Electricity + Control December 2017

NOT TO BE MISSED

Africa Energy Indaba 20 – 21 February 2018

Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg Are you an energy innovator or future energy disrupter? Do you represent the latest in energy efficiency, energy conservation, green building technologies or renewable energy solutions? Are you a new or established energy company looking for customers, clients and suppliers? Enquiries: Email louise@energyindaba. co.za POWER-GEN & DistribuTECH Africa 17 – 19 July 2018 Sandton Convention Centre, Johannesburg A forum that brings together international business leaders and technical experts com- mitted to powering up a continent. Enquiries: Visit www. powergenafrica. com/2018/html Electra Mining Africa 10 – 14 September 2018 Expo Centre, Nasrec in Johannesburg Gateway into Africa for further business ex- pansion. Enquiries: Visit www.electramining.co.za Local Manufacturing Exhibition 2019 21 – 23 May 2019 Expo Centre, Nasrec, Johannesburg An interactive, educational and practical show- case of South Africa’s most outstanding local manufacturing capabilities. Enquiries: Visit www.localmanufacturing- expo.co.za

T he recent appointment of a new and inexperienced Energy Minister was met with many negative comments. But can any SA Energy Minister change our energy path through the next few years? Can any Energy Minister change the dismal path that ESKOM has been on in the recent past? No comment is offered on the newly appointed SA Energy Minister, for possibly obvious reasons in light of the position's reshuffling rate and (in)experience level of those appointed. But realistical- ly − how much good or bad can be done by any individual acting as SA's Energy Minister, over the forthcoming few years? Energy markets worldwide are in turmoil - even in the best governed countries with the best run utilities. Renewables definitely have advantages but they place major strain on grids and existing tra- ditional utilities − even entire countries. Read up about Germany's renewable energy successes and challenges [1, 2], Australia's power crisis [3], China's renewable energy push [4], and the gradually declining prices of energy the world over. Then consider how suitable South Africa is for Solar and to some extent wind energy − and ask yourself what even the most brilliant Energy Minister could do to change the inherent path that energy will follow in South and Southern Africa? And furthermore - ask how Eskom can justify increasing energy prices when they have been de- creasing in most countries across the globe - and increase them when there is a surplus of supply? Rhetorical questions aside − imagine how much worse SA's Energy and ESKOM will do if the wrong people are chosen to fill the most senior positions in SA Energy and ESKOM! We invited Rob Melaia of Marthinusen & Coutts (a division of Actom) to Write @ the back … and he asks: Does SA's Energy Minister really matter? Useful sites [1] The Coming German Energy Crisis: http://reason.com/archives/2017/03/21/the-coming-german-energy-crisis [2] Germany’s High-Priced Energy Revolution: http://fortune.com/2017/03/14/germany-renewable-clean-energy-solar/ [3] South Australia’s Power Crisis: Renewables, Batteries and the Future Role of Gas: https://www.greentechmedia.com/ research/report/south-australias-power-crisis#gs.Ckb3w20 [4] China’s Renewable-Energy Revolution: https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/china-renewable-energy-revo- lution-by-jiang-kejun-and-jona than-woetzel-2017-08

brain block ... Question 7 Courtesy: Anton Jacobsz, Networks Unlimited

Rob Melaia is Engineering Executive, Rotating Machines, at Marthinusen & Coutts Enquiries: Email robm@mandc.co.za

Do you know that storage time travel in your network is a fact?

INDEX TO ADVERTISERS

ACDC Dynamics.............................................................OBC ACDC Dynamics..............................................................11 Africa Energy Indaba.......................................................IBC ENGEN..............................................................................17 MECOSA...........................................................................33

Nordland Lighting.............................................................37 Parnis Manufacturing......................................................19 RET Automation Controls................................................IFC SEWEURODRIVE...........................................................OFC Trans Electron....................................................................3

Answers to Brain Block questions are on our newsletters and website.

40 Electricity + Control

DECEMBER 2017