Calculator cuts costs and emissions

To help businesses calculate the energy savings they can make by using a REOWAVE passive filter, power quality specialist REO UK has created an online energy calculator. By simply entering a few key figures, businesses and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) can instantly see the cost savings and reduction in CO₂ emissions they can make by controlling the unwanted interference in their power supply. The calculator is available online here.

In the last twenty years, power quality problems including current harmonics have become a bigger problem in industry. Variable Speed Drives (VSDs), as well as other electrical and electronic equipment often used in industrial and commercial applications can cause unwanted interference on the mains power supply in the form of reactive currents and harmonics. The calculator will show businesses, at a glance, how they can waste less money on energy, increase return on investment and achieve longer product life.

Reactive, or blind current as it’s more commonly known, is the portion of a standard 50Hz AC waveform where the current waveform is out of phase with that of the voltage as a result of inductive or capacitive loads. Because only that portion of a current waveform that is in phase with the voltage delivers real, active power, anything in excess of this can lead to system losses.

In turn, this means that companies that don’t use a power filter such as REOWAVE passive are wasting energy that they pay for. Given rising energy costs, this is something that most companies would be keen to avoid. The calculator allows firms to see the financial savings that they could make by investing in a filter.

“We’ve launched this energy calculator so that businesses can quickly work out how much money they’re wasting on energy costs that can be otherwise avoided,” explained Steve Hughes, Managing Director of REO UK. “It may come as a surprise to many businesses that they could save up to 30% on their energy savings just by eliminating power quality issues. This is even before considering the obvious costs such as those associated with the maintenance, repair and replacement of devices subjected to increased heat and wear as a result of poor power quality.

“Failure to comply with regulation is another area that businesses fall foul of. The IEEE159 and European EN61000-3 standards regulate the amount of harmonic currents that are permitted in electronic equipment to enable Electromagnetic Compatibility (EMC). By using a REOWAVE passive filter, businesses can be assured that their equipment will be in compliance with these standards.

“We’re also aware of the growing concern about CO₂ emissions,” continued Steve. “The UK Government aims to cut CO₂ emissions by 20% by 2020 and a reduction in wasted electricity will have a significant impact towards that. By using our energy saving calculator, businesses can be assured that they are taking steps to reduce their carbon emissions and can share this information with any concerned parties.”