FROM THE EDITOR · the bad, the good and the ugly To encourage this, Energize introduced the “Engineers in lockdown” feature. Engineers are invited to submit articles telling

energize | May 2020 | 1

Instead of driving to places of work, those of us who are stillemployed, and can, are working from home. While there may besome benefits to this arrangement, not everyone’s homes cansuddenly double up as our offices. Our lives have been disrupted.

We have had to reorganise our homes. For example, children whoused to have their own bedrooms are moved in together, freeing upa bedroom to become an office. Where both parents work fromhome, the situation becomes even more acute.

The cap we set on our data usage is probably now hopelesslyinadequate for the increased number of emails, WhatsAppmessages, webinars, conference calls and the like. We might evensuffer the embarrassment of “disappearing” during an internet-based business meeting as that cap is reached. Our cellphoneusage has probably increased dramatically; and our utility bill willhigher since we are using our own electricity, instead of thecompany’s, to boil the kettle four times a day.

The lockdown has not only disrupted our home lives, it hascreated an economic crisis. Many companies all over the world arelaying off staff and filing for bankruptcy. South Africa’s economy,which was in a poor state before the lockdown was introduced, isunder severe pressure. Many people who are still employed arehaving to settle for lower salaries or are being forced to takewhatever vacation leave their employers may owe them.

But worse still is the number of people who have become ill anddied after being infected by this disease, for which there is, as yet,no vaccine. These are real concerns that we must face.

The Covid-19 pandemic is a bad thing, and yet some good hascome from it. People have generally become more aware of theneed to take responsibility for their wellbeing. Washing handsregularly, social distancing and the wearing of masks when we goout is the new routine.

Some of those who have been unable to work during this periodhave put their minds and talents to producing products to assist thecountry’s fight against the spread of this pandemic. Some people havemanufactured masks for the public to buy and use; some have usedtheir skills in 3D printing to produce face shields; while still others havedesigned and manufactured respirators, to help those who havecontracted the disease, to breathe and hopefully save their lives.

FROM THE EDITOR:

The restrictions imposed upon us in terms of the lockdown following theadvent of Covid-19 have changed everyone’s routines. Suddenly, people are farmore aware of the need to protect themselves from becoming infected by thisinvisible enemy. This realisation, however, should expand to taking care ofshared infrastructure which is at risk too.

Activities during lockdown: the bad, the good and the ugly

To encourage this, Energize introduced the “Engineers inlockdown” feature. Engineers are invited to submit articles telling uswhat they are doing during the lockdown. The first of these can befound on page 31 in this issue. A local company has offered toprovide prizes for the best submissions.

So far, we have been spared wide-spread loadshedding to date,which is also a good thing and for which we are grateful. We don’t knowhow long that will last as demand increases with the onset of winter.

But while these good news stories may warm one’s heart, thereare also some very ugly activities going on.

There is the criminal element which seems content only when attheir worst. So, while most people are staying at home, some areusing the deserted streets to cover their anarchistic activities. Over1500 schools have been vandalised and robbed. Many of them havebeen set alight. Power utilities, both national and municipal, reportthat illegal connections, meter tampering, and vandalism ofelectricity infrastructure is ongoing.

These acts of criminality will hamstring the country’s ability torestart the economy. As demand for electricity increases, equipmentsuch as pole-mounted transformers and mini substations, whichhave been damaged by vandals or weakened by overloads, are likelyto fail, plunging companies and residents into the dark again.

This, together with the losses companies have already sufferedin the lockdown, will aggravate the situation further and could resultin even more company closures and further job-losses.

The time has come for local communities to take responsibilityfor their own infrastructure. Just as the government has called uponall South Africans to protect themselves against the Covid-19 virusand do all they can to limit its spread, so too should everyone takepersonal responsibility for shared infrastructure. To ensure that theeconomy will recover in the shortest time possible, the governmentneeds to use all the powers at its disposal to warn the public aboutthe foolishness and dangers inherent in attacking electricalinfrastructure. At the same time, it must aggressively pursue andprosecute offenders and reward citizens who report acts ofsabotage and vandalism. n

Send your comments to [email protected]

by Roger Lilley, Now Media


EDITOR

Roger Lilley

Cell: 082 569 7495

Email: [email protected]

ADVERTISING

Katia dos Santos

Cell: 076 410 6909

E-mail: [email protected]

DESIGNER

Adéle Gouws

PUBLISHED BY

African Destination

Publishing (Pty) Ltd

Tel: +27 (0)11 327 4062

Fax: +27 (0)11 327 4094

E-mail: [email protected]

Physical address:

Now Media Centre

32 Fricker Rd, Illovo, Johannesburg

South Africa

Postal address:

PO Box 55251, Northlands, 2116

PUBLISHER

Nico Maritz

Email: [email protected]

PRINTED BY

JUKA

WEBSITE

www.energize.co.za

A VOICE FORenergize

CONTENTS

Eaton announces that it will launch its popular xStorage Home system in

South Africa later this year. The xStorage Home system enables

homeowners to avoid loadshedding by storing energy during the day for

use during times of peak demand. See page 4 for more information.

Contact Phumelele Zulu, Eaton Electric, Tel 011 874-4321,

[email protected]

FROM THE EDITOR10 | Activities during lockdown: the bad, the good and the ugly

COVER STORY40 | Eaton introduces standby power system in South Africa

NEWS60 | Exciting new features in recloser software upgrade

60 | High-efficiency solar cell from standard equipment

60 | Assisting a low-carbon transition in strained economic climate

70 | Benefits of LiFeP04 for electric forklifts

70 | Adding value to IPPs

70 | New employee to support telecoms industry

80 | Final wind turbine installed just ahead of lockdown

80 | Electromagnetic flowmeters receive upgrade

90 | Excelling at technically demanding projects

10 | Sharpening SA’s supply chain

10 | Essential maintenance during lockdown

11 | Industrial power supplies with modular DIN rail mounting

11 | Medupi Unit 3 finally reaches full generating capacity

12 | International partnership strengthens local company

12 | Compact IR thermometers for spot measurement or thermal images

13 | IR windows for safe electrical panel inspection

13 | Partnering to respond to Covid-19 pandemic

14 | Power developments in Africa

TECHNICAL16 | On the repurposing of retired power station sites

18 | Energy and buildings: Energy efficiency and power quality

20 | Microgrid development and deployment in South Africa

23 | Storage beyond four hours

VIEWS AND OPINION25 | Creating certainty: Reliable power in complex times

26 | Essentials to meet South Africa’s electricity needs

29 | The energy revolution that started in 1954 is reaching its crescendo

ENGINEERS IN LOCKDOWN31 | Of pencils and shutters


Copyright

Copyright of all material appearing in energize is

vested in African Destination Publishing (Pty)

Ltd. In submitting any article for publication, the

authors confirm that they own the copyright to

the said article, which is ceded to African

Destination Publishing (Pty) Ltd for publication.

The editor reserves the right to edit or shorten

articles submitted for publication. Editing and/or

shortening is done with due dilligence, where

necessary in conjuction with the author(s).

No part of this publication may be

reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or

transmitted in any form, or by any means,

except as described below, without the written

permission of African Destination Publishing

(Pty) Ltd. Copying of articles is not permitted

except for personal and internal use, to the

extent permitted by South African law.

Permission is not required to make abstracts, on

condition that a full reference to the source is

shown. Requests for permission for other kinds

of copying should be addressed to African

Destination Publishing (Pty) Ltd.

Disclaimer

Articles published in energize do not necessarily

reflect the views of African Destination

Publishing (Pty) Ltd or the editor. In addition,

views expressed by the editor do not

necessarily reflect the views of African

Destination Publishing (Pty) Ltd or any other

person or organisation associated with energize.

It is a condition of publishing material in

energize that African Destination Publishing (Pty)

Ltd shall not be liable for any consequential or

other damages arising from the publication in

good faith of any article, advertisement, picture,

comment, view or opinion. This applies to

publishing, failing to publish, late publishing or

incorrectly publishing any article, advertisement,

insert, picture, caption, etc.

It is acknowledged that errors in transcript,

human and technical errors can and do occur,

but that reasonable effort will be made to

minimise their occurence, and to acknowledge

and correct such errors when they are brought

to the attention of African Destination Publishing

(Pty) Ltd.

4

8

11

2913

16


COVER STORY

Subsequent to the successful launch of powermanagement solutions provider Eaton Electric’sxStorage Home system in Europe, the companyplans to formally introduce the system to the

local market at this year’s Power & Electricity World AfricaExpo (PEWA) in August 2020.

Eaton Electric had planned to introduce the system on31 March this year, which was the date originallyscheduled for PEWA – before the Covid-19 outbreak. Thecompany says it will still make its new xStorage systemavailable to the South African market through its selectedphotovoltaic (PV) suppliers.

Eaton’s power quality manager and xStorage Homeproduct manager Jaco du Plooy says a full launch can beexpected at the PEWA event, which will now be held on20 and 21 August at Johannesburg’s SandtonConvention Centre.

The xStorage Home system provides solar powerstorage using Li-ion batteries and accumulates energyproduced by PV panels or from the power utility(municipal or Eskom) during the day for use at any time.“This means a client can lower his or her carbon footprintat home”, du Plooy says.

Eaton Electric’s xStorage Home system comprises ahybrid inverter, which selects the most optimal powermix for residential homes, decreasing a homeowner’sdependency on the grid. The system selects the mixfrom the power utility’s grid and the availability ofrenewable energy, according to the household’s specificelectricity demand.

When connected to asolar PV installation and theutility’s grid, the xStorageHome system helps tolower a homeowner’scarbon footprint, savemoney and have a back-upLi-ion power source.

“The system chargesthe batteries whenrenewable energy isavailable or when electricityis cheaper. It then releasesthe stored energy whentariffs or demand is high,”du Plooy explains.

The xStorage Homesystem can be integratedinto a home network and willhelp to optimise a home’s

energy requirements from the xStorage Home application.This mobile app will enable homeowners to follow theenergy generation and consumption of their homes andcheck the battery status.

“This can all be done from a phone or tablet using theapp’s user-friendly interface,” du Plooy adds.

Further advantages of the system include savings onenergy bills because more solar energy is used, andcheaper off-peak electricity is harvested.

It also enables homeowners to control their energyconsumption by either maximising self-generated solarpower or choosing when to charge from the grid based onvariable pricing tariffs.

“Importantly, amid our current energy crisis, clients willhave the ability to keep the lights on, should the grid fail,powering their essential equipment and security systems,”stresses du Plooy.

The systems will be installed and set up by certifiedinstallers. Eaton provides its PV suppliers with all therequired training to ensure that the xStorage Homesystem is correctly installed by trained technicians.

Depending on the customer’s specific requirements,installation could take between a couple of hours and a dayor two. Once the xStorage system, including solar panels, isinstalled, self-generation could amount to as much as 70%of the household’s demand, du Plooy says. n

Contact Phumelele Zulu, Eaton Electric, Tel 011 874-4321, [email protected]

Eaton introduces standbypower system in South Africa

Information from Eaton Electric


NEWS

Switchgear engineering firm NOJA Power has announced the release of a newfirmware upgrade package for the company's RC10 and RC15 reclosercontrollers. This optional upgrade to the firmware adds ANSI 81R Rate of Change

of Frequency (ROCOF) Protection, ANSI 78 VVS Voltage Vector Shift Protection andANSI 50 BF Circuit Breaker Failure functionality to the extensive suite of functionalityavailable in the controller. The relay version is designated 1.24.0.0 and is available fromthe company's South African distributor RWW Engineering.

Although the update is entirely optional, it is free to all users of the company'sRC10 and RC15 controllers. This update will allow these recloser controllers to meetthe protection requirements of the vast majority of renewable energy connectionsites. Both VVS and ROCOF protection are deployed for anti-islanding purposes, andare passive protection techniques designed to detect the load/generation mismatchthat occurs in most islanding scenarios. NOJA Power have released a concept primeron both VVS and ROCOF. n

Contact Sergio Tanus, Noja Power, [email protected]

Exciting new features in recloser software upgrade

The SUNREF programme has been extended to the end of November 2020,enabling even more South African businesses to access its credit facility tosupport their renewable energy and energy efficiency projects. This

extension comes as the economy is facing tough times and will bring muchrequired funding and support to developers of green projects.

Developed by the French Development Agency (AFD), the SUNREF programmeprovides a credit line to its partner bank IDC while technical assistance is providedby SANEDI (The South African National Energy and Development Institute) throughthe SUNREF Technical Assistance Facility. The credit line is a debt fund only butcan be combined with the IDC’s equity products in some cases.

“By extending the SUNREF programme period, we are hoping that localbusinesses will be encouraged to make use of the credit facility to support theirprojects. The SUNREF green loans credit line is available to any business that isembarking on an energy efficiency or renewable energy project,” says Rob Short ofSUNREF’s Technical Assistance Facility.

In addition, companies that provide manufacturing services or goods for therenewable energy and energy efficiency sectors are also eligible. SUNREF isconsidering projects such as solar rooftop PV, biogas and biomass energyprojects as well as any industrial projects that improve processes to reduceGHG emissions.

“We are thrilled that the SUNREF programme has been extended untilNovember of this year. It is an example of the positive relationship betweenSANEDI and the AFD to support investments by local business in energyefficiency and renewable energy,” comments Barry Bredenkamp, General Manager:Energy Efficiency at SANEDI.

“In a time when energy efficiency and renewable energy projects are paramount,the SUNREF funding can go a long way in accelerating the country’s efforts tomoving towards a low carbon development path and improving energy security”. n

Contact Barry Bredenkamp, SANEDI, [email protected]

Assisting a lowcarbon

transition in strained

economic climate

Trina Solar announces that its State KeyLaboratory (SKL) of PV Science andTechnology (PVST) has fabricated a PERC

cell with 23,39% efficiency, solely usingstandard manufacturing equipment. To the bestof their knowledge, this is the highestefficiency confirmed by an ISO/IEC 17025certified calibration laboratory for such anindustrial cell.

The cell has an area of 252 cm2, is bifacialand has nine busbars as used in many Trinamodules. The cell was calibrated at ISFH CalTeCin Germany under full area illumination (with fullfront metallisation taken into account) on abrass chuck contacting the whole rear area. Theonly difference to mass production is that,during deposition of the anti-reflective coating,parameters were adjusted as slightly aspossible so the cell has the improved lighttrapping properties during calibration in air asthe cell has when encapsulated in a module.

The company says that although higherPERC cell efficiencies are announced from timeto time, they usually exclude the details aboutmetallisation, or whether passivating contactswere used. This makes it difficult to assessprogress in the field. Trina Solar is open aboutits manufacturing details. n

Contact Trina Solar, [email protected]

Highefficiency solarcell from standardequipment


Chase Technologies is so convinced of the benefits of lithium ironphosphate (LiFePO4) batteries, that the company seeks to convert50% of the current electric forklift market from lead-acid to

LiFeP04 batteries within five years. The company’s main focus is theprovision of energy storage in the form of lithium ion (Li-ion)batteries for forklifts and other battery-operated heavyequipment such as cleaning equipment, and related batterychargers.

Not only is LiFePO4 the most stable Li-ion battery technologyavailable, it is also the least energy-dense. The company is therefore able toincorporate the inherent increased weight of the battery into thecounterweight ballast of the forklift for the required stability and safety.

The company has an exclusive distribution agreement with the highest-volume producer of heavy-duty LiFePO4 Li-ion batteries globally. These rangefrom small 25,6 V 135 Ah units, right up to 80 V 700 Ah units. Each battery issupplied with an integrated battery monitoring system (BMS) which safelymanages the charge and discharge of the battery, while ensuring maximumpossible lifespan and has a five-year, 12 000 hour guarantee.

The battery packs have an optional integratedtelematics system for remote monitoring and fault-finding. They have been designed and manufacturedspecifically for the arduous operating conditions found inmost forklift operations. The company has acomprehensive stockholding of both complete batterymodules and spare parts, including harnesses, andcomponents for the BMS. n

Contact Brent Fraser, Chase Technologies, Tel 082 881-1724, [email protected]

Benefits of LiFeP04 for

electric forklifts

Being in a heavy industrial engineering environment, SEW-Eurodriveoffers a range of transmission solutions to assist sugar millers incutting costs. Sugar millers depend on high plant availability formaximum input versus output. This makes the company the ideal

transmission solutions partner to add value to the sugar industry, due to itsexpertise which is always available.

The main opportunity in this market segment is not only upgrading oldand outdated systems, but the value-add that the company offers toindependent power producers (IPPs) in the sugar industry.

Sugar millers produce their own power by burning cane fibre to generateadditional power. Here the company’s expertise in energy-efficient solutionsis key. It can apply real-time power-saving solutions to produce the sameperformance from older existing equipment and applications. These energy-efficient transmission solutions potentially produce more output power ortorque by drawing even less power from the grid.

Applications for these mechanical and electrical transmission solutionsin the sugar industry include milling tandems, bagasse conveyors, juiceagitators, clarifiers, crystalises, sugar dryers, and many other productionapplications. A wide range of transmission solutions means there is a fit forevery application. High ingress protection (IP rated), high IE3 efficiencyclasses, and the high thermal class ratings (H) of standard IEC motors meanssugar millers are assured of electrical transmission solutions of the highestquality that are cost-effective.

Other real business investment solutions include the MIG high-torqueenergy-efficient mechanical drive system. These units read the output loadcontinuously, and adjust the required power needed to drive the application,in addition to saving energy. The Xe series allows for compact solutions toreplace old cumbersome systems and boost mechanical efficiency.Planetary transmission drive systems provide localised assembled solutionsand cut down on delivery lead times to benefit sugar millers even further. n

Contact Sew-Eurodrive, www.sew-eurodrive.co.za

Adding value to IPPs

DEHNAfrica, asurge

and lightningprotectionspecialistcompany, hasappointedRaymondKoekemoer as abusinessdevelopmentmanager toserve thetelecomsindustry.Koekemoer has eight years’ experience in thetelecoms industry. The company says it understandsthat the telecoms industry is vital to the success ofany country. Today’s telecoms industry is multi-faceted and complicated. To remain operational, itsinfrastructure needs to be protected from adversephysical conditions, including protection fromlightning and power surges. n

Contact DEHN Africa, Tel 011 704-1487,[email protected]

New employee

to support

telecoms industry

Raymond Koekemoer


NEWS

Perdekraal East Wind Farmannounced the installation ofits 48th wind turbine, two weeks

ahead of schedule, on 24 March 2020.The final lifting was a celebratorymoment for the largely South Africancrew, who have since left theconstruction site, in compliance withthe COVID-19 regulations, whichcame into effect just three days afterthis milestone.

“Whilst operational wind farms areclassified as essential services, beingpart of the country’s electricityproduction, supply and maintenancecategory, the ongoing construction ofPerdekraal East Wind Farm has, ofnecessity, temporarily ceasedoperations”, said Glenn Hobson, theconstruction project manager forPerdekraal East Wind Farm.

The dedicated turbine installationcrew began the erection of the first of its48 wind turbines on this Western Capemega-wind farm project, at the end ofAugust last year. The crew worked hardto take advantage of the periods of lowwind to install all the turbines,completing this operation thirteen daysahead of schedule.

“We expected to only complete thismajor milestone on 6 April, so consideringthe current pandemic, the early

completion is an unexpected blessing aswe hadn’t anticipated the full impact ofthe COVID-19 virus,” added Hobson.

The wind turbines stand 115 m tall toallow for optimum energy production,however, when one of the blades standvertically, the turbine’s tip height is 168m high. The three 53,2 m blades, madefrom fibreglass reinforced epoxy, areconnected to the rotor at ground levelbefore being lifted to the top of theturbine tower. The heaviest component isthe nacelle, which contains the generator

Final wind turbine installed just ahead of lockdown

Instrotech has announced that the Kobold magneticinductive flowmeters MIM and MIS have been upgradedand further developed. Kobold’s MIM, for measuring and

monitoring of conductive liquids, is available for nominalsizes, ½” to 2” (approx. 13 to 50 mm), and measuringranges from 15 ml/min to 350 l/min. The new remoteversion, still manufactured in stainless steel, is designedto withstand temperatures from -40 to 140°C and issupplied with a 20 m cable.

The new Kobold MIS is used for nominal sizes, >3”(approx. 75 mm). With a vast variety of linings, electrodematerials and flange connections (ISO, ANSI, JIS), theKobold MIS is suitable for most applications. Thesedevices are equipped with electronic C3T. Both IO-Link and

two independently configurable analogue outputs are included with thestandard unit, as well as an extensive function package, including flowmeasuring, counting, dosing, alarm, hotkeys, optical buttons and arotatable display. n

Contact Instrotech, Tel 010 595-1831, [email protected]

ELECTROMAGNETIC FLOWMETERS

RECEIVE UPGRADE

and gearbox; and weighs 86 tonnes.“I am continually impressed by the

results that the wind turbinegeneration lifting teams produce,often under difficult circumstancesand within tight deadlines, requiringinnovative approaches to thecompletion of tasks. The pride that thelocal teams take in their work is trulyinspiring and I cannot complementtheir work ethic highly enough. It hastruly been a pleasure working with thisteam,” concluded Hobson. n


NEWS

Specialising in the heavy industrial and large commercial space, Jet Demolitionprides itself on being able to undertake the more challenging demolition projects.It also excels at technically demanding projects which require the highest levels

of safety and quality.Kate Bester, Jet Demolition’s contracts manager, says the company takes a long-

term view of the business and focuses its practices on delivering work to internationalstandards, within an optimised timeline, and to the strictest quality and safetyrequirements.

The company undertakes the more difficult remediation projects, she says, adding thatthe company is certified to work with hazardous materials, and is even able to offerradioactive decontamination of contaminated steel and concrete. Its clients are mainlymultinational companies in the mining, power, and heavy industrial sectors, and range fromgovernmental institutions to private companies.

Commenting on the state of the demolition industry in South Africa, Bester points outthat there is “a fair range of demolition companies that react directly to the demands ofthe market. In any market there is a hierarchy of needs established at tender stage, andcontractors react accordingly. In an instance where the lowest possible price is theforemost requirement, the danger is that quality and safety are a trade-off at execution.Safety is non-negotiable in our business.”

Over the past 28 years, Jet Demolition has developed a comprehensive IntegratedSafety Management Programme, which has resulted in the highest level of safetyperformance in the industry. In its annual 2019 NOSA audit, Jet Demolition scored 98,14%,one of the highest achievements internationally in the commercial construction industry.

The company focuses on clients with high standards and expectations, and strives toexceed those expectations. At present, the industry is under immense strain, ebbing and

flowing somewhat in line with theconstruction industry. Economic anddevelopmental growth in theconstruction sector generally leads tolarge demolition projects, either to makespace for new developments, or to retireold infrastructure that is then replacedwith new.

“With the scale and complexity of theprojects we undertake, we are fortunateto attend conferences abroad attendedby global industry leaders,” Bester says.For example, the World DemolitionSummit is an unparalleled opportunity tolearn from other leading companiesglobally and, more importantly, to fosterlong-standing relationships. “It is notuncommon for one contractor to reachout to another half-way across the worldto ask for advice, or to ask for an honestopinion on a certain aspect of the works.We are fortunate to be part of acommunity of contractors with acommon goal and interest in drivingimprovement globally, and grasp at anyopportunity to collaborate and contributethought leadership to our industry,”Bester concludes. n

Contact Kate Bester, Jet Demolition,Tel 011 495-3800,[email protected]

EXCELLING AT TECHNICALLY DEMANDING PROJECTS

Kate Bester


NEWS

As South Africa's industry returns to work in line with the precautionary measures andphased integration prescribed in Level 4 of the current Covid-19 national lockdown,companies are carefully considering how to safely optimise performance, recover

lost revenue and preserve jobs.First Cut has been at the cutting-edge of South African industry for the past

64 years. As a proudly local manufacturer and supplier of cutting and weldingequipment consumables and distributor of steel cutting and processing equipment,the company is well-positioned to assist customers with time and cost-effective,

Sharpening SA’s supply chainlocalised solutions which are tailoredto suit South African businesses.

The company manufactures MesserCutting Systems’ wide range of Messerwelding electrodes at its factory inBenrose, Johannesburg, and can satisfyits customers’ requirements within shortlead times. The range of electrodesinclude those used for welding mild steel,carbon-manganese steels, stainlesssteels and so-called “problem” steelswhere welding has to take place underdifficult circumstances or dissimilartypes of metal need to be joined together.

As the company’s new electroderange is manufactured under licence fromMesser, the products have to comply withGerman, British and American qualitystandards such as DIN, AWS/ASME andBS. Sample product has been sent toMesser for quality certification and thereis continuous monitoring of formulae andprocesses. As a commitment to itscustomers, First Cut has made asubstantial investment in a high-qualityelectrode press; as well as industry-standard drying and baking ovens. Boththe metal used for the rods and the fluxcoating are of superior quality. n

Contact First Cut, Tel 011 614-1112,[email protected]

Rope-access specialist Skyriders has received CIPCcertification to operate as an essential services providerduring the ongoing lockdown. This has enabled it to

continue meeting the critical maintenance needs of its keypetrochemical, power generation and food and beverage clients.

With a total of 24 rope-access technicians on standby, thecompany can field teams wherever needed, or in the event of anyurgent emergency work. While all employees wear masks as partof their everyday personal protective equipment, extra health andsafety measures have been put in place.

These include taking the temperature of all workers duringtoolbox talks, and having only two persons travel per vehicle inaccordance with the lockdown regulations. The company putspecific measures in place to take the Covid-19 pandemic intoaccount when the lockdown was first announced on 26 March.This makes the current lockdown situation, with various industrialsectors reopening in a phased, risk-based approach, an idealopportunity for many companies to carry out essentialmaintenance.

Essential maintenance

during lockdown

Rope access is not only far more cost-effective compared totraditional scaffolding but is also far safer and more flexible interms of its adherence to the lockdown regulations pertaining toessential service workers. While some of the larger projects thecompany has been involved with were put on hold after thelockdown, the bulk of these will resume once the lockdownrestrictions are relaxed even further to gradually allow for allsectors of the economy to return to normal. n

Contact Mike Zinn, Skyriders, Tel 011 312-1418,[email protected]


NEWS

Eskom has announced that Medupi’sUnit 3 has reached the fullgeneration capacity of 793 MW.

This follows a 75-day outage to repairmajor design defects.

“Completing the Unit 3 outage withintime, demonstrates Team Medupi andits contractors’ commitment toimproving plant performance in terms ofavailability and reliability. This criticalachievement is laudable as its successis dependent on different role playersdoing their bit to bring workablesolutions,” says Jan Oberholzer, Eskom’sChief Operating Officer.

The major focus of the outage was toimplement the technically agreedsolutions for the boiler issues thathobbled the performance of the unit;these being the boiler plant modificationsof the re-heater spray flow, pulse jetfabric filter plant, gas air heater, millingplant, duct erosion, and dust arrestors.

Unit 3 is currently undergoingoptimisation and performance testingprior to conducting the boilerperformance verification tests, whichrequire inspections and equipment teststo be conducted after 2500 hours of

Medupi Unit 3 finally reaches fullgenerating capacity

operation in order to verify the success of the modifications.Eskom is currently implementing similar modifications on Unit 6 which is offline. After

this, work will begin on Unit 1, starting mid-May 2020. Unit 4 will also be taken off the gridin July 2020 for similar modifications. Unit 2 will receive its modifications in late August2020, followed by Unit 5 in November 2020. n

Contact Eskom, Tel 011 800-3378, [email protected]

The power supplies are91 mm high and 55,6 mm deep.The width is influenced byoutput: 10 W = 18 mm;30 W = 53 mm; 60 W = 71 mm;and 91,2 W = 90 mm.

These DIN rail powersupplies are complemented bythe company's DC-UPS moduleDRU-2410ACZ, which is suitablefor 24 V systems whenconnected to an externalbattery. The UPS offers zeroswitchover time from loss of DCinput to battery operation for a secure, uninterrupted supply even after mains failure.These units feature built-in diagnostic monitoring and front-mounted LED indicators whichprovide status information such as DC OK, battery charging, battery discharging, batteryfail and reverse polarity.

A complete range of Delta power supplies are stocked locally and available fromprofessional suppliers ElectroMechanica (EM) throughout Southern Africa. n

Contact Karen Zotter, ElectroMechanica, Tel 011 249-5000, [email protected]

Delta's Chrome series of industrialpower supplies offer modular DINrail mounting in the same

dimensions and panel cut-out ofstandard miniature circuit breakersThese compact, high-efficiency powersupplies are ideal for installation in smallcabinets and domestic/commercialdistribution board applications.

These industrial power suppliesfeature Class II double insulation with auniversal input voltage range of 90 to264 V AC at 47 to 63 Hz with noderation for the entire voltage range.

They are available with 5, 12 and 24 VDC outputs providing full power up to55°C in 10, 30, 60 and 91,2 W NEC Class2 and Limited Power Source approvals;and conform to harmonic currentIEC/EN 6100-3-2, Class A with safetyapprovals according to IEC/EN/UL60950-1 and UL 508 (industrial standard).

Industrial power supplies with

modular DIN rail mounting


NEWS

South Africa-based condition monitoring specialists,WearCheck, are proud to announce a partnership withSwedish condition monitoring instrument manufacturers,

SPM, allowing WearCheck to sell and support the Swedishcompany's products.

The full SPM range features portable condition monitoringproducts, online systems, maintenance tools, technologies andexpertise, all using techniques that help customers to achieve thehighest possible uptime of critical assets – an approach whichdovetails perfectly with WearCheck’s.

WearCheck’s technicians have been trained to use, apply andinstall the SPM equipment, which performs many reliability solutionstechniques, including vibration measurement and analysis,balancing, orbit analysis and laser shaft alignment, bearing and pulsechecking, lubrication assessment and root cause analysis.

WearCheck’s reliability solutions manager, Philip Schutte, saysthe partnership is set to yield many benefits, and that it enhanceseven further the two companies’ shared vision of maximising theplanning horizon for maintenance and repairs.

SPM’s Condmaster software, the unique platform via whichall the SPM devices interact, supports the full product rangeincluding handheld devices for measuring vibration data,alignment and balancing.

The software also governs online systems for continuousmonitoring, such as wired multichannel systems and wirelessmonitoring systems, as well as supporting external user directoriessuch as Microsoft Azure AD and REST API. The software offers awide range of connectivity options, perfect for smart factories andIndustry 4.0 environment.

The best-sellers in the range include the Leonova portablevibration analyst tools, the Intellinova online system and themaintenance tools – accessories such as transducers to measurevibration and shock pulse, portable bearing and vibration checkersand the electronic stethoscope.

Coupled with WearCheck’s comprehensive condition monitoringprogramme, the SPM tools provide the expert knowledge needed to

International partnership

strengthens local company

evaluate machine condition: a complete bearing catalogue, lubricantdata, bearing life calculation, evaluation in green - yellow - red, ISOlimit values, spectrum and time domain analysis, fault symptomdetection, and more.

Online monitoring protects assetsA lack of on-site manpower to conduct condition monitoring doesnot mean that this is an opportunity for machinery to fail. Rather,WearCheck and SPM now have top-of-the range online guardingsolutions in the form of the SPM Intellinova range of online conditionmonitoring units, which combine wired and wireless (Airius)platforms into one cloud-based/on-site server application.

Scientific lubrication programme saves moneyTough economic times dictate that companies need a thriftyapproach to maintenance, without compromising on quality. Schuttepoints out that tweaking an operation’s lubrication programme isequivalent to capturing the low hanging fruit to save money.

In terms of the distribution agreement, WearCheck will provide fulltechnical support and sales for SPM instruments in the nine countriesin which WearCheck operates: South Africa, Zambia, Namibia,Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Botswana, DRC, Ghana, Dubai and India.

All equipment is available in standard and Ex versions(intrinsically safe without compromising on performance). SPMtechnology is currently applied globally in many industries, such asmining, pulp and paper, marine and offshore, automotive, chemical,power products, oil and gas and many more. n

Contact Stephen Lumley, Wearcheck, Tel 031 700-5460,[email protected]

WearCheck’s Philip Schutte (second from left) and Annemie Willer(fourth from left), outside SPM’s head office in Sweden.

Instrotech, the local representative ofOptris, a manufacturer of non-contacttemperature measurement devices, has

launched CTratio which offers manyimproved parameters and new features.This device offers a bottom temperatureof 275°C, a maximum ambienttemperature of up to 315°C withoutcooling, and a green sighting laser. A pointmeasuring infrared thermometer should be

Compact IR thermometers for spotmeasurement or thermal images

used if users know where the critical pointor the area to be measured is positionedwithin the application. The size of themeasuring object is important to definewhich lens is necessary. It is thereforepossible to monitor the accuratetemperature and optimise processes – ifnecessary – before quality problems arise.Infrared cameras should be used in caseswhere more than one critical area exists, or

the area cannot be clearly defined.Critical areas can be localised by thecamera through the demonstration ofthermal images. The areas can then bepermanently monitored by one or multiplefixed infrared thermometers. n

Contact Instrotech, Tel 010 595-1831,[email protected]


Infra-red (IR) cameras are based ondigital camera technology andtherefore require a direct-line-of-site to

record an accurate image. The area to bemeasured must be under normaloperating conditions to detect a hot spotwhich means that it must be live and havebeen so for 20 minutes prior toinspection. The use of IR windows isbecoming more common place, in fact,some electrical panel manufacturers arenow pre-fitting their panels with windowsto make them more IR friendly. IRthermography is the fastest growingpredictive maintenance technology in theworld today. The number of IR equipmentmanufacturers has increased significantlyover the last five years.

In the US, regulation NFPA 70Edetermines the “Flash ProtectionBoundary” of electrical panels. The flashprotection boundaries define the safeworking distances in which anytradesman can operate from anenergised component. Thermographersmust be fully conversant with theseregulations, especially if they intend toremove covers to allow access for a liveinspection to be completed. Also, theNFPA 70E regulations stipulate thatunless the thermographer is a certifiedelectrician and fully conversant andqualified on the equipment that he or sheis inspecting they will need to beaccompanied, thus increasing themanpower requirement for the inspection.

IR windows for safe electricalpanel inspection

An arc flash does not happen without a trigger, it nearly always begins due to a “changeof state” that causes even a momentary connection between phases. Most of the timethese arc flash incidents are caused by intervention/someone contacting components,etc. Spontaneous arc flashed very rarely occur.

Although not common in South Africa, some organisations prohibit live inspection ofenergized higher voltage equipment. IR windows are the alternative to doing nothing. Itremoves the risks and downtime associated with live inspections. Their use in athermographic inspection program removes almost all the triggers of arc flash incidentswhilst improving electrical safety by allowing safe, regular Infra Red inspections ofenergized and loaded electrical switchgear.

An IR window sounds more complicated than it really is, and although there are severaltypes of window available on the market today, there is nothing stopping thethermographer from designing a window for use in any particular inspection that they maywish to complete. An IR viewing window is basically an optic material that allows IR energyto pass through. The ideal IR window is one that would allow all the IR radiation to passthrough it with zero losses, unfortunately with the materials available presently we cannotachieve the perfect transmission rate of 100%, but we do get very close. n

Contact R&C Instrumentation, Tel 071 471-2056, [email protected]

Cummins has reached an agreement with 3M to manufacturehigh-efficiency particulate filters for use in 3M’s PoweredAir Purifying Respirators (PAPRs). PAPRs are important

equipment for front-line healthcare workers responding to theCovid-19 pandemic. PAPRs use a battery-powered blower thatsends filtered air into a hood or head top that covers the wearer’shead or face. They provide increased levels of respiratoryprotection, especially for critical healthcare situations such asaerosol generating procedures. PAPRs may also be morecomfortable to wear for those who need respiratory protection forlong periods of time.

The partnership has the potential to more than double thecurrent production of filters for 3M’s PAPRs. The additional filtersare needed as the company has ramped up its production ofPAPRs to meet a surge in demand for personal protective

Partnering to respond to

Covid19 pandemic

equipment due to the pandemic. Cummins will use existingmanpower and equipment at its Neillsville, Wisconsin facility inthe US to pleat the media, assemble it into cartridge housings andcarry final testing before shipping the filters to Valley, Nebraska,where the PAPRs are manufactured. n

Contact Deepa Rungasamy, Cummins Africa Middle East, Tel 011 589-8512, [email protected]


West Africa’s largest solarproject

Burkino Faso’s energy demand is growingat a rate of 13% per annum. To meetdemand, the country has been importingpower from Côte d’ Ivoire. It has nowinstalled an additional 33 MW of solar PVpower. The plant was built by Cegelec andfunded by donations from the EuropeanUnion and France’s development agency.Generating costs are said to beUS$0,084/kWh, which is considerablycheaper than thermal production. This33 MW plant was West Africa’s largest interms of installed capacity. The project isestimated to have cost $47,5-million.

Solar power to end blackouts

Zimbabwe seeks to build 500 MW of solar power to increase power generation capacityin a bid to reduce blackouts. The projects form part of the country’s plans to increase itsdependence on renewable energy sources. Recent droughts in the region reduced damlevels so severely, that hydroelectric plants were unable to meet demand. This wasexacerbated by frequent breakdowns in thermal-powered generating equipment. Thecountry, which has been purchasing electricity from South Africa, is hoping theconstruction of solar PV plants will make it independent of imported power.

Amended laws result inadditional power

The US government’s Power Africa initiativehas supported the development of 100 MWof electricity generation projects in Guinea.The 50 MW heavy fuel oil generation projectwas led by Power Africa’s partner EndeavorEnergy and resulted in a five-year build-operate-transfer (BOT) power purchaseagreement. Guinea’s legal framework hadto be reformed to allow BOT independentpower producers to operate in the sector.With the help of multiple US governmentagencies, a revised law was adopted,allowing Endeavor to successfully close theproject and the generation of additionalelectrical power.

Large hydroelectric scheme onthe cards

A new hydroelectric scheme in Cameroonhas reached financial close. The 420 MWNachtigal hydroelectric scheme isexpected to start providing electric powerto the people of Cameroon in three yearsfrom now. Nachtigal is a 13,6 m high and1455 m long dam. It was originallydeveloped by Compagnie Camerounaised'aluminium. The project is now owned40% by EDF, 20% by the World Bank, 15%by the government of Cameroon, 15% byAfrica50, and 10% by Stoa. A number ofother international lenders have alsocontributed to the project.

Independent power plant rated most fuel efficient

The independently owned Kpone natural gas-fired power station produces 350 MW ofelectricity for the people of Ghana. The power station, located in the Tema industrial zone,provides about 10% of the country’s total generating capacity. As a combined-cycle gasturbine plant, it will be amongst Ghana’s most fuel-efficient thermal power stations and oncein production, will become a critical base-load component in meeting the country’s growingelectricity demand. The plant was developed by the Cenpower Generation Company Limitedas a special project vehicle and funded by several financiers.

Hydropower at risk as damlevels rise

Uganda’s hydropower plants are at riskas Lake Victoria’s water levels rise. Thecountry reports that dams have reachedtheir highest level in more than 50 years.The country is powered, almostexclusively, by four hydroelectric schemeson the River Nile, which is fed by LakeVictoria. Apparently, increased waterlevel has dislodged papyrus mats whichbecome huge floating islands on thelake. These floating islands can severelydamage the hydropower infrastructure.To reduce the risk, the country hasresorted to releasing more than doublethe volume of water downstream.

Nuclear energy for Nigeria?

The Nigeria Atomic Energy Commissionsays the country will add nuclear to itsenergy mix. While natural gas hasalways been considered an excellentsource of energy, frequent attacks on thepipelines which carry the gas toindependent power producers for thegeneration of electricity make it anunreliable energy source. The solution,the commission maintains, is to opt fornuclear energy. This adds fuel tospeculation that Nigeria and Russia arecooperating in the construction of twonuclear power stations in Nigeria, the firstof which could be operational by 2025.

Power plant expansionprovides 50% more power

Output from Côte d’Ivoire’s Azito powerstation has been increased from 280 to420 MW. The existing Azito gas-firedpower station was converted from asimple-cycle to a combined-cycle plant bythe addition of two heat recovery steamgenerators, a steam turbine generator andone steam condenser with an associatedclosed loop, and an air-cooled coolingwater system. The project improved theefficiency of the plant by recovering energycurrently lost as heat in the turbine exhaustgases. This upgrade increased the plant’sefficiency from 29,5% to about 44%.

US organisations aid Ghanato more power

Amandi Energy’s 200 MW natural gaspower project owes its existence to theUS government’s Power Africa initiative.The organisation worked with a numberof US companies, including EndeavorEnergy, Aldwych International and anunnamed US-based engineering,procurement and construction companyto make the project a reality. The Amandipower station is situated in Ghana. TheUS government's Overseas PrivateInvestment Corporation provided debtand insurance, while the MilleniumChallenge Corporation, through aUS$498-million Ghana Power Compact,is transforming the country’s powersector and drawing private capital intothe country.

Compiled by Roger Lilley


TECHNICAL

Arequest for information (RFI)will be issued to inform andassist Eskom’s furtherdeliberation and development

of strategy for the decommissioningand repurposing of coal fired powerstations. Although not stated, it wouldappear that the intention is to replaceexisting coal-fired power stationequipment with low-carbon technology-based generation of equivalent capacity.

The call for innovative solutions iskey, as there are many existingtechnologies which will support low-

carbon growth, and there are many ways in which these could be applied.The criterionhere will be the most efficient and cost-effective method of reusing existing plant andinfrastructure on site after the original plant has been shut down. Proposals are limited tonovel technologies at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) >6 and/or a complete ecosystemmanagement solution, incorporating a series of integrated solutions, which wouldculminate in the development of a long-term, sustainable, low-carbon industry.

Coal-fired power stations(CFPS) comprise much more than just the generating plantitself. Besides buildings, there are the transmission lines, transformers, switchgear andother infrastructure which could be put to good use when repurposing the site. Further, aCFPS forms a node in the network, the closing of which could prove problematic to thewhole network. Repurposing an existing site can achieve significant savings compared toestablishing a power plant at a new site. There are many examples of repurposing CFPSsworldwide, ranging from replacing the coal plant with gas turbines, to using the site andline infrastructure for bulk network energy storage.

On the repurposing of retiredpower station sites

by Mike Rycroft, Now Media

Eskom has issued an “Expression of Interest” (EoI) document callingfor proposals on the repurposing of retired power station sites. The idea is to use these sites to generate electricity throughinnovative technological solutions for low-carbon growth,enterprise development and sustainable job creation.

Grootvlei Power Station


TECHNICAL

capacity factor of 100% daily and depending on how the site is used (for baseload, mid-term, or peaking), any other technology would have to match this capacity.

Possible low-carbon technologies could include:• Open and closed cycle gas turbine generation systems• Integrated gasification closed cycle gas generation• So-called “clean” coal power, based on high efficiency, low emission(HELE) coal

systems with carbon capture and storage (CCS)• Small modular nuclear reactors• Nuclear• Solar power (PV or solar thermal)• Wind power• Energy storage, either stand-alone or together with one of the above technologies

The possible requirement to replace the existing CFPSs with plant which has the samegenerating ability places limits on the exclusive use of solar or wind power. Camden powerstation, for example has a power capacity of 1600 MW operating at 100% daily availability.Replacing this would require 6400 MW of solar or wind to supply the same amount ofenergy plus at least 20 GWh of storage, not taking overcast weather into account. All three

The document is technologyneutral, and other than the low-carbonrequirement, does not favour anytechnology or solution. The term “low-carbon” is open to a wide range ofinterpretations, from exclusivelyrenewable energy to systems whichcapture carbon dioxide (CO2)emissions. A common definition is:“Processes or technologies thatproduce power with substantially loweramounts of carbon dioxide emissionsthan conventional fossil fuel powergeneration”.1 If this definition isadhered to then a wide range oftechnologies could be considered.

The CEO of Eskom has already hintedthat a possible solution would be toreplace a CFPS with gas, which reducesCO2 emissions substantially.2 This is acommon solution in some othercountries. The problem is the shortageof a ready supply of gas. If this problemcould be overcome, gas would appear tobe the optimum solution. Furthermore,it was suggested that rehabilitatedcoal mines associated with the CFPScould be used for wind and solarpower generation.

A factor that somewhat restrictsthe technology which could be used isthe size of the existing CFPSs. The threesites under consideration are Camden(1600 MW), Grootvlei (1200 MW), andKomati (940 MW). An important factor isthat it is not only the rated power outputthat has to be considered,but theenergy generating capacity (or capacityfactor) as well. CFPSs are capable of a

stations are in areas with moderate solarand wind potential, and exhibit long periodsof overcast weather.

Assuming a power density of 50 W/m2 ofsolar park area, a park with this capacitywould require 144 km2 of land space. Theuse of renewables such as wind and solarwould probably be limited to rehabilitatingland in the vicinity of the CFPS, as acomplement to other technologies. n

References1. Wikipedia: “Low-carbon power”,

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Low-carbon_power

2. C Yelland: “Eskom CEO on climatechange and the just energy transition”,Moneyweb, 21 April 2020

Send your comments [email protected]

Camden Power Station

Komati Power Station


TECHNICAL

Poor power quality can affectthe energy efficiency of thebuilding as whole, andimproving power quality has

the spin-off of improving efficiencyeven further. As energy efficient(EE) technologies have improved,the economic case for upgradingolder buildings has become stronger.There is a general trend toward theuse of electronic controls in buildingsystems which provide bettercontrol, lower maintenance costsand much higher efficiencies.

These include variable speeddrives to replace standard motors,LEDs to replace incandescent orfluorescent lights and switched-mode power supplies to replaceconventional power supplies.However, it is generally notunderstood that energy-efficiencyprojects can cause power quality todeteriorate significantly, which cancause significant increase in losses.

Most building EE upgrades focus onsaving energy on human comfort andenvironmental systems. In addition,own generation in the form ofrooftop or on-site solar PV is acommon feature today for thepurpose of energy savings as well assecurity of supply. Typical systemsinvolved in EE upgrades include:• HVAC• Lighting• Rooftop PV• Building Management Systems(IoT) • UPS systems for IT

Power quality issues The majority of the power quality problems experienced in buildings originate on the customerside of the meter. PQ issues not only affect the efficiency of the building, but can also affectthe operation of equipment inside the building.

The main problems arising from HVAC and lighting upgrades are decreased power factor(PF) and harmonics. These are due to the use of electronic converters in the input circuits oflighting units and variable frequency drives (VSD) for motors. These converters causedistortion of the current waveform, which results in current harmonics and low power factor(see Figure 1).

Harmonics are multiples of the fundamental frequency, and harmonic distortion isexpressed as the percentage of harmonic currents compared to the fundamental frequencycurrent. LEDs can have total harmonic distortion (THD) figures in excess of 100%.

Power factor expresses the extent to which current and voltage are out of phase in anormal sinusoidal load. A low power factor means that more current must flow for the samepower to be delivered. In the case of a very distorted current waveform, the classic definitionof power factor is difficult to apply and crest factor (CF) is often used. The CF factor is theratio of the peak current to the average current.

A low power factor can cause overloading of supply transformers, higher resistive losses inbuilding wiring, and other problems. The presence of harmonic current increases the corelosses, copper losses and stray-flux losses in transformers. High current harmonics and highcrest factors can increase resistive losses in wiring of lighting systems and overloadswitchgear and transformers. Harmonics causes additional “Ohmic losses” (I2R losses) in theline and neutral conductors due to skin effect.

Energy and buildings: Energyefficiency and power quality


Achieving energy efficiency standards on existing commercial buildingscan involve major changes to the equipment installed in the building,which can affect the power quality. Upgrades need to consider powerquality as well as energy efficiency, to ensure that reducing energyconsumption does not increase power quality problems.

Figure 1


TECHNICAL

Sources of PQ problems in energy-efficient devices HVAC systemsSignificant energy savings can beachieved by upgrading HVAC systems to abetter controlled and smarter operation.The main energy consuming items in aHVAC system are motors drivingcompressors, fans and pumps. In oldersystems the motors are run at a constantspeed and the operation of the unit iscontrolled by throttling of liquids andgasses. In energy efficient systems,control is exercised by varying the motorspeed by means of variable frequencydrives (VFDs). Variable frequency drivesuse converters at the input which canresult in current distortion and harmonicsas well as low PF.

Fortunately, most VFDs available onthe market today include PF correctionand harmonic reduction circuits, but thiscan vary with the cost of the drive. VFDsused in HVAC systems tend to be of abasic design as they do not requirecomplex operational features, and costis an issue, so PF control may be simpleas well.

Rooftop PVThis includes any on-site PV systemused to supplement or offset powerdrawn from the grid. PV systems areconnected to the building supply systemvia inverters, a high frequency devicewhich can generate harmonics into thebuilding supply.

(UPS) systemsUsed more often today to cater for shortbreaks in the grid supply and to smoothout the PV output, UPSs use electroniccircuits in the input and output stages,and can cause PQ and harmonic problemsin both in the input and output stages.These can be individual systemsconnected to individual items ofequipment, typically personal computers,or centralised UPS systems feeding aseparate distribution system and thesame PQ and harmonics problems canapply. Individual systems are less likely toincorporate PQ correction.

Lighting Energy efficient lighting is the primecause of PQ problems in upgradedbuildings. Whether Compact fluorescent(CFL) or LED, all employ electronics at theinput side, which results in both PF and

harmonic issues. Lighting control circuits are also electronic and have the same problems. Typical LEDs show extremely high third-harmonic current, which is problematic because

third harmonics are additive in the neutral conductor. The harmonic and PF performance ofboth CFLs and LEDs depend on the product used, and tests show a wide variation inperformance. Typical LED units have PF ranging from 0,3 to 0,9.

A selling factor for CFL and LED lights is the lifetime cost, based on energy savings andthe cost of the unit. Because of this, there is a need to keep unit costs as low as possible,and this means keeping the electronics as simple as possible. Applying harmonic and PFcorrection to individual lamps is restricted by both cost and space (size) factors.

Initial system design may be based on lamps with good harmonic and PQ performance,but maintenance policies may dictate that cheaper lamps are used as replacements, sothat harmonic control cannot be guaranteed over the lifetime of the installation. Withlighting consuming a significant proportion of a building load even after upgrading,harmonic generation presents a real problem.

Dealing with the problem PQ problem correction can be applied by several means. The most desirable would be tostop the problem at the source, but this is not always possible, especially with individualplug-in lighting units, and remedies must generally be applied on a centralised basis.

LED lighting systems often use localised DC distribution, fed from aconverter/controller, and PQ measures can be applied at the input to the controller.Studies have shown that the input waveform varies with the number of LEDs operational,and that THD and PF change with increasing load. In addition many LED controllers arefitted with a dimming function, and the degree of dimming affects the shape of the inputcurrent waveform.

Power factor correction and harmonic reduction can be achieved by the use of severalsolutions.• Power factor correction capacitors (PFC). Applied at distribution points within the

building and the input to LED controllers, these improve the PF and reduce harmonics.Unfortunately, with large installations this can cause high inrush currents and thisneeds special circuit breakers.

• Harmonic filters. Reactive components that reduce the harmonic content. Designed fora specific harmonic content, these do not handle changes in PQ very well.

• Active PQ correction systems, applied at points close to the source of PQ problem,such as drivers feeding several lamps or units of several lamps. These units are able toadapt to changes in PF and harmonics.

Power quality monitoring equipment Building loads and usage change over time, and changes and replacement of energyefficient devices can alter the power quality status. Installing power quality monitoringequipment at the time of upgrade allows permanent checks on the PQ and effectivenessof PQ corrections, as well as identifying the source of PQ problems. Many PQ monitoringsystems offer detailed loss analysis studies as well.

Although it’s important for buildings to take advantage of the latest efficiency andsustainability upgrades, ignoring power quality can be disastrous. The interaction betweenefficiency and power quality requires a holistic approach to design and operation. It isbetter to be “PQ-ready,” than to have to deal with after-the-fact mitigation. n

References1. Impact power: “Power quality and energy efficiency- an innovative approach”, Impact

power, 2014.2. Eaton: “Power quality solutions and energy savings –what is real?”, Industry Application,

number IA02704001E.3. R Bolduc: “Impacts of LED lighting on power quality”, Vector, July 2018.4. R Kaushik: “How to balance power quality and energy efficiency”, CSE, February 2020.5. L Putz: “Disturbances Generated by Lighting Systems with LED Lamps and the

Reduction in Their Impacts”, MDPI, 2019.



TECHNICAL

Microgrids developed inresponse to the growth indistributed generation, whichbrings generation closer to

the point of consumption. The microgridconcept allows local control overlocalised generation. Microgrids alsoallow the efficient use of renewableenergy resources in communitiesisolated from the national grid. The sizeand development of microgrids allowsincorporation of smart grid featureswhich optimise power generation,storage and use.

A microgrid consists of a networkwhich combines many components,including power generation, energystorage, grid connection and networkcontrol as shown in Figure 1.

This is generally taken to mean a network which combines distributed generation in theform of a combination of renewable and non-renewable energy sources. While the national gridis designed for top down power delivery, i.e. power is generated remotely and despatched viathe grid to users across the country, microgrids are configured for bidirectional power flow.

The heart of a microgrid system is the microgrid controller. All ancillary services areprovided internally, including balancing the active and reactive power; stabilising the grid’sfrequency and voltage,while providing quality, reliability and controlling power flow. Anessential feature of the microgrid is that all elements are interconnected via the microgridcontroller. The controller continuously monitors generation and consumption and balancesenergy generated with energy consumed and energy stored.

A microgrid may be used to serve a single site, such as an industrial or commercialcomplex, or several smaller individual sites,in a utility or communal microgrid application.

In function, the microgrid resembles a hybrid system by combining different generationand storage technologies. The main difference is that hybrid systems serve a single user orcustomer at a single location, whereas the microgrid is designed to serve multiple users atseparate locations.

Off-grid microgrids are based on renewable energy as the primary energy source,combined with storage. Solar PV is the technology of choice for smaller systems, althoughsmall wind turbines are becoming available too. A solar PV based microgrid system is easier

Microgrid development anddeployment in South Africa


A microgrid is a miniaturised version of the larger grid, a configuration ofenergy resources, distribution wires and buildings, all within a distinctgeographic footprint. There is no size limit, but microgrids tend to be scaled todiscrete operations, such as a small village, neighbourhood, community,business park, education campus, mine, or industrial facility.

Figure 1: A typical microgrid configuration

Figure 5: Eaton rooftop solar PV


TECHNICAL

to design and manage, as the solargeneration pattern is predictable,whereas wind can vary on a daily toseasonal basis.

Grid-connected microgrids use thegrid as a primary source of energy, withrenewable energy as an energy savingssource, as well as a secondary source ofenergy, in case of grid failure. Storageand standby plant can be used tosupplement the renewable energyresource during grid failure.

Grid connection transformer andcontrollerCurrently, standard industrial transformersare used, but the development of solid-state smart (SST) transformers has thepotential to reduce costs and add networkpower quality management features whichcurrently require additional equipment. Aproblem with grid-connected microgrids isresynchronisation with the grid frequencywhen reconnecting. SSTs provide themeans of smooth islanding andreconnection in the case of griddisconnection. Smart SSTs also allow forbi-directional current flow and can be usedto control the amount of energy drawnfrom the grid or supplied to the grid.

Microgrid installations in South AfricaRobben IslandEssentially a stand-alone hybrid systemserving the community on Robben Island,the microgrid is the conversion of anexisting diesel generator-based systemto include solar and storage, as well asupgraded control systems.

The system provided by ABB, consistsof a 1960 x 340 W PV array, a 500 kVA,837 kWh Li-ion storage battery, and adiesel generator. The microgrid canoperate from solar power through the day,while the battery bank provides power for

approximately seven hours at night.Additional power is available on demandfrom the diesel generator. Control is by alocal microgrid controller, backed up by asystem which enables the microgrid to bemonitored and operated from Cape Town.

Figure 3: ABB Longmeadow rooftop PV

Figure 4: Eaton microgrid equipment

Figure 2: ABB solar inverter for microgrids


TECHNICAL

The generators on the island previouslyused about 600 000 l of diesel per year,but the upgrade has resulted in 75% ofthat being saved.

Farm community in the Free StateEskom has installed a pilot solar-poweredmicrogrid at Wilhelmina Farm nearFicksburg in the Free State. The microgriddemonstration plant, which was completedin November 2017, provides electricity tothe small Wilhelmina community. Themicrogrid consists of 32 kW of solar PVand a 90 kWh Li-ion battery, backed up bytwo 22kW diesel generators. The microgridis linked to Eskom’s research, test anddevelopment centre in Gauteng.

ABB’s manufacturing complex inLongmeadowThis grid-connected microgrid, installedas a test and demonstration unit, powersthe manufacturing and administrativeloads at the ABB site. It consists of a1 MVA/380 kWh PowerStore batterysystem,750 kWp rooftop PV array andMicrogrid Plus, ABB’s dedicated controlsystem for microgrids. This has beencoupled to an existing pair of 600 kWdiesel generators as a backup system.The microgrid technology deployed atLongmeadow is fully containerised andpre-designed for this type of application.

Eaton’s manufacturing complexThis microgrid, installed at Eaton’smanufacturing facility in Wadeville,Germiston, consists of two banks of rooftopPV panels rated at 230 kW, inverters, a200 kWh storage battery, a 400 kW dieselgenerator as well as an electricity supplyfrom the local utility. The microgrid serves toreduce demand from the local grid as well asto provide electricity in the case of gridfailure. It can operate in islanded mode. Thismicrogrid is unique in that the batteriesused are second-hand, repurposed electricvehicle batteries which are still good enoughfor stationary applications.

Siemens’ head office in MidrandA grid-connected microgrid, serving theSiemens headquarters, this consists of1 MW PV-solar plant on the roof of campus’buildings and on the carports in the parkingarea. It is integrated with a diesel generatorand a 140 kWh SieStorage energy storagesystem via a Siemens microgrid controller.This microgrid has enabled a reduction of40% in energy drawn from the grid.

Shopping mall in ClanwilliamInitially, the developers of the Cedarmills mall applied for a 500 kVA connection to powerthe facility, but Eskom was only able to meet half of that due to constraints on the localgrid. The problem was solved by using the mall’s extensive roof area to install a microgridconsisting of a 851kWp solar PV system and a 700 kWh Li-ion battery. The microgrid,designed and installed by SOLA Future Energy, made up for the power shortfall, therebyallowing the mall’sdevelopment to continue. The microgrid is grid-connected but canoperate in an islanded mode in the case of grid failure.

ConclusionAs can be seen from the examples above, a microgrid can be used to provide power frommultiple energy sources according to the requirements of the client or application.Microgrids can be used in grid-connected or island mode depending on specificrequirements. This means that a microgrid can offer significant financial savings toconsumers, help to reduce air pollution by reducing demand on Eskom’s coal-fired plantwithout replacing it with local diesel-powered generators, and make additional poweravailable to meet new demand where the local section of the national grid cannot. n


Figure 7: Robben Island microgrid (SOLA Future Energy)

Figure 6: Robben Island microgrid installation


TECHNICAL

Li-ion batteries also work well following the grid operator’ssignals to ramp up or down, something no conventionalthermal plant, not even a natural gas peaker, can remotelymatch. But if you are trying to store the excess solar, wind or

hydro energy when it’s plentiful for use, you need something totallydifferent, both in terms of scale and the duration of storage. Insteadof 100 MW for two to four hours, for example, you will need multipleGWs for two to four months. Conventional batteries simply are notup to the task.

Among the developers of this technology is Breakthrough EnergyVentures (BEV), an investment group whose members includebillionaire celebrities like Bill Gates, Jeff Bezos, Richard Branson, andMichael Bloomberg. BEV says its ultimate aim is to fight climatechange. It does this by supporting companies which specialise inclean energy innovation in grid-scale storage, liquid fuels, micro- andmini-grids, alternative building materials and geothermal energy.

Form Energy is among those which initially received US$9-millionfrom BEV, followed by additional funding later. The company’swebsite says its mission is to “build a successful business thatenables a safe, affordable, reliable, 100% renewable grid bycommercializing long-duration, system-level energy storage.” It saysit is “investigating new chemistries that could store energy forweeks or even months, rather than mere hours or days.” Form has ateam of experts including Mateo Jaramillo, who developed Tesla’senergy storage business; Yet-Ming Chiang, an MIT professor whoworked with the Department of Energy’s Joint Centre on EnergyStorage Research, and Ted Wiley, a veteran of Aquion, a long-duration storage company.

Another company, which received $6,4-million funding from BEVis Quidnet Energy, which is developing an alternative form of pumpedstorage. Instead of relying on two large natural hydro reservoirs atdifferent elevations, however, it pumps water at high pressure intoabandoned gas and oil reservoirs underground. According to itswebsite, “Water is pumped down the well to apply pressure to a bodyof rock, and in doing so, store energy in the compression of the rock,”adding, “When it is time to discharge back onto the grid, thecompression in the rock is released, which pushes the water back upthe well and through a turbine to generate electricity.”

Highview Power, another storage developer, has designed acryogenic energy storage system that it claims delivers reliable andcost-effective long-duration storage. It uses liquid air as thestorage medium and can deliver anywhere from 20 MW/100 MWh tomore than 200 MW/2 GWh of energy with a lifespan of over 30years. Using existing components from mature industries, it says it

can deliver pumped-hydro capabilities without thegeographical constraints.

As these examples illustrate, there is no shortage of ideas,nor funding. If one idea does not succeed, another will. n

AcknowledgementThis article was first published in EEnergy Informer, and ispublished here with permission.


Storage beyond four hoursInformation from EEnergy Informer

Li-ion batteries are expensive, but they do a great job if you are trying to storelimited amounts of electricity for a few hours. That makes them great candidatesfor use in handling daily fluctuations in supply and demand, but lots of fundingand effort is going into developing affordable, large-scale long-duration storage.

Illustration of Quidnet Energy's storage system

Pilsworth grid scale demonstrator plant


VIEWS AND OPINION

In South Africa, organisations are facing the crisis on multiple fronts, not least of whichis the ailing power utility and its volatility in terms of power provision and management.Many other African countries face a similar situation, with ageing infrastructure andunreliable power provision. In uncertain times power must be reliable.Power is critical to the sustainable and manageable success of the food and beverage

industry. Temperatures must remain consistent, moisture must be monitored correctly, airmust flow properly, and humidity must be measured precisely. Any variations beyond thenormal ranges in these areas can fundamentally affect production and product quality. Thisis an expensive problem, one that few companies can afford, particularly now.

If the power goes off or equipment fails, getting the systems back online has becomeincredibly complex. The shutdown affects access to premises and time spent resolvingproblems can mean loss of product and revenue. The industry needs reliability and controlnow more than ever.

Companies in the food and beverage industry require relevant solutions that they canrely on during the crisis. One way to achieve this is to invest in equipment which iscustomised specifically for this industry – equipment which can be remotely monitored andmanaged to reduce personnel movement and risk of exposure.

Companies such as Aggreko allow for both instalment payments and long-term rentalswhich help organisations manage their systems with absolute precision. The company’sas-a-service solution adds on an extra layer of security by providing continuous remoteequipment monitoring that catches issues before they become real problems.

Recently, the company designed and installed cooling units for a European cheeseprocessing company. The system replaced more than 1600 kW of cooling capacity at -8°Cwithin 24 hours, and it now handles five zones which range from 29 000 to 39 000 m3 atmultiple temperature ranges. This took less than two days to implement. The companyspecialises in uninterrupted refrigeration during equipment breakdowns or power failuresto ensure that your produce is stored and secured.

One industry which absolutely cannot afford downtime or power cuts is the healthcareindustry. Always a critical service, healthcare is under incredible pressure to ensure thesafety of its employees and the survival of its patients during COVID-19. If power fails, theimpact would be significant, and the cost would be in human lives. It has become essentialfor the industry to invest in solutions which meet the specialised requirements of healthcare– solutions which take its demanding environments and specifications into account.

Solutions designed for healthcare need to be planned, designed, and executed withintight parameters. There’s no “one-size-fits-all” here – everything needs to have rapidresponse and safety in mind. Emergency cooling, redundancy power systems, failsafesystems, and temporary measures need to be planned and implemented with the worst-case scenario in mind. The loss of cooling can stop emergency theatre procedures, the lossof power can affect ventilators and chillers, and a lack of backup power solutions can knocksystems down for longer than anticipated. Power in healthcare must be reliable, includeredundancies, and be capable of handling the most extreme circumstances. Aggreko hasworked with numerous hospitals across the world to develop power-relevant solutions that

ensure energy is always on, no matterwhat. This has included redundancy powersystems for hurricanes and rooftop chillersystems to ensure ongoing theatreoperations during a system failure.

Contingency planning has moved froma “nice to have” to an immediate measurefor most companies. The unexpected hashappened, and now we need solutionswhich reduce the risks of production lossor service downtime and which keep theeconomy flowing during the crisis. Thismakes power the next big focus for theindustry right now. From criticalenvironments in the financial sector tohealthcare to pharmaceutical and food andbeverage companies, redundant energysupply should be on everyone’s minds. n

Contact Aggreko, Tel 086 124-4735,[email protected]

Creating certainty: Reliable power incomplex timesBy John Lewis, Aggreko

As the world moves towards a new future, a new normal as defined bythe coronavirus and its implications, there is an urgent need fororganisations to invest in agile and capable foundations which willenable them to adapt to what lies ahead.

John Lewis


VIEWS AND OPINION

Eskom has frequently acknowledgedthe serious financial situation itfinds itself in. Since there is nobenefit in analysing, yet again, how

Eskom got itself into this situation, weshould focus on the best and fastest wayforward and at the least possible cost.

Firstly, Eskom must stop doing“patch-up” short term repairs to its plantafter forced shutdowns. Originalequipment manufacturers (OEMs) shouldbe contracted to undertake thenecessary refurbishments to the fatiguedplants and be allowed outage time tocomplete such work. OEMs are morecapable in examining fatigued plant whichthey originally designed and built, thanEskom’s power station staff. This is thebest way to improve the shockingly lowplant availability factor.

Transmission grids in the USA andEurope are interconnected acrossnational or state boundaries with otherindependent generators, which providesgreat stability. Reliability of supply atconstant frequency and voltage isessential. The maintenance of this ismuch more difficult with a stand-alonetransmission grid spanning severalthousand kilometres such as ours.

With the power demand on our gridcurrently peaking at about 30 000 MW, nobattery system in the world caninstantaneously meet sudden largeincreases in demand. This can only beachieved by rapidly ramping up the outputof plant already in operation and at partialoutput. This is an essential dynamicfactor to bear in mind in deciding theextent to which we can depend onrenewable energy systems.

Currently, Eskom’s generation system

from its large coal-fired units has about56 large steam turbine generator unitswith a combined rotating inertia of about14 000 tonnes, which helps to maintaingrid stability in the event of sudden loadchanges. If our grid frequency drops from50 to 49,85 Hz, automatic load-sheddingtakes effect to protect the instability,which could escalate into a total systemblackout lasting several days.

Portions of the electricity supply grids inGermany, UK and Australia have recentlyexperienced such grid failures due to anover-dependence on wind-poweredgenerators. Power grid system stabilitystudies indicate that stand-alone grids suchas ours should not rely on more than about26% of the total demand being supplied bywind power. While solar power generation isnot as variable as wind, seasonal weatherchanges can have a significantly negativeeffect on their output.

The fact that the blades of a windgenerator are rotating does not indicateits extent of output. Generally, full outputis only achieved at wind speeds above 30km/h and 50% output at wind speeds ofaround 18 km/h. For land-based wind

generators output will only be achievedfor a total of about 3000 h/pa and on anunpredictable basis.

Our only reliable option for large energystorage is from pumped water energystorage systems. However, because ofplant inefficiencies, we recover less powerthan we put in. Such generating systemscannot therefore be reflected as netelectricity generating capacity.

Essentials to meet South Africa’selectricity needsBy Alexander Jan Ham (Pr.Eng.), Eskom (retired)

While the government’s draft Integrated Resource Plan (IRP2019) is very thoroughand makes impressive reading, it lacks decisiveness and urgency of focussedaction. The time has come to stop planning and start implementing.


VIEWS AND OPINION

Furthermore, it takes many minutes to get the system to commence generating. Beingessentially a dry country, South Africa’s total hydro potential is small, less than 7% (480GWh). Base load generating plant must therefore form the backbone of our power systemand offer a total capacity of at least 65% of our system demand. We can only assume tobe able to reliably import about 4% of our needs from outside of our borders at present(currently from Cahora Bassa).

How then should the baseload of 65% of our total requirements be generated? We havethe following options open to us which we should commit to now if we intend toprogressively decommission our older coal fired power stations:• Import liquified natural gas (LNG) to fuel our present and future gas turbine combined

cycle base load and peak load generating turbines. • Commence controlled and regulated fracking of suitable rock strata areas which could

yield significant supplies of natural gas for power generation at much lower costs thanimported LNG.

• Seek international partners to develop our Brulpadda gas fields in the Outeniqua Basinwithout delay. However, as all these systems still generate carbon dioxide, and we havecommitted ourselves to reduce such emissions, we need to seek other long-term less-polluting solutions.

We fully respect the desire to decarbonise Eskom’s operations but must appeal to all thatwe have important humanitarian demands which cannot be ignored. Hence this mustrestrain our desired rate of change. Many people residing in our country, many of whom aremore financially privileged than the financially struggling majority, understandably viewenvironmental issues from a first world perspective. We appreciate their concerns andinsistence that South Africa must implement changes in accordance with the Parisenvironmental agreement the government signed. However, this is no longer realistic forSouth Africa.

Change we must but the dramatic Coronavirus pandemic will cause us to compromiseour previous plans, due to our failed economy. If we do not implement fracking soon, we willhave to continue to rely on coal-based power generation. Perhaps it would be best tocontract large International power generating companies to build, own and operate all newlarge coal stations, since Eskom has demonstrated its inability to comply with ourstringent air pollution control laws at its power stations.

The power utility continuously applies for “temporary” exemptions, claiming that it

cannot afford to install the essentialparticulate, NOX and SOX filter systems.Furthermore, it seems incapable ofmaintaining the particulate filtersystems already installed at most of itspower stations.

Eskom’s transgressions against ournational air pollution laws, and the factthat significant carbon capture and large-scale storage will not be possible heresoon, leaves us with the only otherrealistic alternative for base loadgeneration: nuclear power.

Eskom’s Koeberg nuclear powerstation has provided excellent serviceover 36 years. The power utility hasadequate coastal sites already procuredaround our coast for at least 13 000 MW.Proven, safe and cost-effective nuclearpower plants are available today fromChina, South Korea and Russia.

Surely an IPP agreement could benegotiated with any one of these, startingnow as the lead time to build andcommission takes at least 8 to 10 years.Finally, we need to be realistic in ourdesire to depend almost entirely onrenewable energy to satisfy most of ourelectricity needs in the future. It isimpossible! The time has arrived foraction and implementation before thenext “black swan” event is upon us. n

Send your comments [email protected]

From our readersDear editor

re: Dynamic line rating for wind farm connections

Your article “Dynamic line rating for wind farm connections” by Mike Rycroft, published on the Energize website on 6 May 2020, is agreat paper which gives insight into another field and allows engineers to appreciate the parameters and interaction of theseparameters. I may never design a powerline for a wind turbine, but I can apply the basics to my field of engineering.

In the period 1960 to 1990 the learned societies published this type of technical paper which were used by engineers to improve theirwork and products. The results are visible still today with the infrastructure surviving great abuse.

Then the technical magazines changed to papers which were advertising generalizations with phrases such as “one gets great valuefrom using this product” or “if you use this you will save time and money”.

I would like to see more papers like this, not PhD level but building upon basics for reader education.

Clive Rutter, Silicon [email protected]


Washington, DC is currently enjoying itscleanest air in at least 25 years,thanks to decades of local, state andfederal policies combined with a wet,

windy spring. Bicycles abound; there’s almost no cartraffic. Birdsong awakens us, sometimes far tooearly. There is, of course, a global pandemic elementto the quietness, and pandemic-induced shutdownsare not the best way to way to get clean air, in thesame way that an economic collapse is really not thebest way to get cheap petrol.

There’s another thing I can see that Earth Day’sfounders would be delighted by. On my roof, barelyvisible through a skylight, is a solar-power systemthat will more than meet my power demand for theday. It’s a small thing now, but it would have been anunimaginably big deal in 1970. Five decades on fromthe first Earth Day, an energy revolution that startedlow and slow is now changing the world in real time.

It all started 16 years before the first Earth Day,in 1954, when Bell Laboratories unveiled the firstphotovoltaic cell. They called it the “solar battery”,and the ads for it are charming. “The same kindlyrays that help the flowers and the grains and thefruits to grow,” reads one, “also send us almostlimitless power”. But the early marketing alsocontained a strong dose of realism: “There’s stillmuch to be done before the battery’s possibilities intelephony and for other uses are fully developed.”

Much to be done, indeed. Photovoltaics werewildly expensive, complex to produce, and tiny.There wasn’t even a commercial application for themuntil 1962 with the Telstar 1, the “first privatelysponsored space-faring mission” and the firstsatellite to relay a transatlantic television signal.Now solar power is standard on satellites.

What a differenceOther uses followed — power for weather stations,pipeline monitoring systems and off-grid homes —until developments in the mid-1970s made itpossible to put a commercial value on PV cells. Makeno mistake, they still weren’t cheap. The earliestdata BloombergNEF has on solar costs shows thatpanels went for more than US$100/W in 1976. Aresidential solar installation needs output of at leastseveral kilowatts. That means a few years after thefirst Earth Day, a pioneering solar homeowner would

by Nathaniel Bullard

The energy revolution thatstarted in 1954 is reachingits crescendo

have had to spend tens of thousands just on panels, not to mention the costsof engineering, installation and power equipment.

What a difference four decades makes. Last year, one PV panel cost$0.23/W — a 99.3% decrease. Entire systems now cost less than what the PVmodule alone cost just seven years ago. Today’s panels are also much betterthan what came before: more efficient, more reliable, more durable and lighter-weight. I could heft a solar panel on my own if I wanted to. My neighbourhood isnow dotted with “We went solar!” signs.

To put that in context, let’s look at another energy revolution underway prior tothe first Earth Day: nuclear power. In 1954, just a few months after Bell Labsbrought its Solar Battery to market, Lewis Strauss, the chairman of the US AtomicEnergy Commission, gave a speech to the National Association of Science Writersin New York. There’s a key section, one that’s been bandied about often since:

“Transmutation of the elements — unlimited power, ability to investigatethe working of living cells by tracer atoms, the secret of photosynthesis aboutto be uncovered — these and a host of other results all in 15 short years. It isnot too much to expect that our children will enjoy in their homes electricalenergy too cheap to meter, will know of great periodic regional famines in theworld only as matters of history, will travel effortlessly over the seas and underthem and through the air with a minimum of danger and at great speeds, and willexperience a lifespan far longer than ours, as disease yields and man comes tounderstand what causes him to age. This is the forecast for an age of peace.”

Needless to say, the harnessing of the atom didn’t give us energy that’s“too cheap to meter”. Building a new plant now costs tens of billions of dollars,meaning that newly built nuclear power has a hard time competing in manypower markets. But the PV module has fulfilled Strauss’s vision and then some:it gave us energy that’s so cheap, people are being paid to use it.

Negative prices are a feature of a properly functioning energy market, andperhaps you noticed on Monday that the key US oil benchmark closed tradingat -$37,63/barrel. Those are cases where the market must pay someone totake product away in order to balance supply and demand. It’s happening now inelectricity, too, thanks to solar and wind power.

Clear skies over Germany meant that intraday wholesale power prices werenegative earlier this week. In the UK on 19 April, electric vehicle chargingplatform Ohme said that its customers were paid 69p to add 210 km of chargeto their vehicles.

This is bigger than the market havoc of the pandemic. It’s just thebeginning, really, of an energy world with more and more moments of beingbetter than too cheap to meter. People will get paid to charge. Services willcrop up, on-demand, to use free or negatively-priced electricity. Fleets ofelectrolysers will use renewable electrons to produce hydrogen and helpreduce emissions in steel, cement and glass production that are right now atremendous environmental challenge.

And that’s the revolution. It would have seemed ridiculous even ten yearsago, much less 50, and yet here we are. n

AcknowledgementThis article was previously published by TechCentral

VIEWS AND OPINION

The Now Media Group is the new owner of the EngineerIT and Energize titles.

The Marsh family, owners of the Now Media Group, and the Yelland family,the previous owners of the titles, go back a generation when their

parents ran their businesses out of London House in Loveday Streetin the centre of Johannesburg some 50 years ago.

That is where the coincidence ends. Yelland was in the electricalbusiness and John H Marsh, a journalist and best-selling author

of Skeleton Coast, was a magazine publisher.

Now Media was founded in 1953 by John andcontinues to be run as a family business by Dave,chairman (2nd generation), and Anton, CEO(3rd generation).

The company has taken an innovative approach topublishing, whether it be establishing quick-read high frequencytrade newspapers or running its own printing works to ensure itcan be first with the news.

Before the internet was popularised it launched its first online B2Bservice in 1989, Travelinfo, which changed the way the travel industryin South Africa operates. It continues to flourish today with over 4 000 travel

agents using it repeatedly throughout the day for their operations.

It now has a strong internet presence with three daily news sites in thefreight and travel sectors.

Nico Maritz, who heads up a division that focuses on B2B monthlies andupmarket magazines for large residential estates, will manage Energize

and EngineerIT.

Most critically we believe in being effective for our clients.Through niche publications with highly engaged audiences

we can provide solid, effective promotional solutions to theindustries and audiences we serve.

The Now Media Group is a level 2 B-BBEE companybased in Illovo, Johannesburg and employs around100 staff across: 5 business magazines, 11 security estate

publications, 3 daily news and 3 twice-weekly tradewebsites, a travel reference and training system, as well

as its printing works.

Of pencilsand shutters

Drawing of a steam locomotive using a photo taken by Francois

Putting some household things together for photographs


ENGINEERS IN LOCKDOWN

Two engineers living in the same house may not bethe norm for most households in this country, butlockdown required a new way of thinking for both ofus too. I am self-employed, while my husband works

for Hensoldt, as a reliability specialist.We both have hobbies that we normally enjoy, but during

lockdown, things got a bit challenging for Francois, who is aphotographer and regional director of the PhotographicSociety of South Africa’s (PSSA’s) North Gauteng region. Heand his photographic colleagues pretty soon figured out thebenefits of Zoom for meetings and online judging of clubphoto evenings. They were already using an online system forthe submissions of their photographs, so it only required astep up to online judging and meetings. Because he couldn’tgo anywhere to take photographs, he dug into his archivesand edited photos for which he hadn't had time before.

Of course, my kitchen was raided and some veryinteresting patterns printed on my printer. Later I saw theresults of his efforts, and just had to give him a high-five forthe end result. Physics, or rather, optics in creative action. Soworking during the day and taking part in photographicactivities after hours has kept him busy. That is unless hewas digging holes outside to try and figure out how we weregoing to fix the plumbing problem in the guest bathroom.

For me, things worked differently. As a self-employedexport consultant and product safety engineer, I was onlylimited by the number of work things I could do, mostlybecause my clients are in lockdown too, and the lab wasclosed so I could not use its facilities. During the first fewweeks of lockdown, I finished up a few reports; but testingremained a challenge until we were granted working permitsin late April. Work is still slow, but now I can spend some timeat the lab to do tests on equipment already in the queue. Butwhere we find non-compliances, our clients are again stuck

By Lizette de Vries-Venter

Experimenting with colour pencils to draw a gemstone

Graphite drawing of shoes in my sketchbook

Sherry glass (photo by Francois Venter)Tall glass (photo by Francois Venter)


ENGINEERS IN LOCKDOWN

because of their suppliers, and so the list goes on.With more time on my hands, I had my own hobbies to

turn to. As a published author, I had a book that neededediting (something that I really don’t like doing), but I did thatand my editor also checked and proofread the manuscriptduring this time. Even though I love writing, some things likeediting are necessary before publication. And to this end, Iam happy to say that my 26th book is now out for pre-orderand will be released on 29 May 2020.

But the book was already in process and so I had to findsome other creative project to keep me occupied. I lovedrawing, but it takes a lot of practice to improve one's skills.Some members of my writers’ group asked that we do a fewcreative challenges since two of them wanted to learn todraw and the third wanted some challenges to keep heroccupied too. So I set about working out a few challengingdrawings which were suited to both someone withexperience and two novices. They loved it so much, that Iwas asked to continue the challenges through May. When thenovices required more materials, trust me, we were all veryhappy once Stage 4 was announced so that some shopscould open where we could find art materials.

There are several online art challenges going on as welland even my own art teacher, from the US, has made someof his classes available for free for this unsettled time. Sothere was enough inspiration around for me to get to work tofind more things to draw and paint for my group.

The first May project is underway and everyone seems tobe excited about improving their skills while I work ahead, to

provide some guidance because these are not just a simplezentangle anymore. Since the start of lockdown, I have doneseven ink drawings in the #inktober52 worldwide challenge(https://www.instagram.com/inktober/) and 21 otherdrawings and paintings for the creative projects my group isworking on.

Aside from improving my skills, doing these projectshelps to pass the time and art is considered one of theactivities that has excellent mental health benefits. But life isnot just art and photography in our home. Shopping,cooking, and household chores have not gone away andneither has taking care of my vegetable garden and thegarden in general. Cooking is always a challenge with avegetarian/vegan and carnivore living in the same household,but experience does help when one runs out of ideas. Thenagain mushroom risotto and a weekly braai (yes, even veganfood) are always a good change for the palate.

Francois remarked the other day that while our lawnseemed to have stopped growing (being early winter and allthat) our neighbours’ lawns have not. Or maybe they don'thave much else to occupy themselves with. I think the onlyones that are going to miss lockdown though are our threedogs. Walkies every morning since the start of Stage 4, andhaving both of us at home 24/7 has definitely created spoiledfurry monsters. n


3

JANUARY

Feature ScopeWind power ............................................................... Covers all aspects of wind powerSmart grid development ............................................ Smart devices and components, EIoT, digital twins, FACTS devices

FEBRUARY

Feature ScopeWaste-to-power ......................................................... Municipal, industrial, agricultural and forestry waste-to-power, co-generationEnergy for industry ..................................................... Covers all industrial applications including mining

MARCH

Feature ScopeUtility-scale solar power ............................................ CSP, thermal storage, PV panels, solar thermal systems, mounting, installation and maintenanceLarge-scale energy storage systems .......................... PWS, CaES, flywheels, thermal storage, power-to-gas, batteries, ESS control systems

APRIL

Feature ScopeGas-to-power ............................................................ OCGT, CCGT, IC gas engines, fuel cellsTransmission systems ............................................... Substation equipment, OH and UG TX lines, FACTS devices, HVDC systems

MAY

Feature ScopeEnergy for buildings ................................................... Covers all building types, green buildings, hospitals, schools and universities, colleges, theatresMicrogrid systems ..................................................... All systems

JUNE

Feature ScopeProfessional lighting systems .................................... Commercial, industrial, municipal and other applications of large-scale lighting systemsSwitchgear equipment and operator protection .......... HV, MV and LV switchgear

JULY

Feature ScopeStandby and temporary power ................................... Fixed and mobile standby systems, temporary power systemsHigh-reliability power for critical operations ............... UPS systems, server farm applications

AUGUST

Feature ScopeHybrid power systems ............................................... Grid-connected and off-grid hybrid systemsDistribution transformers ........................................... Ground-mounted and pole-mounted distribution transformers, smart transformers

SEPTEMBER

Feature ScopePower quality measurement and management .......... PQ improvement devices, PF correction, harmonic filters, active PQ correction devicesEnergy management and energy saving .................... Applies to all installation types except domestic

OCTOBER

Feature ScopeRooftop PV systems ................................................... Design, installation and maintenance of rooftop PVDistribution systems .................................................. MV and LV distribution systems and components, MV DC systems

NOVEMBER/DECEMBER

Feature ScopeThermal power generation ......................................... Coal, nuclear, geothermal. Includes generator and alternator technologiesElectric motors and drives ......................................... Includes all motors, LV and MV types

Energize – the independent power and energy journal of Southern Africa – is a business-to-business journal published by NOW Media, online and inprint eleven times a year, which serves the electric power and energy sectors of the region.The journal seeks to provide a platform for companies active in the electrical sector to expose their expertise and specialisation to readers in this sector.Energize seeks to achieve this goal by providing high-quality technical articles and is therefore technology agnostic, preferring to cover all technologiesin use today.Each issue focuses on specific features related directly to the generation, distribution and use of electricity. It also covers industry-related news; viewsand opinion from experts in the sector; and information related to new products and services available in South Africa.

FEATURES

2020

Documents

FROM THE EDITOR · the bad, the good and the ugly To encourage this, Energize introduced the “Engineers in lockdown” feature. Engineers are invited to submit articles telling