Power quality refers to the stability and performance of the electricity supply compared to technical standards and user requirements. Power quality problems include transient disturbances and longer interruptions that can be caused internally, externally, or by the electricity utility. Examples include transients, short interruptions, surges, sags, and distortions. Power quality incidents can result in costs such as lost data, products out of specification, or destroyed products. Solutions include dual utility supplies, backup generation, uninterruptible power supplies, power conditioners, energy storage, surge protection, installation design, and diagnosis. Power quality issues cost European businesses billions annually.

1. Power Quality
The performance and stability of the electricity supply, compared
with the utility’s technical standards and the requirements of
users.

2. Power Quality Problems
Transient and longer disturbances to the stability of the power
supply. These can be caused:
• internally by the user
• by outside agencies
• or by the electricity utility

3. Examples of Power Quality Problems
Normal supply
Transient
Short interruption
Surge
Sag
Continuous distortion

4. Power Quality Incidents
Incident Resulting costs
Transient Loss of computer data, financial
transactions
Short interruption Product out of specification
Longer interruption Product destroyed
Lightning strike Damage to electrical and
electronic systems
Overloaded neutral conductor Fire, damage to electrical installation

5. Some Power Quality Solutions
• dual supply from utility
• stand-by generation
• uninterruptible power supplies (UPSs)
• power conditioners (filters, solid-state stabilizers)
• energy storage (batteries, capacitors, flywheels)
• lightning protection, current arrestors, surge protection
• electrical installation design or reinforcement
• diagnosis and consultancy

6. Power Quality – Cost of Problems and
Solutions
Cost of
problems
Market for
solutions

7. Power Quality – Business Boundaries
Power Quality
EMC
Electrical
Installations
Power
Factor
Reliability of
Supply
Earthing
Software
Performance
Lightning
Protection

8. Power Quality and Reliability Study
• 2500 power users interviewed
• 6% of business users, 5% of domestic customers dissatisfied
• over 50% of large consumers have experienced voltage
fluctuations
• business users willing to pay 2% more for better quality
Source: OFFER

9. Failures of Business IT Systems
Internal
Viruses
User Error
Others
Power
Failure
External
Viruses
LAN Failure
Theft
Source: BISS 98

10. Market For Power Quality Solutions –
Europe (€400 million)
UPSs
Lightning
Protection
Power
Conditioners
Others
Energy
Storage
Diagnosis,
Consultancy
Source: MMA
Instrumentation

11. Cost of Power Quality Solutions
Controls
Motors
IT System
Local
protection
Site
systems
Supply
improvements
Equipment
specification
utility
Increasing cost
Source: OFFER

12. Cost of Power Quality – Europe (€2 billion)
Other
Commercial
Losses
Commercial
Equipment
Commercial
Transactions
Lost Industrial
Production
Lightning,
Fires
Source: MMA

13. Power Quality – Progress to Date
• large market for power quality equipment
• European standard for power quality
• neutral undersizing recognised in electrical codes
• familiarity with computer crashes and data losses

14. Power Quality - Market Growth Factors
• expanding population of non-linear electrical plant and equipment
• growth in electronic transactions
• increasing recognition of power quality problems and solutions
• more productivity / cost of downtime measurement
• larger IT systems
• smaller less-tolerant microcircuits
• utility policies on switchgear reclosers
• upgrading of existing solutions eg UPSs to power conditioners
• identification of the ageing pattern of electronic equipment

15. Power Quality - Market Challenges
• separate points of insurance focus for
– fires and lightning damage
– computer losses
– production losses
• utility policies on short interruptions
• availability of clean supplies from utility
• need for education, understanding of problems and solutions
• diagnosis of transients, short interruptions, IT system crashes

16. Meeting the Market Challenges
PQ equipment
manufacturers
Infrastructure
suppliers
R&D,
instrumentation
& consultancy
Utilities
Establish
teams
Tackle PQ
problems
Exploit the
opportunities