New-age sustainable switchgear to upscale power quality

The reliable and safe operation of power grids and substations is critical to ensuring the efficient and uninterrupted delivery of electricity to homes, businesses, and industries. This feature story delves into the importance of sustainable switchgear and how digital technologies can be incorporated into switchgear to ensure reduced downtime and enhanced energy efficiency. Additionally, the piece discusses the significance of regular maintenance, adequate safety measures, and predictive maintenance in ensuring grid safety and reliability.

Switchgears play a critical role in the reliable and safe operation of power grids and substations, ensuring that electrical power is delivered efficiently and reliably to homes, businesses, and industries.

In power grids, switchgear is used to manage the flow of electrical power from the power source to the end user. They are installed in substations, which are key elements of the power grid that facilitate the transformation of voltage levels to ensure that the electricity is distributed efficiently and safely. The below discussion

Sustainable switchgear addresses the need for an uninterrupted power supply
The switchgear market is expected to grow due to the rising demand for electricity generation. The availability of electricity has become essential for economic growth and reducing poverty. The development of industrial and urban areas requires an uninterrupted power supply, and the reliability of the electrical supply largely depends on the performance of the switchgear. As a result, the demand for switchgear is expected to increase in the forecasted period.

According to Saurabh Goel, Executive President of Havells, India is transitioning towards clean energy. The country’s recent announcement to achieve netzero emissions by 2070 and to generate 50 percent of its electricity from renewable sources by 2030 is a significant moment in the global fight against climate change. This transition drives the shift towards smarter switchgear solutions to improve energy efficiency and facilitate balanced power distribution. Havells’ switchgear range is designed to promote sustainability through innovative and intelligent technologies that minimise waste and maximise resource efficiency. Additionally, safety standards are prioritised to ensure maximum safety for consumers.

Ripunjay Parikh, Director – Sales, Power Distribution, Eaton Electrical Sector India, notes that the Indian government recognises the importance of providing high-quality and uninterrupted power to promote industrial growth and enhance the quality of life for citizens. The government has launched several initiatives, including upgrading the power distribution network in smart cities and Tier 1 and Tier 2 cities by using smart, intelligent switchgear to establish an underground cable distribution network and high-efficiency transformers.

The second initiative is related to the speedy implementation of policies focused on electric vehicle deployment, which requires the creation of a broad charging infrastructure network. Eaton offers a complete solution, including medium-voltage switchgear compact substations, low-voltage distribution switchgear, and EV chargers that ensure the highest level of safety for both vehicles and users.

The latest trend is to balance supply with smart energy storage systems to ensure stable power availability. By storing power during low demand and high generation times, the system reduces stress on the power distribution system, eliminates peak demands, and lowers transmission and distribution losses. In conclusion, these initiatives will establish a dependable and sustainable power supply that supports the country’s growth and development.

As per Nikhil Pathak, the Vice President of Offer Marketing & Business Development at Schneider Electric India, power availability and reliability persist as major problems for all applications, imposing a high cost of outages for businesses. Therefore, it is crucial to introduce innovations in switchgear that assure reliability and resilience, with safety being the paramount performance parameter.

Schneider Electric India offers switchgear with innovative technologies that help customers prevent downtime, monitor their installation status, and recover swiftly in an outage. This equipment is designed to ensure that businesses face minimal disruptions due to power outages. By using this technology, businesses can minimise losses caused by unexpected downtime and focus on their operations without worrying about power supply interruptions.

Understanding switchgear: the importance of safety and digital technologies
Parikh explained that switchgear is a centralised collection of circuit breakers, fuses, switches, and other devices used to protect, control, and isolate electrical equipment. These devices are mounted in metal structures and tested to withstand short circuits, internal arcs, and peak impulse voltage in the worst possible applications and conditions on the given network. Switchgear line-ups or assemblies are collections of one or more structures. Conversely, Goel spoke about the importance of electrical safety and how Havells India offers advanced switchgear products to address the changing customer requirements. Havells offers a range of technologically advanced products such as circuit breakers, earth leakage protection, and surge protection to ensure safety. They have designed innovative protection devices that detect arc and disconnect the relevant supply immediately, preventing catastrophic faults and protecting equipment and personnel.

Pathak stressed the significance of incorporating digital technologies into switchgear to ensure reduced downtime and enhanced energy efficiency. By collecting valuable data from switchgear, we can utilise it for asset management, predictive and preventive maintenance, energy management, etc. The collected data can be relayed to cloud applications and processed for detailed analysis, driving more informed decision-making and improving overall efficiency.

Importance of Regular Maintenance, Adequate Safety Measures, and Predictive Maintenance
Once upon a time, there was a need for safe and reliable switchgear in the world of power distribution networks. Goel believed in regular maintenance activities to enhance the safety and reliability of switchgear. Additionally, he suggested exercising circuit breakers annually to keep the contacts clean and help the operating mechanisms move freely. Saurabh also advised not to neglect recommended maintenance activities such as cleaning, inspecting, tightening, lubricating, and exercising switchgear regularly. This was especially important in environments with moisture and heat, dirt, dust, or other environmental contaminants that could deteriorate the insulation, conductive materials, and protective devices in the equipment at an accelerated rate.

Parikh emphasised the importance of following the manufacturer’s operating guidelines and implementing adequate safety measures to ensure grid safety. He suggested maintaining a dustfree, clean environment in substation areas and providing training by OEMs for operators on efficiently handling switchgear.

Pathak believes that the switchgear’s continuous operation is paramount for the safety of the overall system. He recommended predictive maintenance as the way forward for the future of switchgear maintenance.

The Future of Switchgear in India’s changing energy landscape
Goel chimes in. “Well, with the global shift towards renewable energy, the demand for switchgear is rising. The Indian switchgear industry is poised to establish itself as a new-age, reliable circuit breaker manufacturer. Researchdriven organisations like Havells have made deep inroads in the global market by developing and manufacturing application-based circuit breakers.”

Pathak is optimistic about India’s future growth. “With the government’s focus on ‘Make in India’ and ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat,’ our manufacturing capabilities are growing swiftly. The switchgear segment will witness upgrades at every level in this changing energy landscape.”

The demand for switchgear is rising, especially with the global shift towards renewable energy. The Indian switchgear industry is poised to establish itself as a reliable manufacturer of new-age circuit breakers. There are promising growth opportunities for the industry as a whole in India. The use of smart metering and automation will also ensure continuous power availability, reducing the possibility of outages to a large extent.