Electricity + Control January 2016

ENERGY + ENVIROFICIENCY: FOCUS ON STANDBY + BACK-UP

ROUND UP

MakingVodacom’s network more resilient

Master PowerTechnologies (MPT) provided Vodacom South Africa with two mobile data centres to ensure the operator can keep its communications network running in the event of an unforeseen catastrophic incident.The mobile units were designed to fit on mobile trailers which can be deployed to any Vodacom site in South Africa within 48 hours. FredWeber, senior specialist, technology projects at Vodacom says MPT was previ- ously tasked with providing data centres and power generation containers last year. These solutions have been placed at sites around the country to provide indefinite, independent backup power to the communi- cations giant.The mobile recovery solutions are built on the same principle, but with the

proviso that they fully comply with the road ordinances and statutes. Each mobile data centre is fully self- sufficient and contains power backup ca- pabilities with on-board generators as well as the required networking systems, fire suppression, air conditioning and security technology to ensure the units are safe in almost any eventuality.The mobile units are capable of operating independently of any of the existing site’s power infrastructure and utilities. “The primary benefit of the mobile re- covery solutions will be the assurance of continuous network operation, regardless of events and circumstances that may arise,” explains Wouter Vermeulen, MPT Data Centre Specialist.

Due to the space restrictions MPT had to work with, Weber says there were a num- ber of innovations in the design. Some of these include the effective fitment of the HVAC condensers in the rear doors, the installation and safe placement of the standby diesel power generator within in the mobile facility, the use of Novec 1230 ozone friendly gas suppressant, and the ef- fective fitment of power distribution panels and equipment.This was complemented by the installation of numerous secure network cabinets in this confined space. The project took eight months to com- plete the design, construction and testing of themobile centres at MPT’s headquarters in Randburg. Enquiries: Rory Reid.Tel. 011 792 7230 or email rory@kva.co.za

56 MW emergency power for Turkish hospitals MTU Onsite Energy diesel gensets from Rolls-Royce will be ensuring in the future 56 MW standby power on the new health campuses of theTurkishMinistry of Health in Mersin and Bilkent.Ten 16-cylinder Series 4000 diesel gensets and one 8-cylinder Series 1600 unit are to be supplied to the DIA Holding construction company for Mersin (located in the south of Turkey) this November. Fourteen 16-cylinder and five 12-cylinder Series 4 000 units will be shipped to Bilkent (Ankara) in February 2016.The brand MTU Onsite Energy is part of Rolls-Royce Power Systems within the Land and Sea division of Rolls-Royce. The Ministry of Health is planning to invest in a total of 35 health campuses across the country by the end of 2018, all of which are to be set up in public-private partnership projects. A power require- ment of 20 – 30 MW diesel genset output has been calculated for each project. DIA Holding is one of the construction companies involved in the scheme, which won the order for the city hospitals in Mersin and Bilkent. “The health sector is a priority inTurkey, as recent major investments have shown.The preference being given to at this early stage demonstrates trust in this brand and is a good sign for upcoming projects,” said Ekrem Kuraloglu, Managing Director of MTUTurkey. Enquiries: Email mirko.gutemann@rrpowersystems.com

East Africa Investment hotbed

EastAfrica is emerging as a hotbed for energy related investments not only for its robust economic growth, but also for its potential to become one of the largest producers and exporters of oil and natural gas in the world. Countries likeTanzania, Kenya, Ethiopia, and Rwanda - which have traditionally depended on biomass to meet most of their energy requirements - are gradually shifting to modern energy sources to meet the growing demands of the expanding urban population and the rising per capita income levels. New analysis from Frost & Sullivan , East Africa En- ergy finds that East Africa will possess more than 50 000 MW of generation potential by 2030, dominated by hydro, coal, wind, geothermal and natural gas based generation systems. More than 80%of the potential gas reserves in East Africa are concentrated around Mozambique and Tanzania. While LNG exports from these countries are expected no earlier than 2020, rapid develop- ment of gas power projects would provide a short term response to growing electricity demand in the region.The region will, therefore, provide immense opportunities for companies specialising in oil and natural gas exploration and production, power generation and associated infrastructure, as well as renewable energy technology commercialisation. “Energy development is gaining priority as East Af- rican economies look to attain middle income status over the next decade,” said Frost & Sullivan Energy & Environment Senior ResearchAnalyst Neeraj Sanjay Mense. Investment from private sector is critical as the East Africa energy reserves require substantial funding in order to reach full potential, which cannot be met by government subsidy alone. Enquiries: Email SamanthaJames@Frost.com

Electricity+Control January ‘16

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