Vulnerabilities in Siemens’ most secure industrial PLCs can lead to industrial havoc
Critical vulnerabilities in the Siemens S7 Simatic programmable logic controller (PLC) have been discovered by cybersecurity researchers at Tel Aviv University and the Technion Institute of Technology.
Prof. Avishai Wool and M.Sc student Uriel Malin of TAU’s School of Electrical Engineering worked together with Prof. Eli Biham and Dr. Sara Bitan of the Technion to disrupt the PLC’s functions and gain control of its operations.
The scientists’ rogue engineering workstation posed as a so-called TIA (Totally Integrated Automation Portal) engineering station that interfaced with the Simatic S7-1500 PLC controlling the industrial system.
“The station was able to remotely start and stop the PLC via the commandeered Siemens communications architecture, potentially wreaking havoc on an industrial process,” Prof. Wool explained. “We were then able to wrest the controls from the TIA and surreptitiously download rogue command logic to the S7-1500 PLC.”
The researchers hid the rogue code so that a process engineer could not see it. If the engineer were to examine the code from the PLC, he or she would see only the legitimate PLC source code, unaware of the malicious code running in the background and issuing rogue commands to the PLC.
Their findings demonstrate how a sophisticated attacker can abuse Siemens’ newest generation of industrial controllers that were built with more advanced security features and supposedly more secure communication protocols.
Fixes and mitigations
“The main gap in the S7 cryptographic handshake is that the TIA is not authenticated to the PLC: only the PLC is authenticated to the TIA. Fundamentally, this allows us to create a rogue engineering station (once the veil of obscurity was lifted from the protocol). This gap can be addressed cryptographically — e.g., by having each TIA instance use its own private key, whose public-key is shared and retained by the PLC. An alternative is to introduce a ‘pairing’ mode, in which the PLC and TIA establish a long-lived shared secret during the first session. Either way, the PLC must refuse to communicate with any device claiming to be a TIA which is not the previously-authenticated TIA. According to Siemens ProductCERT, the recommended counter-measure against rogue programming of the PLC is by activating the password-protected access control mechanism on each PLC,” they explained.
“A second gap is that all PLCs of the same model and firmware version share the same private-public key pair. This gap can be used in two ways. We used it in a generic way to conduct impersonation attacks on all the S7-1500 PLCs, which use the fact that all PLCs use the same key. We did not, however, extract the private key from the PLCs. If the private key is extracted from one PLC of a particular version, then stronger attacks, specifically full man in the middle attacks with on-they-fly session-hijacking, and also PLC impersonation attacks against a TIA station (without any valid PLC), become possible.”
Following the best practices of responsible disclosure, the research findings were shared with Siemens well in advance of the scheduled Black Hat USA 2019 presentation, allowing the manufacturer to prepare.
Siemens has yet to release a security advisory pointing to software fixes. In the meantime, organizations deploying the vulnerable PLCs can, as Siemens generally advises, protect access to them by activating the password-protected access control mechanism. They can also make sure that the PLCs are not connected to the Internet or put them behing firewalls.
Dr. Bitan noted that the attack emphasizes the need for investment by both manufacturers and customers in the security of industrial control systems. “The attack shows that securing industrial control systems is a more difficult and challenging task than securing information systems,” she concluded.
Source: https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2019/08/09/siemens-plc-vulnerabilities/
- Published in Blog
Six ways UK employers can benefit from the Apprenticeship Levy.
It’s quite easy to be put off Apprenticeships when you hear the word ‘Levy’ but the word is no longer just a word for tax. In fact, the Apprenticeship Levy is essentially a big pot of money that companies can use to train their staff to enhance their staff and their business. The problem though is that only 13 per cent of the government’s apprenticeship budget was spent last year, resulting in thousands of employers missing out.
The beauty of Apprentices is their near endless range of qualifications. Almost every industry is covered and making it accessible in some way to every Levy paying company in the UK.
Below are six ways UK businesses can benefit from the Apprenticeship Levy:
1. if you’re not a levy-paying business, you can use the Government’s co-investment rate. Under this rate, the Government will pay 95 per cent of the training and assessment costs. This will help small and growing businesses whilst providing their staff with training to enhance their education.
2. Employ a 16 to 18-year-old: The government will give a £1,000 grant to employ people aged between 16 and 18 and for businesses that employ fewer than 50 staff that take on a 16 to 18-year-old apprentice, the Government will fund 100 per cent of the training costs.
3. Apprenticeship rules state that 20 per cent of an apprentice’s time should be spent on “off-the-job” training. Don’t let this put you off. This time doesn’t have to be spent off-site in a classroom. In fact it can cover a range of activities such as practical training, theory-based learning and special assignments.
4. The Apprentice won’t be the only one learning: The learning from Apprenticeships isn’t just contained to the person on the scheme as lots of different stakeholders have the opportunity to learn too. Line managers and leaders may need to manage apprentices differently to get the best out of them. Skills such as coaching and mentoring are fundamental to making a successful apprenticeship, but other skills such as developing confidence and resilience in apprentices are important and will mean the difference between your apprentices adding substantial value to your business or being a burden on resources.
5. Apprenticeships are a nod to the future: You can use apprentices to spot and develop future leaders for your business. This also applies to existing staff, as the Apprenticeship Levy funds can be used for training people of all ages. For people just starting their career, an apprenticeship can expose them to different functions of your business to give them the broad understanding that leaders need, and for existing staff you can develop their qualifications
6. Use apprenticeships as a tool for workforce planning. You’ll need to consider what skills your apprentices will need as they progress – so setting milestones and timelines is important for levy payers
Technique Apprenticeships and how we can help
Technique Learning Solutions are proud of our training background, so much so that last year we were accepted on to the ROTAP (Register Of Apprentice Training Providers) list and have began to put our training stamp the Apprenticeship market.
We offer a number of Apprenticeship schemes that tie in with our engineering and business expertise. The courses are the following:
- Building Services Engineering Installer (Level 2)
- Building Services Engineering Craftsperson (Level 3)
- Fire Emergency & Security Systems Technician (Level 3)
- Maintenance & Operations Engineering Technician (Level 3)
- Refrigeration Air Conditioning & Heat Pump Engineering Technician (Level 3)
- Installation Electrician / Maintenance Electrician (Level 3)
- Associate Project Manager (Level 4)
- Team Leader Supervisor (Level 3)
- Business Administrator (Level 3)
- Customer Service Practitioner (Level 2)
For more information on these standards or to talk in greater detail about how Technique can help you, feel free to give us a call on 01246802222 or email Apprenticeships@Learntechnique.com
Original Source (has been edited): https://www.businessupnorth.co.uk/six-ways-employers-can-use-the-apprenticeship-levy-to-their-advantage/
- Published in Uncategorized
Electrical contractors show further fall in reportable accidents
The figures, collected by the Joint Industry Board on behalf of leading electrotechnical trade body ECA and Unite the Union, show that the rate of RIDDOR-reportable accidents fell once again, to 164/100,000. Significantly, no fatalities were reported during 2018 and the rate of specified (major) accidents was also lower than in 2017 at just over 52/100,000. The main causes of injury were falls, slips and trips and there was one reportable injury due to electric shock.
According to Steve Brawley, Chief Executive of the JIB: “It’s very encouraging to report that the rate of reportable accidents in our industry continues to fall, and it means that the rate of these accidents is now, remarkably, only slightly more than 10% of what it was in 2001, the year we started to collect data for the industry’s highly successful ‘ZAP safety initiative.”
Paul Reeve, ECA Director of CSR added: “Since the turn of the millennium, there has been near continuous improvement in the accident rate reported by participating companies. The 2018 figures mean that the accident rate has fallen nearly 90% since 2001, which is a great achievement. In fact, the number of RIDDOR-reportables – in a sample of over 13,500 operatives – is now so low that in 2019 we will be asking companies for additional details of any ‘over one day accidents’. While these accidents are not RIDDOR-reportable, this will give us more data to work with in future.”
Rob Miguel, Unite National Health and Safety Advisor, added: “While these new figures are very welcome and show huge improvements in safety in the electrical contracting industry over the last two decades, JIB is also working to improve occupational health.
“The JIB occupational health scheme provides operatives employed by a JIB member company with the opportunity to receive a fully funded occupational health assessment every three years. This facility, funded through the JIB Benefits Scheme, will deliver various benefits including improved compliance with health and safety law, meeting client and main contractor requirements and helping people to identify and remedy health issues at an earlier stage. This assessment looks for the effects on health that might be caused by situations people are exposed to at work, and highlights action which employers will need to take to protect the health and wellbeing of their employees and our members.”
To download the accident report visit: www.jib.org.uk/jib-accident-survey
Source: https://www.voltimum.co.uk/articles/electrical-contractors-show-further-fall
- Published in Blog
Climate change advisors urge UK to up F-gas elimination efforts
The Committee on Climate Change has appealed to the UK government to accelerate the pace of fluorinated greenhouse gas (F-gas) emission eradication.
Many refrigeration, fire protection and air conditioning and heat pump systems contain hydrofluorocarbons, a type of F-gas.
The independent government advisory group pointed out in its just-launched ‘Reducing UK emissions – 2019 Progress Report to Parliament’ that the government has still not published a plan to restrict the use of F-gases to very limited usage where there are currently no viable alternatives. That was originally due for release this spring, though the government says it is still slated for this year.
While the committee’s report did note that UK F-gas emissions fell by 6% from 2016 to 2017 to 15.0MtCO₂e, it believes that this is largely due to the EU-wide cap on the use of F-gases, particularly in refrigeration and air conditioning units.
This meant that F-gases were 3% of total UK emissions in 2017. But the climate change adviser urged that the longer term target should be to phase out F-gases.
The organisation also recorded a failing in reaching the F-gas reduction target it set in 2007. It recommended that these emissions should be reduced by 9% by 2018, but the actual drop was only 4%.
The report stated: “Our F-gas emissions indicator was not met. The main policy instrument, the EU F-gas regulation, only came into effect in 2015.”
The Committee on Climate Change helped to legislate a second carbon budget for the 2013-2017 period in its first report in 2008, recommending a maximum net carbon emission level of 2,782 MtCO2e for the UK.
Though the country actually met the overall total, posting a carbon emission total of 2,398MtCO2e, inside the budget by 384MtCO2e (around 14%), the committee believes the UK government could do more.
The advisory body summarised: “Overall, we conclude that UK policies did not deliver ahead of schedule in the second carbon budget period. Progress was mostly confined to sectors covered by the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS). Outside the EU ETS policies fell short of our indicators and delivered well behind schedule in the second carbon budget period.”
Source: https://www.cateringinsight.com/climate-change-advisors-urge-uk-to-up-f-gas-elimination-efforts/
- Published in Blog
The languishing Levy pot: Accessing unspent apprenticeship funds
Almost two years after the apprenticeship levy was implemented, apprenticeship start figures continue to decline in overall terms and questions remain around the ways in which the funds collected by the Government are being spent.
07 March 2019
The apprenticeship levy was introduced to businesses in April 2017, amid fanfare from Government, which made much of the fact that it was creating a truly employer-led system.
However, almost two years after its implementation, apprenticeship start figures continue to decline in overall terms and questions remain around the ways in which the funds collected by the Government are being spent.
Requiring businesses with an annual pay-bill of more than £3m to pay into a central fund, the levy was designed to increase investment in apprenticeship training and assessment. According to guidelines from the Department for Education, an employer paying £10,000 a month into their levy account would receive that £10,000 back to spend on apprenticeships, plus a 10% contribution from the Government.
However, responding to a Freedom of Information request from the City & Guilds Group, the DfE confirmed that in 2017/18, it received an annual apprenticeships budget of £2.01bn from the Treasury. Of this, it appears that only £268m was spent by levy-paying employers on apprentices.
Of the remainder, some £1.065bn was spent on pre-levy training; £189m on apprentices for non-levy paying employers; and £58m on maintaining the apprenticeship programme and service, and on learners still funded under legacy areas of policy such as the Apprenticeship Grant for Employers and the Employer Ownership programme.
This leaves a £400m underspend in the first year of the system alone.
Apprenticeship levy fund year 2017 and 2018
Analysis from Kirstie Donnelly MBE, Managing Director at City & Guilds Group:
“It’s concerning to see in its first year the apprenticeship levy had such a significant underspend and brings to light two major concerns. Firstly, it appears that the apprenticeship budget set by the Treasury fell well below the amount of levy money collected by HMRC, meaning the Government would never have been able to fulfil its promised apprenticeship funding for employers.
“Secondly, we can see that around 90% of the, already less-than-adequate, apprenticeship budget has not been available for employers to spend as they choose, despite that being the key reason behind the levy.
“In light of these findings and the fact that our own research shows 95% of levy-paying employers were not able to spend their full allowance in the first year, we are calling on the Government to increase flexibility and provide clarity around the apprenticeship system. Apprenticeships are key to unlocking the economic and social prosperity of our country and without the full trust and support of Government, we will find it difficult to be able to reap the benefits they offer.”
Against this backdrop, City & Guilds Group, together with the Industry Skills Board, is calling on the Government to address the confusion and make some urgent changes to the system and the way funds are allocated.
Government must provide regular, proactive and timely reporting on apprenticeship spend
Reporting on levy spend has, to date, varied widely resulting in a high level of confusion and employers choosing not to engage with the system, writing the levy off as a tax. The Government must provide regular, accurate reporting on levy spend ensuring every organisation is clear about the opportunities and ways to engage with apprenticeships.
Government must be clear with employers about what their levy is actually covering
Prior to its introduction, it was stated that 100% of levy funds would be available to employers, plus an additional 10% from Government. However, it is clear the apprenticeship budget is largely being spent on legacy frameworks and infrastructure costs. Government must be clear with employers to help them forward-plan and ensure they are clear on where their levy funds are actually being spent.
Budget and support for SMEs to access apprenticeships must be ring fenced
Surplus levy was always intended to support SMEs in accessing apprenticeships. However, if levy-paying employers increase apprenticeship spending, it is clear there will not be sufficient funds remaining to support SMEs. The Government has increased the amount of levy funds employers can transfer to businesses in their supply chain to 25%, however there is still work to be done in supporting levy-payers to access those funds and transfer them.
Government should consider increasing the levy and broadening its scope
Employers have told us they want greater flexibility in how they can spend their levy, yet the funds coming from the Treasury currently do not cover the core apprenticeship training. If more businesses are to become liable to pay into the levy, Government will need to ensure real employer ownership, enabling employers to control how they spend their levy funds, with sufficient budget to do so. Government urgently needs to listen to the needs of employers, and through its consultation, ensure the voices of companies of all sizes are heard.
Government should invest any surplus budget towards recruitment and promotion of apprenticeship opportunities
In 2017/18, there was a £400m underspend in the apprenticeships budget. 31% of levy-paying employers tell us that the biggest barrier to investing more in apprenticeships is a lack of availability of suitable apprentices in the area. More needs to be done to support recruitment of apprentices and help subsidise travel costs.
Technique Apprenticeships
Technique Learning Solutions Ltd is one of the country’s leading Engineering Training Providers. As a result of our continued achievements and growth we have successfully gained a place on the Register of Training Apprenticeship Providers (RoTap) enabling us to offer and deliver the following Apprenticeship Standards:
Building Services Engineering Installer (Level 2)
Building Services Engineering Craftsperson (Level 3)
Fire Emergency & Security Systems Technician (Level 3)
Maintenance & Operations Engineering Technician (Level 3)
Refrigeration Air Conditioning & Heat Pump Engineering Technician (Level 3)
Installation Electrician / Maintenance Electrician (Level 3)
We also offer:
Associate Project Manager (Level 4)
Team Leader Supervisor (Level 3)
Business Administrator (Level 3)
Customer Service Practitioner (Level 2)
Technique Learning Solutions Ltd prides itself on offering a range of blended and flexible approaches to teaching and learning delivery. This ensures that your staff gain maximum knowledge and skills through recognised qualifications and occupational standards with minimum impact upon the day to day functions of your organisation.
For more information on our apprenticeship schemes. Please visit: https://learntechnique.com/apprenticeships/
- Published in Blog
‘We need more electric car charging points’
The owner of an electric car has accused a council of not doing enough to support drivers like him.
John Coulthard, 62, said he is reliant on public charging spaces – but often finds those in Brighton are already occupied by hybrid cars.
He said: “They don’t give any thought to where they park their cars, and there is no space left for electric cars, unfortunately.
“When I visit somewhere like Asda down at the marina, there are only four designated charging spaces for electric vehicles, and every one of them is filled with a hybrid.
“The issue is that while cars with hybrid engines can be topped up at petrol stations, electric cars can only be charged at designated charging stations.
“But the council don’t do anything about this – they have not done anything to give electric vehicles priority access to these spaces and there simply isn’t the infrastructure at the moment to accommodate this.”
Freelance writer Mr Coulthard, of Walpole Terrace, Brighton, said the city council’s approach to the issue was detrimental to people who might otherwise buy an electric vehicle.
He owns a Nissan Leaf and said: “There will undoubtedly be a shift towards greater ownership of electric vehicles in the next few years and at this rate things are only going to get worse.”
Electric Brighton is a community initiative to promote the use of electric cars in the city.
It said half its registered drivers are unable to charge their electric vehicles from their own homes, meaning they need to use charging spaces in the community.
This is despite electric vehicle ownership across Brighton and Hove increasing tenfold since 2014, with 428 drivers owning electric vehicles according to figures from the start of the year.
The car park at Churchill Square has 1,600 spaces – of those, ten are designated as electric car charging points.
A council spokesman said: “Public electric charge points are available to hybrid vehicles as well as 100 per cent electric vehicles.
“This is because it is better for the city for hybrids to be driven around in electric mode.
“The council is committed to increasing the number of electric vehicle chargers in the city with a mixture of rapid and slow chargers to suit the needs of residents and visitors to the city.”
Electric vehicle ownership is continuing to grow in the UK. There is now a record 195,410 plug-in vehicles on UK roads, after plug-in registrations increased by 76.6% last year, according to new Motorparc data released by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
The story above from Brighton is becoming more common around the UK as supply is currently lower than demand. Additionally, the inaccessibility of Vehicle Charging Points is a major contributing factor in people’s decision not to go electric just yet according to WhatCar in 2018.
Consequently, we believe this is a perfect opportunity for Electricians to gain the qualifications needed for the upcoming demand for charging points that could be heading in their direction.
Technique Learning Solutions are offering the City & Guilds 2919-01 Level 3 Award In Domestic, Commercial and Industrial Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation training course which will enable you to install the charging points.
The qualification aims to provide expert guidance to learners wishing to gain knowledge and understanding on Electric Vehicle charging equipment installation.
Aimed at experienced electricians interested in understanding a wide range of equipment and systems available, this course (C&G 2919-01) applies to the specialised installation requirements of electric vehicle charging equipment in domestic dwellings, on-street locations, commercial and industrial premises.
The course provides detailed guidance and recommendations on all aspects of the installation of Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment from the origin of the electrical supply, through distribution and final circuits, installation of the charging equipment itself to the cable between the charging equipment and vehicle’s electrical inlet. Also included are related issues of site layout and planning and subsequent inspection, testing, certification and maintenance of installations.
This qualification, also allows you to receive funding as part of the OLEV-EV car grant scheme.
For more information or to book your place on the course, please visit:
- Published in Uncategorized
Tips for Electricians to stay cool on the warmest day of the year
The United Kingdom is currently basking in glorious sunshine and people have even predicted that today could be the hottest day ever recorded in the history of the UK. The Met office have predicted that temperatures could reach up to 39C (102.2F) in southern and eastern England.
Such heat brings numerous problems and today we will be looking at how Electricians are dealing with the heat whilst on the job.
Work in the shade
A good way to stay cool is to work in the shade wherever possible to escape the rays of the sun. Although the humidity of the air is still hot and stifling, shade can provide a cool space that protects your skin from UV rays.
Wear Breathable Clothing
High temperatures combined with high humidity can make life uncomfortable – especially for people not used to the hot conditions.
Humans maintain a cool body temperature by perspiring heat away from the body. It is important to allow air circulation to maintain a cool body temperature. Fabrics for hot climates should maximise the flow of air through the clothing, allowing heat and moist air to escape. The fabrics should be breathable as Fabrics that trap moisture tend to create unpleasant odours.
Natural fibres are generally better at soaking up moisture from the skin and allowing it to evaporate from the outer surface.
Cotton is extremely comfortable and allows your body to breathe with ease. It absorbs excess sweat. Linen and other natural fibres also breathe and are good at absorbing moisture. These fabrics tend to breathe more than synthetics such as polyester.
Wear sunglasses if working in direct sunlight.
We know it is not always possible to complete all of a job in the shade so we highly recommend a good pair of sunglasses to block out the glare of the sun.
This suggestion may not be the most cooling on the list but the last thing you will want to be doing whilst doing work is squinting our using one of your hands to block out the sun getting in your eyes.
Wear a cap
I know what you’re thinking… How can wearing an extra garment of clothing keep you cool? But stick with us.
Caps, like sunglasses, help block the rays of the sun from getting in your eyes. Additionally, A hat keeps the sun off your head, reducing the temperature of your head and psychologically tricking the brain into feeling cooler.
Freeze Bottles of Water
This one would take some prior planning but a popular method to cool yourself down over time. Freezing a bottle of water will leave you with a bottle of ice that will melt into very cold water throughout the day for you to drink.
Also, placing the bottle of ice on your veins on the inside of your wrist or neck helps lower your bodies core temperature. The reason this remedy works is because your wrist and neck both contain pulse points—essentially, areas where you can feel your pulse because your blood vessels are close to the surface of your skin. Because they are so close, however, you can also cool off your blood and body temperature by getting the area in contact with cool water.
Take on lots of fluids
Your body functions best within a certain temperature range, and when you get too warm, it needs to cool off. There are a couple of ways your body accomplishes this cooldown. First, your blood vessels dilate to increase blood flow to the skin. This allows excess heat to radiate away from your body. Then, you also start to sweat. Evaporation of the sweat cools the skin, which in turn helps to cool the whole body. But the problem is that excessive sweating can lead to dehydration.
Drinking water helps replenish the fluids lost by excessive sweating. If you don’t get enough water, you may become dehydrated, and the combination of hot temperatures and dehydration can lead to serious heat-related illnesses.
Take Regular breaks
In the hot temperatures, it is essential that you keep yourself hydrated, comfortable and as cool as you can. These three things can be hard to achieve during the toil of a working day but by allowing yourself a few minutes every so often to regroup and manage your body temperature you will feel a great benefit.
Take the day off
Probably your bosses least favourite of all theses options but the best way to stay cool might be to stay clear of work and have yourself a good old fashioned Spanish Style Siesta.
Either that or get yourself to the Beer garden as soon as you possibly can.
I’m off to test my theory now. Cheers
Do you have any tips for your fellow workers? Let us now by emailing ryan@learntechnique.com
- Published in Uncategorized
Electric car charging points get cash boost
The government is pumping nearly £40m into improving the infrastructure for electric vehicles despite a sharp drop in hybrid car sales.
The Department for Transport will invest in UK engineering to “transform” the network of electric charge points. Wireless charging and “pop-up” pavement technology are among the investments being made.
Sales of plug-in hybrid vehicles slumped by 50.4% in June after the government scrapped a £2,500 grant. But the DfT said it was “focusing on the cleanest, zero emission models”.
New UK car registrations for battery electric cars rose by 61.7% to 2,461 in June compared with the same month last year, according to figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).
However, the drop in demand for plug-in hybrid cars, which fell from sales of 4,571 vehicles last June to 2,268 vehicles last month, meant that overall the alternatively fuelled vehicle sector shrank for the first time since April 2017.
A DfT spokeswoman said: “The plug-in car grant has supported the purchase of 180,000 new cars with over £700m, including 100,000 plug-in hybrids.”
As well as scrapping the grant for plug-in hybrid models last year, the government also reduced the subsidy for pure electric cars from £4,500 to £3,500.
It also announced last year that it would end the sale of all new conventional petrol and diesel cars and vans by 2040.
Nevertheless, the government is now investing £37m in a number of projects to make it easier for electric car owners to charge up their vehicles.
The government’s new investment marks the first anniversary of the launch of the government’s Road to Zero strategy, which wants “almost every car and van” in the UK to be zero emission by 2050.
It has handed £2.3m to a company called Char.gy, which is developing ways to deploy wireless charging technology on residential streets which would remove the need for trailing cables and additional infrastructure.
Urban Foresight has been awarded £3m to roll out “pop-up” chargers which are built into the pavement, which are designed to help drivers without access to off-street parking.
At present, the UK has a network of more than 24,000 public charging connectors in nearly 9,000 locations, according to figures from the Department for Transport.
Jaguar Land Rover recently announced that it would invest millions of pounds in the UK to build a range of electric cars at its Castle Bromwich plant in Birmingham.
However, its chief executive Professor Ralph Speth criticised the number of charging points for electric cars in the UK.
“The current charging infrastructure is not really sufficient to cover the country, nor the hotspots of the cities. The government has to govern the process,” he told the BBC.
Get qualified to install the new Electric Charge Points.
The installation of the new Electric Vehicle Charging points will require a large workforce to install the required number of Charge points to meet their targets. Consequently, electricians with the appropriate qualifications could benefit from the additional workload that will come from the funding.
Technique are running our City & Guilds 2919-01 Level 3 Award In Domestic, Commercial and Industrial Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation course in Chesterfield Derbyshire. We have a number of dates set for the remainder of 2019 and we predict that the course will only grow in popularity as Electrical Vehicles also grow in popularity.
For more information regarding our Electric Vehicle Charging course, please use the following link: https://learntechnique.com/course/2919-01-electric-vehicle-charging-equipment/
- Published in Uncategorized
New UK homes to have car charging points by law
Government aims to promote uptake of electric vehicles alongside net-zero target
The UK government is to introduce legislation requiring the installation of charge points for electric vehicles in all new housing in England as part of efforts to achieve net zero emissions by 2050.
The proposal announced on Monday for all new-build homes to be fitted with charge-points aims to promote the uptake of battery-powered vehicles, which accounted for just 2.7 per cent of new vehicle purchases in the UK in 2018.
“With record levels of ultra-low emission vehicles on our roads, it is clear there is an appetite for cleaner, greener transport,” said transport secretary Chris Grayling. “Home charging provides the most convenient and low-cost option for consumers”.
The move, which would be a world first, comes as the UK is positioning itself as a leader in the race to net zero emissions, becoming the first major economy in June to legislate that it will reach the target by 2050.
In 2018, it was estimated that 33 per cent of CO2 emissions came from transport, making it central to UK efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
The Department for Transport said that installing charge points in residential buildings would add an additional cost of approximately £976 per parking space for an average home.
Requirements that all new private charge-points use “smart” technology are also under consideration. This would help stabilise the network and reduce costs for customers as electric vehicle charging increases.
“This is an unequivocally sensible move,” said Philip New, chief executive at Energy Systems Catapult, an innovation centre set up to help transform the UK energy system. “It may enable some benefits of scale,” he added.
A small percentage of new housing without parking facilities will not be required to install a charge point.
Consultations on changing the building regulations in England will take 12 weeks. Regulations for Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland are matters devolved to Belfast, Cardiff and Edinburgh for separate consideration.
The proposed legislation complements other government measures to improve electric vehicle charging infrastructure, including a £400m Charging Infrastructure Investment Fund as part of the Road to Zero strategy to transition the UK to zero emission vehicles.
How can Electricians benefit from this?
The change in regulations will lead to a surge in demand for domestically trained electricians who also have an Electric Vehicle Charge Point Installation qualifications. Additionally, with the 400 million pounds worth of funding being touted, there is a distinct possibility that Electricians with the correct qualifications will reap the rewards.
Technique Learning Solutions offer a 2 day 2919-01 Level 3 Award In Domestic, Commercial and Industrial Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation course. Once completed, you will be able to install all types of Electric vehicle charge points, including chargers in domestic properties.
To learn more, visit: https://learntechnique.com/course/2919-01-electric-vehicle-charging-equipment/
Source: https://www.ft.com/content/57d2d7dc-a725-11e9-984c-fac8325aaa04
- Published in Uncategorized
DPD plans for 550 electric vehicles by 2021
UK parcel delivery company DPD has commissioned 10 fully-electric Mercedes-Benz eVito vans to serve the London area. The eVito is also set to play a part in a nationwide roll-out of DPD’s EV fleet later this year.
The Mercedes-Benz eVito employs an electric motor which channels its 116 hp output to the front wheels via a single-speed automatic transmission. Fully recharged in six hours, it gives the eVito a range of approximately 93 miles.
In October last year, DPD opened the UK’s first all-electric parcel depot in Westminster, London. The depot is completely emission-free for both incoming parcels, served by two 7.5t fully-electric FUSO eCanters, and last-mile deliveries, which are carried out by a fleet of electric vans and micro-vehicles.
Meanwhile in April 2019, it was announced that DPD was working with Oxford-based innovative start-up; Electric Assisted Vehicles Limited (EAV), to develop a pioneering new eCargo bike call the P1.
Both initiatives are part of DPD’s aim is to be the most responsible city centre delivery company and the leader in electric vehicles in the UK.
Dwain McDonald, DPD’s CEO commented: “The EV revolution is gathering pace and I’m delighted that DPD is leading the way. We’ve got a fantastic EV fleet already with some incredibly innovative vehicles, but the eVito is a great addition for us. With the eSprinter due later in the year, we will be building on our very successful and long-term relationship with Mercedes-Benz.
“It is an exciting time. The all-electric micro-depots have exceeded our expectations and we’ll soon have eight such sites in London. We’ve got plans to add over 100 more EVs to our fleet in 2019 as we begin our roll-out across the UK. We will double that in 2020, and double it again in 2021 to over 550 electric vehicles. Effectively, we’re already in a position to grow as fast as the manufacturers can supply the vehicles, so the more UK vehicles that are available, the faster the roll-out will be. In the meantime, we are continuing to explore all opportunities to reduce and neutralise our carbon footprint and provide smarter and more efficient urban delivery solutions.”
What’s in this for electricians?
The Electrical Vehicle Charging Point Installation market is predicted to see continuous growth as the demand for electrical cars also grows. Government grants and the lowering price of electric cars is tempting people away from fossil fuels. Having an Internationally renowned delivery service like DPD (Dynamic Parcel Distribution), join the electric revolution is a huge statement of progress and a decision that will put pressure on other delivery firms to follow.
The increased in demand will be felt across the whole of the UK and not just in London.
Consequently, we believe this is a perfect opportunity for electricians to gain the qualifications needed for the upcoming flood of work that could be heading their way.
Technique Learning Solutions are offering the City & Guilds 2919-01 Level 3 Award In Domestic, Commercial and Industrial Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment Installation training course which will enable you to install the charging points.
The qualification aims to provide expert guidance to learners wishing to gain knowledge and understanding on Electric Vehicle charging equipment installation.
Aimed at experienced electricians interested in understanding a wide range of equipment and systems available, this course (C&G 2919-01) applies to the specialised installation requirements of electric vehicle charging equipment in domestic dwellings, on-street locations, commercial and industrial premises.
The course provides detailed guidance and recommendations on all aspects of the installation of Electric Vehicle Charging Equipment from the origin of the electrical supply, through distribution and final circuits, installation of the charging equipment itself to the cable between the charging equipment and vehicle’s electrical inlet. Also included are related issues of site layout and planning and subsequent inspection, testing, certification and maintenance of installations.
This qualification, also allows you to receive funding as part of the OLEV-EV car grant scheme.
For more information or to book your place on the course, please visit:
https://learntechnique.com/course/2919-01-electric-vehicle-charging-equipment/
Source: https://postandparcel.info/104559/news/dpd-plans-for-550-electric-vehicles-by-2021/
- Published in Blog