Influence of cable losses on the economic analysis of efficient and sustainable electrical equipment

• Any proposal for action on energy efficiency is important for consumers.
• Electricity consumption can be decreased by reducing losses in the cables.
• A new software application that compares and chooses the best investment is provided.
• The economic analysis of efficiency and sustainable electrical equipment is carried out.
• Simulation results are validated with experimental results from a real electrical installation.

Increasing energy needs are accompanied by environmental responsibilities, since nowadays electricity companies operate in a competitive and sustainable energy framework. In this context, any proposal for action on energy efficiency becomes important for consumers to minimize operational costs. In electrical installations, electricity consumption can be decreased by reducing losses in the cables, associated with the overall efficiency of the equipment, allowing a better use of the installed power. The losses must be analysed in conjunction with all loads that contribute to the currents in the sections of an electrical installation. When replacing equipment in output distribution boxes with more efficient ones, the current in those sections is reduced in association with the decrease in power losses. This decrease, often forgotten, is taken into account in this work for the economic analysis of efficiency and sustainable electrical equipment. This paper presents a new software application that compares and chooses the best investment in the acquisition of electrical equipment. Simulation results obtained with the new software application are provided and are then validated with experimental results from a real electrical installation.