Electricity and Control August 2021

ENERGY MANAGEMENT + THE INDUSTRIAL ENVIRONMENT : PRODUCTS + SERVICES

Managing renewable energy and decentralised grids

Mitigating load shed­ ding by increasing the uptake of renewable en­ ergy is steering South Africa towards a clean­ er energy future that is not coal-based. Here, new technologies such as green hydrogen are in the spotlight with a view to effective energy storage. “As we move

Themove towards decentralised power grids and a large- scale adoption of renewable energy will significantly alter the energy market in South Africa. “The introduction of renewables is making the energy space really interesting right now. This quick, easy-to-deploy, relatively low-cost generation infrastructure is gaining ground in many African countries, as it is globally,” comments Stuart Michie, Lead Sales and Marketing Manager for Southern Africa, Hitachi ABB Power Grids. In Angola, for example, Hitachi ABB Power Grids has joined forces with Sun Africa LLC and M Couto Alves S.A., part of the EPC conglomerate, on behalf of Angola’s Ministry of Energy and Water, to supply the main electrical infrastructure to connect sub-Saharan Africa’s biggest solar project to Angola’s transmission network. A long-standing installed base in Africa gives Hitachi ABB Power Grids a significant footprint on the continent. “Our presence in Southern Africa is very important to us as there is a lot of development under way which we are supporting,” Michie notes. This is taking place against a backdrop where power utilities are increasingly looking at how they can better manage their networks by implementing modern technologies such as asset performance management. Another issue is load shedding, which results in strain on the national grid. “Electricity networks perform optimally in a steady-state mode but tend to become stressed under load shedding conditions, which can expose a range of inherent weaknesses,” says Michie. While the so-called ‘smart’ grid is often touted as the answer to manage this most effectively, the cost factor must always be considered. Hitachi ABB Power Grids has a leading edge in this regard; it has a wide range of cost-effective and easily deployable solutions available. wind industry, as we gear up for a decade of growth in line with the IRP2019,” Ntuli adds. Following a two-year break, this year’s conference, themed ‘All ThingsWind Energy’, will take place over three days and is expected to attract high-level delegations from the Ministry for Higher Education, Science and Technology as well as the academic community. The WindAc Africa 2021 programme is based on papers selected through rigorous peer review and final selection by a scientific advisory panel. “We could not have chosen a better year to relaunch the WindAc Africa conference; 2021 is a year of change in the wind energy sector,” Ntuli notes. The conference will be hosted at the South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre (SARETEC) Conference Centre in Bellville, Cape Town, South Africa from 5 to 7 October 2021. There is a registration portal for students available on the website.

Stuart Michie, Lead Sales and Marketing Manager for Southern Africa, Hitachi ABB Power Grids.

to more renewables and greener energy, we are going to need much finer control over the use of that energy,” Michie says. Recognising this as the way of the future, Hitachi ABB Power Grids and Hitachi Vantara recently announced their first joint offerings: Lumada Asset Performance Management (APM), Lumada Enterprise Asset Management (EAM), and Lumada Field Service Management (FSM). These solutions leverage the technological synergies between the two Hitachi businesses and deliver a robust portfolio of capabilities, including DataOps and industrial IoT solutions. This expanded portfolio provides customers with a combination of tools to digitalise their businesses, enable efficient operations and create the foundation for a more sustainable future. Looking ahead Michie is confident that Hitachi ABB Power Grids will be able to play a key role in assisting most municipalities in South Africa to manage their electricity infrastructure efficiently and cost-effectively, from revenue collection through to planning and network management. Hitachi ABB Power Grids recently announced it has begun the process of changing its name to Hitachi Energy, to take effect from October 2021. For more information contact Hitachi ABB Power Grids. Email: thembisile.donzi@hitachi-powergrids.com Visit: www.hitachiaab-powergrids.com

The growing share of renewable energy generation is steering South Africa towards a cleaner energy future.

For more information visit: www.windac-africa.co.za

Electricity + Control AUGUST 2021

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