It’s time to say goodbye, but I think goodbyes are sad and I’d much rather say hello. Hello to a new adventure.” – Ernie Harwell
Our most wonderful, kind, reliable Lorna is leaving today to start a new chapter in her life. How do you say goodbye to someone that means so much to everyone?
You do what any good Shenton Group get together involves, lots of food, cake, flowers and balloons!!!
We are sad that we have to say goodbye to one of our best colleagues but we are excited that she gets to say hello to her next adventure!
Lorraine, Lorna’s manager commented “What can I say about Lorna? I can’t believe I actually have to let her go to get MARRIED!! I have told her, she knows how wonderful I think she is. She is reliable, amazing, outstandingly good at what she does and as a team, we will miss her terribly both personally and professionally”.
Lorna started with Shenton Group straight from college 1st September 2010 firstly on our reception for 4 years and moved to the Generator Rental Department and has been there ever since, improving and exceeding targets year on year.
We asked Lorna about her role at Shenton Group “I have enjoyed the variation of work of which my job role brings in; you can never plan a day without the unexpected and unknown calls and projects that can swiftly land then require prompt attention and sometimes turn your day upside down for the good or the bad”.
What will you miss? “I will miss the whole team at Shenton, the family atmosphere, and mostly the good-humoured banter that keeps us all going!”
We asked Curtis our Sales and Marketing Director to talk about Lorna, “Lorna has been an outstandingly loyal member of staff throughout her 9 and a half years at Shenton group. Hard working, efficient and always on hand to help. Lorna has served many a customer with robust Power Rental solutions. Lorna also had many hidden talents from a wicked sense of humour to making incredible cakes! She will very much be missed as she leaves Shenton Group to get married and start her new life in Grimsby.”
Lorna Thank you for everything that you’ve accomplished so far, and good luck to everything you will in the future.
Congratulations Alan McClure – Generator Rental Engineer!
January 2020’s colleague of the month award goes to….
Drum roll please…. Congratulations Alan McClure – Generator Rental Engineer!
Alan has been voted for by the Shenton team for having a positive attitude in all he does, assisting in all sort of tasks, and often thinking of cost-saving solutions. Thanks so much for your efforts!
Dealing directly with clients, Alan is one of many engineers that drive all over the country providing reliable power and generator expertise. There isn’t much he hasn’t done in the company!
Having worked for the company now for 5 years, he is a valued member of the team. Moving around in different departments, Alan started out in generator servicing, then went on to work in CHP servicing for 18 months, to where we find him today in Generator Rental.
A Peek into the Life of a Generator Service Engineer
When a rental is due to go out to a client, it is Alan’s job to ensure it arrives to the site safely, he connects it up and ensures its in full working order. Once the generator is no longer needed, Alan would return and take it away again.
If the rental is for a long duration of time, the generator would need refuelling, and if a fault occurs, Alan would be on hand to take care of this.
When Alan is not out serving our rental clients he is out servicing generators on the maintenance side, providing valuable services such as load bank testing and fuel polishing. These services help to keep our client’s generators functioning and reliable.
Alan explains: “What I enjoy most about my job is that every day is a different challenge.”
Sum up your role in 3 words: “interesting, unpredictable and satisfying”
We thank you once again Alan for doing a great job. Congratulations, and enjoy your bubbly and vouchers!
Many of our clients require continuous power supplies in order to function and meet the regulatory requirements within their industry. Working across so many sectors flags hundreds of reasons as to whyemergency generators are required and why they should be well maintained.
The clue is definitely in the name, emergency generators are
used when a crisis hits. They should be regularly maintained in order to act as
your safety net should you be unfortunate enough to suffer from a blackout.
Emergency generators are an independent source of power that when called upon support your systems in a mains power outage. With this in mind, it is worth considering the value they can bring to your business or property, or in other words, what could be lost if the power went out.
The national grid power outages in August 2019 affected thousands of people and brought businesses and transport to a standstill, this further highlights the need to consider alternative emergency power systems.
Emergency Generators Allow For Continuous Operation
The MOD is a prime example of a client that requires emergency backup generators so that they can maintain operations continually, and it is imperative that they have well maintained backup power systems in case they are called upon. At Shenton Group, we provide comprehensive support to our clients, including the MOD. Scheduled startups and load bank testing are taken care of by our dedicated team, right through to maintenance work on canopies to protect generators from the outdoor elements. Shenton Group provides the full package when it comes to keeping your equipment in full working order.
The MOD are located throughout the UK, often in remote areas. The remote nature of some of these locations further highlights the importance of having well looked after emergency backup resource for occasions when the mains supply is cut off.
Emergency Power Supply Benefits
Having access to an emergency power supply has countless
benefits. It goes without saying that hospitals and healthcare facilities
cannot afford to suffer from the consequences of a power outage as essential operating
and life-saving equipment requires a constant and reliable source of power.
However, other industries can benefit from having emergency backup power.
Data centres and financial institutions are under constant pressure to ensure all business systems function no matter what. The benefits of having an emergency power supply at your premises include the protection of:
Security systems
Lighting
Communications systems
Customer services
Data integrity
Maintaining Your Emergency Generator
Without looking after your emergency generator, can you rely
upon it? Although a back-up generator for the majority of the time sits there dormant,
the equipment still needs regular maintenance to ensure reliability when it is needed.
Over time batteries can become flat, hoses and connections can perish and
fluids level can drop. That’s why it is imperative to keep your backup
generator in shipshape condition; as otherwise, it is a redundant asset to own.
Shenton Group provides detailed health checks for emergency generators. We supply remote monitoring, servicing, repairs, maintenance and emergency response. Regularly scheduled maintenance plans are available and work out to be very cost-effective.
Our remote monitoring service allows us to predict and rectify any potential issues, and we even have the ability to start or stop your generator should you require us to do so.
Mobile Emergency Power Systems
Not every client has the budget or the requirements of the
MOD or of the Health Care sector, but that does not mean you cannot have a
contingency plan for an emergency power supply.
For many, an emergency generator call-out contract is sufficient and will protect them and their operations in the case of a prolonged power outage. Likewise, many of our clients make use of our Power Call service for emergency backup power as they may only lease the property they operate out of, and so, a permanent on-site generator is not suitable. Power Call provides you with guaranteed back-up power for your site, with an average response time of 100mins for a small monthly fee. A monthly contract with Shenton gives businesses access to 24/7 support from our strategically placed locations across the UK.
Reduce Your Risk & Enquire About an Emergency Generator
We have over 30 years of experience when it comes to
supplying power solutions to our clients, many of whom have just suffered a
power-related emergency where there has been an outage and they have been
caught out. Protect your business with an emergency power supply that can allow
you to continue to run your facility and operation, or at the very minimum,
safely shut down and prevent any damage occurring.
We provide a FREE site survey and can advise you on the best solution so that when faced with a loss of power, you are covered. Get in contact today.
Power outages never come at a convenient time, especially for businesses where it can cause huge levels of disruption with work coming to a halt, equipment shutting off and everybody left scratching their head as to what to do next. However, there are solutions to deal with power outages that can meet your exact requirements and fall in line with your budget.
Depending on the industry you operate in, your power security levels can vary. Some businesses can simply not afford any downtime and a power outage would be a total disaster, whereas some other operations can cope with a temporary loss of power.
By getting in touch with a technical expert such as Shenton Group, you can rest assured that the advice and solutions on offer will match your business requirements so that in the event of a loss of power, the disruption will be minimal, or even have no impact on your business at all.
Finding the Right Power Outage Backup System
Consulting our team of experts
and getting a FREE site survey will ensure that you receive sound advice from a
company who have operated in the world of power solutions for over 30 years. We
will take the time to review your facility and setup, as well as answering any
questions you may have.
We have helped clients across an abundance of sectors, from retail giants to data centres, providing them with solutions that protect their businesses and properties from power outages. At Shenton Group, we will help you find the correct solution for your requirements. Below we have covered the various solutions on offer.
Emergency Call Out Power Solutions
An onsite permanent generator is not always the best
solution for businesses where constant power is non-essential. If an outage
would cause some level of disruption but nothing critical, there is no need to spend
money on a permanent backup system.
The solution recommended for this type of client would be Power Call.
Power Call is a unique emergency generator callout service which has an average response time of just 100 minutes where ever you are based in the UK, Power Call does not prevent power loss, but for a small monthly fee, you will have total round-the-clock support with unlimited emergency call outs for power cuts. This means you have access to reliable back-up power when you need it most.
We appreciate keeping costs down is essential for smaller businesses and facilities such as care homes, and so an on-demand service with 24-hour, 365 days a year cover provides your business with an effective power security solution.
The next steps for a business where a short power outage is manageable would be to speak to a Shenton Group technical expert. If an average response time of just 100 minutes and unlimited emergency call outs sounds appealing to you, Power Call is the solution you are looking for! Get in contact today for more information or read what our clients think of the service:
For businesses that can only accommodate a handful of seconds’ drop in power, such as retail locations, an on-site backup generator is more suitable. While a generator starts up to take the full electrical load, there will be a brief gap when there is no access to power, but things are soon up and running as normal.
We can offer expert technical advice to ensure that you are provided with a generator that will keep commercial properties functioning. Retail, sport and leisure complexes rely on continuous power to ensure that their locations remain operational and so in the event of a mains failure, a backup power supply will kick into life in a matter of seconds to keep tills ringing and customers happy.
For a business that requires a backup power solution with a quick reconnection to a power supply, the next steps would involve a FREE site survey to understand your requirements. We offer a full backup generator service to help alleviate the worries of power outages, including an initial site survey, the design and manufacture of your generator, as well as the install, testing and future maintenance of it.
UPS Systems for Critical Power Supplies – Continuous Power
For some businesses, there can
never be a drop in power. An outage is simply not an option.
As industry-leading technical experts, we pride ourselves on working with clients who cannot afford to be hit by any form of power outage, which is why we offer uninterruptible power supply solutions, perfect for businesses and facilities where power is critical.
Without a UPS, there is a delay
while the backup generator starts in an incident of power outage. In some
scenarios this would be a disaster, such as in data centres, hospitals and
military locations. A UPS system bridges the gap, preventing a loss of power
while the generator starts up to provide a sufficient power supply to your
property and equipment.
Customers who need a UPS should get in touch and speak to our expert consultants about our solutions. We can then get to work safeguarding your critical power supply and ensure you power security is handled professionally.
Speak to the Experts
If you are interested in putting the correct steps in place to protect yourself from blackouts, surges and fluctuations, get in touch today.
Last but not least… December’s colleague of the month has been chosen because she is always happy, chatty and super helpful. Well done Cloe for winning colleague of the month for the second time in 2019!
Cloe has been with the CHP Department at Shenton Group for four years and spends her day dealing with customer call-outs, working with our engineers, CHP resetting, preparing service reports and invoicing but never knows what her day will bring! “I enjoy all aspects of my job. With our call outs, you can never predict what is going to happen, so it certainly keeps me on my toes!”
We asked Cloe how she finds working at Shenton Group:
“Shenton Group has a real family feel, and It’s so much more friendly in comparison to anywhere I have previously worked. Everyone is so approachable whatever their role is within the company. Other places I have worked made me feel uneasy to speak to managers and especially directors, such a contrast to being here. It’s so much nicer coming into work every day and working for a company that wants its employees to be involved.”
Cloe has an infectious laugh, beaming smile and you know that if you ask her to help or do anything, she’ll be more than happy to help. Thankyou Cloe for all your hard work and efforts and enjoy the vouchers, bubbly and NO1 parking spot all of January. Keep up the excellent work!
After millions were left without electricity and many of our transport networks ground to a halt, three of the biggest energy firms are going to pay out over £10.5 million into a redress fund managed by the UK’s energy watchdog Ofgem.
On Friday 9th August the UK saw widespread disruption following a hugely disruptive power cut that left commuters stranded and thousands of homes and businesses without power. Following a lightning storm which struck pylons and overhead lines just north of London, two large generators reduced their supply which a minute later triggered backup systems, meaning 5% of the UK power supply was shut off in order to safeguard the other 95%. This resulted in power cuts across the Midlands, South East, South West, East of England and Wales. The investigation conducted by Ofgem found that after the lightning strike Little Barford Power Station in Bedfordshire and Hornsea Windfarm both went down.
The power cuts affected not only homes but also businesses and hospitals. It also left railways disrupted for days after, and so RWE Generation, who runs Little Barford Power Station and Orstead, who oversee the Hornsea offshore wind farm, will now cough up £4.5m each. In addition, distributor UK Power Networks has agreed to pay out £1.5m.
What About the National Grid?
According to BBC News, Ofgem flagged a number of issues with some of the National Grid processes and procedures, which will need to be addressed in order to minimise the risks of future power cuts. The National Grid will also be under further scrutiny with Ofgem reviewing their role as the electricity system operator.
Internally, National Grid has begun its own investigation and has said it will be working with ‘colleagues across the industry, to address the issues raised.’
Reaction from Hornsea Windfarm
Hornsea Windfarm, which is located off the coast of Yorkshire in the North Sea, went down during the August power. They have since said, “We have co-operated with Ofgem throughout their investigations and conducted a thorough internal review of the events in order to prevent a situation like this from happening again.”
The disruption caused on the rail networks has also given the rail companies some food for thought. Some trains were stranded due to the software sensitivity during the power fluctuation, which meant they had to be manually restarted by an engineer.
Safe Guard Your Power – Get the Right Solution With Shenton Group
It is certainly possible to safeguard your business or
property with an alternative/backup power supply in order to avoid power
outages, especially at sensitive locations such as health care facilities, data
centres and transport centres.
Shenton Group has a broad range of solutions from onsite generators and UPS’s that ensure no break in power, to emergency generator call out services (Power Call), a cost saving solution that guarantees you power within 3 hours of an outage, wherever you are based in the UK. Power Call provides you with a reliable plan B that negates the need of an onsite generator.
Whatever your requirements, ensure you get the right solution with Shenton Group. Get in contact today and request a FREE site survey.
Data centres are required to be up and running constantly, even when there is a loss of power, as they are so vital in allowing us access to key information across a wide sector of industries including IT and telecoms. A UPS acts as a failsafe, bridging the gap when the mains are down to ensure that data centres can still function.
Modern society is heavily reliant upon connectivity and the internet so data centres require continuous power to keep our data safe, secure and accessible. The vast majority of data centres incorporate UPS in their electrical distribution set up to make certain that there is power available to all of the electrical equipment in the event of a mains power outage.
What Is a UPS in a Data Centre and How Does It Work?
An uninterruptable power supply system forms a key component of a backup power set up in a data centre, managing power fluctuations and protects from power outages that would otherwise cause untold damage. Essentially, in the event of a power outage, a UPS will retain the power to all of your electrical equipment by switching from the mains to battery power seamlessly whilst your generator is notified and starts up. As the generator starts up there is a short delay, the UPS provides continuous power during that time.
Once the generator is ready, the generator then replaces the mains power. If you do not have a standby generator, a UPS will provide enough power to keep things online for a short duration.
Stable Power For Your Data Centre
Data centres require a stable and secure power supply to ensure they operate smoothly at all times. Specialist UPS systems for data centres stabilise the voltage and control the mains supply to protect your IT system from spikes and dips which can be damaging to your hardware.
Benefits of Data Centre UPS Power Supply Sourced From Shenton
At Shenton Group, we have an extensive range of high efficiency UPS solutions, whether you are looking to add to your existing power back up options or you need to create a bespoke set up to ensure you have a constant power supply for your data centre. We not only supply to data centres but also server farms, telecommunications companies and IT networks, insurers, banks and other finance focused enterprises.
Key Benefits of Choosing Shenton Group:
Shenton Group’s technical expertise and experience ensure you get the right solution that will meet your unique needs and will protect you from outages, spikes and surges so you can be worry free.
Shenton Group UPS maintenance contracts provide added security to all your IT systems and data. Should there be a fault, the Shenton Group support team are available 24/7 (depending on your contract). With support depots across the country, one of our engineers is always close by.
Shenton Group maintenance contracts can feature remote monitoring meaning some issues can be spotted by the Shenton team and resolved before they cause a malfunction, further reducing any chances of downtime.
Energy Efficient UPS Data Centres
Data centre operators need to be aware of energy efficiency and minimising their carbon footprint. Shenton Group offers a consultancy service that reviews your facility and all of your power usage. They can advise, design and integrate the most energy efficient solution that in the will save you money and provide you with added power security. This, in turn, could reduce your carbon footprint as well as provide more bang for your buck.
Request a FREE Site Survey
Our experts can visit your site and will take into account your specific requirements and help you select a UPS that can efficiently manage the operating load of your facility, not just its fully rated capacity.
Limited Space For a UPS? No Problem!
We understand that space in a Data Centre comes at a premium with server racks generating more revenue than a UPS system. Shenton Group’s technical experience of varied project installations means we work with you to ensure the best solution not only for continuous power requirement but also how to ensure the space for the UPS is used as efficiently as possible making us a leading supplier to the market.
Let’s Have a Conversation About UPS For Your Data Centre
Any expert supplier that provides uninterruptible power supplies and generator installations such as Shenton Group will offer advice that takes into account environmental issues, safety regulations and legislation on top of sourcing you the most fitting UPS setup for your data centre.
Biogas CHPs can help businesses and organisations reduce their energy bills and reduce their carbon footprint. The way in which we generate energy is evolving and the use of biogas is a step in the right direction as it helps alleviate consequential damage to the environment.
Creating Energy from Biogas
Biogas is a truly renewable fuel, which converts into a number of useful energy types including into fuel to run a biogas CHP engine (Combined Heat & Power). These engines are capable of producing both electricity and heat, for farms, leisure complexes, healthcare facilities or any other environments that require electricity and heated water.
As well as fuel for CHPs, biogas can be upgraded to a higher purity level called biomethane that is suitable to be introduced into the national grid network for use as general gas fuel.
Generating Biogas
Anaerobic digestion (AD) is the most common process through which biogas is created. Any organic materials are suitable for use as fuel in an AD plant and they are known as ‘feedstock’. The anaerobic process uses microbial activity to digest the material in the absence of oxygen. The by-product from this digestion process is biogas, which is energy rich gaseous fuel, high in methane content.
Sources of Biogas
Biogas is an organic fuel and comes from a number of sources. Waste products, normally disposed of at a cost, are some of the best sources of biogas.
Biogas sources include:
Municipal food waste
Animal slurry from cattle, pigs and poultry
Effluent from wastewater treatment plants
By-products from brewing and distillation processes
Industrial waste – particularly from the food industry
Energy crops harvested by farmers specifically for AD plant fuel
Environmental Benefits of Using Biogas as a Fuel
Energy generated from the AD process is both renewable and environmentally friendly. Biogas created from feedstock is truly renewable and as such, the fuel is almost carbon neutral when compared to traditional fossil fuels.
Biogas generation also solves the issue of waste disposal, as organic materials used as feedstock are otherwise expensive and difficult to dispose of. Not only this but the by-product of the AD process, ‘digestate’, is hugely rich in nutrients and is widely used as a fertiliser on farmland.
Using Biogas to Generate Energy
Biogas helps businesses and organisations reduce not only their carbon footprint and minimise the damage caused to the environment, but provides them with fantastic energy savings. The most common uses of biogas are as a source of power or for injecting into the National Grid after being upgraded to biomethane.
Biogas to Power
Biogas can drive a piston engine in order to power Combined Heat and Power units. The electricity generated by CHPs offsets the power that would otherwise have to be purchased from the electricity grid at a far higher cost to both the customer and the environment.
The power generated by the CHP runs the AD process, or any other electrical load, while surplus energy can be sold back to the National Grid and generate additional income. As well as the electricity, the heat generated by CHPs is used to heat up water and maintains warmth in the AD process to keep the digestion temperature optimised. Any additional heat can supplement or replace heating that would normally come from devices that are reliant on fossil fuels such as boilers.
Earning an Additional Income From Your CHP
When biogas is upgraded to biomethane, the level of methane is increased by removing other constituents of the gas, which in turn means it can be injected under very high pressure into the National Grid pipeline network. This means the producer of the biogas can enjoy a new source of income.
When selling biogas back to the National Grid, a CHP is normally still required on site as the parasitic electrical loads are very high, but these demands can be met through the generation of low-cost electricity using a CHP which operates using biogas. The remaining heat can still also be utilised in the AD process and elsewhere on-site, making the efficiency of CHP engines at facilities such as this extremely high.
5 Ways to Generate Revenue from Biogas
Biogas is an excellent way to generate additional revenue, whether you charge other businesses who want to leave organic matter at your site, or you earn income for your input into the National Grid.
Here are 5 ways that Biogas can be monetized –
Charge a ‘gate fee’ for waste products. You can charge companies who have waste organic matter, which can be tricky and costly to dispose of, but is useful in the generation of biogas.
Make revenue from your CHP unit. Electricity and heat are both valuable forms of energy and so your Combined Heat and Power unit running on biogas can generate a significant energy resource.
Government Incentives. There are various government led incentives for using biogas such as the RHI, the Renewable Heat Incentive.
Gas to Grid. Operating a gas to grid set up can be a huge success with the value of biomethane being so substantial.
Sell on the by-product. Digestate is a great fertilizer and is highly sought after so even when the energy has been and gone, there is still a profit to be had.
Consult the Biogas Experts
At Shenton Group, we have vast experience in the supply of CHP units and Gas Treatment Systems across the biogas industry. We are the sole UK distributor of Tedom CHP in the UK, and have a variety of sizes available to find a fit for your requirements.
Not only this, we can consult and coordinate the installation of your Biogas plant with the National Grid and can advise you on all aspects of CHP energy generation.
Looking for industry-leading service levels? Support with maintenance? Fixed and predictable costings? Making a success of your investment in biogas technology?
This month’s colleague of the month has been chosen for his great goatee! You may laugh but this is one of the countless reasons Damien Stephens who is one of our Key Account Managers for CHP has been chosen. Congratulations Damien!
Damien has come into the business 18months ago after previously working at Bosch in a similar role. His always positive attitude, amazing customer service and relationship building has been noticed by his colleagues and clients alike. He has brought an overwhelming team-building quality to our business which in turn has become infectious within the sales team.
His job as a CHP Key Accounts Manager is to spec the correct CHP solution for the application, and to build relationships with our clients. Damien is often out on the road presenting technical presentations to consultants, meeting with potential client’s, and works closely with our technical team to ensure specifications are met. When it comes to creating your own greener and cheaper energy, Damien is fully equipped to take your Combined Heat and Power system enquiry.
Well Done Damien, please enjoy your vouchers and bottle of bubbly you truly deserve the special parking space too, but it’s being used to park all the CHP’s you keep selling!
This month’s colleague of the month is from our Projects Department. She has been acknowledged for her problem-solving and extremely helpful nature in one of our busiest departments. Lucy Wildman, Thank you for all your help and dedication to keeping our projects department running smoothly!
Lucy is one of our Project Management Assistance. Working office-based, she deals with tasks such as:
Preparing for generator Factory Acceptance Tests
Processing invoices and purchase orders
Liaise with clients and suppliers throughout the projects
Keeping record of project costs
Ensuring deadlines are achieved
Lucy also completes G99 applications on behalf of our clients. This provides peace of mind and takes away the headache of a complex application. All units that synch to the grid legally require G99 certification. Lucy’s liaises between the client and the DNO regarding approvals and payments up to the point of commissioning and testing, ensuring everything is submitted correctly.
Lucy has been with Shenton Group now for 18 months, hear is what she has to say: “Our department is always very fast-paced and so busy with different things needing to be done each day to keep the projects moving, it’s nice to be recognised for the hard work we do. I enjoy the variety in my role, and the team I work within is very supportive.”
Thank you to Lucy for the super work and please enjoy the vouchers and bubbly WELL DONE!
If you need continuous power services and support from a dedicated, passionate and accountable team of professionals, click here to get in touch.
Exciting news from our Projects team! Tarryn’s journey with Shenton Group has reached a new milestone—discover how her dedication and expertise led to this well-deserved promotion.
New Joiner Announcement: We are pleased to welcome Colin to the Shenton Group team! Find out more about how this addition will impact our Rental division here!
In celebration of the Andover Carnival's 100th year, Shenton Group proudly supported Andover Trees United in the parade! This marks the beginning of a blossoming partnership, where we will work together on various fundraising projects and sustainability initiatives. Read more about what happened on the day in our latest blog!
