Electricity + Control December 2020

represents an increase in energy efficiency. Increasing end-use efficiency continues to be a critical factor in the energy transition in South Africa and globally, with benefits in both developed and emerging economies,” Bredenkamp said. Taru Madangombe, VP Energy Business, Schneider Electric Anglophone Africa said, “The pandemic is transforming every business and this year is a reminder of why agility, efficiency, and resilience matter so much. Organisations are looking to save costs while working towards becoming more responsive to customer needs. The single solution we have found to both is digitalisation. Those organisations that have been digital pioneers have had a substantial edge over the competition. Covid-19 has accelerated digital transformation and every organisation that has invested in it is now benefiting from increased resilience, efficiency, and sustainability, and being able to operate remotely.” Energy efficiency has always been important for industry and this has been re-emphasised during the pandemic. Organisations are always looking to reduce costs, speed up response times and improve efficiencies. Madangombe referred to the case study of South Africa’s RCL Foods, a producer of private label food products, which implemented a modern, reliable automated control system with remote access capabilities. For the company, this has resulted in greater visibility into the plant’s operations, reduced downtime, and a 20% increase in throughput. shedding. It would also enable the introduction of more cost-effective and sustainable renewable energy sources which will lower the cost of energy for South Africa. As the country tries to meet the electricity demand of businesses and consumers, a plant that can operate across technologies and run optimally in a cost-effective way will bring further benefits to the market. An accelerated and up-scaled deployment of renewable energy supply technologies, as outlined in the IRP2019, will contribute to stabilising electricity price increases, offering relief to consumers, and potentially deliver significant employment opportunities, environmental benefits and cost savings. Wärtsilä Modular Block is available for three engine types: Wärtsilä 34SG spark-ignited gas engines, Wärtsilä 32 (HFO and LFO) and Wärtsilä 34DF (dual-fuel) engines, all in 12 V, 16 V and 20 V configurations. With regard to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Wärtsilä gas engines can operate on combustible gases of different origin, including biogases. The engines also allow for a future switch to renewable fuel. For maximum fuel flexibility, the solution can be configured to a gas, liquid fuel or even dual- or tri-fuel configuration, making it a suitable companion to intermittent renewable energy sources such as wind or solar power plants. Such a multi-fuel-plus- renewable combination offers a highly available low-emission power source, which helps maximise the use of locally available energy resources. For more information contact Schneider Electric. Tel: +27 (0)11 254 6400 Visit: www.se.com

For more information contact Wärtsilä. Visit: www.wartsila.com/zaf

Electricity + Control DECEMBER 2020

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