Energize e-News, Issue 125, Oct 2018

Energize e-News incorporating SA Power & Energy

e-Newsletter for the power and energy sectors of southern Africa

Issue 125, Oct 2018

Exposing young African engineering students' ideas and concepts

by Bertha Dlamini, Gen X Theatre

Many young African engineering students face difficulties when trying to be accepted as speakers at international conferences, where they could expose their concepts, ideas, and technologies to an international audience of potential employers, future business partners, and possible funders, so I developed a platform for them... (more)

Workshop equips industry to respond to
Draft IRP 2018

by Roger Lilley, EE Publishers

In August 2018, the South Africa Department of Energy released a draft of the Integrated Resource Plan for electricity (Draft IRP 2018) for public comment by 25 October 2018. In order to better prepare themselves to submit responses to the Draft IRP 2018, about 230 energy-industry related people gathered at the Axiz Auditorium in Midrand recently to attend a workshop on the draft... ( more)

Concerns about Eskom's medium-term system adequacy outlook

by Chris Yelland, EE Publishers

Following the recent exposé by EE Publishers on the deepening coal supply crisis facing Eskom, alarm bells are also sounding regarding the utility's worsening generation plant performance impacting South Africa's medium-term (five-year) system adequacy outlook... ( more)

Localised production facilities for natural ester dielectric fluid in SA

by Roger Lilley, EE Publishers

The use of natural ester dielectric fluid instead of mineral oil in power transformers offers many advantages and the announcement that a local factory is to be set up to produce this fluid is a very important development in South Africa's energy sector... ( more)

Namibia's largest shopping mall goes solar

by Lindy Taylor, Sustainable Power Solutions

The Grove Mall of Namibia is the country's retail golden child. Not only is it the country's first regional mall, but also the largest shopping centre in the country, spanning a massive 52 089 m² of rental area. Located in Kleine Kuppe in Windhoek (which is just 5 km from Eros Airport), the precinct boasts a hotel, medical facility, movie theatre, health and fitness centre, as well as multiple shops and restaurants, all of which consume considerable energy from the national grid... ( more)

Revolutionary wind-power technology launched

by Mike Rycroft, EE Publishers

The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in Pretoria launched a revolutionary vertical axis wind turbine recently. Although still in the early stages of prototype development, the wind turbine has already been subjected to comprehensive scrutiny and has passed feasibility trials at the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Stellenbosch, and wind tunnel testing at the CSIR... ( more)

Transformer protection in MV systems

by Mike Rycroft, EE Publishers

The choices involved in the protection of MV transformers are often dictated by established standards and practices, or policy based on technical and economic considerations. Established design practices can be made obsolete by the development of new transformer technologies, new protection devices, and new applications, and choices must be made based on transformer technology, the type of loads, and the external environment that they are subjected to... ( more)

Online transformer condition monitoring
minimises revenue losses

by Senja Leivo, Vaisala

Nothing is more frustrating for a power producer than not being able to get their product to market. Curtailment and losses due to reduced demand or technology-enforced downtime both mean energy is wasted and revenue lost delivering an instant blow to the bottom line... (more)

Electrical signature analysis and alternator condition monitoring

by Mike Rycroft, EE Publishers

Rotating electrical machines are at the core of most generation networks. As machines are designed to tighter margins there is a growing need, for the sake of reliability, to monitor their behaviour and performance. Electrical signature analysis is proving valuable
on wide range of plant, increasingly on wind turbines and hydro plant... (more)

Improving power plant energy efficiency

Information from Wärtsilä

With up-to-date equipment, well-planned maintenance and skilled operation, a power plant's energy efficiency can be kept on a high level throughout its lifecycle. With customised lifecycle upgrades, its energy efficiency can even be considerably increased, which improves the installation's performance. In addition, a boost in energy efficiency decreases emissions, reducing negative environmental impacts... ( more )

The benefits of variable speed drives in mining applications

Information from ABB

Mining companies face major challenges for sustainable growth. As demand for commodities exceed supply, mining companies search for new deposits in remote and inhospitable regions where production costs are high. In addition, they seek to improve safety and reduce environmental impact. To safeguard their future, mining companies need to improve performance, cut production costs, reduce environmental impact, improve safety, and increase automation. .. ( more )

The hidden energy cost of information and communication technology

by Mike Rycroft, EE Publishers

Network connectivity is rapidly spreading across all types of devices and is seen as a key advance towards more sustainable energy supply and use. Each connections consumes power when in "standby" mode, and the resultant non-productive load can
become considerable... (more)

Power developments in Africa

Compiled by Roger Lilley, EE Publishers