Flipping the Switch on Efficient Backup Power - Part 1

    Overview

    This case study is a follow-up to our work on the sites in North India between September and November. While the first report was focused on grid performance and included data up to October, this latest report includes up through November.

    After a successful deployment of our solution at a group of base stations in the Northern part of the country, we continued our examination of our client’s remote sites. This time, we focused on the performance of the generators onsite as well as other energy assets in use.

    The Customer and Their Challenges 

    In our previous study, we discussed the ongoing energy availability and stability issues in India. Though the energy shortage, the issue of grid availability has remained extremely relevant. Outages were a regular problem and that meant relying on generators and backup batteries in those instances.

    The problem was, the customer had little idea how those energy assets were performing, or if there were any potential issues that needed to be remedied. Additionally, it is difficult to pinpoint when exactly those outages occurred, where, and for how long.

    For all of these reasons, it was very important to take a more in-depth look at these energy assets’ performance data to understand what was causing these performance inconsistencies.

    Galooli’s Solution 

    Galooli’s solution is designed to monitor and bring out the maximal and most efficient performance out of a number of energy assets, including generators. We monitor generator performance in real-time especially metrics regarding generator health and efficiency, like voltage, KwH, availability, and working hours.

    Our RMM (remote monitoring management) solution also offers live alerts to prevent major malfunctions and even remote controls to fix the issues remotely in some cases. The RMM interface provides overarching visibility of your onsite energy assets to monitor all of the equipment simultaneously. Using the real-time data collected, the twin is made more accurate both by increased data volume, analytics, and insights.

    Outcomes 

    Using our solution to track these sites’ performance over time, we were able to come to a number of conclusions. Though some regions experienced high grid availability (up to 98.5% of the time), many still experienced frequent outages (up to nearly 10 times a day). Though most sites averaged between 60-80% availability, they still suffered 6 outages a day.

    In addition to grid instability, most of the sites exceeded the max operating voltage significantly, some even daily. More concerning still, a number of these problematic sites relied on generators for over 15% of their power usage in some cases, even though backup batteries were onsite.

    When we examined the generator performance, we found that not a single generator was working in its recommended load range (between 60-75%). The majority operated far below these levels, towards the 30% redline which can result in DG failures.

    Also, most of the generators were much too large for the sites they were on. Using smaller Kilovolt Amp (KVA) generators would be more fuel-efficient, avoid dangerous load areas, and maintain the recommended load consistently.

    Finally, we identified several sites with missing or faulty backup batteries that needed replacing and offered an alternative plan for backup power capacity based on each sites’ load. Using our Calculated Fields feature, the client was able to make analytics calculations while still in the interface to better understand their energy assets’ performance and pinpoint where optimizations could be made.

    Challenges
    • Previous energy shortage subsided but energy stability still a major factor
    • Towers in Northern India displayed inconsistent energy asset performance
    • Unclear when outages were occurring, and what happened during
    • Client had no visibility over energy assets nor any idea when malfunctions happened
    Galooli’s Solution
    • Galooli helps optimize the operation of energy assets, particularly generators
    • KPIs are monitored in real-time including voltage, kWh, availability, and operating time
    • Each different energy sources can be monitored simultaneously across all of the sites
    • Live monitoring provides visibility in terms of site and energy asset performance
    • Live alerts to abnormal behavior helps prevent downtime and reduce need for maintenance
    Outcome
    • Some sites were found to experience up to 10 outages per day, with grid availability varying widely by site.
    • Sites were also exceeding or operating above the maximum and minimum recommended voltage for extended periods
    • Many of the generators were found to be too big for the site, and installing smaller generators would provide more efficient operations
    • Most of the generators were operating below the 30% redline load range, which can cause DG failure
    • Identified a number of sites where backup batteries were faulty or lacking altogether
    About Galooli

    Galooli is a pioneer in the green energy revolution.

    The company is blazing a trail in energy management as a service with actionable insights into your operations.
    Galooli’s remote monitoring solutions optimize energy usage, reduce operating expenditures and maximize alternative energy use.
    Galooli provides a green and future-focused solution for multiple industries and use cases around the world, from metropolitan centers to the most remote installations.

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