Electricity and Control October 2025

Energy management + energy e iciency

administration and bureaucratic demands for each project, these vary with di‡erent countries, and Trafo Power Solutions has the skills and capacity in-house to deal to deal with these. Regarding the power solutions it supplies, Claassen says the technology itself is tried and tested. There may be small gains to be made, depending on the application, but it is the fine-tuning of the design to serve the specific requirements of the application that makes the di‡erence in performance and longevity. Accommodating renewable energy He notes that there is certainly an increase in demand in re newable energy projects in Africa, as there is in South Africa as well as abroad. And this raises new challenges. Claassen says in designing transformers for renewable energy plants, or for projects or applications using renewable energy, the demands are completely di‡erent from those that pertain to transformers operating in conventional coal-fired electricity transmission and distribution systems. “You are dealing with high non-linear loads because of the inverters used, an erratic load profile, and extensive harmonics, among other things. “We are fortunate to be working with our partner TMC, which has become one of the global leaders in engineering dry-type transformers to operate with renewable energy sys

tems.” He highlights that TMC has recently opened a manufacturing base in the US to serve the fast-growing market there as power suppli ers shiš to using renewable sources and companies across the board are turning to renewable energy supplies. “We have learnt a lot from TMC in this regard,” Claassen says. Challenging projects Commenting on some of the most challenging projects it has en countered in its work, Claassen refers to a project in Nigeria which re quired power solutions for three data centres on three di‡erent sites. “We designed and supplied the specialised transformers required, plus medium voltage switchgear. The challenges arose in the logis tics, in the particular bureaucratic demands of shipping equipment into the country, and in the weather, navigating rough roads in the rainy season. We also find in Nigeria a di‡erent skills level and this is a factor we will address with future projects,” he says. He also mentions a new mega-project that Trafo Power Solutions has recently been awarded in Zambia. This includes transformers for applications extending from power systems to lighting. It comes o‡ the back of past work done for the same customer. We will learn more about this project going forward.

For more information visit: www.trafo.co.za

Energy management + energy e iciency: Products + services

Containerised distribution board for hybrid renewable energy project

mechanical interlocking to ensure safe and flexible operation. All cabling has been carefully routed and segregated to minimise in terference, simplify maintenance, and reduce mechanical stress. Safety was central to the design. The unit includes a dedicated external air-conditioning system for thermal regulation, fire pro tection equipment, danger signage, and emergency exit doors with push-bar mechanisms. The whole installation complies with international electrical safety standards, giving operators con fidence in the equipment and ensuring its reliability under de manding load conditions. “The 4 000 A containerised distribution board demonstrates our ability to combine robust engineering with modular flexibility,” says Bongani Mzimela, Sales Representative at PPS. “Prefabricat ing, testing, and commissioning the unit o‡-site, we delivered a plug-and-play solution that integrates into hybrid grid and renew able installations. This facilitates fast deployment and supports long-term reliability and scalability for our clients.” The completed solution reduces on-site construction time, ensures strict quality control, and o‡ers the flexibility to scale or redeploy as operational requirements change. Its transportability and modular design make it ideal for hybrid power sites, renewa ble energy facilities, and industrial distribution projects. PPS is a trusted partner in advanced electrical engineering solutions, delivering high-performance distribution, control, and modular power systems across industrial, mining, and renewa ble energy sectors. “This Western Cape project highlights PPS’s continued commitment to innovation, technical expertise, and future-ready energy solutions,” says Mzimela.

South African electrical enclosure specialist, Power Process Systems (PPS), has successfully completed the design, fabrication, and commissioning of a 4 000 A containerised distribution board for a wind/PV solar hybrid renewable energy project on a site in the Western Cape. The project, finalised in August 2025, confirms PPS’s capabilities in delivering modular, safe, and scalable power solutions for industrial, renewable, and hybrid energy applications. The prefabricated unit integrates advanced switchgear, auxiliary panels, and control systems within a fully insulat ed steel container. The system features ABB SACE moulded case circuit breakers (MCCBs) for dependable overcurrent and short-circuit protection, heavy-duty copper busbars for e‡icient power transfer, and a dual power supply with All cabling has been carefully routed to minimise interference and allow for easy maintenance access.

14 Electricity + Control OCTOBER 2025