Unleashing the Power of Kinetic Power Packs (KPPs): A Closer Look at Innovative Energy Solutions

April 18, 2024
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In the realm of uninterrupted power supply solutions, the mtu Kinetic PowerPack emerges as a beacon of innovation and reliability. As a distributor for mtu, Collicutt Energy brings forward a dynamic and uninterruptible electrical power solution that redefines the standards of power conditioning and efficiency.

Engineering Excellence in Power Supply

Collicutt Energy’s distribution of mtu Kinetic PowerPack is engineered with precision to cater to specific power, footprint, and sustainability needs of businesses across various industries. Unlike traditional static UPS systems, this dynamic UPS technology leverages kinetic energy through a diesel engine coupled to a kinetic energy accumulator via an electromagnetic clutch.

Unraveling the Benefits

1. Lower Total Cost of Ownership (TCO): At medium and higher power ratings, the mtu Kinetic PowerPacks prove to be more cost-effective, reducing consumable electricity costs and maintenance expenses significantly.

2. Smaller Footprint: With a compact design and reduced component count, the mtu Kinetic PowerPacks occupy only 40% of the space compared to equivalently rated static UPS systems. This not only saves on building construction costs but also optimizes space for revenue-generating purposes.

3. Scalable Solutions: The versatility of the mtu Kinetic PowerPacks allows for scalability, enabling businesses to adapt to evolving power requirements seamlessly.

4. Optimal Sustainability: By eliminating the need for heavy batteries and minimizing chemical waste generation, the mtu Kinetic PowerPacks uphold sustainability standards while delivering reliable power supply.

5. Enhanced Reliability: The lower component count in the mtu Kinetic PowerPacks translates to higher reliability and resilience, ensuring uninterrupted operations even in challenging environments.

Versatility Across Industries

Collicutt Energy’s distribution of mtu Kinetic PowerPacks finds application across a spectrum of industries, including:

Data Centers: Ensuring uninterrupted power supply critical for data integrity and operational continuity.
Critical Process Manufacturing: Mitigating risks associated with power supply interruptions in manufacturing processes.
Infrastructure: Supporting vital services such as transportation, communication, and governance with resilient power solutions.
Healthcare: Providing life-saving power support to medical facilities for uninterrupted patient care.

Experience the mtu Kinetic PowerPack

Explore the benefits of kinetic energy and unlock a world of efficiency, reliability, and sustainability in power supply.

For detailed specifications and configurations, contact Collicutt Energy to discover how the mtu Kinetic PowerPack can transform your power infrastructure.

At Collicutt Energy, we empower businesses with solutions that drive progress and resilience. Join us in embracing the future of power supply with the mtu Kinetic PowerPack.

The Role of AESO and the Operating Reserve Program

February 16, 2024
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Harnessing Alberta’s Energy Future: The Role of AESO and the Operating Reserve Program

Alberta’s electricity market is a dynamic landscape that requires balancing supply and demand with precision and foresight. At the heart of this system is the Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO), a not-for-profit entity mandated to operate an open and competitive wholesale market, ensure the safe and reliable operation of the electric system, and plan and develop the transmission system to provide access to customers.

Among many tools in the AESO’s “toolbelt” is the procurement of Operating Reserves (OR). This is a crucial mechanism that helps to maintain system reliability when there is an unexpected imbalance between supply and demand due to various system conditions.

In the AESO’s Operating Reserve (OR) framework, supplemental reserves are a critical component, providing a safety net for the electrical grid when demand outstrips supply or generation unexpectedly falls. Unlike regulating reserves which respond instantaneously, supplemental reserves can be activated swiftly—within a 10-minute window—enabling the system to recover from sudden imbalances. For instance, a backup generator system, whether newly installed or pre-existing, can be a perfect solution to supply such supplemental reserves. When the grid requires additional power, these generators can ramp up, and allow a facility transfer their electrical load to the generator(s) thereby curtailing or removing load from the grid.

One very recent example that I’m sure all Albertans remember, is the Emergency Alert issued on January 13th during a serious cold snap of -40°C. Operating Reserve was a crucial tool for keeping Alberta from power outages, and Voltus played a key role by dispatching their supplemental reserve portfolio.

Participating in the OR market not only contributes to the stability of Alberta’s power grid but also represents a strategic business opportunity to create an additional revenue stream. Through our partnership with Voltus, Collicutt Energy Services is positioned to make participation in the OR program simple and easy.

We invite you to be part of Alberta’s energy resilience story.

Visit our Webpage to discover how we can energize your business with a WIN-WIN through Alberta’s Operating Reserve program and Voltus.

Successfully Overcoming Project Disaster

February 2, 2022
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The Challenge

In 2019, Collicutt was approached by one of our clients who had just won the electrical design and build contract for a new residential high rise to be built in downtown Los Angeles. Part of that contract included the supply of an emergency backup generator that would provide power for the building during a power grid outage that is so common in California.

Besides the usual backup power requirements for a building of this type, there were a few challenges that made this project unique:

This unit was going to be placed on the ninth floor of the building.
Once the unit was in place on the ninth floor, the building would be completed around and above it.
The crane doing the lifting was being removed immediately following the generator installation to make way for the remaining building construction. This meant that the generator was on the construction schedule’s critical path.
Because this building is downtown LA, the logistics surrounding the lift of the generator were very complicated. Traffic restrictions had to be minimized and the lift radius of the crane was restricted due to the surrounding buildings and infrastructure.

The Solution

When the contractor started their design process, they reached out to our team at Collicutt. We worked with them and their engineering teams to understand the building electrical loads, design constraints, construction schedule, and the lifting constraints.

We proposed a customized MTU 12V4000 DS1500 solution complete with:

IBC rating (earthquake rated)
Rypos DPF and custom mounting rack
Custom sound attenuating enclosure
Custom tank to meet fire code for a rooftop design in downtown LA

Disaster Strikes!

The project kicked off and proceeded smoothly until the completed unit left our fabrication facility. But then disaster struck!

Shortly after the truck carrying the generator left the fabrication facility, we received news that they drove under an overpass without checking height restrictions and our custom built generator struck that overpass and was totaled in an instant! The only good news was that no one was injured in the accident.

However, we now had a huge problem! We needed to get a new generator built in record time in the middle of one of the worst global supply chain challenges we have seen in recent times. If we failed to get the generator to site before the building crane was dismantled, we would be on the hook for obtaining permits to close roads in downtown LA and assembling a crane capable of lifting a 1500kW generator to the ninth floor of a building that was already constructed!

We immediately placed the order for the new generator and worked with MTU to expedite the build of the generator in any way they could. We also worked with our fabricator and had them build the enclosure and other custom components ahead of time so that they would just have to set the components in place and bolt them down once the generator was ready. To maintain schedule our fabricator’s staff agreed to work around the clock to complete their work once the generator was delivered to them!

Talk about team work!

The Outcome

Although there were many tense moments throughout this build process, we were able to pull our team together and work through supply chain issues and other manufacturing logistics to get the generator produced as quickly as possible.

In addition to this, thankfully, the building construction had been delayed due to unrelated issues so the building crane was still in place to lift our generator!

This left one final challenge that we had to overcome. Much of the building had now been constructed so the options for lifting the generator to the ninth floor were limited. The building crane had limited lifting capacity and it had limited lifting radius due to the proximity of the surrounding buildings and roadways.

To overcome this challenge, we had the generator transported to a riggers yard where we drained the fluids (oil and coolant) and removed the enclosure. We then dismantled the generator package down to it’s frame. This would allow us to lift the frame, engine, alternator, and radiator in individual lifts.

See the photos below for some of the teardown progress:

Completed unit arrived at riggers

2. The enclosure was removed

3. Removal of components began

We transported the components from the riggers yard to the construction site over a two day period and lifted each component starting with the frame. The video below illustrates the tight lifting window that was being navigated:

As each component was lifted, we secured it into place and “rebuilt” the generator package on the ninth floor of the building! After two days of crane picks and placements, we had the generator back together in its final location ready for commissioning and startup! This allowed our client to complete construction of their building and remove the building crane without the generator scope causing any further project delays!

This project is a great example of; applied expertise, project management, technician talent, and overall teamwork being used to overcome huge challenges!

For more information on our power generation services or solutions, contact us via email or at the number below:

888.682.6888 or info@collicutt.com

Collicutt Becomes Alberta’s Distributor for MTU/Rolls-Royce Onsite Energy for Diesel Generators

January 19, 2022
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Collicutt Energy Services Becomes Alberta’s Distributor of MTU/Rolls-Royce Onsite Energy for Diesel Generators

Collicutt Energy Services is proud to announce that as of January 1, 2022, we are Alberta’s distributor for MTU/Rolls-Royce Onsite Energy for diesel power generation.

This partnership now allows Collicutt to offer our clients both diesel and natural gas power generation options, meeting more client needs by providing them with more variety, reliability and customer assistance.

MTU has over 60 years of power generation expertise along with over 100 years of experience in diesel engine engineering worldwide. That knowledge along with Collicutt’s power generation experience makes this a very strategic partnership.

MTU’s diesel gensets are designed for maximum reliability, featuring low fuel consumption, long service intervals and low emissions to reduce costly downtime. The MTU product portfolio for diesel power generation includes the MTU Series 4000, 2000, 1600, 0080 and 0225 and covers a power range of 27-3,250kW (60 Hz). With mature and reliable design, they are designed to operate in any situation— even in extreme conditions.

The combination of MTU’s product offering with Collicutt’s in-house expertise in power system design, build, and project management, allows Collicutt to deliver a higher standard of power generation service and products throughout Alberta.

In addition to our current solutions, Collicutt is now able to offer more mission-critical solutions along with other applications that include:

Data Centers
Healthcare and hospitals
Sewage and water treatment
Hotels
Airports
Commercial and public buildings
Agriculture
Aquatic Centers
Government buildings
Greenhouses
Landfills
Industrial manufacturing
Nuclear power plants
Rentals
CHP
Residential and utilities
Power stations

Collicutt continues to lead the power generation industry throughout North America and beyond. Our relationship with MTU/Rolls-Royce Power Systems started in California in 2015 and has continued to grow since. In June of 2021 we also announced the new agreement regarding the distributorship of natural gas power generation and oil & gas engines in Alberta. This 2022 announcement is quite the milestone as it gives Collicutt the advantage of offering our clients more comprehensive power generation solutions since both natural gas and diesel options can be utilized.

Call us for more information at 888.682.6888.

See our News & Careers page for more announcements and blog posts.

Check out our Equipment site here!

May 25, 2020
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Reliability in Power

This is the Fifth episode in this series called ‘Understanding Power’.

This episode’s topic is all about understanding the cost of your utility bills.

This video and blog covers two topics

Reliability in Power
Reliability in Transmission

Relability in Power Generation

on January 13, the Alberta Electrical System Operator (AESO) released two notices, each more serious than the other: The grid was at risk of having province wide blackouts. What caused this? Well, it was two-fold:

High Demand: because it was winter and it was extremely cold (-30C), there was a lot of extra load. In fact, Alberta hit an all time high record that week.
Limited Power Generation: Alberta has a large percentage of wind power capacity(shown in pie chart on left below) but the thermal gradients that create wind are limited in very cold weather meaning there was very little wind power being generated (shown in pie chart on right below)

this created the perfect storm where we had an elevated load and an undersupplied grid almost resulted in calamity.

Ensuring Sufficient Power Generation

It is probably very clear that a territory needs to ensure that there is more power generation capacity than there is load, what may not be as straight forward is how the different types of power generation operate throughout the day and respond to load variability.

above is a fictitious example of a typical 24 hour day within an example jurisdiction. What this chart is aiming to show is how throughout an average day, most grids see dramatic load change with two main spikes: the first in the morning as people get up and get ready for work, and the second at nighttime when people leave work and start cooking.

Our grid power generation mix is made up of 3 main groups: (Get more information on power generation technologies)

Baseline power: Power generation capacity that cannot easily be ramped up or ramped down.
Variable Power: Power generation systems that produce power when available such as solar (during sunlight hours) and wind (when the wind blows)
‘Agile’ Power: Power generation systems that can easily be ramped up or ramped down to allow for overall grid load response.

In the chart shown above, you can see how the baseline power (Nuclear, Hydro and Large thermal) remain relatively consistent throughout the day. Additionally, you will notice how solar comes on during sunlight hours. Though wind appears to be consistent, Wind power is a function of wind and can be unreliable as seen above. Finally you can see how the major load variability is responded to by small and responsive thermal plants which operate using engines and aero derivative turbines. The benefit of these types of systems are that they can be easily turned on, ramped up and then turned off as necessary.

This mix of generation capabilities allows the grid to quickly respond to load changes ensuring reliability of power supply.

Reliability in Transmission

The second part of this topic is about reliability in the transmission systems we employ to transmit power from the point of generation to the eventual location of where the load is, whether that is our house or a facility.

It is straight forward to understand that we need to have adequate power generation for the load of our grid at any given time; but equally, we need to ensure that this transportation infrastructure can supply the amount of power to the locations required. The major portion of our system is the transmission lines, whether that’s the transmission portion, or the distribution portion, the power lines play a huge role in the reliability of our power system.

Transmission Reliability Problem 1: Capacity Overload:

The first thing we need to make sure is that we are never in a scenario where our load exceeds the capacity of our transmission lines. In scenarios where the load of the system exceeds the capacity of the power lines or transformers, we end up in scenario where we will have system wide power failure. Want more information how the transmission system works?

Transmission Reliability Problem 2:

Powerline obstruction

The second scenario that we see a lot with power lines is power lines are highly susceptible to weather: They’re above ground, easily exposed to flying debris, for example, in hurricanes, and also susceptible to easily sparking fires and we’re seeing this happen quite a bit in California these days.

In 2019 act, we actually saw a utility actively choose to turn off their high voltage power lines, because of fears that their lines would cause fires and that resulted in massive power outages and failures within the the Northern California region.

How can we increase reliability in transmission?

Well, one of the ways that a utility can increase the reliability of the grid, is by generating power closer to the load, and ont he distribution side of the transmission system. This is called distributed generation. By moving the generation closer, the likelihood of line failure between generation and load has been dramatically reduced.

Onsite Power Generation

So let’s say you lose power at your facility and there is no distributed power generation or in fact, the power outage is right outside of your building, how are you going to ensure that you have reliability? this is where standby generation or on site power generation support power reliability.

Below is an example of a backup diesel generator installed at a hospital to provide backup power in the case of grid power failure. Want more information?

May 11, 2020
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Power Markets

This is the fourth episode in this series called ‘Understanding Power’.

This episode’s topic is all about understanding the cost of your utility bills.

after evaluating your utility bill, it quickly becomes clear that there are two major factors or two primary categories of costs:

Energy Charge.
The cost of the Transmission and Distribution (T&D)

Energy Charge:

The energy charge is effectively the cost cost of energy that is consumed at our facility, house or industrial application

What affects the Energy Charge?

Some of the major factors that play into that into the energy charge are as follows:

the types of generation mechanisms within your jurisdiction: Some are cheaper, some are more expensive.
The supply and demand curve: do we have a lot of supply and not a whole lot of demand, that will bring price down, if it’s the opposite, you’re going to see prices rise to incentivize power generation increase.
Weather, climate, geography: those play a huge role.
Regulatory policy

Transmission Charge

Second aspect is the cost of transmission and what are we paying for that. Simply put, we’re paying for the cost of getting those electrons from the centralized generation facilities right through to our final end use customer location, whether that’s your house, office or large industrial facility.

The rates and cost of power transmission does vary depending on the facility and rate that your specific utility charges (or is regulated and allowed to charge)

How does Power Transmission Work?

Most jurisdictions have large centralized generation plants, typically on the transmission side, and large volumes of loads on the distribution side of the system.

Transmission System

As mentioned, in most jurisdictions the majority of power generation is supplied by large centralized systems that uses the transmission system to transfer the load to a large volume of customers spread out geographically.

As such, the transmission system operates at high voltage so that large volumes of power can be transmitted with minimal line loss (Power loss) from the generation systems to the eventual load.

Typically there is minimal load (or customers) on the transmission side but there are rare occasions where facilities tie into the transmission system.

Distribution System

The distribution system operates at reduced voltage allowing safe and reliable transportation of power within urban and city environments. Distribution can range from as high as 26 kV and down to 120V.

The majority of the grid’s load is typically on the distribution system.

Regulated vs De-regulated Power Markets

Some jurisdictions operate their power infrastructure under a regulated style, while some are de-regulated.

So what is a regulated environment?

In a regulated power market, a single entity or organization owns and operates everything. From the generation capacity, to the meter on your house or facility, that single entity oversees everything. So typically, the utility is the monopoly, you really don’t have any choice and the utility sets the rates. You really have no option.

So what is a de-regulated environment?

A de-regulated market is a competitive marketplace, where multiple entities can buy and sell power. So on the on the generation side, you have multiple power generators that are competing to provide power at the cheapest rate, and then on the customer side, you have retailers who are competing for customers by offering the best rates. So what this allows is a customer to have a choice in whom they are going to get power from and that choice can be based on, on cost, sustainability to other specific criteria to that customer; that’s one of the benefits of a deregulated power market.

Centralized vs Decentralized vs Behind-the-fence generation

So one of the last things I want to speak to is the concept of centralized power generation vs distributed power generation vs behind the fence (BTF) generation.

Centralized Power Generation

As mentioned above, most power generation is usually done at large centralized facilities. The economies of scale typically allow this power generation to be cost-effective. Additionally with the ability to be on the transmission side, large volumes of power can be transmitted easily.

Distributed Power Generation

We are starting to see a move to distributed generation, where we’re placing generation closer to the point of load and on the distribution side of the transmissions system. By doing this, we reduce the amount of capital required to transmit power and we increase the reliability and resiliency of the grid

Behind-The-Fence Power Generation

The last is Behind-The-Fence (BTF) generation. We can actually reduce our transmission costs, reduce our utility bill by generating our own power. If you’re a large industrial customer, there’s huge incentives for you to generate your own power.

May 4, 2020
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This is the third episode in our series titled ‘Understanding Power’

This episode delves into the different mechanisms and methods for generating electricity.

The first thing we discuss is how kinetic energy is turned into electrical energy using a generator.

This video then goes into the different ways that kinetic energy is converted from other forms of energy, some that are storable and others that are not.

We then delve into renewable power generation technologies and their merits and disadvantages.

Finally this video touches on the topic of curtailment and how excess power, predominantly from renewables, may have to be wasted because it is produced in excess of the load with insufficient storage options.

Feel free to check out other videos like this on our website and sign up on our website for notification of new videos.

April 16, 2020
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Energy comes in different forms and one of the main ways that we use energy is for heat. Whether that is for cooking, or transportation or even power generation (we’ll get into that in episode 3 of this series)

This video compares 4 of the primary energy sources used in our day-to-day:

Electricity
Natural Gas
Diesel
Propane

We look at the difference in cost/kWh of energy and the CO2 output of each of these energy sources

We will be posting these weekly so make sure to follow us or sign up for our newsletter to receive notice of when we post them:

https://collicutt.com/ca/contact-us/

April 10, 2020
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Have you ever wondered how power and energy work?

This series is an introductory and educational series into #UnderstandingPower

Today’s episode is all about Energy vs Power: How are they related and how are they different.

Global Energy Consumption:

Did you know the in 2018 the globe consumed 167,000 TWh. That’s equivalent to almost 100 billion barrels of oil consumption and it would require 144 billion solar panels running 12 hours a day to produce that amount of power.

The global electrical consumption in that same period was 23,000TWh, which is almost 14% of total energy consumption.

Here are a couple topics covered within this video:

What is Energy?
What is Power?
How are the two related
What are the different units of measurement for each

We will be posting these weekly so make sure to follow us or sign up for our newsletter to receive notice of when we post them:

https://collicutt.com/ca/contact-us/

March 29, 2020
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“The best-in-class solution with the best-in-class cycle time”

Robust, compact design provides more relief for long-lasting performance
Spark-ignited lean-burn unit ensures low emissions
Innovative pre-combustion chambers provide efficient and stable combustion
12 unique high-volume cylinders deliver highest displacement
Less maintenance compared to 16-cylinder engine options
Fast cycle times and implementation
Smallest footprint in the competitive set

“Highest electrical efficiency in the 2 MW-class”

Before the EM series, when it came to 2 MW-class engines, your options were limited. Now, there’s a powerful new choice available:

the new SGE-EM gas engines from Siemens

The result of years of development, testing, refinement, and innovative engineering, they deliver a number of benefits that make them a true competitive choice.

Uncompromising performance to meet ever-growing demands

Economic pressures. Customer demands. Reliability concerns. Regulatory standards. In the world of power generation, you face plenty of challenges. If you want to successfully overcome them, you need to have the best solution in place. The new SGE-EM gas engines are your best solution.

“Innovative engine design and combustion technology”

Siemens is known for innovation, and the new E-Series engines carry that torch of ingenuity with a unique cylinder design that produces the highest displacement in the 2 MW-class, innovative pre-combustion chambers, spark-ignited lean-burn control capabilities, and a robust overall design that ensures maximum flexibility in a wide variety of conditions.

Natural gas–powered engines
Efficient and stable Combustion
Exceptional Displacemen
Low maintenance
Optimized materials

Maximum efficiencies in the smallest footprint.

The new E-Series engines are not only the new competitive choice in the 2 MW-class, they’re also the most compact. Their unique ability to deliver high power output with incredibly low emissions helps you create a smaller footprint—both physical and environmental.