The IET’s Wiring Regulations – current edition BS7671:2008 – had its first amendment in January 2012. Soon, the 17th edition - as BS7671:2008 (2011) - will have its second amendment, yet to be finalised, but soon to be published. With these important changes comes speculation within the industry on what they will cover. Here Marc Gaunt, marketing manager at Schneider Electric shares his views:
Electric vehicles:
Electric vehicles (EVs) are a good example of increasing pressure on networks. They are no longer a pipe dream and are becoming increasingly affordable. For many users, today's EVs are 100% viable for day-to-day use.
The latest ranges of EVs now allow traditional fuel sources and electricity to be combined as a means of transport. They provide a viable fleet and private car solution and can operate from the pump, but equally need to be plugged in and can also run 100% on electricity - making them a cost effective electric solution.
Although still an embryonic and relatively small part of the car industry, macro trends and the ongoing advances in battery technology will almost certainly mean EVs are here to stay and will grow substantially.
The EV agenda, therefore, means that BS7671 is starting to consider these implications in the Second Amendment. The first stage is most likely to be around safe and efficient charging. The existing three-pin plug and socket is widely regarded as not being an appropriate means of charging, given the level of power required. Looking into the future, when EV take-up grows and households go from one to two or more EVs, there are many risks associated with extension leads and not providing dedicated circuits to support car charging at the home and workplace.
The first stage for BS7671 is, therefore, to ensure there is clear guidance on safe charging for EVs. I believe that the second stage is to then begin to propose an infrastructure to support and control multiple vehicles and integrate this with micro generation and the smart grid. While the energy dilemma and current risks associated with UK power capacity are well documented, the Government is clearly supportive of the EV agenda. Yet, growth of the UK EV fleet will place real pressure on the infrastructure unless the requirements for electrical installations include a means of controlling the increase. This, in effect, means linking to smart grid thinking.
Today, a point of peak demand is each morning as kettles across the country are switched on. Now think of a scenario where at 5:30 each evening a UK fleet of EVs is plugged in. Fundamental changes in the supply and demand side of the electrical industry mean that BS7671 will almost certainly need to start to consider the control of charging of EVs, as well as the necessary protection. This will, therefore, need to ensure that chargers integrate intelligence to start and stop charging based on battery condition (i.e. critical or top up), time of day. Also, probably most importantly for the consumer, account will need to be taken of the prevailing energy cost.
In reality, the win is intermittent, we cannot control what time people use their electricity, but the need to balance demand and supply is a fundamental necessity of our electrical industry, and it identifies the importance of the new wiring regulations.
The Third Amendment:
Though unlikely to be addressed by the Second Amendment, the following topics may well be covered by the Third Amendment, which is currently scheduled for January 2015:
- Energy efficiency - For me, a new supplement is certainly likely to be around the energy efficiency agenda. Welcomed changes in energy generation, smart metering and smart buildings will almost certainly drive a change in electrical design and installation. Key to this is how do we manage new forms of power generation centrally and locally through micro generation? How do we achieve maximum energy efficiency in buildings? And how do we control and provide safety for new energy demands?
- Control - In terms of control, I predict that BS7671 should begin to start offering guidance around making provisions in buildings for the infrastructure to support 'smart' moving forwards. This may be with dedicated cabling, wireless communications (such as Zigbee), Z-Wave, or alternative approaches to the application of traditional infrastructure such as Powerline technology. With the latter, traditional mains cabling can be used to provide a backbone for data transmission. As a result, this will facilitate increased control and monitoring in the home and small commercial buildings.
- Electric heating - As gas supplies reduce and costs continue to increase, new technology in electric heating could well tip the balance very soon to a move back to electric storage heating. If this change takes place, then a relatively new demand will be placed on the electrical infrastructure within many homes, so regulations will need to change to support this.
And finally…
In conclusion, the second amendment to BS7671 (when it comes) will include a new section in Part 7 - this is Section 722 concerning the supply to EVs.
It will also be necessary to take account of changes and advances in energy efficiency, control and electric heating. These increasingly important topics are likely to be incorporated into the Third Amendment to BS7671:2008.