time of lower recurrence reaction interest, expanding cross-income stream enhancement. The auxiliary services party is beyond midnight Dynamic Containment is endorsing exceptionally sound battery returns in 2021. However, incomes at current levels are a transitory peculiarity. The rollout of the new battery limit in the UK is set to rapidly surpass Grid’s interest in DC administration services (which is probably going to remain somewhat steady). At the place of immersion, premium returns in the DC market will be disintegrated away and this is probably going to happen generally rapidly. There is as of now a little more than 1 GW of battery limit on the web. Another GW will go far to depleting the DC punch bowl. When DC immersion is reached, the evaluation of DC (and its cousin FFR) will be driven by the gamble-changed assumptions for incomes in the lot further energy market (for example discount and adjusting markets). This doesn’t imply that recurrence reaction incomes vanish out, however, they are set to be consigned to ‘side show’ status comparative with energy market returns in the income stack. The DC party might be seething right now, however, the shrewd financial backer cash is looking past DC to the discount and adjusting incomes that drive battery venture cases. So we should investigate how energy market incomes have been advancing behind the fervor of DC. Backtesting battery energy market incomes Graph 2 shows our examination of feasible battery incomes, expecting enhancement against verifiable wholesale and Balancing Mechanism (BM) costs across the most recent 5 years for a 90-minute length battery. Graph 2: Backtested battery energy market incomes (90-minute length) Source: Timera Energy This examination is run utilizing Timera’s stochastic battery dispatch advancement model. This model has upheld interest in many battery projects across Europe. Its remarkable component is it reproduces the viable dynamic interaction that a merchant faces while dispatching a battery (for example catching cost vulnerability and defective foreknowledge). We know this since we work straightforwardly with a few exchanging work areas dispatching batteries. The backtesting investigation includes improving the dispatch of the battery against authentic costs. Our methodology successively ventures through Day-Ahead, Within-Day, and BM optimization (plus the last re-advancement following BM dispatch). At each moment, choices are made in view of accessible market data (flawed premonition). The most frequently cited authentic benchmark for high adaptable resource edges is Winter 2016-17, driven by French atomic blackouts. 2018-19 was a more troublesome period for flex resource returns in the UK, with warm and blustery circumstances and a hearty limit-hold edge. Battery incomes rose altogether in 2020 and have been fundamentally higher across Winter 2020-21, outperforming levels of Winter 2016-17. As a benchmark, battery energy edge found the middle value of 6.8 £/kW/month in Q1 2021 (82 £/kW/year on an annualized premise). This mirrors the fixing UK market balance (with the conclusion and retiring of coal, CCGT, and atomic plants) as well as a quickly rising infiltration of renewables. These patterns are set to characterize the development of the UK power market for a long time to come. DC is getting battery titles in 2021, however, fundamentally expanding energy market returns is a significantly more significant story for financial backers. Building, Design and Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Conrad Energy, the largest flexible power producer in the UK, continues to put supporting the transition to a low carbon economy at the heart of their strategic plans. Conrad Energy are delighted to have been awarded a stability pathfinder contract with National Grid ESO to help enable the operation of the UK’s national electricity transmission network with zero-carbon by 2025 and to set up the UK to deliver a net zero electricity system from 2035. Sonia Quiterio, Conrad Energy’s New Business Director, said: “This contract award represents a major win to support the UK’s net zero strategy and stabilise the UK’s electricity network. This technology will provide stability services for at least 30 years. These contracts will keep building strong foundations for us to deliver a better world for generations to come.“ Julian Leslie, ESO Head of Networks, said: “These new contracts represent a major milestone in delivering a low-carbon network for the future and will help support the delivery of our 2025 ambition to be able to operate the network at zero-carbon. These contracts demonstrate the type of savings that can be made and the importance of investing in net zero now in order to unlock benefits for consumers for the future.“ Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
A UK developer has used Elon Musk company’s technology to deploy 98MW/196MWh storage system near grid-connection point for world’s largest wind at sea project. This makes it the largest facility of its kind in the UK and, indeed, in all of Europe. Harmony Energy confirmed last Monday that the Pillswood project had been successfully operationalised. It is located in the village of Cottingham, adjacent to the National Grid’s electricity substation at Creyde Beck. Construction has been managed by Tesla, whose Megapack battery products make up the array. The substation where Pillswood is based is the proposed connection point for the first two phases of the Dogger Bank wind farm. This facility will be the world’s largest offshore wind farm once completed, at 3.6GW. It will consist of three 1.2GW phases and the first is set to come online in 2023. The battery storage facility will be crucial to maximizing the efficiency of Dogger Bank. Due to the intermittent nature of renewable electricity, it is beneficial to be able to store electricity in case supply is low at times of high demand. Similarly, there may be high supply at times of low demand, forcing the curtailment of energy. Originally, half of the Pillswood project’s capacity was set to become operational this side of the new year, with the other half due to come online in March 2023. The timetable has been accelerated on National Grid’s request, to help build in more energy security and flexibility this winter amid record-high wholesale energy prices. Harmony Energy’s director Perer Kavanagh said that “all stakeholders have recognised the importance of achieving energisation for this project ahead of winter” despite “a very challenging geopolitical and global supply chain environment”. Kavanagh added: “Battery energy storage systems are essential to unlocking the full potential of renewable energy in the UK, and we hope this particular one highlights Yorkshire as a leader in green energy solutions. “These projects are not supported by taxpayer subsidy and will play a major role in contributing to the net-zero transition, as well as ensuring the future security of the UK’s energy supply and reduced reliance on foreign gas imports.” A rapidly growing sector Harmony Energy is planning to bring five other utility-scale battery energy storage projects online within the next year. It is far from the only company looking to scale its battery storage portfolio in the UK. Back in April, trade body RenewableUK revealed that the UK’s energy storage pipeline had doubled within less than a year, surpassing 32GW. The UK Government’s Energy Security Strategy, published in April, is headlined with an ambition for 95% of the UK’s electricity generation to be low-carbon by 2030. Unabated fossil-fuelled electricity generation should then come offline by 2035. The Conservative Party’s approach prioritises growing nuclear and offshore wind to meet these goals. RenewableUK believes that, as well as the UK Government’s increased support for renewable electricity in the main, the growth of the energy storage pipeline is attributable to a decision to relax planning rules, first announced in summer 2020 and enacted in December 2020. The change enabled local planning authorities to make decisions on larger projects, lifting the previous 50MW cap for England and the previous 250MW cap for Wales, after which point Government intervention was previously needed. We are expecting further major policy changes to be made to support long-duration, large-scale energy storage by 2024. These changes will primarily impact technologies which don’t rely on batteries, such as pumped hydro. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
Utilities have worked on a new joint venture that will create extra infrastructure and reduce roadworks for residents in the East End of London. For the past 18 months, UK Power Networks and Thames Water have been working with the Mayor of London’s Infrastructure Coordination Service and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets to develop a future-proofing pilot project. As the Isle of Dogs in Tower Hamlets, is a high growth area likely to need new utilities for future developments, extra cabling tubes have been laid during current excavation work in Byng Street.UK Power Networks, Thames Water, the Mayor’s Infrastructure Coordination Service and the London Borough of Tower Hamlets who fund the project, are driving forward a ‘dig-once ‘approach to avoid future disruption. Delivering quick and efficient roadworks earned UK Power Networks multiple national awards over the past two years, including jointly winning the Highways Partnership Award just last month (October). Now the company is collaborating on this unique scheme. Colin Smith, streetworks manager at UK Power Networks, said: “From ensuring work sites are compliant and safe, to letting people know about our works at an early stage, we do all we can to minimise disruption for people whenever possible. This influential scheme of works will help to secure vital supplies for this area in years to come.” Engineers at UK Power Networks work in consultation with local businesses and community groups, to minimise disruption during the essential work and the collaboration is helping to foster innovation. Deputy mayor for Planning, Regeneration and Skills at Greater London Authority, Jules Pipe CBE, said: “The Byng Street project is a successful example of utility companies and highway authorities collaborating to future-proof strategic locations in high-growth areas. Driving forward the dig-once approach, it demonstrates how innovation in infrastructure delivery brings benefits to local residents, businesses and the environment.” Simon Moore, head of London planning at Thames Water, said: “It makes sense for utility companies such as ourselves and UK Power Networks to better collaborate with the highways authorities. Working closely together we can provide a more streamlined service for local residents and businesses across London and ensure the capital’s infrastructure is ready to meet the challenges of aging assets, climate change and population growth. “Schemes such as in Byng Street show that by working together we can collectively deliver critical asset renewal programmes more quickly, less disruptively and more cost effectively.” UK Power Networks delivers electricity to 2.3 million London properties including homes, businesses, schools and hospitals. With more than 10 million people due to be living in London by 2030, the firm is making sure the electricity network is ready for the future. Building, Design & Construction Magazine | The Choice of Industry Professionals
