News

June 2008

Volvo Ocean Race competitors rely on standby power from UPS Systems

UPS Systems plc has again been asked by the organisers of the Volvo Ocean Race to provide standby power for the boats whilst at sea.

Since 2001 we have been producing specially designed standby battery units to a specification required by the Volvo Fleet.

Using high capacity Nickel Metal-Hydride (NiMh) cells these power supplies incorporate a circuit which divides the battery bank into two so that it can be automatically charged from the boat’s main supply when needed, while preventing back-feed. The rugged units are designed for harsh environments, where the boats are pounded hour after hour and ordinary units would fail in the salty environment.

The 2008-9 race starts in Alicante on October 4th, and is due to finish in St Petersburg almost nine months later.  En route, the teams will also visit Cape Town, Singapore, Rio De Janeiro, Boston and Stockholm.  The worst weather conditions are usually encountered in the Southern Ocean where waves sometimes top 30 metres and winds can reach 60 knots.

The boats transmit their position continuously so that race watchers, staff and families can see the ongoing progress made by each vessel.  Should the boats’ power be disconnected for maintenance, the standby power units will ensure that GPS position-fixing, sailing instrumentation and radio transmission equipment continue to function, and that onlookers are not alarmed by any sudden loss of transmission.

A long time supporter of international competition sailing, UPS Systems’ Managing Director Tom Sperrey was a crew member on Norsk Data GB during the 1985-86 event.

Follow all the action in this year's race at www.volvooceanrace.org

---

 

May 2008

UPS Systems completes major Data Centre installation

UPS Systems has successfully installed a total Standby Power and cooling solution for a new high-security Data Centre located on the outskirts of London.

Working on behalf of a consortium of technology and service providers, UPS Systems was responsible for the design, supply, installation and commissioning of the server room solution comprising UPS, power management and protection, containment cooling and chilling systems.

The solution included 80kVA UPS (in N+1 mode), 18 high-density racks (averaging 12kW per rack), containment cooling via ten in-row CRAC units in a hot aisle / cold aisle configuration, and two 125kW chillers to cool power management / protection systems.

Total responsibility for planning and project managing all delivery, installation and commissioning activities lay with Mark Trafford, UPS Systems’ account manager. This was a complex task because of the power demanded by the systems, the cooling required to maintain IT working temperature, all on the 4th Floor of a multi-tenanted building. The challenge was not eased with the demanding timescales that had to be met.

As specialists in both Standby Power and Data Centres, UPS Systems has delivered a number of total turnkey projects involving rack installations, cabling infrastructures, cooling and air conditioning for Data Centres.

Commenting on the project, Mark said: “I believe our experience of similar projects has proven invaluable. Our approach was to assemble a team of experienced, high quality partners, familiar with meeting deadlines in a professional and flexible way. Working to our strengths, we ensured daily communication with the stakeholders, paid close attention to detail and liaised with the Building Management team.

“This meant that, although there were many constraints in terms of working hours, noise, other contractors and the consideration of other tenants, we were still able to deliver and install all the systems on time. In fact all the systems were fully working and operational by the due date – a fantastic achievement by the team we had assembled.”

---

 

April 2008

Merthyr Tydfil Council

Merthyr Tydfil Council provides a diverse range of local services for the benefit of residents and those who visit or work in the borough. Many of these services are critical and some could potentially have life or death consequences should the Council’s information and communications infrastructure fail to operate because of a mains power outage. 

Merthyr's Civic Centre, comprises a Computer Room (housing 70 rack-mounted servers and running the Council’s primary information systems),  a telephone exchange (controlling more than 1,000 extensions) and two Communications Rooms (which act as the nerve centres of an IT network supporting 400 staff in the Civic Centre and a further 1,600 people in other locations, including schools).

Within the same building, the Council also has a CCTV Control Centre where 70 cameras are constantly monitored to warn of traffic congestion and help reduce crime and unsocial behaviour.  Another crucial activity is the Lifeline Service where the elderly or those at risk can seek immediate assistance from the Council’s Social Services or Emergency Services through specially modified telephones and transmitters installed in their own homes. 

The continuing availability of Merthyr’s ICT infrastructure is therefore absolutely critical to service delivery within the borough. 

As part of its Continuity Plans, the Council has a Standby Power strategy which requires it to deliver stored or generated power to all its critical systems in the event of a mains power outage. A site survey concluded that the Council's 30kVA UPS was in bypass mode because it was 120% overloaded. Glen Jones, the Council’s IT Manager, then contacted UPS Systems to replace the UPS with a more powerful system and to recommend where standby power systems should be upgraded.

UPS Systems' Account Manager, Sharon Whitelock visited the site.  As the existing system was significantly overloaded it was important to specify a solution that could handle a large diverse critical load as well as keep pace with the expected growth over the next 5 years.  Sharon put together a specification that included a generator, a UPS powerful enough to support the Computer Room, Communications Rooms, Telephone Exchange, CCTV system and the Lifeline Centre; with an air conditioning unit for the UPS room.

Sourcing and integrating the various components of such a system is one of the strengths that UPS Systems is able to offer its customers.  The company’s breadth of expertise and manufacturer contacts ensures that customers receive the right products and services for their requirements. As a result, Sharon was able to recommend a 330kVA generator from Lightning Generator to provide back-up power for the entire Civic Centre site, and a 120kVA Riello Master Plus to replace the old UPS; the Riello unit is regarded as one of the most generator compatible and environmentally friendly systems available. 

Finally, to ensure that standby power would always be available, whatever the circumstances, Sharon recommended a maintenance contract that incorporated the REMO® remote monitoring service.  REMO® operates 24-hours a day, 7-days a week, and should an alarm condition be identified on either the Council’s UPS or generator, the UPS Systems Service team in Hungerford is alerted immediately. The Service team are able to assess whether the alert is of a critical or warning nature, and notify Council staff accordingly.  The contract also guarantees that, if necessary, a skilled engineer will be on-site within 4-hours at any time of the week, day or night.

---

 

March 2008

Supporting Cancer Research UK

Everyone at UPS Systems is encouraged to vote for the company’s nominated charity.  This year they voted for Cancer Research UK which now becomes the focus for all company fundraising activities in 2008.

Account manager Damian Brooks, this year’s fundraising co-ordinator, is full of new ideas for raising cash.

Says Damian: “Cancer Research is a great choice.  I know how effectively they spend their income and what terrific results they’ve achieved.  I’m really pleased that my colleagues have chosen such a good cause to support this year.  It’s my job to find ways that all our stakeholders – our directors, my colleagues and their families, our partners or our customers – can each contribute to the cause.”

"I’m very encouraged by the initial response from our team. We’ve already received some very generous pledges: three colleagues have entered Half Marathons for Cancer Research, another has pledged money to stop smoking, items have been raffled and, across the company, we’re looking to have dress-down days to which we will all contribute. To keep the profile high, we're publishing a full programme of events on our internal Intranet, and have already placed Cancer Research collection boxes in our reception and at different locations throughout our offices.”

---

 

February 2008

Data Centre World

During February we exhibited at Data Centre World where there was considerable interest in our ability to deliver total turnkey projects for Data Centres and large-scale IT infrastructures. Indeed, we were the only exhibitor present able to discuss total Standby Power solutions including uninterruptible power supplies, generators, fuel cells, power management, server cooling and air conditioning.

Visitors to our stand were also be able to discuss fuel cells as alternatives to generators for IT back-up power, and REMO® our remote monitoring service that supports mixed configurations of UPS, generators and fuel cells.

---

 

January 2008

Doing our bit to save Planet Earth

As specialists in Standby Power, we are acutely aware of the impact that we have on the environment and recognise that the world supply of carbon fuels is finite. 

On behalf of our customers, we have spent the past five years tracking new developments in fuel cell technology and bringing them to market as ‘clean’ alternatives to diesel generators. (for info, please click here)

Our Environmental Issues Policy recognises our responsibilities as both a business and an employer.  The policy focuses on programmes of continual improvement in eliminating waste, recycling waste and saving energy. For example:

• Staff are encouraged to reduce the volume of paper printed; to print only where necessary and to print double-sided where possible.  Unwanted paper (out-of-date documents, magazines, reports etc.) is now shredded in readiness for pulping and recycling.
• Where paper-based communications are still required, we are switching to the use of 100% recycled paper for internal use, whilst our goal is that all printed material and sales collateral will use stationery produced from at least 50% recovered fibre (certified as an FSC mixed sources product).
• We have started the process of measuring our carbon footprint. This allows us to measure the CO² emissions for which we are responsible and better understand the environmental impact of decisions that we make.
• Fuel is saved by reducing the number of journeys we make and, where convenient, by sharing vehicles. 
• We seek to reduce power wastage by the use of low voltage lighting, switching off unnecessary lights and ensuring that computers and electronic equipment are turned off overnight
• All hazardous waste (batteries, electronic components, light fittings etc.) is stored separately, prior to removal and safe disposal.  We employ specialists to ensure a secure, controlled and environmentally correct disposal service.
• Kitchen waste (tea bags, fruit peelings, ground coffee) is now collected before being recycled as garden compost.

UPS Systems plc - a GREEN company

---

 

November 2007

Presenting fuel cells as a real Standby Power alternative

Tom Sperrey, UPS Systems' Managing Director, has been on the road presenting the company's unique experience in implementing fuel cell standby power solutions.

Having already been a guest speaker at manufacturer events in Leeds, Birmingham and Bristol, Tom has recently completed a series of technical seminars at venues in London, Reading and Manchester.

In addition, Tom has been busy presenting the fuel cell story to local branches of the IET (the Institution of Engineering and Technology).

Should you wish to discuss a similar presentation, whether for international consulting engineers or a branch of the IET, please call Nick Heaps, UPS Systems Marketing Manager on 01488 680 500.

 

October 2007

M&E 2007, Building Services Week, Olympia

Our stand at M&E Building Services Week was extremely busy. As the only independent Standby Power company exhibiting, we were able to talk about a wider range of power solutions than any other exhibitor present.

Visitors to the show were able to discuss their total Standby Power requirements. These ranged from single UPS units to N+1 and parallel redundant systems across a wide spectrum of applications. Visitors were also interested in our power generation solutions incorporating natural gas and diesel generators through to fuel cells.

The technologies that attracted most interest were fuel cell Standby Power systems. At an entry level, we are now able to provide direct methanol fuel cells from 65W; these are integrated with a UPS and are ideal for remote telemetry applications. We also provide hydrogen fuel cells and UPS, designed to provide the Standby Power necessary to protect small and medium-sized computer rooms. These are integrated in rack-mounted systems and available across the 1.3kW to 60kW power ranges.

If you were unable to attend M&E 2007 but would like to know more about the solutions we were presenting, please call us on 01488 680 500.

---

 

September 2007

10th Grove Fuel Cell Symposium

Between September 25th and 27th, we exhibited at the 10th Grove Fuel Cell Symposium, Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre, Westminster.

The Grove Symposium is the largest fuel cell event in Europe. As the UK’s most experienced implementer of fuel cell Standby Power, we were able to demonstrate direct methanol and hydrogen based products that span the 65 Watt to 60 kW power range. The range of solutions we discussed were applicable to remote communications and telemetry applications right through to Standby Power for computer rooms or entire IT infrastructures.  

As an 'early adopter' of fuel cell technology, we’ve implemented the UK's first two integrated UPS / fuel cell systems which now protect the IT infrastructures of both our own headquarters in Hungerford and those at Winton Capital Management in Kensington, see case study.

---

 

August 2007

UPS Systems ... coming up fast on the inside track!

Established 14 years ago, UPS Systems continues to expand ahead of projected growth.

At our annual company conference, our account management teams reported numerous new customer wins and, with last year's launch of REMO® remote monitoring for generators and UPS, our Service department is now reporting exceptional levels of business.

According to the latest Plimsoll report, UPS Systems is outgrowing all major UK competitors within the generator industry and, in growth performance, we rank in the top 10% of all companies listed. Furthermore, we are shown as one of only twelve companies within the industry to have improved profits continually over each of the past four years.

Looking to the future, we will maintain our position at the cutting edge of standby power solutions, taking a progressive approach towards the introduction of new technology and continuing to spearhead the introduction of fuel cells where they show clear advantages over alternative systems. As an independent company, we remain committed to offering impartial vendor-neutral advice and maintaining our reputation for 'can do' service within a growing community of satisfied customers.

---

 

July 2007

World’s first sale of a MetaSystem TRIMOD

UPS Systems have made the world’s first sale of a MetaSystem TRIMOD single-phase input and three-phase output UPS.

UPS Systems’ customer - Motorun Phase Converters, a specialist in single to three-phase power conversion – needed a ‘quiet’ single to three-phase converter and integrated UPS for the lift installation of a residential apartment block.

Having already rejected a conventional rotary phase converter and standalone UPS because of the high noise emissions, Motorun turned to UPS Systems for help. 

By cross-matching the company’s unique database of Standby Power products, incorporating new technologies and solutions from across the UK and Europe, UPS Systems were able to propose MetaSystem’s recently announced TRIMOD on-line double conversion UPS as being by far the best solution to Motorun’s requirements.

In proposing TRIMOD, Dennis Coe, the UPS Systems account manager, was aware that this could become the UK's first TRIMOD installation, however what he didn’t know was that this would become the first sale of a TRIMOD, configured for single-phase input and three-phase output, anywhere in the world!

---

 

July 2007

New website launched

UPS Systems has totally redesigned its website.  The new site contains a number of new initiatives such as ’Live Chat’ and ‘Call Back’ buttons at the top of each page and an entire section on ‘Understanding Standby Power’.

We hope the website will act as a catalyst and encourage prospective customers to contact us, whether by chat, phone, email or contact form.

"For many visitors, the new site will be their first exposure to UPS Systems", commented Operations Director Karen Sperrey. "Because of the service we provide, many of our visitors will be IT managers who may not be familiar with all the options provided by modern standby power systems.  We want the website to reflect our internal service culture and actually deliver a service that visitors will value ... using simple language, not techno jargon!"

---

 

June 2007

UK’s first commercial implementation of a fuel cell to protect computer systems

UPS Systems plc announces the UK’s first commercial implementation of a fuel cell-based standby power system at Winton Capital Management Limited ("Winton").

The fuel cell UPS solution implemented at Winton is the first to be supplied by UPS Systems. This follows UPS Systems’ own purchase, in 2006, of a similar system now protecting the company’s IT infrastructure within its headquarters in Hungerford - the first such system installed in the UK.

The system is based on a Hydrogenics fuel cell engine, which utilises Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) technology. In this, hydrogen is passed over one side of the Proton Exchange Membrane and Oxygen (Air) over the other side. In linking to form water vapour, negative ions are produced which are captured at the membrane. Winton has purchased three 10kW fuel cells mounted in the same rack providing a maximum of 30kW of power; its modular, rack-integrated design makes it easy to add more additional power. Winton’s fuel cell system is linked to a 30kW 3-phase UPS that, in the event of a power failure, will provide potentially unlimited runtime.

Winton was looking for a standby power solution that would provide power for unlimited periods in the event of extended power loss. Installing and running a diesel generator was out of the question due to environmental concerns. Installing a large battery bank was also impossible as there was insufficient space to house the volume of batteries necessary.

Fuel cell standby power is an ideal solution for organisations based in the centre of large towns or cities where both indoor and outdoor space is at a premium. For the first time, the source of generated power can be located in the computer room, next to the servers it protects and under the direct control of the IT or Data Centre Manager. The fuel cell benefits from needing very little maintenance when compared to the twice yearly, in-person maintenance checks for batteries or the oil and filter changes needed for diesel generators. The fuel cell system is clean, almost silent and the hydrogen, which is piped in from an external tank or bottles, produces no exhaust gases other than water vapour.

For further details of UPS Systems’ fuel cell solutions, please click here

---

 

May 2007

Lighting the way at Lord's

With more than 30 major cricketing events held at Lord's every season, the safety of visitors during any periods of power failure is crucial.

During a 5 year electrical audit it was discovered that the output levels of their existing UPS system were well below what was required to comply with safety regulations set by the trading license from Westminster City Council.

Jon Hawke, Lord's Maintenance Manager, contacted UPS Systems and discussed the importance of finding a reliable standby power solution that would support the lighting systems within the ground; if they suffered power disruption during an event, it was imperative that lighting in all public areas would remain operational for the safety of visitors.

Lord's needed a UPS capable of supporting all the grandstand lighting which includes the corridors, toilets, private boxes and hospitality suites. They were also looking for a company that could handle the added task of dismantling and removing the existing system which UPS Systems was able to organise prior to the installation of the new system.

In selecting UPS Systems to manage the Lord's project, Jon concluded, "I wanted to hand the project over to someone who had the technical expertise to manage it professionally. I was very impressed with the efficiency of UPS Systems from enquiry to installation and would certainly recommend them to anyone needing to review their standby power"

With plenty of cricket still to come this year, Lord’s will have its fair share of activity to manage and providing a safe, well lit environment for visitors during power cuts is now one thing the maintenance department will no longer need to worry about.

---

 

April 2007

UPS Systems appoints Maria Deas to head services team

UPS Systems has strengthened its management team with the appointment of Maria Deas as Services Manager.

In addition to managing UPS Systems’ service co-ordinators and engineers, Maria’s primary focus is customer satisfaction and ensuring that the necessary resources are in place for her team to deliver on their service commitments - each and every time!

Maria’s background, over the past 15 years, has been managing service organisations in the telephony and computer networking industries where she learnt the values of good communications, efficiency and fast response times.

Commenting on her appointment, Maria said: "I was immediately drawn to the UPS Systems service culture and could see that this company was very different from its competitors. After-sales service is very important to us; we’re a small team and it’s our intention to stay close to our customers."

To find out more about the services offered by Maria’s team, please click here.

---

 

September 2006

UPS Systems launch REMO® Remote Monitoring for UPS or Generators

As part of our growing range of preventative maintenance options, we have developed a unique and comprehensive monitoring service for UPS and Generators.

Utilising a landline or GSM phone, we can monitor all your standby power units and notify you immediately (via email or SMS text) of any alarm conditions. With REMO® installed, your units will be monitored 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.

Used in conjunction with any level of maintenance contract, trained engineers are on hand to diagnose and solve problems efficiently, keeping you as informed as you want to be.

For further details of the REMO® remote monitoring service, please click here.

---

 

February 2006

UK energy stats revealed

The UK’s Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has published its 2006 Digest of Energy Statistics showing UK trends in energy supply and demand.

Major trends in 2005 showed a higher gas-coal price differential increasing the commercial attractiveness of coal for electricity generation, and decreasing the amount of electricity generated from gas by 2% to 39% of electricity generation. Coal consumption by major power producers rose by 3.5% in 2005 with 33.5% of total electricity supplied, up from 31% in 2004. The increased demand for fossil fuels increased the emissions of carbon dioxide by 0.25% over the year.

In 2005 Combined Heat and Power (CHP) capacity increased by 108 MW or 2% with a total electrical capacity of 5,792 MW. There were 29 new schemes but 22 ceased to operate. Electrical output from CHP rose by 8%, to exceed the 30,000 GWh mark for the first time.

Renewable sources increased to 4.2% of total UK electricity generation, up from 3.6% in 2004. Installed generating capacity of renewable sources rose by 20% in 2004, mainly as a result of a 67% increase in wind capacity and an 10% increase in the capacity of sites fuelled by biofuels and wastes.

Total electricity demand in the UK in 2005 was 407 TWh, an increase of 2% on 2004, with the industrial sector the largest consumer with 119 TWh, although the domestic sector was a close second at 117 TWh.

The full report is available at:
www.dti.gov.uk/energy/statistics/publications/dukes/page29812.html

---

 

January 2006

First Standby Power Fuel Cell installed in the UK

UPS Systems plc has become the first UK installation to deploy an APC fuel cell system for its standby power. The unit is being used to support the company's servers and desktop PC systems. It is linked to a 10kW 3-phase APC Smart-UPS VT and provides potentially unlimited runtime in the event of power failure. "We are now able to endorse fuel cell technology as a means of providing standby power and felt we should put our money where our mouth is", says Tom Sperrey, Managing Director.

Fuel cell systems are clean, very quiet and produce no exhaust gases other than water vapour. As there are very few moving parts, maintenance is minimal. The system is designed to be installed in a typical computer-room rack and stand adjacent to the UPS and server racks in the computer room.

The APC system is based on the Hydrogenics fuel cell engine, which utilises PEM technology. In this, hydrogen is passed over the Proton Exchange Membrane and Oxygen (Air) over the other side. In linking to form water vapour, negative ions are produced which are captured at the membrane. This lack of moving parts makes the system very reliable.

Up to three 10kW fuel cells can be mounted in a single rack and two racks can be linked, providing a maximum of 60kW of power.