Businessman Steve Sommerville Is all about the power. Not exercising power, but the planning and delivery of it.
United Kingdom, January 18, 2020 — Steve owns SPE Electrical, a Dorset-based consultancy supporting a wide range of industries and sectors including transmission and distribution, oil and gas, water, utilities, renewable energy, data centres, industrial and marine, biofuel generation and much else besides.
The company’s technical services include power system design and analysis, earthing and grounding and general power systems consultancy.
Steve, who established SPE Electrical in 2015 said: “Almost all of what we do is high voltage (HV) consultancy. We might be working with someone with an existing site, helping solve a specific problem or assisting with an upgrade requirement. “Alternatively it could be someone who wants to develop a whole new site or operation such as a factory or a manufacturing plant.”
The consultancy works across a number of sectors, globally.
“In electrical terms there is not much difference between sectors like wind, solar or water. In most sectors, electricity behaves in the same way,” Steve added.
“We straddle a lot of industries. What we do is very niche and highly technical.
“Most companies don’t carry the kind of expertise we offer on their books, so they call us in when they need to.”
The business is based in Poundbury near Dorchester, Dorset, UK.
Steve, having worked across a number of sectors, operated on a freelance basis for several years before setting up SPE Electrical. He has four staff including himself and brings in expert contractors when required.
“We have an innovative business model based on several full time staff and a number of part time highly experienced specialists, enabling us to call up the very best resources.
“The oil and gas markets took a big hit a few years ago and I felt it was time to establish a company and ensure it was built around diversity.
“Things change very quickly in the energy market and we have learned there is a need to be flexible and adaptable and to move with changing times.
“So if one sector is not performing well, we can shift our focus to others. It’s a question making sure you don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Water and electricity markets particularly tend to fluctuate.”
The other big thing to consider is trends including changes to governing policy and priorities. What governments do and think has a massive influence, particularly on the renewable and EV (Electric Vehicle) market.
One of the latest innovations is short term operating reserve (STOR)” said Steve.
“This is the setting up of generating plants that feed into the National Grid on a localised basis to deal with short term peaks in demand.
It is much more economically and ecologically efficient and flexible because STOR is used as and when needed and means the Grid is less reliant on big suppliers. There are a few hundred of these smaller operations around the UK.”
SPE has diverse range of clients including renewables developer Ethical Power in Devon, Orsted who working on a 20 megawatt battery storage project in Liverpool, Trant Engineering with plans for a waste to energy plans on the Isle of Wight and Costain, working on new water treatment site in the Severn Trent region.
Another current trend is the push for new green technology, something that will remain front and centre for decades.
Electric cars is one strand, that is expected to drive a lot of future projects.
Steve said: “Lots of smaller projects and big infrastructure projects will be needed to support the ambitious targets on this. It’s not just about generating the power, it’s about getting it to where it needs to be and that is a huge programme. So we live in interesting and changing times and given the nature of the industry, I expect it will remain this way for a long time.”
Contact:
Steve Sommerville
SPE Electrical Ltd
6 Burraton Yard
Burraton Square
Poundbury, Dorchester DT1 3GR
01305 300 210
info@sp-eng.co.uk
https://www.sp-eng.co.uk