EEA Electricity Engineers' Association

APEX Summit 2022

APEX Summit 2022 - Technology Led Changes

APEX FLYER 2022

APEX PROGRAMME 2022

Best APEX Presentation Winner 2022

Logan Cane, Mitton ElectroNet

Logan is an Assistant Engineer at Mitton ElectroNet who currently works in the Power Systems Analysis Team based in Christchurch. During his graduate rotations he has been involved in other engineering roles such as earth system design and testing in the electrical safety team as well as both primary and secondary substation design within the Transmission Team. Logan studied at the University of Canterbury to gain a BE(Hons) – Electrical and Electronic Engineering with a minor in power engineering. He also has a broad range of previous experience in other fields ranging from serving in the Royal New Zealand Air Force as a Logistics Operator to owning a small lawncare business.

One of his goals for working within the power industry is to help New Zealand transition to a low-carbon, economical and equitable energy system through the application of carefully considered engineering design. Right now, his role in the power system analysis team involves assessing the technical feasibility of potential future generation projects. He has a lot to learn, but also looks forward to sharing knowledge and learning from other engineers so that we can all design better.

Stop Using Your Imagination: How LiDAR Technology is Changing the Way We Design Substations

For many years CAD software has been used to model 3D designs, but usually, when new equipment is designed for an existing site, the 3D model is rendered at a specific angle and then worked into an existing two-dimensional drawing.

With today’s technology, design consultants have access to powerful hardware that can edit and process large 3D models. Maintenance contractors often carry portable electrical devices with them to site, so is it still appropriate for them to flick through pages of two-dimensional drawings, meant to represent three-dimensional information?

It is now feasible to generate and import a certifiably accurate LiDAR scan of an entire substation into a design. Design engineers can stop imagining how new equipment will fit into an existing site but it doesn’t need to stop there.

The ultimate vision is to generate a digital twin of a site, which can be accessed from anywhere, and can show everything from a site overview down to the finest details. But how do we make the transition when we still rely on drawings as the single point of truth about a site?

People's Choice Award 2022

Emma Lloyd, Connetics

Emma is a Graduate Design Engineer working in the Substations Design & Engineering team at Connetics in Christchurch. Emma has been working full time as a Graduate Engineer since late 2021 after finishing a Bachelor of Electrical and Electronic Engineering at the University of Canterbury. During her time at Connetics Emma has been involved in a diverse range of projects including major distribution substation upgrades, work for private network customers, lightning design, and solar generation modelling and design.

Why are engineers integrating new technology into solar array designs?

Solar Integration on rooftops or in large-scale solar farms is currently experiencing a rise in popularity. The benefits of utilising this technology for commercial customers can include the minimisation of electricity bills, offsetting of company carbon emissions, or providing a new income stream selling generated power back to the grid. Regardless of the reason for a new solar installation, the technology available for maximising returns is increasing along with the uptake for embedded generation. As such, engineers designing new solar arrays can make the most of the technological advancements available to provide the most efficient designs with the best outcomes to the client.

Connetics has recently increased design capacity to pursue new solar projects from feasibility through to installation, with a focus on research and development of new technologies and software. One design program for two grid connected solar rooftop arrays was of note due to its use of LiDAR and 3D modelling while also utilising the practical expertise of the Connetics contracting arm to maximise constructability and accuracy right from the concept design. The job was fully exhaustive including modelling, communications, interfacing equipment, and economic forecasting, with the final design to begin construction in 2022.