Quasar Blog & Updates - Quasar

Quasar Wins Partner of Distinction Award from Schneider Electric

12/7/2021

At the Schneider Electric 2021 Digital Power Leadership Summit, we presented a case study on how we had helped Argosy implement an energy management system to support their sustainability goals. The summit was attended by Schneider Electric EcoXpert Critical Power and Substation Automation Masters from across the globe, a number of which also presented case studies.

We’re delighted to announce that we won the Partner of Distinction Award for this work with Argosy. It’s always lovely to receive recognition for our work so a big congratulations to our team for this and in particular Richard, Arneil and Olivier who have been responsible for this project and presenting the case study.

If you'd like to read more about Argosy’s energy management system and how it provides them with energy consumption and efficiency data, you can read our blog post.

You can also find more information about the software we use for energy management systems here and power metering hardware here.

Helping Argosy reach their NABERSNZ & Green Star goals

11/12/2020

Tv showing Argosy's energy management system with Richard, Saatyesh & Nathan

The Quasar team has configured and implemented an energy management system for Argosy, one of New Zealand’s leading listed property companies. The energy management system provides energy consumption and efficiency data across Argosy's commercial property portfolio and is being rolled out across Argosy’s properties in stages with the first stage recently being handed over.

New Power Quality Advisor Module

23/2/2017

We are pleased to announce Schneider Electrics new Power Quality (PQ) Advisor Module which makes it easy to identify power quality issues, assess the financial impact of events and plan the deployment of correction equipment.

Quasar recognised by Schneider Electric as a 'Master' EcoXpert for Critical Power

13/10/2016

Recently Quasar were invited to attend an exclusive event at the Schneider Electric ION factory in Victoria, Canada. This event bought together the top performing partners globally who work with the Power Solutions for Critical Power line of business. While there, we were formally certified as an EcoXpert 'Master' for Critical Power.

A recognized leader in their field of work, EcoXpert™ Master companies have been trained and certified by Schneider Electric and demonstrate excellence through ongoing business accomplishment and through expert competency development of their staff.

We are honoured for the recognition and are committed to continuing our mission of bringing quality, useful solutions to our clients.

Latest ION Meters now approved for Revenue use in NZ

1/10/2016

Schneider News Profiles Quasar

18/9/2014

Read what Schneider had to say about Quasar in their recent publication of Schneider News.

Schneider Electric Launches New Power monitoring Software

16/10/2013

Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management, today announced a new addition to the StruxureWare software suite with the launch of StruxureWare Power Monitoring Expert for integrated energy and electrical distribution power management.

Read more

IEC 61850 Protocol for PowerLogic ION 7550 7650 power meters

29/11/2011

ION7550/ION7650 high end revenue and power quality meter meters are certified by KEMA to meet the IEC 61850 specifications.

Applications:

Power systems in electrical utilities
Oil & Gas industry
Large industrial sites
Any industry that needs to monitor, control and automate their power system

Multi-vendor Benefits:
IEC 61850 was developed as a utility substation automation protocol, enabling easy incorporation of products from multiple vendors in the same SCADA system.

Overview of ION7550/ION7650 meter IEC 61850 functionality:

Operational metering data (V, I, F, PF, Power, Energy)
Some Power Quality values (harmonics, unbalance)
Access to read and write meter digital and analogue I/O
Time synchronization via SNTP
Reporting service for 61850 data
COMTRADE formatted waveform data, transferred via FTP
Custom mapping of ION values into 61850 in addition to standard models
Up to 4 client connections, 1 buffered and 5 unbuffered reports per client connection

What meters will support the new feature:
ION7550 - with Ethernet card and 5MB memory option
ION7650 - with Ethernet card and 5MB memory option

Upgrade existing Meters:
It is possible to upgrade installed meters to support IEC 61850 protocol. Contact Quasar for details.

ION8650 Achieves Revenue Compliance Certification

29/11/2011

The new ION8650 advanced revenue & power quality meter was recently awarded ‘Electricity Industry Participation Code 2010, Schedule 10.1, Code of Practice 10.4’ compliance with this certification, these meters are now ready to be sold into Revenue compliant installations within New Zealand.

Used to monitor electric energy provider networks, service entrances and substations, PowerLogic ION8650 meters are ideal for independent power producers and co-generation applications that need to accurately measure energy bidirectionally in both generation and stand-by modes. These meters give utilities the tools to manage complex energy supply contracts that include commitments to power quality. Integrate them with our ION Enterprise™ operations software or other energy management and SCADA systems through multiple communication channels and protocols, including our PrimeRead MDM solutions as well as Itron MV-90 and Stark RT.

Quasar Systems Wins Revenue Meter Replacement Contract

29/10/2010

Quasar Systems NZ’s leading supplier and integrator of revenue and power quality meters and metering systems to local power generators and distributors has recently been awarded a contract by Transpower New Zealand for the supply of revenue meters following an extensive evaluation programme.

Transpower has approximately 450 legacy revenue meters installed at some 152 substations throughout New Zealand. When purchased in the early 1990’s the meters were ‘state of the art’ technology but are now nearing the end of their physical life.

Quasar Completes Contact Energy's Generation Meters Project

15/10/2010

Clyde Power Station

Contact Energy is a large, dynamic company playing a pivotal role in New Zealand’s energy sector. Generating between 25 and 30 percent of New Zealand’s electricity, the Company recently celebrated the completion of their Generation Meters Project by Quasar Systems.

The works and services undertaken for this contract relate to the replacement of obsolete metering and data recorder hardware with modern technologies, and the supply of a metering system suitable for delivering generation metering data to external metering data collection and other business applications.

ION8800 Power Meter

Legacy meters and data loggers that had been installed in the mid 1990s were replaced at all nine Contact generation stations. The sixty new ION 8600 and ION 8800 IEC class 0.2s meters measure energy flows at the point of connection between Contact and the national grid.

Features such as transformers and line loss compensation, meter-based bus and station aggregation, and dual mastering of meters, were included. ION Enterprise software manages data collection, monitoring of real-time power conditions, report generation, and deliver metering data for down-stream applications.

“Thanks to you and your team for Quasar’s excellent input to the project;
an outstanding result and everything has settled down fine"

Murray Hill - Generation Engineer - Contact Energy

New Quasar ION Meters commissioned at Waipara Substation

15/10/2010

ION8800 Revenue Meter

The first ION8800 revenue meters were commissioned by Transpower recently at their Waipara substation in North Canterbury. Over the next 3-4 years approximately 450 legacy revenue meters will be replaced by ION8800 meters installed at some 152 substations throughout New Zealand.

Keith Hitchings Managing Director of Quasar Systems the supplier of the new meters says “these new devices provide the information necessary to perform grid capacity planning and stability analysis, monitor power quality compliance, supply agreements, and regulatory requirements, and mean that the metered data can be fully integrated with Transpower’s data systems”. He comments that this is achieved via ION Enterprise software and existing SCADA systems, through multiple communication channels and protocols.

Transpower Communications Manager Rebecca Wilson says that as the original meters needed to be replaced, it was an opportunity to take advantage of the advanced features available with current metering technologies offered in the Schneider Electric PowerLogic ION8800 devices supplied by Quasar.

Andre Lategan, Revenue Metering Project Manager (left) and Ron Smith, Contracts Manager (right) of Transpower at the Waipara substation