b'Partner News Summer 2020 15EnterpriseVoltage management - a new engineering challenge Managing voltages is a major engineering challenge in an era of unprecedented changes to the way electricity is generated, transmitted, distributed, stored and consumed. Why? Because our ageing power networks were not designed to cope with the plethora of low carbon, intermittent generation coming onlineall of which cause voltages to fluctuate. Or the expected dramatic increase in demand for electricity.Voltage is not just a problem for electricity companies, who can be fined by the regulator for failing to control them. Voltages outside set parameters waste energy and produce excessive carbon. They also cause plant, equipment and appliances used by industrial, business and domestic consumers to use more power and fail early. Conversely, well-managed voltages are carbon-efficient, reduce financial costs and extend asset life. Adding to the problem of new forms of generation, existing networks were not built to deal with the rapid uptake of power-hungry products, including heat pumps, power showers and electric vehicles, whichand management techniques to control are often plugged into weak end-of-the- voltages intelligentlyat a fraction network connections. Even more challengesof the cost of reinforcement.are on the horizon, from ultrafast-charging electric vehicles, to mega-battery storage.Fundamentals also makes a strong case All of them will have an impact on voltagesfor wholesale voltage reduction to and network operators abilities to manageensure compliance, reduce costs, cut thempositive as well as negative.carbon and protect equipment, without compromising customer service. UK-based Fundamentals Limited is a world leader in voltage managementFor example, some of Britains big and has produced a white papersupermarket chains have cut electricity outlining the issues facing the electricityconsumption by up to 5% by actively industry and its customers, togethermanaging voltages on site. with the solutions available.To discover how engineering innovations The company argues that networkare enabling a cleaner, greener future reinforcement is by no means the onlyfor electrical power, read Fundamentals answer, citing a range of innovations fromManaging Voltages in Fast-Changing UK operators that use a combinationNetworks paper here: fundamentalsltd.of new engineering, device installationsco.uk/Low-Voltage-Regulation.'