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NETWORK / 15 / SEPTEMBER 2019 refuse trucks) and creating the charging infrastructure it requires. As a policy maker – once it has established a strong network of local EV charging, the local authority can push harder on zero emission zones for the city centres and mandate a quicker transition to electric buses and taxis. As an investor – there will be opportunities for local authori - ties to invest in the essential charging infrastructure, whether they are located on local author- ity land or not. These are core, strategic assets for the country's future and offer a means of se- curing long-term revenues into the public purse. Oxford leads the charge Oxford City Council is one of a number of local authorities forg- ing ahead with transport electri- fication at remarkable pace. Last year Oxford received £800,000 Government fund- ing to install 100 pop-up EV charging points across the city, and just this April it launched a world-first decarbonisation Su - perHub which won a £10 million UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) grant, of which Pivot Power is proud to be the lead of this consortium. Dubbed a blueprint for city-scale decarbonisation of energy, transport, and heat, the SuperHub combines the world's largest lithium-ion/vanadium redox flow energy storage system (50 MW) and a network of around 100 ultra-rapid and fast charging units connected directly to the extra-high voltage transmission system. Pivot Power is working to accelerate the EV revolution, and is looking to collaborate with local authorities who want to grab the opportunity to shape the impact that revolution has locally, designing and install - ing appropriate infrastructure which catalyses local EV up- take, improves local air quality targets and establishes reliable future revenue streams, setting an example for other towns to follow. the jigsaw of intermittent renew- able energy generation, EVs and peak demand, network flexibil- ity will always be the vital piece. Pivot Power is building a 2GW infrastructure network of 45 batteries across England and Wales. Our plans repre- sent one small slice of a huge clean growth opportunity – the electrification of transport – that must flex to the needs of each demographic and economy across the country. Our storage network will un- lock abundant surplus power on the transmission system at times of high renewable generation. The availability of this low-cost power will enable plans for more local charging infrastruc - ture to be realised. Whether electrifying fleets or mandating low-emissions zones, local authorities will do so in the knowledge that the in - frastructure is in place to make such a move cost effective and inclusive. The flexibility will be there for each region to adopt its own road to zero. A fulcrum for economic di - versification in each region, the unique combination of batter- ies providing scalable capacity required for EV charging infra- structure will attract investment and create employment in host localities. How can a local authority play a part in this revolution? As a planning authority – whether it is for the initial 'battery on the substation' application, or for elements of a SuperHub providing rapid charging for EVs, the local au - thority will always have a key role to play in the statutory processes assessing those ap- plications. We will be studying local development plans and engaging proactively to make sure these developments fit into each authority's strategy and objectives. As a public service provider – a local authority may wish to lead the local push to transport electrification, converting its own vehicle fleets (cars, vans, DECARBONISATION OF TRANSPORT Orlando de Leon, application sales engineer at OMICRON, explains the benefits and new method of testing circuit breakers in Gas Insulated Switchgears (GIS). During the last few years we have seen an increasing demand for non-invasive test methods for evaluating the condition of circuit breakers. Regardless if the circuit breaker is installed in a conventional substation, a switchgear or a Gas Insulated Substation (GIS), the industry has moved to try to perform a complete diagnos- tic without intervening in any working connection; that means testing both sides' grounded systems and taking measure- ments without disconnecting secondary cables of the circuit breaker. With OMICRON's test system CIBANO 500's three-in- one approach you only need to set up the wiring connections once, and that allows you to perform all tests in one go. The CIBANO 500 combines a precise micro-ohmmeter, a multi-channel timing analyzer, a powerful coil and motor supply in a single device. Testing circuit breakers in GIS is a major challenge due to the availability of the bays and having a safe system. The CIBANO 500 offers a patent method to test circuit breakers installed in a GIS - this allows the operating times, motion test, contact resistance, coil and motor current analysis of the circuit breaker to be determined accurately even though the GIS is grounded on both sides. During a closed or open operation of the circuit breaker, the sensor measures the current change through the ground connection of the circuit breaker and sends its signals to the CIBANO 500 which determines the switch response times. Since the new current sensor has a flexible design and can be easily installed on a multitude of different grounding switches, it is ideal for on-site applications in GIS installations. For more information visit www. omicronenergy.com or email info.uk@omicronenergy.com I N D U S T RY I N S I G H T Circuit breaker testing with OMICRON