Meticulously designed, data centres must be able to store, process, and distribute vast amounts of data, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. To meet this relentless demand for uninterrupted service data centres combine advanced engineering, architecture, and cutting-edge technology. 

Using comprehensive testing and evaluation, IST ensures that all critical systems work seamlessly together. These tests are conducted after individual systems (like power, cooling, network, and security) have been installed and tested independently. 

Why are Integrated Systems Tests important? 

Tests integrate all critical equipment and systems, conducting rigorous assessments to evaluate and verify functionality, interoperability, and response to simulated failure scenarios. By testing power distribution systems and cooling systems, commissioning managers can verify that systems and components meet specified performance criteria. 

This includes: 

• Verify interoperability: Ensure that systems like power distribution systems, Uninterruptible Power Supplies (UPS), generators, cooling systems, and fire suppression systems work in harmony.
• Assess resilience and reduce risk: Testing allows operators to simulate events such as power outages, equipment failures, and cooling loss to verify that the data centre can continue to operate under these conditions. The tests can also check if backup power systems activate as intended to prevent downtime.
• Safety and compliance: Testing can help to validate that emergency protocols are effective and meet industry regulations, standards and best practices. 
• Performance of electrical systems: Testing allows operators to confirm that the data centre can handle maximum load requirements and ensure that systems like power and cooling can support this load.

What do IST tests cover? 

The Uptime Institute states: “Rigorous, comprehensive commissioning reduces initial failure rates, ensures that the data centre functions as designed, and verifies facility operations capabilities—setting up Operations for success.”

Generally, five levels of testing form the overall process of commissioning a data centre: 

• Level 1: Factory Testing,
• Level 2: Site acceptance inspection 
• Level 3: Pre-functional testing 
• Level 4: Functional Testing,
• Level 5: Integrated System Testing

The below table, from the Uptime Institute, outlines what is covered in each step: 

Level five testing, or integrated systems testing, covers several key areas to ensure reliable and resilient operations. Power systems, including backup generators, UPS systems, power distribution units, and batteries, are tested to confirm they can maintain uninterrupted power.

Cooling systems are verified to ensure they keep temperatures stable even under heavy loads – a vital step for server rooms that exude huge amounts of heat under normal operation. Tests also cover networking infrastructure and fire suppression and security systems. Together, these tests provide a comprehensive view of the data centre’s readiness to handle real-world demands and potential emergencies.

What are the benefits of running an IST?

Prevent unplanned downtime: Modern data centres must operate 24/7.  ISTs can identify weaknesses that might lead to failures during normal operation.

Operational readiness: Ensures the data centre can meet strict Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with minimal risk of failure.

Improved efficiency: Helps to identify areas for operational optimisation, like load balancing in power or cooling systems.

In summary, ISTs are critical because they validate that systems have been designed and commissioned correctly to keep the environment stable, safe, and online—even under stress. This holistic testing approach is critical to minimising risk and maximising reliability in a setting where uptime is everything.

Find out how our 200kW data centre loadbank can help make IST tests more efficient and accurate. Speak to our team now.

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A team of two Crestchic load bank experts, travelled to the 124,000 sq. ft facility in Brazil to complete the work over one and a half weeks.

Ben Woodward, Senior Service Engineer, commented on the project: “Navship has a reputation for efficiency in shipbuilding, and a critical part of that process is using load banks to test the onboard power system of its new vessels. Navship was using an older load bank control system that, due to advancements in microprocessor technology, was becoming difficult to repair and maintain.

“To prevent downtime due to component failure or parts becoming obsolete, Navship commissioned the futureproofing of their load bank control system with Crestchic’s Nova controller technology.”

The role of load banks in shipbuilding

Class-leading vessels are now designed all-electric, with a single power network supplied by a primary energy source, which can be multiple units of diesel or gas turbines.

With an integrated power system like this, propulsion power can be diverted to serve on-ship requirements including refrigeration on cargo vessels, light, heating and air-conditioning on cruise liners and weapons systems on naval ships.

During the build and commissioning phases, it is vital that shipbuilders like Navship can simulate and test (vessel testing) these different loads and the way they interact with each other, to ensure the ship is finished to the highest performance standards. To do this, engineers use containerised load banks that are highly specialised and tailored to meet the demanding shipyard and marine environment.

Improving load bank performance for Navship

Part of the Chouest Group of companies, Navship launched its first vessel in 2006, and has since established itself has a leading example of efficiency in shipbuilding.

Located in Navegantes, Brazil, the expansive facility features an indoor erection building with 14 overhead cranes allowing vessels to be built out of the weather to reduce man-hours and increase quality. Navship’s new floating drydock allows engineers to perform additional inspections and repairs to meet the requirements of its rapidly growing Brazilian fleet.

Rodrigo Scarelli, Deputy Production Coordinator at Navship explained why the load bank controller upgrade was so important: “Load bank testing is an essential step in our highly efficient shipbuilding process. It allows us to accurately and safely test the operation of the vessel in accordance with the most stringent performance guidelines.

“Our fleet is growing quickly, and we needed access to additional test reporting and information, plus the ability to improve the quality standards of our load bank testing in line with the latest requirements. Crestchic’s Nova controller technology allowed us to achieve these objectives and guaranteed the reliability of our load bank equipment for the future.

“With such an efficient shipbuilding process, Navship is dedicated to installing the latest technologies that uphold its vessel construction and commissioning processes. Maintaining uptime in our Navegantes facility is critical, so moving away from legacy equipment that is becoming obsolete is an essential investment.”

Crestchic Nova load bank controller technology
Microprocessor technology is constantly evolving, making components for older hardware increasingly more difficult to source. This, combined with advancements in software functionality were the reasons Crestchic innovated its Nova controller technology.

Designed using the latest microprocessor technology, paired with Orion control system software, this futureproof solution prevents downtime due to component failure or obsolescence.

Engineers are able to operate individual or multiple load banks from a single controller and extend the system to control up to 15 load banks with proportional load-sharing. The high-speed fibre optic control cabling makes the system operable over a much greater distance and the load-step synchronisation mechanism produces clean load switching, both within a single load bank and across multiple units. For the marine sector in particular, the Nova controller with Orion software offers motor test facilities.

Importantly, once upgraded, load banks using the Nova system are compatible with all new build Crestchic products, to offer scalability to growing businesses.

The Orion control system features a large operating interface display, allowing data and frequency response curves to be displayed clearly. Advanced features of the control system can be easily accessed such as graphical display of transient performance at load change, recording of instrumentation data and storage of multi-user-defined load profiles. The Nova AC load bank control system is designed for use in resistive/reactive or resistive-only operations.

30 years’ experience serving the shipbuilding sector vessel testing
Upgrading Navship’s load bank control system, including all elements and elements plates is the latest example of Crestchic’s expertise in the shipbuilding sector. With more than 30 years’ experience in the testing and commissioning of marine generators, from small ferries to super tankers, from conventional engines with propeller shafts to multi-unit all-electric ships, Crestchic’s highly specialised marine and shipyard load banks are widely used for the testing of gensets, gas turbines, UPS and DC systems.

For more information on how Crestchic futureproofs load banks for the shipbuilder vessel testing market, call +44 (0)1283 531 645 or compete the contact form online.

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Arriving onsite, Steven Jewell, service engineer for Crestchic, worked with the European naval team to inspect and commission the load bank built into a 10ft ISO container. 

Steven explains: “The ship’s crew were very interested in overseeing the commissioning of the load bank and before the formal training began, they observed the load bank being inspected inside and out. I conducted insulation tests on the main connection terminals and auxiliary supplies to ensure they were all above 550 megaohms at 500V, then connected the main cables from the ship. 

“There were five cables per phase and earth, and I recommended that the auxiliary supply was used to maintain power to the load bank in case the generator on test was to fail. This way there would still be power for the load bank controls and cooling. The auxiliary power was supplied from the jetty’s distribution panel nearby.”

Load bank training for performance and safety

Once connected, the Crestchic team and the naval crew boarded the ship to begin the formal load bank training. The presentation began with load bank familiarisation and specification, then covered electrical connections, control cable connections, control switches and indicators on the load bank.

The main body of the presentation looked at operating limits, how to successfully use the control systems and software, safety and maintenance. 

Hands-on load bank experience 

After the training, the naval team were given the opportunity to test out what they had learned, using the load bank against the ship’s generator with each attendee operating the software, applying loads, starting and stopping the load bank. 

The Crestchic team used this hands-on session to demonstrate further best practice whilst running tests on the vessel’s generator.

Steven concludes: “Load banks are essential for marine applications, none more so than naval and military vessels where performance can mean life or death. Regularly using a load bank to ensure the generators on board are capable of handling the required loads should form part of the vessels regular maintenance procedures, and knowing how to do this safely and accurately is of great importance. 

“This is why we finish our training sessions with hands-on learning, to ensure that those responsible for working with the load bank are competent in doing so and have the confidence to test with accuracy and in accordance with best practice.”

Load banks for naval applications

There are many electrical systems onboard naval and military vessels that must remain active in the event of a primary power outage. 

Propulsion systems, refrigeration, light, heat and air conditioning, and of course weapon systems. Load bank testing ensures the back-up generator is capable of handling these loads, and how they interact with each other in the event of a primary power failure. 

With over 30 years’ experience in the field, Crestchic’s highly specialised, containerised load banks are widely used by naval forces throughout the world for testing gensets, gas turbines, UPS and DV systems. 

For more information, contact Crestchic on +44 (0)1283 531 645 or complete the online contact form.

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The event was attended by more than 100 customers, suppliers, and senior staff, who were invited to the opening ceremony, a tour of the Crestchic site, and lunch. A ceremonial ribbon-cutting and speech were carried out by former BBC journalist and Times Radio Presenter John Pienaar, and a plaque unveiled by Councillor Philip Hudson, the Mayor of East Staffordshire.

Despite the economic pressures of the pandemic and global political events, Crestchic has seen strong growth in demand for its products. Data centre and energy transition markets are growing rapidly, and demand continues from well-established, traditional sectors, such as critical infrastructure, marine engineering, and extractive industries. The new factory will allow the company to increase manufacturing capacity to respond to the growing demand for sales and rental of load testing equipment in the UK and beyond.

Peter Harris, Executive Chairman at Crestchic, commented, “As well as responding to customer demand, the investment in both our new and existing factories is part of our commitment to continuous improvement. Our vision is to be world-class manufacturers in every sense of the word – in our commitment to innovation, design excellence, product build quality, meeting delivery times and exceeding customer expectations. We’re continuing to invest in our people and technology – bringing on board new expertise and investing in R&D to ensure that Crestchic continues to lead the market.”

Paul Brickman, Commercial Director added, “Power resilience is becoming increasingly important across all industries. Load testing is no longer a nice-to-have, it’s an absolute necessity for any modern business that needs power to operate effectively. We’re undoubtedly seeing this reflected in our order books. The factory will allow us to fulfil demand across all of our existing locations, as well as our new depots in Antwerp and Texas. As we ramp up our production, we hope to open more depots to serve our rapidly growing global market.”

The senior team also thanked everyone who had been involved in the delivery of the new building, including architects and structural engineers AJS Structural Design; project manager/quantity surveyor Amsons-Barlow; main contractors BFG; electrical contractors SCI; planning advisor JMI Planning and everyone at Crestchic who had played a part. Everyone who works across the three Crestchic manufacturing and office sites was also invited to enjoy a celebratory lunch.

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Here, we explore why this is not the case, and offer best practice advice for ensuring power resilience through regular testing of your backup generator power system.

1. The impact of onsite conditions

Factory conditions do not replicate the environment found onsite. It is, therefore, vital to consider variables such as climate, humidity and temperature differences, and how these will affect the performance of your UPS and backup power system once in-situ.

Even simple fluctuations in temperature can affect run time performance, battery capacity, cut off voltage, gassing and thermal runaway in UPS systems. Humidity and climate fluctuations can also cause longer-term performance issues including corrosion and condensation.

2. Factory conditions are rarely replicable

When tested at the factory, your backup generator will undoubtedly have been put through rigorous testing. However, even with the very best of testing, the fuel supply system, exhaust system, and cooling will differ from the system used in operational conditions. Equally, it won’t have been connected to your specific electrical system, with its own array of circuit breakers, instrumentation, and automatic changeover switches. The fact that the genset now has to operate to capacity with all these different supplying factors is reason enough to test at commissioning regardless of how recent a factory test was performed.

3. The impact of transportation and installation

At the point of factory testing, your equipment has been subjected to very little movement or human intervention. It has been constructed in a carefully controlled environment and handled with the utmost care. But by the time it reaches the point of installation, this sensitive equipment has been lifted, transported, installed, commissioned, and adjusted by human hands. Any one of these processes may throw performance off kilter. Again, the impact may not be visible straight away. For this reason, it is critical that power systems are tested in-situ, regularly and for backup power, this means using a load bank.

Testing backup power using a load bank

A load bank is used to create an electrical load that imitates the operational or ‘real’ load that a backup generator would use in normal operational conditions. In short, load banks are used to test, support, or protect a critical backup power source and ensure that it is fit for purpose in the event that it is called upon.

Ideally, all generators should be tested annually for real-world emergency conditions using a resistive-reactive 0.8pf load bank. Best practice dictates that all gensets (where there are multiple) should be run in a synchronised state, ideally for 8 hours but for a minimum of 3.

Where a reactive-only load bank is used, testing should be increased to 2-4 times per year at 3 hours per test. In carrying out this testing and maintenance, fuel, exhaust and cooling systems and alternator insulation resistance are effectively tested and system issues can be uncovered in a safe, controlled manner without the cost of major failure or unplanned downtime.

Secure power resilience for your facility

For more information on using a load bank to ensure power resilience for your facility, contact our team here.

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Battery failures

One of the most common causes of generator problems is battery failure. In short, a failed battery won’t supply the current the generator needs to start. Battery problems can be caused by sulfation build up, which occurs when the lead sulfates in the electrolyte begin to coat the battery’s lead plates. As the sulfation builds on the plates, it inhibits the electrical conversion, preventing the battery from providing the current needed to start the generator.

Dirty and loose connections are the culprit for a host of battery problems, from a build-up of lead debris in the sedimentary trays to open cells caused by overcurrent or insufficient battery capacity. Preventative maintenance is key to overcoming these issues and overcoming potential failure before it occurs. Cleaning and tightening of cable connections and monitoring the charge rates on a regular basis will help to ensure that your backup generator works as expected in the event of a power outage.

It is also worth bearing in mind that battery failure can occur when the charger breaker is open or tripped. This is usually due to human error, when the charger has been switched off for maintenance. Ensure all testing and maintenance is carried out by a skilled professional who will follow the relevant steps and procedures to fully check a generator is working properly after maintenance or repairs.

Coolant levels and overheating in generators

Low levels of coolant in the system cause overheating, leading to a whole host of other issues, from melted bearings, warped crankshafts and overheated cylinder heads through to damage to the radiator core, exhaust valves and valve guides.

Overheating can be caused by low coolant levels, which may indicate a leak somewhere in the system, commonly the block heater hoses. To prevent issues, hoses should be checked regularly for signs of wear, bulges and cracking; clamps should be tightened to reduce the likelihood of leaks; and coolant antifreeze and additives should be maintained to prevent pitting and engine damage. However, while checking the system and keeping an eye out for puddles of coolant is important, overheating can also be caused by a build-up of dirt and debris, a broken fan or fan belt, clogged injectors or air filters, or low oil levels.

The only way to accurately test a cooling system and ensure that the thermostats are fully open is to test the generator under load. Weekly running, while vital to the overall health of the system, simply won’t cause the thermostat to open enough to test the system – making load bank testing the best way to mitigate any issues.

Leaks or “wet stacking” on generators

Very often, problems that are perceived to be oil leaks are actually caused by “wet stacking”, where thick, dark liquid drips from the engine’s exhaust and turbo chargers. Wet stacking usually happens when engines operate significantly below their rated output level (recommended levels vary between manufacturers). This kind of excessive no-load run time causes a build-up of unburned fuel deposits around the combustion chamber, injector nozzles, piston rings, turbo charger and exhaust. This, combined with condensed water results in carbon particles and moisture gathering around the exhaust system.

The potential impact of wet-stacking includes reduced power, increased emissions and increased operational costs. When this happens, the engine can be cleaned up by running it at full load to burn off excess fuel, using a load bank to place a load on the system. If the generator is used below the rated output level on a regular or consistent basis, consider pairing it with a load bank more permanently to keep it running at 70-80% of rated capacity and prevent a “wet stacking” from occurring. A load tracking load bank is ideal for this application.

Emissions Issues with generators

With emissions controls becoming increasingly stringent, the use of exhaust aftertreatment systems is becoming more commonplace. These tend to require the engine to be running at an optimum load / temperature. If the generator does not have sufficient load the performance of the aftertreatment could be compromised, in this instance a load bank can be used to ensure sufficient load is provided to allow the generator to run at its optimal performance level.

Fuel issues with generators
The increased level of bio content in fuel can exacerbate stagnating fuel issues causing microbial build-up in the fuel. Ultimately, this build-up could result in the generator being unable to run when called upon. Polishing / cleaning the fuel removes harmful sediment such as water, sludge and microbial contamination through filtration and circulation

Some generators are equipped with an auto shutdown mechanism when the fuel reaches critical levels. Running out of fuel, or problems caused by fuel stagnating in the system, can be avoided by maintaining the fuel tanks and checking them for water and contaminants which can damage the system. By the same token, high fuel level alarms can be activated by natural thermal expansion of the fuel on a hot day.

Human error

Naturally, there are times when simple human error can cause the generator not to start up when needed. The most common issues relate to switches being left in the wrong position when weekly checks are made. Control switches, battery chargers, ground fault sensors and switchgear are often switched off as part of routine checks, making it important that these are checked and reset to prevent non-start situations, ideally by a trained and experienced technician.

Alternator integrity in generators

The alternator is the part of the generator which converts the mechanical energy of the engine into electrical energy, making it vital to the effective performance of the system. Alternator housing, windings, bearings, controls and cooling system should all be included in your maintenance. A resistive-reactive load bank test will help to identify any problems and test the alternator’s capability to provide the required voltage and pinpoint any work that needs to be done to prevent the failure of the generator.

The role of load bank testing a generator and back up power supply

The reality is often that those in charge of maintaining backup power have no regular testing schedule, making an assumption that occasionally powering the generator up, testing for a minimal period, or a visual inspection, will overcome any potential issues. By not testing the system adequately, the generator is put 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.

Using a load bank overcomes this risk, by applying a load to the generator which imitates the operational or ‘real’ load that a generator would use in normal operational conditions. Properly planned and implemented, load banks can be used as part of a preventative maintenance strategy, minimising the likelihood of unscheduled breakdowns and outages and effectively negating the potential risk of downtime.

To talk to our team about your future load testing needs, please contact us.

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At one point on Friday 26th November, 74,000 customers were without power in England’s North West region, along with a further 88,000 in the Southwest. In Scotland, 120,000 people, along with businesses and transport networks, lost power due to “catastrophic” damage to the electricity network.

The cost of the damage is yet to be calculated, but as customers up and down the UK reel from days without power, businesses are still counting the costs.

Lost power, lost productivity, lost profits

Mohammad Khan, general insurance leader at PwC UK, said on Monday: “Insurance companies have been fielding a high volume of calls over the weekend and today on Storm Arwen. Most of the calls have been in relation to home and car damage. However, as is usual with a major storm; the claims from businesses take longer to be reported and to assess.”

With extreme weather events such as this one, a large proportion of the financial impact will be from damaged roofs and buildings. However, for businesses, the costs of being without power can go beyond the more obvious structural impacts.

Paul Brickman, Sales and Marketing Director at Cresthic Loadbanks, explains: “Most businesses need power to operate, especially in today’s ever-connected world. The impact varies by sector, from loss of production and orders to complete closure. In financial terms, lost sales, wages for staff that are unable to work, production halt or lost data can all add up. Data from the Beast from the East suggested that the 2017 storm cost the UK economy up to £1bn per day in lost productivity.”

Making the case for backup power

With extreme weather events such as this one becoming increasingly commonplace, many businesses are looking at ways to ensure that productivity isn’t impacted in the event of an outage. Having access to reliable backup power could help to keep the lights on, as well as minimising the impact of power cuts – but only if the system is fit for purpose and regularly maintained

1. Assess the potential impact of a power cut: Calculating return on investment is a key part of justifying any business expenditure. When investing in backup power systems, understand what the impact of a power loss would be on your site. Which of your systems rely on power to operate? Could you continue to trade without power? Calculate the cost of potential disruption based on loss of sales, ongoing reputational damage, or missed order deadlines.
2. Make sure backup systems work effectively: Once you’ve decided to invest in backup power, make sure the system is fit for purpose and has adequate capacity to meet your needs. Test your systems at commissioning and on an ongoing basis to ensure they can meet critical loads in the event of any lapse in supply.

As a manufacturer and supplier of power testing equipment, Crestchic is seeing an uptick in demand for load banks. The technology is used to test backup power systems by applying a dummy load to the system – a process that helps to ensure that the backup and all its components will work as they should in the event of an emergency.

Paul continues, “Our data suggests that many businesses are becoming wise to the need for backup power – especially with some very high profile blackouts and weather events in recent memory. However, many fail to realise that testing is just as vital a step as having a backup solution. Failure to test could render backup completely useless.

“With so many companies impacted by the recent storm, we urge business owners and managers to think about their backup power. If you have backup but haven’t tested it, then please do. It could make all the difference.”

For advice about testing your power systems, contact us here : sales@crestchic.co.uk

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In an attempt to provide commissioning services, keep our customers happy and ensure that the new load bank gets the best start in life, we have recently filmed a self-commissioning instructional video, with the help of professional filming company All Video Productions Ltd. Crestchic’s leading engineer, Ben Woodward, takes viewers through an intuitive step by step tutorial to enable a load bank to function correctly on site.

If you are a Crestchic customer and require access to this video, please contact our team on sales@crestchic.com.

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Electricity under lockdown
Life under lockdown has led to a shift in the daily routines of millions of people. Offices with banks of computers and power-hungry air conditioning are closed, factories are operating on a skeleton staff or are temporarily shut, shops and commercial centres are on lockdown. The electrical demands of commercial and industrial settings have lessened significantly. At the same time, the lockdown has shifted the demands of consumers. Data suggests we’re getting up and staying up later, shifting our patterns of energy consumption along with our body clocks, while the massive increase in subscriptions to the likes of Netflix and Disney Plus is also evidence of the trend towards increased power consumption during the evening.

This pattern is being borne out by electricity networks across the globe. In New York, power consumption during the morning rush hour has fallen by as much as 18%, while Japan has recorded a 5% drop in power use during weekdays. In the UK, the National Grid has warned that record low demand for electricity during the coronavirus lockdown could see supply outstrip demand which, in turn, could lead to blackouts.

Why is fluctuating demand an issue?
It stands to reason that blackouts are likely to occur when the demand for electricity exceeds supply. Conversely, too much electricity can also be a problem, causing the frequency on the grid to rise and potentially causing damage to infrastructure as well as problems on local energy grids. The combination of high levels of power generation and low demand can also reduce the energy system’s resilience to sudden changes in frequency, which can lead to temporary blackouts.
In April 2020, just as the UK government announced the extension of lockdown plans, National Grid published a statement which suggested that demand for electricity could fall 20% below normal levels, potentially leading to an oversupply of electricity and subsequent issues with continuity of power. Put simply, the UK may experience blackouts.

Balancing supply and demand
Historically, power in the UK has been supplied by a small number of large power stations, such as coal or nuclear. These huge power generation plants are inflexible, taking hours to shut down safely, reducing their ability to make any fast changes to supply. As supply evolves and the world switches towards greener and more sustainable sources of power, there is even more variability in supply – bringing with it further fluctuations along with an ability to be more responsive to change.

Flexible windfarms can power down quickly, switching off at short notice to avoid overwhelming the grid. Hydropower also offers a solution, harnessing excess energy to pump water into lakes into order to effectively stem the flow of power to the grid. While battery storage is seeing increased investment, further work is needed before it provides a viable solution to storing sufficient energy to balance grid fluctuations. Yet, despite these measures and their ability to be more responsive to changing demand, there’s no denying that the increased prevalence of smaller, intermittent sources can themselves result in varying power outputs and instability in supply. The high frequencies caused by high supply coupled with low demand can be very damaging to the transmission and distribution infrastructure, making HV cables bulge and putting transformers and switchgear under greater strain, as power becomes greater than original directional flow design. This was already an issue in areas of major solar generation, such as the South West.
In ‘normal’ circumstances, the grid’s frequency control demand management programme would help to mitigate these fluctuations. Major commercial and industrial consumers are incentivised to scale back or rapidly ramp-up their consumption of power to balance peaks and troughs. While pre-agreeing this pattern is a plausible option, using it as a way to mitigate risk in times of crisis isn’t something that can easily be achieved. Very few businesses have processes that they can turn up quickly to increase demand to the grid and, with many of the UK’s high-intensity power consumers currently inactive due to shutdown, there’s a declining pool of candidates willing and able to do so.

The role of load banks
A load bank offers the perfect power consumption solution to the issue of oversupply, providing a fast-acting, safe, major energy user that can be easily “plugged” into the grid. In simple terms, they can be used to manage and shed power overloads in order to prevent damage. Excess energy can be diverted from the energy network and power lines into load banks, which can then be safely dissipated as hot air.

Load banks are designed to replicate, prove and verify the real-life demands on critical power systems. As such, they are most often used to test back-up power generators and back up power systems. With modern life absolutely reliant on electricity to power everything from our personal lives to our transport, our businesses to our hospitals, load banks have a critical role to play in ensuring continuity of supply. Their role in shedding and dissipating overloads is lesser-known. Yet, in testing times, none the less valid in terms of ensuring the UK has the power it needs – especially with critical infrastructure such as hospitals reliant on uninterrupted supplies.

Whilst load banks have only recently played a small part for balancing the grid, load bank rental offers a viable, immediate and temporary solution to the issue of oversupply. With stability of supply reliant on the grid keeping the frequency at 50hz, load banks can act as a pressure relief valve, making a discernible, safe and immediate difference in an emergency situation, mitigating the risks caused by oversupply and reducing the likelihood of the UK being left without power.

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One of the most sophisticated units of its type, the loadbank forms an integral part of the University’s microgrid system, which is the first of its kind at a UK university Campus. The Energy Centre’s mission is to provide an environment where SMEs can develop, analyse and demonstrate their new energy technologies. The Crestchic loadbank will be used to replicate variable loads that might be expected to happen in the future when microgrid networks are predicted to transform the energy world.

The loadbank pioneers new algorithms for the load balancing of a micro-grid as part of a control system provided by ABB. The system, which can be operated remotely, allows users to manage the microgrid, enabling the integration and optimum utilisation of multiple energy sources and storage units connected to the same local power network. Access to an advanced and multi-vector micro-grid assists in product development, evaluation and demonstration of technologies including customer trials. ABB was selected to deploy the control system for the state-of-the-art system which also includes a CHP (combined heat and power) unit, diesel generation, solar photovoltaic (PV) plant, and a new energy storage facility, as well as the Crestchic loadbank.

The key aim of the microgrid solution is to demonstrate how DER (distributed energy resource) technologies can work together to minimise fuel costs and emissions within an islanded grid.

The University of Chester was established in 1839 and is one of the oldest higher education institutions in the country. The Energy Centre, located at the University’s Thornton Science Park, is a major research and innovation hub, and test bay space is available for short or medium term occupancy. Thornton is also home to the institution’s Faculty of Science and Engineering. At Thornton Science Park, businesses have the opportunity to join a thriving community of companies, drawing on active support and collaboration with the University and the expertise and facilities of the Faculty of Science and Engineering. The vast site is equipped with high-end industrial laboratories, workshops and office space, and provides a flexible place where industry and academia come together to innovate, develop and demonstrate advances in energy, environment, automotive and advanced manufacturing technology. The Energy Centre development was funded from the Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership (CWLEP), who contributed £6.8m as part of the LEP’s growth deal along with £8m from the University to create a visionary facility for the development, testing and demonstration of current and future energy technologies.

Paul Brickman, Sales and Marketing Director at Crestchic said: “We are proud to work with an institution that is so committed to the development and progress of the energy sector in the UK. The loadbank we have provided allows for vital work to be completed that will help cut emissions and drive innovation. This will also be a useful tool to fulfil the needs of the Government’s Industrial Strategy.”

Paul Vernon, Senior Executive Director of Commercial Operations and CEO of Thornton Research Properties Limited at the University of Chester, said: “The Energy Centre has been created to demonstrate and promote the development of the latest technologies and forms part of a wider energy focus for Thornton Science Park. The Crestchic loadbank is a very exciting development that provides a platform for learning and is a great example of industry and academia working together to address real-world issues.”

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