Electricity and Control August 2021

ENERGY MANAGEMENT + THE INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT

instruction and support for staff on site. This technology has proven especially useful in plant commissioning, for example, or troubleshooting. The guidance may come from staff based in the LCR in Johannesburg or draw on Enel’s international expertise wherever that may be needed. Having started out as a small satellite office, Enel Green Power South Africa now has a staff of over 180 people, all South Africans, and the Johannesburg office is a fully functional office with all support functions incorporated in- house. Renewable energy for Africa Enel Green Power is a member of RES4Africa, a private sector organisation that seeks to help governments and business across the continent with ways to scale up investment in and the development and use of renewable energy. It provides a forum for the exchange of perspectives, initiatives and expertise among its members and partners, who include experts in finance, manufacturing, development and other aspects. It looks at ways of facilitating renewable energy development, sharing a range of knowledge-based programmes and best practice in, for example, appropriate tendering processes that support fair opportunity for businesses, or best structuring of offtake agreements to support long-term investments, best practice in managing renewable energy in different spheres of government– at regional, national or local level. RES4Africa sees the development of renewable energy sources as a way to power growth in African economies and enable the continent to embrace the energy transition that supports resilient, inclusive and sustainable development. In addition, the South Africa office of EGP has access to the Enel Foundation, which was established in early 2012 with the key objective of supporting research, education, training and capacity-building programmes mainly in the energy field and looking at the intersection of the power sector, socio economics, sustainable development, climate change, the energy transition, policy and regulation, and innovation. Bringing together universities, public and private research organisations, business and associations, it is committed to bridging the gap between the academic and corporate worlds to build and share knowledge, expertise and insights in the energy field. The foundation operates internationally and provides grants and training for professionals in the renewable energy space, dealing with practical challenges: how to use renewable energy, how to manage renewable energy, what infrastructure is needed for renewable energy, sharing best practice from around the world. The Enel Group currently operates some 49 GW of renewable energy globally and it is continuing to bring new renewable energy plants online worldwide. □

At a glance  EGP RSA currently has 13 renewable energy projects in operation or under construction in southern Africa.  As an IPP, Enel Green Power South Africa invests in new power generation plants, in most cases as developer, owner and operator.  The concept of creating shared value encompasses the sharing of knowledge, skills, training and investing in local development.

experience, established processes and systems, and innovation. These further dimensions of FDI bring invaluable benefits to local development in renewable energy and its associated socio-economic impacts. As a leading player in the renewable energy sector globally, Enel Green Power has developed systems and processes, ways of doing things, that provide a sound foundation and an adaptable framework for new renewable energy ventures wherever they may be. Furthermore, as a global operator EGP has the credibility to win financing for new technological developments. This enabled the development of a new 4.2 MW wind turbine, with blades stretching 136 metres in diameter, which marks a first for South Africa in its use at the 147 MW Karusa and Soetwater wind farms under construction in the Northern Cape. Such technological developments can be used locally with the confidence that comes from their development by Enel Green Power and the learnings from other projects internationally. EGP is also a leader in the use of advanced digital technologies in its projects, such as remotely monitoring plant activities from the construction process, through the commissioning phase and throughout the plant’s lifecycle in operation and maintenance activities. The Local Control Room (LCR) of EGP RSA’s office in Johannesburg monitors the operations at all its renewable energy power plants in South Africa, and the solar PV plant in Zambia. Price highlights that the LCR was built by South Africans, and all the remote monitoring of wind and solar plants is performed by South Africans, around the clock. He also highlights the company’s use of smart technologies–suchassmart glasses–whichallowfor remote EGP RSA monitors operations at all its renewable energy power plants in South Africa, and the solar PV plant in Zambia, from the Local Control Room at its Johannesburg office.

For more information visit: www.enelgreenpower.com/ countries/africa/south-africa

14 Electricity + Control AUGUST 2021