Loss measurement accuracy as key factor for energy saving programmes

Open Access

Abstract

Most government efficiency programmes focus on reducing energy losses in the distribution network and for some of them even provide metrics for these improvements. A large amount of these losses comes from distribution transformers and the manufacturers are encouraged to improve the efficiency of their designs. These improvements are often managed with the use of better materials and then increase of transformer costs. The need for accurate loss measurements is therefore increased if the manufacturers do not want to their efforts to be affected by the measurement uncertainties of a measurement system. Proving a small improvement in efficiency, even at high cost for the manufacturer, will be difficult if the measurement system cannot measure this improvement accurately. Accuracy of measurement systems and comparison of the accuracy are of the utmost importance and have been a topic of discussions among experts for years. The article will describe how a modern measurement system can be accurate, assess its accuracy for every measurement performed and confirm the stability of their accuracy over time. In this approach, not only is the measurement important, but also the complete chain, data management, reporting and accuracy assessment of the measurement have to be automatically computed for the end user.