 In recent years there have been remarkable changes in social development and technical progress. It has been predicted that the innovations in information and communication technology of the 21st century will result in further rapid social changes. It is at this time when the quality and reliability of electrical supply is critical in order to support a high networked information society.
Two substantial changes therein information oriented societies, which are strongly dependant upon the reliability of electrical equipment. One is global warming, with worldwide effect of increasingly abnormal weather conditions, such as concentrated heavy rain and severe thunderstorms. With the changes in weather patterns, there will be an inevitable increasing incidents of lightning strikes – which are the archenemy of electrical installations. Another factor is that electronic equipment is getting both smaller and more sensitive. Further, the usage of these sensitive electronic components, like integrated circuits or telecommunication devices, is also increasing, with wider use in many applications of lightning protective products. |
