Crestchic’s load bank solutions are used to test backup power systems, ensuring that they will work effectively when needed. With businesses increasingly choosing to invest in back-up power systems to reduce the likelihood of costly downtime in the event of a power outage, Crestchic’s rental division is able to supply load banks of various sizes and capacities on both short and long term hire agreements, with offices throughout Europe, the Middle East and across the Asia Pacific.

In his new role, Victor will play a pivotal role in collaborating with customers across the region to understand their power testing requirements. Providing Crestchic’s extensive range of load banks, transformers, and peripherals, Victor will cater to the needs of mission-critical applications in sectors such as oil and gas, utilities, data centres, and defence.

Paul Cotton, European Rental Sales Director at Crestchic, commented, “We are seeing increased demand for power testing systems all over the world, and the market looks set to grow further. We’re delighted to welcome Victor on board. His experience in business development and key account management positions him as a valuable asset to our French team. With a dedication to customer excellence and a growing technical proficiency, Victor is well-equipped to provide comprehensive guidance to customers and support growing demand for Crestchic’s products in the French market.”

Crestchic is no stranger to continuous investment. As well as growing its team significantly over recent months, the company has invested in manufacturing facilities, more than doubling its manufacturing output over the past two years. This ongoing investment in people and infrastructure demonstrates the company’s commitment to delivering high-quality power testing solutions and strengthening its foothold in the global marketplace.

Victor added, “I’m eager to engage with industry professionals throughout France and showcase how Crestchic’s cutting-edge power solutions can bring tangible benefits to organisations.“

To find out more about Crestchic’s range of load banks and power testing solutions in France, visit https://crestchic.fr/ 

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Founded in 1983, Crestchic was created to fill a gap in the market for air-cooled loadbanks to test standby generators, which were increasingly becoming a part of commercial and industrial building development. Founders Jim, David and Jonathan Gould, along with co-founder Ron Bancroft, worked through the night to design and build their first unit in the back room of a local factory. Soon, customers were asking to buy the technology as well as rent it, and the business evolved to offer loadbank rental, sales, and service – a model it retains today.  

Crestchic’s success continued over the years, with strategic geographic expansion and investments in product development, people and premises driving growth in the UK and beyond. From 2015, the business invested more heavily in R&D, introducing Capacitive loadbanks, new control systems, super-fast switching thyristor load banks, and data centre-specific products such as a trailerised load bank.  

In 2022, a strategic focus on key sectors and geographies, as well as investment in people and premises, saw the business increase its revenue by 45% in 2022, and a further 30% in 2023. Earlier this year, the Crestchic Group, which now enjoys a sales and rental presence in the UK, France, Belgium, Germany, Singapore, United Arab Emirates, and the USA, became a wholly owned, yet largely independent, subsidiary of Aggreko. The arrangement ensures increased investment for ongoing innovation and market leadership while allowing Crestchic to retain its own identity and well-earned reputation within the industry.  

Chris Caldwell, MD at Crestchic, commented: “While many of Britain’s manufacturers have suffered a drop in export demand amid pressure from Covid and Brexit, demand for Crestchic’s loadbanks has remained high across the powergen, data centre and marine sectors. To meet demand, we have significantly expanded our manufacturing facilities, fleet, and product portfolio, and made strategic investments in our people and processes. The investment and focus has paid off, and the business is celebrating its 40th year amid significant and sustained growth.” 

For more information about Crestchic, and its range of loadbanks and power testing technology, please visit www.crestchicloadbanks.com  

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Chris Caldwell, Managing Director at Crestchic and member of the AMPS committee, commented: “Innovation is the lifeblood of progress in our sector. As suppliers and manufacturers in the power sector, we must evolve to meet the needs of new and emerging technologies. What we do is inextricably linked to the energy transition and, as we navigate this rapidly changing energy landscape, we must celebrate and support initiatives that embrace working practices which contribute to energy efficiency and sustainability.”

Crestchic has a longstanding history of supporting AMPS, with a track record of success as proud winners in various categories. In 2022, Crestchic won Manufacturer of the Year, Member Company of the Year, and Engineer of the Year, underscoring the company’s dedication to excellence and leadership within the power generation community.

Commenting on Crestchic’s continued support of AMPS, Chris said, ” AMPS provides an invaluable platform for professionals to come together, share knowledge, and recognise outstanding contributions. As we have experienced firsthand, being a part of AMPS fosters a spirit of collaboration and excellence.”

The Energy and Sustainability Award sponsored by Crestchic reflects the company’s commitment to promoting environmentally responsible practices and solutions within the power generation sector. Chris explains, “Sustainability is not just a buzzword; it’s a responsibility we bear as an industry. We know first-hand that delivering carbon savings isn’t a quick win. We’re in the process of switching our fleet to electric vehicles and have installed EV charging points and opted for energy-efficiency lighting systems in our factories – even seemingly small changes can take time and cost commitment. That’s why we are keen to recognise those who are making a meaningful impact in driving sustainable practices and shaping a cleaner, more efficient future.

“We look forward to an exceptional evening on the 16th of November and wish all the finalists the very best of luck.”

The AMPS awards take place on the 16th of November, at the National Motorcycle Museum.

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Formerly known as PowerGen Asia, Enlit Asia aims to foster collaboration among all key players in the ASEAN energy sector, including policymakers, regulators, technology providers, and energy consumers, while also integrating international perspectives from the United States, Europe, and Australia. This event is an ideal opportunity for Crestchic Loadbanks to engage with stakeholders from across the industry to explore the role of load testing in the ongoing energy transition in Southeast Asia.

“With energy demand surging, and a significant shift towards renewable energy sources, there is a pressing need for solutions that will ensure grid reliability and stability, as well as for testing renewable power solutions,” said Paul Brickman, Commercial Director at Crestchic Loadbanks.

Indonesia’s energy landscape is undergoing a transformation. The country accounts for approximately two-fifths of the region’s energy consumption, with energy demand expected to increase significantly. To address this demand, Indonesia is actively reducing its reliance on domestic coal and imported petroleum while increasing its use of renewable energy sources. The government has set ambitious targets to achieve 23% renewable energy use by 2025 and 31% by 2050.

Paul continues, “Load banks play a critical role in this energy transition. Crestchic’s load-testing solutions help to ensure the reliability and performance of power systems, generators, and renewable energy installations. By simulating real-world conditions, load banks enable the testing and optimisation of power infrastructure, helping to identify weaknesses, improve efficiency, and ensure grid stability.”

Crestchic Loadbanks invites visitors to the Enlit Asia event to join the team on Stand 2019 to learn more about their load-testing solutions. With sales and rental offices all over the world, the company is excited to contribute to the discussions that will shape the future of energy in Southeast Asia.

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Bethany’s desire to do the course stemmed from a genuine interest in helping people to reach their goals and full potential. What started as supporting friends and family grew into a professional interest, and Bethany saw the qualification as an ideal start to developing her interest in people and taking it to the next level professionally.

Bethany has been completing the course online and outside of work. If keeping up with online lessons and getting to grips with doing assignments after a 17-year break from education was not enough, Bethany completed the course while also managing a home renovation, supporting her husband to study, and being Mum to two lively young boys!

Bethany explains, “We have been renovating our “dream home” for the past 13 months and should finally be moving in early-mid August! My two sons continuously keep me on my toes with their various activities, and my husband has just graduated from Staffordshire University with a First in BEng(Hons) in Engineering Management. So yes, life is busy! There were a lot of weekends spent on the laptop typing up assignments – it was a shock to the system initially, but I soon got the hang of it and thankfully managed to complete my course successfully.”

As well as achieving her CIPD level 3, Bethany has also recently qualified as a Mental Health First Aider and also passed a very intensive IOSH Managing Safely course, which gives her a very good understanding of managing our engineers when they are on site.

Asked about her future aspirations, Bethany replied, “The qualifications I have gained over recent years give me insight into how Crestchic can support employees to reach their full potential and the importance of a safe, positive work culture and effective communication. I would love to continue my People Practice learning journey and begin my CIPD Level 5 over the Autumn/Winter.”

A huge well done Bethany, from everyone at Crestchic!

Founded in 1983, Crestchic is one of the world’s leading specialist manufacturers of load banks which are used in the testing of power supplies in the most demanding climactic and environmental conditions across seven continents. Operating from locations in the UK, North America, Singapore, France, Germany, Belgium and the Middle East, the company is at the forefront of innovation and design, with thriving sales and rental operations and a loyal and growing customer base worldwide.

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Tackling the issue head-on, technology innovator, G-volution Ltd, in conjunction with COLAS Rail UK, used Crestchic load banks to test the use of a new carbon reduction solution. The technology in question uses a Solid Oxide Fuel Cell (SOFC) to power auxiliary electric power requirements in rail applications, which account for around 10-15% of the total power demand on freight trains. The project is funded by the Department for Transport through the First of a Kind 2022 competition, delivered by Innovate UK.

Paul Howard, Engineering Director at G-volution, comments on the challenges faced by the UK rail industry and the significance of this project:

“Statistically speaking, 25% of all UK passenger trains and 90% of freight trains are diesel-powered. Through the ‘Transport Decarbonisation Plan’, the government has committed to delivering a net zero rail network by 2050. And, while there is a move to remove diesel trains as part of the longer-term plan, it is vital that the industry makes incremental and sustained carbon reductions along the way. As well as providing a greener power source to fulfil auxiliary electric power requirements, the technology will remove the need for diesel powertrains to remain powered up or idling during dwell times, which can cause up to 20% of freight locomotive fuel consumption and emissions.”

Cleaner, greener, and cheaper to operate

G-volution’s concept is based on using a SOFC to supply the auxiliary load required on a Class 37 locomotive. Whilst the engine itself remains diesel powered, auxiliary power is used for various essential on-board systems, including the locomotive’s lighting systems, including headlights, marker lights, and cab lights; the control systems; heating and ventilation; auxiliary equipment such as fans, pumps, compressors, and motors; and the onboard communication systems.

By powering these systems using a greener source of energy, the overall emissions of the locomotive can be reduced significantly. It also means that engines can be switched off when locomotives are in the station, reducing emissions while still having access to auxiliary power for all other on-board requirements.

Importantly, the fuel cells can be combined with dual fuel operation of the diesel engine to provide additional carbon-saving benefits for vehicle operators, offering futureproof options for additional deployment going forwards.

Paul continues: “Like other Freight Operating Companies, Colas Rail has a dependency on heritage locomotive fleets such as the Class 37s. In Colas Rail’s case, this is to support their customer, Network Rail, with data collection, a nationwide operation across the whole of the GB Network. Class 37s are the only locomotive that can do this job due to their low axle weight and RA5 gauge acceptance. The integration of SOFC technology is an exciting prospect for Colas Rail, allowing one of the oldest locomotives on the network to use what could be one of the most efficient power transfer systems available utilising a lower carbon non-fossil fuel.”

Crestchic load banks used to gather critical emissions data

As a proof of concept, G-volution used three 350/700V DC 667kW Crestchic load banks, connected in parallel, to simulate the load generated by the Class 37 diesel locomotive when fuelled by conventional diesel.

By performing the tests, engineers were able to directly measure emissions, including nitrogen oxide, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrocarbons and particulate emissions. With Solid Oxide Fuel Cells known to be virtually free of NOx, SOx, and particulate matter emissions, G-volution was able to use the load bank to gather the data required to prove the concept.

The load banks were equipped with Crestchic’s Corona/Fusion software to allow constant voltage/current function and data capture plus a handheld Terminal controller for ease of use.

Paul continues: “Live tests of this nature require a significant financial and logistical investment, so we needed to be confident that the load banks we were using would perform without fault and give us the data we needed to successfully prove the concept.”

Bringing co-consumption to the rail market

No stranger to carbon reduction projects in the rail industry, G-volution previously developed the Optimiser™ System, a dual-fuel technology that enables diesel engines to combust diesel and Natural Gas (or other greener and cheaper fuels, Bio-LPG, Bio-methane, or Hydrogen) simultaneously, which saves approximately 20%+ on fuel costs and reduces some emissions by up to 90%. The auxiliary power project with Colas Rail was part of the First of a Kind competition 2022, in partnership with Innovate UK, which focused on new concepts that will help to decarbonise the network.

Paul Brickman, Commercial Director, for Crestchic loadbanks concludes:

“G-volution’s technology paves the way for decarbonisation of a historic industry in the UK. Using our load banks to simulate the power load of a locomotive in order to test the efficacy of alternative fuels is the latest exciting project Crestchic has supported for the renewables sector. This is important work for the decarbonisation of major industries and we are proud to play our part in that transition.”

Need load bank testing for your carbon reduction project?

For support employing load bank testing for your decarbonisation project, speak to the Crestchic team today on +44 (0) 1283 531 645 or visit the website here.

ENDS

^{1 https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/statistics/infrastructure-and-emissions/rail-emissions/}

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After joining the Crestchic team in April 2022, Marta approached her manager, Louise, and expressed an interest in learning more about Human Resouces. The company supported her to study for her CIPD Level 3 Foundation Certificate in People Practice at Burton and South Derbyshire College.

Louise explains, “I agreed that it would be a good business decision, as well as a great development opportunity for Marta personally, so Crestchic funded the course. We’re really proud of her achievements and are very pleased to be able to support her to progress in her career.”

On May 25th 2023, Marta attended the CIPD Derbyshire and Nottinghamshire Branch Annual Meeting, where she was awarded Burton and South Derbyshire College’s Student of the Year.

Her tutor said the following: “I have chosen Marta as my nomination for Student of the Year based on various outstanding qualities she has demonstrated throughout the course. Her exceptional attitude in the lessons, combined with her willingness to share stories and offer help to fellow classmates, sets her apart. Marta is remarkable in the ways she maintains the balance between her job, running her own business, looking after her young daughter, and never missing a deadline with her Level 3.

“Marta’s ability to juggle multiple commitments without compromising her dedication to the course is commendable. Her nomination for Student of the Year goes beyond her academic achievements. It reflects her remarkable resilience, determination, and ability to excel in the face of challenging circumstances. I believe Marta’s exceptional qualities and accomplishments make her an ideal candidate for Student of the Year.”

Congratulations to Marta for her award to celebrate all her hard work at college. Good luck with the next level!

Marta is pictured on the right with her tutor on the left..

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Jamie-Lee relocated from her native Glasgow to take up the role of Technical Coordinator in May 2019. A graduate engineer, Jamie-Lee completed her degree in Electrical Electronic and Energy Engineering at Glasgow Caledonian University the year prior to moving to Burton. While undertaking her studies, Jamie-Lee worked in an industrial services rental business, giving her exposure to sectors such as oil & gas, energy, power generation, environment, and construction.

As a recently qualified engineer with sector experience, Jamie-Lee was able to hit the ground running. As technical coordinator, she provided invaluable electrical expertise for rental projects, load bank fleet maintenance, and upgrades worldwide. She also supported the team with stocktaking, as well as liaising with freight forwarders for the shipping of parts and equipment worldwide. 

Her success in the role saw her promoted to the position of Technical Manager (Worldwide Rental). In her new role, Jamie-Lee will continue to provide technical support to the rental depots around the world, but will also assume management responsibility for our rental fleet maintenance and upgrades, working with rental unit directors and managers to ensure that minimum standards are adhered to and where possible exceeded. In addition, she will assume immediate responsibility for the UK-based refurb team. 

Speaking about her role, Jamie-Lee explained: “Crestchic is going from strength to strength and I’m really pleased to take on this new opportunity within the team. As well as enjoying being part of a close-knit team, I enjoy the challenges faced in this industry. Working here has given me the opportunity to get hands on with finding the correct solutions for clients or identifying and implementing improvements to our equipment.” 

As a business, Crestchic is keen to play a part in developing young engineers, working with the local college to help deliver apprenticeship programmes and offer work-experience opportunities, as well as actively recruiting and training apprentices within the business. As a local business, Crestchic also has a big focus on supporting team members to progress in their careers and on promoting from within. 

Chris Caldwell, MD at Crestchic, added “Jamie-Lee joined the team after graduating and relocated to Burton to start her career in engineering. It’s very gratifying that she is now taking her first steps in management with us and I am confident that she has lots to look forward to in the future.”

To find out more about Crestchic products, genset testing or career opportunities, get in touch with us through our contact page.

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The event is expecting over 8,000 attendees across three days, all there to meet and learn from more than 500 exhibitors. The show serves as a business and networking hub for electricity generators, utilities and solutions providers to enjoy face-to-face discussion, and learning opportunities surrounding key industry challenges.

Members of the Crestchic team will be at Booth 2045 throughout the event to discuss how we are supporting the power generation sector. We will showcase our latest technologies and demonstrate our full range of capabilities, including:

• Manufacture and supply of load banks from 20kW up to 7000kW.
• Large multi-megawatt, medium voltage load bank packages to test and synchronise multi-genset systems on a common bus with a lagging power factor
• Resistive-reactive load banks for testing the whole system operation in an emergency change-over scenario
• Capacitive load banks to test with the leading power factor often associated with servers

Steven Bacon, Business Development Manager for Crestchic in North America, commented:

“This will be the 15th year we have taken part in the PowerGen International exhibition. It provides our team with a global stage for showcasing the latest load bank technologies, as well as our service and rental offerings.

“We expect this year’s show to be of particular importance given the global energy crisis. Demand for generators is on the up, which is a clear sign that businesses are reviewing their continuity and energy resilience plans.

“Load banks are a critical part of that planning – with issues around grid reliability, energy shortfalls, and the transition to more sustainable power sources, it has never been more important that operators test their backup power systems.

“The team is looking forward to meeting both existing and up and coming players in the international power generation market to discuss new and emerging trends that will help bring energy resilience to key economies.”

The exhibition will offer a range of technical conferences on sector critical topics, plus a programme of Mega Sessions that will deliver a more general birds-eye view of the challenges and successes happening across the power generation market.

To register for the event, and to learn more about the conferences and sessions, click here.

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Head of French energy regulator RTE, Xavier Piechaczyk, stressed in a recent government briefing to local authorities that power cuts are not inevitable, but explained that the aim was to reach between 40 and 41 gigawatt of available nuclear power by the beginning of January 2023 and end the month with around 43 – significantly less than the nation’s 61 gigawatts of total capacity.

Why doesn’t France have enough power?

In recent months, European nuclear power providers have been scrambling to bridge the deficit created when Moscow cut off gas supplies in retaliation for sanctions imposed by the European Union over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. During this same period, French power supplier EDF experienced an unprecedented number of reactor outages that reduced nuclear output to a 30-year low.

What will happen if electricity supply becomes too low?

Piechaczyk explained that if the country’s electricity monitoring application, Ecowatt, displays a red light in response to dwindling electricity reserves, there would be a need to load users partially off the power grid.

Partial load shedding is a term used to describe the prioritisation of power allocation. The government has issued binding instructions to regional government officials on how to prioritise power if the app displays a red right. In addition, these instructions urge local officials to meet with local authorities and businesses to make sure all emergency power generators are working.

This is an important message for all businesses that want to remain operational during planned power cuts – make sure you have access to a generator, and more importantly, make sure that generator is in full working order. Generators are an emergency energy source, so by their nature, they spend large amounts of time unused, increasing the risk of failure when you need that emergency power most. Testing generators now, before any planned power cuts will ensure that should your business be partially offloaded from the grid, your business will remain operational.

How should French local authorities and businesses check the performance of their generators?

Having a generator in place is the right first step to ensuring your business can remain fully operational during a planned power cut, but this does not guarantee power resilience.

Before the planned power cuts, businesses should conduct thorough testing to validate the reliability and performance of backup power under the types of loads found in real operational conditions. The only way to do this is to use a load bank to simulate the operational load that a generator would encounter. This process “tests” the generator – including fuel, exhaust and cooling systems, and alternator insulation resistance – to ensure that it is fit for purpose in the event that it is called upon.

Ideally, generators should in fact be tested at least annually using a resistive-reactive 0.8pf load bank, to ensure they can perform in real-world emergency conditions. If multiple gensets are run in parallel, they should be run in a synchronised state, ideally for 8 hours but for a minimum of 3. Where a resistive-only load bank is used (1.0pf), testing should be increased to 2-4 times per year at 3 hours per test minimum.

A robust testing regime ensures that generators are effectively tested and system issues can be uncovered in a safe, controlled manner without the cost of major failure or unplanned downtime.

Test now before planned power cuts commence

In reality, not many maintenance engineers uphold a regular testing schedule to ensure the performance of their generators. This puts the generator at risk of failure – with the fuel, exhaust and cooling system untested, along with the potential for embedded moisture, putting the system in the very high-risk category.

For businesses in France, now is the time to rectify this. By using a load bank now to test back up power systems, there is still time to make many essential repairs before the anticipated planned outages. Power resilience is an increasing concern, and the difficulties faced this winter are unlikely to be a one-off. Using a load bank to prepare for the planned outages this year will provide a sound foundation for the development of an ongoing maintenance regime into 2023 and beyond.

To find out more about how to incorporate backup power testing into your business continuity plan, speak to our team here: sales.uk@crestchic.com or use our contact form here: Contact Form

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