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Surge Protection Devices

When you say “surge protection devices” the public is apt to think of surge strips that can be bought at Walmart or any convenience store. These are the relatively crude devices that you have in your home, and that you probably bought because it would give you the ability to plug several appliances into one outlet. The most common reason that people purchase surge protection devices is that they want to use several electronic devices in the same general vicinity, and have concerns that they might overload the system if they plug all of the components into extension cords or other devices that provide the ability to have multiple plugs. While this is certainly a concern, the main reason for surge protection devices is not to give you more outlets. Instead, it is to protect the equipment that you have connected to the electrical power source through the surge protection device. They were created for one specific reason, to provide protection against the overload of circuitry on expensive electronic equipment by stopping the flow of electricity if it exceeds a certain level. The concept originated with circuit breakers, where the electrical supply to a residence or business was controlled by a series of breakers which would disengage if the electrical current exceeded a specific amount. The only way to restore this level of power would be to reset the breaker. The same concept applies to surge protection devices that exist within your home or business as well. These devices provide a more accurate level of protection in that they are more sensitive to the specific amounts of electricity flowing. Even though the circuit breaker may also be employed in this capacity, the surge protection device works in a far more sophisticated manner. When your computer or other sensitive equipment are plugged into a surge protection device that is plugged into your power supply outlet, you provide the next level of protection against even minor surges that happen every day. The flow of electricity may be regulated but it is far from consistent, and even minor fluctuations that exceed the levels that computer circuitry can withstand will ultimately shorten the life of that component, if not destroy the circuitry completely. While residential and light industrial surge protection devices are important, industrial surge protection is even more critical.

Industrial surge protection devices work in much the same way as residential surge protection devices do, only with more robust housings and components that enable them to function on higher electrical flow levels. Residential electrical levels are nowhere near what is necessary for industrial facilities to function, and in addition industrial businesses generally utilize far more expensive equipment than a residence will. Therefore industrial surge protection devices must utilize the highest level of technological development and advancement in order to continue to protect our ever expanding and connected industries. Every year the stakes go up, and every year the need for industrial surge protection devices rises as well.

How Government Is Aiding In EV Development

Emerging industries can usually rely on the government for some assistance to a certain degree, especially if that industry is beneficial to the whole of society. Over the course of the last 30 years there has been a push to create more solutions that will reduce carbon emissions in the United States, one of the primary aspects of this being the reduction of gas-powered vehicles. The push by environmentalists for a wider spread adoption on the part of the public for electric vehicles has run into some stumbling blocks and adoption has been slow because of the general perception of the vehicles being impractical. For many years electric vehicles were viewed as underpowered and not stylish, as well as ineffective at traveling long distances due to low battery capacities and a lack of convenient charging stations outside of the home. To charge your car and home it will take several hours, and the universal charging station network in the United States overwhelmingly features chargers take more than an hour to deliver an 80% charge. This is proven to be problematic for wider spread adoption of electric vehicles. Tesla has made strides to impact wider adoption of their products, but this has not improved the market in general because the Tesla network of superchargers is specific for Tesla vehicles, and others but only with a specialized adapter. In order to push American ownership of electric vehicles past the 2% mark where it currently is at the time of this writing, more fast charging stations need to be built. Private industry is slow to build new stations due to their expense when compared to the amount of people that are driving electric vehicles overall in the US. The cost of a new level three charging station that can deliver an 80% charge in under ½ hour is nearly ¼ million dollars, and the ongoing operations are expensive because of potential damage to the sensitive equipment. The equipment utilized in the process is expensive and easily damaged by electrical surges caused by nearby lightning strikes and/or power surges from the grid. This is so even as the footprint of these faster charger stations need to be expanded. A wider footprint means a higher possibility of damage as a result of lightning strikes to an area, and ultimately can factor into the decision making of private industry into making the investments necessary due to build out the network infrastructure for EV charging. Through government incentives that are baked into the two trillion dollar infrastructure bill that currently proposed in the US Congress, as well as ongoing improvements to the technological aspects of the process, it is with high hopes that projections of more than 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations can be installed in the United States by 2030. If this goal is to be accomplished, a major impact on climate change could be achieved as more people switch to driving electric cars. One of the ways that private industry is assisting in this process is through the development of more robust specialty surge protection devices that are integrated into the systems by the manufacturers of the EV chargers before they are even installed in order to protect the equipment when power surges happen. Raycap has developed the most technologically advanced industrial surge protection devices in the world, and is playing a significant role in the expansion of electric vehicle market as a result.

More Electric Vehicle Charging Stations Are Necessary

US President Joe Biden is presently pushing for an expanded adoption of electric vehicle technology by both the public as well as private industry as part of his two trillion-dollar infrastructure Bill that is being debated in the US Congress. He and many others in his administration recognize the need to significantly reduce carbon emissions in the United States and the world in order to have a viable planet for Americans and citizens of the world to live and thrive upon. The plan also provides tax incentives as well as rebates and government funding of programs that will attempt to sway more people’s decision to switch over from gas-powered to electric powered vehicles. In the United States, the desire to have at least 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations installed throughout the country is the priority. This would solve one of the issues that has proven to be a major factor in the decision-making process when people are choosing to purchase a new car. They perceive electric vehicles as being underpowered and difficult to charge, simply because it takes a long time to charge at their home and they cannot find universal charging stations conveniently. There are 41,400 electric vehicle charging stations in the United States and fewer than 5000 of them are the type three fast charging stations. Compare this with more than 136,400 gas stations nationwide, and you can see how those who are considering switching from gas to electric powered vehicles are dissuaded by the ability to charge their vehicle when not at home. Most existing electric vehicle charging stations are going to take more than an hour to charge the vehicle 80%, which is perceived as being insufficient to create more customers. These are many of the reasons that the electric vehicle market accounts for only 2% of the vehicles sold in the United States each year. As Joe Biden and the government realizes, there must be a wider rollout of electric vehicle charging stations for there to be a wider adoption of electric vehicles by the public. Although Tesla has made great strides in convincing the public that an electric vehicle can be everything that you wanted it to be, their network of charging stations is not universal, and charges Tesla vehicles and others but only with a specific adapter. This proves that there must be government cooperation with private industry in order to facilitate more of an installation incentive for universal charging stations. The level-three chargers will cost nearly $250,000 to be installed, and service less than 2% of the vehicles on the road, so the current profit margin seems difficult to justify the price. While the infrastructure bill would make it more attractive for private businesses to become involved in the space, there needs to be more done to bring down the costs of both installation and ongoing operation in order to push the industry forward. Raycap is doing its part with the creation of technologically advanced surge protection devices which when installed by the manufacturer of the electric vehicle charging stations, can reduce the ongoing operational costs by mitigating cost risk from electrical surges. By avoiding ongoing expected damage that comes as a result of power surges and lightning strike surge activity, manufacturers can improve the profitability and reduce downtime. Through this multipronged attack on the disadvantages of electric vehicle operation and profitability of charging stations, the goal of 500,000 by 2030 is possible.

More Electric Vehicles Means The Need For More Convenient Charging Stations

Electric vehicles are nothing new and have been around for many years. Only over the course of the last 10 years have we seen a growing demand for electric vehicles that has increased in pace, namely due to the success of Tesla as a company. One of the main issues that has been overcome by Tesla in order to create a more widespread use of their product has been the creation of a network of charging stations that can be used by their vehicles, and only by other EVs if a special adapter is used. This private network can service other electric vehicles but only with an adapter, which generally promotes Tesla as a brand but does not solve the issue that is faced by the industry as a whole: the need for universal charging stations. One of the greatest hindrances to electric vehicle ownership is the perception that the vehicles cannot go very far in between charges, and there are simply not enough charging stations to be convenient. For example, there are roughly 136,400 gas stations in the United States and only 41,400 electric vehicle charging stations. Of those charging stations that exist, as of this writing only 5000 are fast charging which means that the remainder of those charging stations will need vehicles to park for more than an hour in order to gain an 80% charge. With these types of encumbrances to wider adoption, the United States faces an uphill battle changing people’s minds. While the conservation effort is not being rejected by the population, they still do not want to be inconvenienced by their choice of vehicle. For this reason, many people who would like to own an electric vehicle still choose to drive a gas-powered vehicle. The answer to wider spread adoption is to create a more robust grid of universal electric vehicle charging stations that will work on more of a variety of vehicles. The United States government is attempting to encourage this to happen by providing tax incentives and rebates as a part of the infrastructure Bill that is currently being worked on in Congress. But that Bill is anything but a sure thing, even though it would provide monetary benefits to those not only driving electric vehicles, but to those businesses who are participating in the expansion of the electric vehicle market in general. These incentives would translate to more companies creating businesses that will function within the electrical vehicle space, both producing more charging stations as well as upgraded chargers. The faster the charger, the more expensive the charging station is to install, many times costing upwards of $250,000. By bringing down the cost of install or operation through incentivized programs, the United States hopes to encourage the public to purchase more electric vehicles.

One of the ways that the costs of operation of an electric vehicle charging station can be brought down is through the integration by the OEM or integration partner of more robust surge protection devices. This is because lightning and power surges are one of the largest costs of operation due to the damage that can be expected if there is a lightning strike or power surge near the equipment. Through the protection of this expensive equipment, the costs of operation and can be reduced, resulting in higher levels of uptime, profitability and attracting new players into the market.

Surge Protection Of EV Charging Stations

The lack of available charging stations nationwide in the United States has led to a slower adoption of electric vehicle ownership by the public, and the public shies away from electric vehicle ownership because of the lack available charging stations. This vicious circle has proven to be a hinderance to the wider spread growth of the industry, ultimately resulting in slower than hoped results with regard to reversing carbon emissions. There are 17,000,000 new cars sold every year in the United States, and only 2% of that total is represented by vehicles that are either fully electric or hybrid gas and electric. In order to create a climate where electric vehicle ownership is more widespread, government interaction has been necessary which will incentivize both private ownership as well as business development of the different aspects of the industry. Where profitability of a new electric vehicle charging station is difficult, the US government has plans to subsidize with tax benefits and other incentive programs. These incentives are designed to push private industry further with regard to the development of the current administration’s goal of 500,000 electric vehicle charging stations in the United States by 2030. To achieve this goal, it is assumed that far more vehicle owners will choose the electric over gas. The installation cost of a new level three charger can be upwards of $260,000, and even though these advanced chargers can deliver a charge in as little as 10 minutes, they are few and far between in the United States. There are only 5000 fast chargers of the 41,400 electric vehicle charging stations in the US, compared to more than 135,000 gas stations. This has been one of the major hurdles which has been identified by the government. The two trillion dollar Infrastructure Bill that’s making its way through Congress addresses what the government could do to help. It is up to private industry to do the rest to move the country forward with electric vehicle ownership.

One company that is doing its part in this respect is Raycap, who has developed the technologically advanced line of surge protection devices for electric vehicle charging stations. Through the integration of more robust surge protection devices into the footprint of a high-powered charging station environment, the ongoing costs of operation can be reduced significantly. This is because downtime leads to more costs, and one of the main costs associated with this industry is ongoing maintenance of equipment as a result of lightning strikes and power surges coming from the grid. The wider footprint and expensive circuitry of high-powered charging stations brings a greater risk of damage and loss as a result of lightning strikes. Only through wider adoption and better methods of damage avoidance can operational costs be reduced. Through their products, Raycap expects to help a large number of electric vehicle charging manufacturers and operators to bring down the ongoing costs associated with the industry, ultimately resulting in more stations being built. The electric vehicle market is still emerging, and through private and public sector cooperation we can achieve the current administration’s goal of 500,000 chargers by 2030.

The Future Of Electric Vehicles

Tesla has been working over the course of the last 10 years to build out and allow a great network of charging stations across the United States in order to service its fleet of cars. Tesla understood that in order for their cars to sell to the public in wider numbers, the necessity for improved as well as more accessible electric vehicle charging stations was significant. The standard electric vehicle charging station can take several hours to fully deliver a charge, but with higher level fast charging stations, projections show ultimately an 80% charge can be delivered in as little as 10 minutes. The main issues arise because in order to make the installation of electric vehicle charging stations more profitable, there must be a higher quantity of electric vehicles sold. The hindrance of these sales is being impacted by the lack of charging stations, creating a vicious circle that slows growth. There are less than 2% the total 17,000,000 vehicles sold in the United States that are either electric or hybrid in 2020, and this lack of a significant percentage of the market makes the rollout of expensive charging stations difficult for private industry to fund. A level-three charger will cost between 120 and $260,000 on average, installed. And when supporting less than 3% of the total vehicles in the USA, rollout of new stations presents difficulties for profitability. While there is no doubt that the market is growing, issues need to be solved that will remove the barriers to entry for the public, allowing further growth from that point provided by the private sector. The infrastructure bill which is being moved through the channels of government under the approval of President Joe Biden promises significant amounts of tax incentives, boosting domestic supply of materials and incentive programs for private businesses to install charging stations. The possibility of this infusion of government money combined with speculative industries like private vehicle charging companies has created a larger interest in the development of the sector.

One of the most significant ways that the electric vehicle charging market can be improved is for OEMS and installers to invest in the integration of more advanced surge protection devices throughout electric vehicle charging station footprints. One of the more dangerous aspects of the operation of an electric vehicle charging station is the potential of damage to vehicles or people as a result of lightning strikes and power surges. This is due to the footprint of the charging station being expanded as the capabilities of that station are increased. This gives a higher level of exposure to damage as a result of lightning strikes near the equipment, ultimately resulting in equipment damage and a higher cost of operation. Through the integration of more technologically advanced surge protection devices, these costs can be reduced and surge damage avoided. It is projected that by 2040 the electric vehicle market can be in the range of $27,000,000,000, and electric vehicle charging stations will make up a large percentage of that number. The growth of this market is tied directly to the technological advancements in other areas such as fast charging and electrical protection.

The Growing Need For EV Charging Stations

When Tesla created their network of electric vehicle charging stations, they were doing so out of the necessity that had arisen in order for them to sell more vehicles. Tesla is a solutions based company, where problems are identified and solutions are created to solve those problems. The problem of climate change as a result of the overwhelming number of gas-powered vehicles on the streets of large cities worldwide was showing no sign of slowing, and as a result of identifying this growing problem Tesla decided to go into business selling electric vehicles. Their entire realization was that electric vehicles were not popular with drivers for a few specific reasons, each of which they could identify and create a solution for. As an example, in the past electric vehicles were underpowered so Tesla created a vehicle that had as much pickup as any gas-powered vehicle in mass production. They also realized that electric vehicles tended to not be stylish or luxurious, and solved that issue by creating a line of vehicles that is considered both luxurious and aggressive. Probably the most difficult issue to solve was the fact that electric vehicles were perceived as being impractical because they could not travel the same distances as gas powered vehicles in between fill ups of the fuel source, and the stations where fuel could be added were not as convenient as gas-powered drivers had grown used to. In order to create a higher level of vehicle sales, Tesla improved the battery capacities of their vehicles to be more practical, and also built their own network of charging stations in major metropolitan areas. They even went further, creating a specialized charging system that would allow for rapid charging of Tesla vehicles. This meant that drivers did not need to sit with their cars for hours while being recharged, and instead could fill the entire battery to capacity in under an hour.

While Tesla has its own system that caters to its drivers exclusively, many of these issues still exist with regard to other manufacturers of electric vehicles, and their drivers. In order to start to solve the issue of global emissions, a much higher percentages of the vehicles on the road must be electric or at least hybrid vehicles. In order to achieve this kind of goal, a wider population of electric vehicle drivers must be created outside of the ones Tesla has already cultivated. The vehicles themselves that are being produced are more stylish and luxurious than ever before, but the nationwide network of charging stations is still sorely lacking. There are only about 41,400 electric vehicle charging stations in the United States according to the Department Of Energy. Compare this with 136,400 gas stations, and complicate matters even more with the fact that there are fewer than 5000 fast charging stations. The United States is moving forward now with an infrastructure bill introduced by the Biden administration that will provide rebates and tax credits for those that switch to electric vehicles, as well as to businesses involved in the space. But until a wider rollout of electric vehicle fast charging stations needs to happen in order for the technology to be widely adopted. Through the integration of more technologically advanced surge protection into the electric vehicle charging station footprint, the costs of operation can be reduced. This is one step towards creating a greater profitability that can potentially sway private businesses that are considering entering the space.

The Infrastructure Bill Encourages EV Charging Station Development

One of the primary aspects of the infrastructure bill that is being moved through the US Congress is the creation of programs that will encourage people to make smarter choices for the environment, including switching to electric vehicle ownership. While the obvious push towards tax savings or benefits for driving electric vehicles as the primary mode of transportation for the public is obvious, some of the more interesting aspects of the bill address more difficult issues to solve in the electric vehicle market. At the current time only 2% of the 17,000,000 new vehicles sold every year in the United States are electric, ultimately moving forward towards the goal of less carbon emissions, but doing so at a slow pace. While Tesla has made great strides towards the changing of the public’s perception of what an electric vehicle can be, one of the main challenges for the entire market is still the availability of charging stations at convenient locations. Tesla has created their own network of supercharging stations which will deliver an 80% charge to the vehicle in less than half an hour, but the majority of charging stations within the United States are still not fast charging stations. In order to build a level-three charging station at the current time, the average cost is between $120,000 and $260,000. Couple this with the fact that these stations are expensive to maintain and operate, and we can see why private industry has not moved faster towards the rollout of a significantly larger number of electric vehicle charging stations in the United States. There are simply too few people driving the cars to make it worth the investment, and the people are choosing gas powered vehicles in part because of the lack of investment. This vicious circle has created an issue that needs to be solved, and cooperative between the government and private industry will go far towards achieving this the goal. There are only 41,000 electric vehicle charging stations in the United States, and only 5000 of those are fast chargers which can deliver the speed that the Tesla systems do. When compared to the 136,400 gas stations, it is obvious why people are still shying away from electric vehicles.

Every technological advancement that can be worked into the electric vehicle charging system in order to improve profitability will ultimately move the industry closer to that goal. One of the technological advancements that has proven successful in this regard is the improvement of industrial surge protection devices that are integrated into the chargers themselves, and the station footprint. A main cost of ongoing operations for electric vehicle charging stations is the repair and replacement of equipment that has been damaged, including by electrical power surges. The equipment is expensive, so any ability to extend the lifespan will help to improve the profitability that the station can produce. Surge protection devices from Raycap have proven they can reduce the amount of damage as a result of power surges, and ultimately reduce the operating expenditures. Innovations such as this are playing a major role in the expansion of the industry as a whole.

Green Energy Production Surge Protection Systems

Green Energy Production Surge Protection Systems

Surge protection devices may be one of the factors that make a difference in the world’s ability to more quickly adopt methods of producing electricity that are less harmful to the environment. There are two schools of thought with regards to power production, both factoring down to money at their core. Fossil fuel production techniques cost less but use methods that produce pollution and greenhouse gasses as by-products. Green production methods cost more but produce no harmful by-products or pollution. As people debate the widespread adoption of green technology over fossil fuels, the crux of the debate is the level of damage that fossil fuels do vs. the costs that are involved. Even though there are few people who would argue that they prefer the methods that do less damage to the environment, they feel that the added costs that they need to pay for the cleaner methods are not worth it, and that the damage is justified to save money. This is a difficult argument to counter, as personal feelings on the amount of damage that is acceptable are going to vary wildly. The true end of the debate will come when the costs of both methods are equal, or ultimately lower for the green production methods. But how can that happen?

In order to address this question, we must look at the fixed costs of each method. The actual generation of electricity is accomplished through the turning of turbines, and the transport and storage of that electricity is the same no matter how it is produced. The costs of fossil fuel production are found mainly in the acquiring of the fuel source itself, being the mining or refinement of oil or coal. There is no cost with regard to wind or sunlight, so the fuel that is used in the green processes is free. The costs associated with those processes is found in the purchase, installation, repair and replacement costs of the equipment used in the process, as well as the inefficiency that comes with downtimes. If a fuel source that has no cost is available, every minute that is spent not using it to produce power represents waste and inefficient operations. This inefficiency comes often from the downtimes created when systems are knocked offline by power surges. A major cause of surges that create damage and downtimes to equipment are lightning strikes to the solar panels or the wind mills, ultimately allowing overloads of power to surge through connected lines and structures. These surges damage the circuitry of the electronics equipment, necessitating repair or replacement in order to restore functionality. When addressed from this standpoint the solution is clear, create more protection for the systems to avoid the lightning and surge damage.

Raycap is a world leading producer of surge protection devices for green energy production systems. Our Strikesorb SPD technology is not only more robust than competing devices, but also features a unique technology that allows them to absorb multiple lightning strikes while protecting equipment, without the need to be replaced. This reduces downtimes associated with surges as well as increases equipment life spans. As technology advances, we come closer every day to creating systems that are both cleaner and cheaper than fossil fuels. Once that threshold is crossed, a better world will emerge.

Protection Of Equipment In Green Systems

Protection Of Equipment In Green Systems

One of the more confusing aspects of energy production is the cost basis, and very few people have a good understanding on the actual costs that are involved. For both green energy production techniques as well as fossil fuel techniques, turbines are utilized to generate the actual electricity that is seen as the final product sold to consumers. The product itself is the same no matter what production process is used, and there is no “better” electricity that is generated one way or another. When the light switches on in a home or business, electricity flows and powers the lights, no matter how that electricity was manufactured. The differences in costs between methods happen before the turbines, and are essentially found in the things involved in getting the turbines to turn. When producing traditional energy, fossil fuels are burned in order to create a gas which turns the turbines. While this is efficient, it also produces by-products like pollution and greenhouse gasses. Without debating the levels of damage that these by products have on the environment, it is universally accepted that damage is done to air quality by their release into the atmosphere. There is also a hard cost associated with the purchase or mining of the fuels themselves, whether it is in the form of wood, coal or oil, in order to burn and produce electricity, they must first be purchased which has a cost associated. Green energy production technology on the other hand does not burn fossil fuels in order to turn the turbines. Different processes capture the movement of wind or the gasses produced by liquids heated by solar panels in order to turn the turbines, producing no harmful by products and having no fuel costs. So if there is no fuel to purchase, why does it still cost more to produce electricity using green production methods?

The costs associated with green energy production are found in the purchase, installation, repair or replacement of equipment used in the processes, which is usually exposed to the elements and can easily be damaged in the field. One main cause of damage are lightning strikes to the panels or the wind turbines, something that is almost impossible to avoid due to the remote and exposed nature of the setups in order to achieve maximum efficiency. The damage that is produced at the actual strike point itself is easily seen, compared to the damage that is produced by the associated power surge. This surge of electricity couples into structures, cables and attachment points of the equipment, effectively creating a chain that electrical flow can travel upon. This flow is too great for the electronic circuitry inside components to handle, and results in the damaging and shutdown of systems during times when power could be being. This inefficiency is being corrected through the integration of more advanced surge protection devices which can provide greater levels of protection while also minimizing downtime. As these protection systems evolve, the ultimate costs associated with green energy production come down, creating a product which is both cleaner and cheaper.

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