VO or Voltage Optimisation, to do or not to do?
Basically VO (Voltage Optimisation) is a term given to the systematic controlled reduction in the voltages received by an energy consumer to reduce energy use, power demand and reactive power demand. While some voltage ‘optimisation’ devices merely reduce the voltage using a transformer, others give the end-user the ability to control and optimise their electricity supply locally, correcting voltage and power quality problems from the grid, and are designed to do so very efficiently. Voltage optimisation systems are typically installed in series with the mains electrical supply to a building, allowing all its electrical equipment to benefit from an optimised supply.
In the UK, where there is a particular problem with over-voltage, voltage optimisation as an energy conservation is growing rapidly in popularity.
So what does all that mean, well basically if you have 3Phase AC Motors, Lighting (fluorescent), electrical heaters you can get savings of 8%+, for a quite considerable investment (£40-50K+).
Is this any good for us, I have now had two decent consultants (whom I know personally, so trust their opinion) and they are in agreement with myself, VO will not benefit a property with mainly LED lighting, no electrical heaters.
Localised VO units fitted to a supply which directly feeds say for example a fluorescent lighting circuit in the gym (soon to be replaced with SMD strip lighting) will be most beneficial, and can be acquired much cheaper that a unit fitted at the main supply input; these smaller units can be bought for £2-3K each.