Extend your inverter battery backup time with these three (3) tips
If you’re using an inverter set then I’m sure you’re already seeing its benefits. One challenge you’re probably already facing is your battery backup time not lasting as long as you would really like it to. Although I’d highlighted some tips to maximize your inverter set up in my previous post, this will focus on your battery.
“My inverter battery doesn’t last long anymore” – This is a popular complaint from users of power backup systems.
Here are three (3) to extend the life of your battery.
- Disconnect extra load when not in use
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Switch to energy-saving appliances
- Allowing the power in the battery to drain completely frequently before recharging damages the inverter battery’s cells. This reduces its lifespan.
So, there you go — three simple ways to extend the life span of your battery, standby power, and save some money too!
- Published in Electricity, Energy, Sustainability
Seven (7) Simple Things You Can Do to Help Protect the Earth
Seven Simple Things You Can Do to Help Protect the Earth
- Reduce, reuse, and recycle. Cut down on what you throw away. Follow the three “R’s” to conserve natural resources and landfill space.
- Volunteer. Volunteer for cleanups in your community. You can get involved in protecting your watershed, too.
- Conserve water. The less water you use, the less runoff and wastewater that eventually end up in the ocean.
- Choose sustainable. Make smart energy choices. Use energy efficient light bulbs to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Flip the light switch off when you leave the room.
- Shop wisely. Buy less plastic and bring a reusable shopping bag.
- Plant a tree. Trees provide food and oxygen. They help save energy, clean the air, and help combat climate change.
- Bike more. Drive less.
- Published in Sustainability
Here are 5 things you should know about mini-grids.
Here are 5 things you should know about mini-grids.
What is a mini-grid?
- According to the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, mini-grid means an integrated local generation and distribution system with an installed capacity below 1 MW, capable of serving numerous end‐users independent of the national grid.
- A mini-grid consists of an isolated electricity generation source that distributes power over a network (grid lines) to a localised group of people.
What are the components of mini-grids?
Most mini-grids have basic components namely:
1. Generation
2. Distribution
3. End User
- The generation consists of various methods of generating power. This could be done using solar PV modules, Wind turbines, Hydropower systems, Biomass, Geothermal or diesel-powered generators.
- Generation could also include a mix of two power sources either renewable or non-renewable thereby making it a hybrid system. In addition, the generation phase includes inverters and energy storage systems (batteries) amongst other necessary things.
- The distribution phase is simply about how power generated gets to the end-user through grid lines, smart meters, household wiring etc.
It is believed that a mini-grid is a cost-effective means of improving energy access to people who are not connected to the main grid.
Did you know that mini-grids can either be isolated from or interconnected with the grid?
Here are a few mini-grid projects we have developed:
2. UNIVERSITY OF IBADAN COLLEGE HOSPITAL
- Published in Energy
3 Energy Management & Saving Tips for Businesses
3 Energy Management & Saving Tips for Businesses
Technology is bringing new efficiencies and cost savings to businesses. It’s an exciting time to be alive. You don’t have to be Elon Musk or Nikola Tesla for your business to start reaping the energy saving benefits of new technologies. Indeed, while many are already being implemented by businesses across industries, others are even approaching a tipping point in their adoption where they’ll become standard best practice in energy management.
Here are three ways to saving tips:
1. Smart Lighting Technology
Smart Lighting technology also allows businesses to better understand their energy needs, automate their consumption, and adapt to real-time to changes in occupancy.
Indeed, some companies have managed to cut energy costs by 75% and improved productivity by 20% by converting to a smart LED lighting system. Smart lighting systems also allow businesses to set preferred lighting times and track activity to improve workflow throughout the facility.
2. Solar Panel Technology
Businesses both large and small are also leveraging increasingly affordable photovoltaic technology to reduce their energy costs.
Indeed, solar power technology offers businesses a two-fold opportunity: to (1) reduce their energy consumption from the grid, and (2) even sell any excess production back into that grid. So not only are businesses able to save on their energy costs, but possibly even subsidize whatever energy consumption they still have to pay for.
3. Automatic Shutdown Sockets
A significant energy cost for many businesses is vampire power draw. Also known as standby power, it “refers to the way electric power is consumed by electronic and electrical appliances while they are switched off (but are designed to draw some power) or in a standby mode.”
This is where Automatic Shutdown Sockets come in. These are simply smart power outlets that use either infrared sensors or timers to cut power to any connected device when the device is not in use or the room is unoccupied. In other words, they allow businesses to save on powering devices whenever they are not in use.
What other tips do you know?
Let us know in the comments section.
- Published in Energy
Group seeks disbandment of proposed transmission charge
The Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission (NERC’s) plan to allow the electricity distribution and trading licensees to introduce competition transition charge by has elicited public criticisms.
The Competition Transition Charge (CTC) is a new rule to make prospective Eligible Customers (EC) and other consumer class, compensate the 11 electricity Distribution Companies (DisCos) for leaving their networks to buy power directly from Generation Companies (GenCos).
NERC had in pursuant to the provisions of Section 28 of the Electric Power Sector Reform Act (EPSRA) in May 2019, published on its website www.nerc.gov.ng a Consultation Paper on a framework for the collection of Competition Transition Charge (CTC) from Eligible Customers (ECs).
“The CTC shall enable Distribution Licensees (DisCos) to recover permitted revenue and return on invested assets arising from the exit of ECs from their network,” NERC had stated.
But Transparency Awareness Group (TANGO), Wednesday, insisted that the decision was taken hastily without due consultation with relevant stakeholders in the society, stressing that the process lacked proper legislative backing with the sole aim of aiding and abetting illegality in the system.
Indeed, National Coordinator of TANGO, Ibrahim Isah, argued that the plan is not transparent and could increase the plight of electricity consumers in Nigeria.
He said: “Following the release of Regulation No NERC-R-111 issued by the Nigerian Electricity Regulatory Commission, NERC, on the 1st November, 2017, for the Nigerian Electricity Service Industry, NESI, the Eligibility Customer Status came into existence to facilitate the off-take of the stranded 2,000 megawatts of electricity that the Distribution Companies, Discos, were not able to distribute and give Life to the Generating companies, GENCos as a source of other income without depending on the DISCOs.
“A few of our members went through harrowing obstacles such as providing, amongst other things, the needed infrastructure like the 132/33kVa Transmission Dedicated Lines to their plants, the intake and the outlet substations to access power under the scheme without any contribution(s) from DISCOs.
“This gave a new lease of life to their production and has simultaneously evacuated part of the 2,000 stranded power with bulk-income accruing to the Gencos and the TCN,” TANGO stated.
With huge losses from stranded electricity and government bailout in the sector as well as epileptic power challenge being faced by industrial sector, Isah stressed that CTC would only favour DisCos, especially the chief proponent and supporter of the dispatch of stranded electricity.
According to him, the removal of the former Managing Director of TCN, Usman Gur Mohammed also created an opportunity for the cartel of Discos to hike the rate of electricity to a level that being an Eligible Customer would become unattractive and meaningless.
“They managed to convince the Federal Ministry of Finance, CBN and NERC to allow the introduction of what they call Competition Transmission Charge CTC. The CTC is to be paid to DisCos without Justification for the Service rendered.
“The CTC is to be paid in addition to the Transmission charges being paid to TCN who is a Custodian of the 132/33kVa dedicated Transmission Lines. As usual, they excluded the major stakeholders; neither do they seek their input or opinion on the matter without representing their interests,” he said.
The group therefore asked President Muhammadu Buhari, and the Senate President, Dr. Ahmad Lawan, to urgently recall the guidelines and adopt a transparent legislative process that will afford all relevant stakeholders the right to make input and contributions to the process in the collective interest of the nation.
This, it said, is to salvage the lives of hundreds of thousands of Nigerian investors.
In paragraphs 4.1(i), 4.2(g) 4.3(f) 4.4(f) and 4.5(d) of the NERC’s guidelines, the agency failed to demonstrate transparency and genuine nationalistic approach in its operations by creating avenues aimed at affording DISCOs the right to charge seamlessly at Eligible Customers, the group noted.
Source: The Guardian
- Published in Uncategorized
