Every day, companies are working to address issues around sustainability and the energy transition. If it is not new regulations or mandatory energy labels, it is rising energy costs or the capacity of a network that is often at its limit. This also creates new challenges for installers and makes energy management increasingly important for them. To prepare installers for this, ABB is supporting practical courses in a specialized training institute in Ede, a town in the center of the Netherlands.
More than 2,000 years ago, Greek philosopher Aristotle said, : "What one must learn to do, one learns by doing.” This central wisdom is applied in a new course for installers in Ede. The ROVC training institute, which hosts the course for installers supported by ABB, has a long pedigree. For 53 years, it has been providing training and education for the technicians in the Netherlands. Every year, more than 17,000 people follow practical training there. On March 1, 2021, ROVC moved into new premises in Ede. In the new lab, technical professionals can gain knowledge and experience with innovative technologies. Various electrical and mechanical engineering technologies are integrated there, which are part of the practical part of the installation courses. One in particular has proven popular with those active in the energy transition: the energy distribution board from ABB with the InSite energy management system and connected current sensors.
Making buildings smart with the InSite energy management system
The InSite energy management system collects data from energy and power meters, and protection devices such as miniature circuit breakers or surge protective devices via CMS (Circuit Monitoring System) current sensors. In addition, it is possible to integrate digital input and output modules. With these modules it is possible to identify the status of auxiliary and signal contacts and to switch parts of the installation on and off remotely. Reading out water and gas meters is also possible if they are equipped with a pulse output. The associated CMS current sensors accurately and effectively measure all types of current up to 160 A, with each sensor being equipped with its own microprocessor for signal processing. As the CMS current sensors can quickly and directly enclose the cables, they require no additional space on the DIN rail and can be installed during operation, making them perfectly suited for retrofits.
Active Energy Intensity Indicator
Arjan Klomp, one of the trainers at ROVC, explained the attractions of the systems supplied by ABB, "We want to introduce our students to the possibilities and advantages of energy monitoring. We do this by using the many systems integrated in the new building. Energy monitoring and energy management are often linked to a building's energy label. For the training and courses, however, the Active Energy Intensity Indicator (WEii) is used.” WEii is an acronym for the Dutch term `Werkelijke Energie Intensiteit Indicator’’, which is the actual energy intensity indicator. The WEii of a building is determined based on the measured, and thus actual, energy use and floorspace of a building. The applied unit of WEii is kWh per year per m2.
Visualization and visibility of energy consumption
"We were introduced to this indicator when we developed our own building," says Arjan Klomp. "Whereas the energy label of a building says something about the energy efficiency of a building, it makes no statement about the actual energy consumption. The WEii of a building, on the other hand, is based on the actual, measured energy use and the utilized area of the building.
“When you use that as a starting point, you can work in a targeted way to reduce energy consumption. A prerequisite, however, is that you have insight into the energy flows: which device or application consumes what. That fine-grained insight becomes possible with ABB's InSite energy management system. And that is precisely what many building owners and users want."
With the insights provided by the InSite energy management system, users can identify and eliminate inefficiencies in their systems, resulting in significant energy savings and reduced carbon emissions. Its scalability and flexibility make it ideal for implementation in new or existing facilities of any size, such as factories, schools, offices, retail, and anywhere energy saving, and technical management of electrical installations is required.
From main distribution board to end user
The InSite system has been installed in the energy distribution boards supplied by ABB. “This allows us to measure everything from main distributor to end user down to the detail level and gives us full insight into energy consumption. Central to this is a baseline measurement that forms the basis for future measurements. It can effectively address increases in energy consumption. And because wear and tear of equipment often also leads to increased energy consumption, we also gain more insight into and a better grip on equipment maintenance. Thanks to the sensors that we connect to the InSite system, we can set up automatic email notifications, for example if energy consumption becomes too high,'' says Klomp.
Motivating students for energy management
For Arjan and his colleagues, the task now is to make their own experiences accessible to students. "By presenting energy management in this way, students become inspired and motivated. And that is exactly the way we want to provide courses and training. We are convinced that motivation is the key word for success. Together with ABB, we can raise more awareness for this topic - and that is important for the future of the profession as well as our earth!"
