Sparks Electrical News August 2021

AUGUST 2021

E L E C T R I C A L N E W S

REGULARS: CONTRACTORS’ CORNER | BUYERS' GUIDE: LIGHTING (LAMPS AND CONTROLGEAR) |

FEATURES: ENERGY EFFICIENCY | MCCS AND MOTOR PROTECTION | LIGHTING

A LOCAL MANUFACTURER LEADING THE WAY

high functioning men, women, young adults with disabilities..” As for future plans, Shapiro says that in the past 12 months the company has invested in its manufacturing capacity, which will allow them to work more closely than ever with its customers to develop high quality products made specifically for their markets. “We are reaffirming our commitment to remaining a proudly local manufacturing company in South Africa,” he concludes.

LESCO (Light Electrical Switch Company) Manufacturing , is reaffirming its commitment to the country with a number of initiatives in 2021. The com- pany manufactures and distributes a wide range of innovative electrical products and accessories for the South African domestic market, including all major retailers and electrical wholesalers. LESCOManufacturing is a 3 rd generation company, founded by David Shapiro in 1999, which manufactures and supplies adapters, switches and sockets, multiplugs, USB adapters, circuit breakers and electrical accessories. Its heritage stems from Switch King, which was founded by Natie Shapiro, David’s father, in 1958. The company is currently run by David’s son, Jonathan. The company has the manufacturing capability to produce millions of products annually through their two manufacturing sites, enabling it to supply JSE-listed companies and South Africa’s largest electrical products distributors. LESCO is also one of the only remaining plug manufacturers in South Africa that competes with well subsidised factories ​out of China. The company has recently reaffirmed its commitment to local manufacturing in the country. Apart from being SABS approved, SMETA approved and a proud member of SAFEhouse, LESCO has rejoined the Proudly South African initiative and also gained ISO accreditation for its manufacturing facility. “LESCO now has ISO 9001-2015 accreditation which shows our commitment to quality and safety,” says Jonathan Shapiro. “We call on all customers and consumers of our products to look out for the Proudly South African sticker to support local.” The company produces its range of products at low cost with high quality and safety standards for the South African market, explains Shapiro. “All products adhere to local standards, are SABS approved and locally made. We are renowned for our strict quality control and response time to any specification changes.” Furthermore, LESCO Manufacturing is passionate about developing a sustainable organisationwhich supports local talent and infrastructure. In doing so, the company has been able to meet a number of the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals. Since its inception, the company has also set out to increase job creation for demographics typically side-lined in the past. “Our assembly process uses mechanical technology, with minimal equipment and no electricity. This makes production a safe, cost effective and efficient process, as well as enabling any class of labour to assemble our products,” notes Shapiro. “Through our community development programmes, we have been able to provide meaningful work opportunitites to low-medium and

Enquiries: www.lescosk.com, admin@lescosk.co.za

CONTRACTORS’ CORNER

2

Power Factor Correction solutions from ACDC Dynamics

this great product from its Entes Range.

Network Analysers are designed to measure all electrical parameters of the networks in indus- trial plants. MPR-4X series network analysers can be customised for various applications with I/O modules. • Power factor controllers: Reactive Power Fac- tor Controllers try to match the system’s power factor, which is defined as the ratio of the active power to the apparent power to the user-defined power factor value. ACDC Dynamics strives to drive down electricity costs for its customers by helping households and businesses to be more energy-saving efficient with

ACDC Dynamics has long been a market leader in the field of Power Factor Correction. The simple ex- planation of this is the difference between applied load and actual consumed power which is meas- ured at a value from 0 to 1 where a value of 1 is per- fectly correct for 100% power saving. The technical cause is the present load of inductive equipment. There is a long list of basic formulas that can be done, but it comes down to the voltage-current and the magnetic current being out of phase; when both are in phase, Power Factor Correction comes down to a value of 1. The technique used is to add capacitance via ca-

pacitor banks to improve the voltage current. The largest factor of the inductive load is mostly electric motors consisting of winding that draw current and then cause constant inductive load. ACDC Dynamic has some great products from its Entes range to assist customers and electrical con- tractors with all their energy management require- ments. Entes is a leading European technology com- pany specialising in energy management products that will help you save on electricity costs. Here are some of the products that ACDC Dy- namic has in its Entes range to assist its customers: • Network Analysers: Entes MPR and EPM series

Enquiries: www.acdc.co.za

ACDC_Power factor1: Network Analyser – the Entes MPR-24.

Power factor controller – the Entes RG3-12CS.

T he Standards Division of the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) maintains and develops several national standards aimed at ensuring the protection of life and property from fire and fire-related damage. As part of this legislated mandate the SABS has recently published a revised version of SANS 10139, Code of practice for design, installation, commission- ing and maintenance of fire detection and alarm sys- tems in non-domestic premises which brings South Africa in line with fire safety standards similar to those in the United Kingdom and Europe. The standard provides recommendations for the planning, design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of fire detection and fire alarm systems in and around buildings, other than dwellings. SANS 10139 is based on the British Standard BS5839-1, Fire detection and fire alarm systems for buildings. Code of practice for design, installation, commissioning and maintenance of systems in non- domestic premises. The British Standard (BS5839- 1) was updated several years ago after fatalities oc- curred at an old age home in Lancashire that killed 14 elderly people. This revised South African National Standards (SANS) comes at a time when the country witnessed two devastating fires. The seriousness of fire is often overlooked, and their impact is often underestimated. It is crucial that a national set of guidelines and rules for the design- ers and installers of fire protection systems is pro- vided for them to follow and uphold. The costs of fire within this country runs into the billions of Rands and needs to be prevented. SABS updates national standard on crucial fire detection and alarm systems

Enquiries: www.sabs.co.za

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

AUGUST 2021

SPARKS DIGITAL

3

Digital marketing ideas for electrical contractors

I f you are an electrical contractor who is looking to get the phone to ring more often and fill up your appointment book, have a look at these simple marketing ideas we suggest for electricians. Create a professional site for your electrical business You will hardly be able to promote an electrician business without a website. If your electrician business does not have a professional site, you will not get a lot of customers who search for electrical services online. Your job is to create a well-designed, responsive, search engine-friendly website that is easy to use for your electrician business. Plus, you need to provide information on services offered by your electrician business. With a great website, your electrician business will stand out from the crowd. Focus on local search engine optimization It is crucial for you to know that creating a website for electricians is only half the battle. Once you have developed a site, you have to promote it in search engines. Keep in mind that your website will do a great job for your business only if its web pages rank high for the target keywords in popular search en- gines (such as Google, Bing, and Yahoo). Obviously, electrician companies provide their services in certain areas only. That is why you should not promote your website’s pages for general keywords. However, it makes a lot of sense for you to optimise your site’s pages for local keyword phrases. As mentioned above, local SEO needs to be a key part of an electrician company’s marketing strategy. Nevertheless, it may take too much time to optimise a site’s web pages for the necessary keywords and start getting search traffic. Things are likely to go easier with search engine promotion if you decide to make use of PPC advertising services. Bear in mind that your electrician business will begin to get search traffic immediately after you launch a pay per click advertising campaign. There is no better way to test a business idea than to launch a PPC marketing campaign. The reality is a pay per click advertising campaign can be modified, suspended, or even stopped anytime. Another impor- tant thing that you need to be aware of is that advertisers have the Use pay per click advertising to promote your electrical services

perfect opportunity to set up budgets for their PPC campaigns. That means that you will be able to take control of your spending on pay per click advertising. Take advantage of local business listings Electrician business owners prefer to get their companies listed on local business sites for obvious reasons. Below, we will explain to you how exactly your electrician business can benefit from local business listing sites. • More customers. You need to know that people tend to check cus- tomer reviews of local businesses on popular listing sites. That means that if you get your electrician company listed on popular local business sites and build a good reputation on the market, you are likely to attract a lot of new customers. • Better Google rankings. Additionally, local business listing sites will give you a lot of backlinks that will definitely have a huge positive impact on your site’s SEO. • Increased brand awareness. Above all, you will be able to increase your brand awareness dramatically if you choose to get your electri- cian business site listed with the top local business listings. Popular social media platforms can help you drive more clients to your electrical business It is fair to say that popular social media sites (such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and many others) provide electricians with huge marketing potential. In fact, electrician businesses can benefit from social media promotion in many ways. • Social media sites generate high amounts of traffic to an electrical business site. • If the promotion is done right, top social media sites will certainly generate high amounts of targeted traffic to an electrician business. After that, you will have to convert your social media traffic into prospects, sales, and profits. • Social media sites make it possible for electricians to communicate with their prospects and customers. • It is a great idea to use social media sites as an online communica- tion tool. People will leave comments on your electrical company’s social media profiles. They may ask you various questions about your electrical services or leave feedback about your business.

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An inspirational local story

Lebogang is one of the trusted line supervisors at Lesco (featured on our cover this issue). She goes to work every day ready to prove her unparal- leled value to the organisation. Watch her story.

Scan the QR code to watch https://youtu.be/r7ZNJSApi2w

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

AUGUST 2021

CONTRACTORS’ CORNER

4

WORKING KNOWLEDGE WITH TERRY MACKENZIE HOY

Fires caused by electrical faults

I once wrote a short story about electrical faults which cause fires. This is an extract: “What do you see? You see the ruins of a building. It has burnt down. There are pathetic little burnt bundles of bits strewn everywhere. And the coroner (the coroner!) is there. He’s investigating what could have possibly caused this three alarm, fifty engine fire. A blaze which hideously burnt to death over two hundred people, many of them children. He steps forward to a man who is emerging from the ruin. Yessir! Arnie knows what it was ... and so do you ... it was an electrical fault. “Yup. Seems the guy who designed this here building didn’t take account of the possibility of an electrical fault.” Arnie and the coroner nod grimly. Yep, God strike me, that’s the tale. Here was this guy who designed miles and miles of wires and many switchboards in the building and, gee whiz, when it came to the question of ‘when these wires short out, would the fault cause a fire?’, the guy just crossed his fingers and hoped it didn’t happen! And, as you

were not – they are guilty until proven innocent. Thus, some people set fire to a building and claim they saw a flash from the distribution board which caused it. Some even set the distribution board alight. What to do? Read on. First, make sure you have insurance against any damage caused by fire (or anything for that mat- ter). Second, make sure the insurer or the lawyer gets a competent investigator in to find out what really happened. Make sure that the investigator knows about electricity and that the premises can be investigated before being cleaned up. In this re- gard I have investigated at least ten claims where the electrical system was blamed for setting a building or grounds alight. In not one case was this so. In two instances the fire investigator was sure it was an electrical fire and it was not. So, insure, investigate and, it goes without saying, make sure the original installation is to specification. Check it after installation. Check everything. Really check.

way by non-electricians. How can you stop it? You can’t, but do send a letter to your client saying that you are not responsible for any additions to the power system not authorised by a competent per- son. Problem number two is simple lies. Firemen and women are trained, on entering a burning building, to find the distribution board and switch off all circuit breakers before spraying water everywhere. Fire investigators see all the circuit breakers in the board switched down and then conclude that they tripped on short circuit and this caused the fault. It did not. What to do? Have a competent person inspect the circuit breakers. It is easy, if you know how, to tell if they were tripped or switched off. Problem number three: more lies. In terms of the Electricity Act, 1987, the supply authority (Eskom or the municipality) is liable if electrical damage oc- curs to property and they have to prove that they

and I and the television know, boy was he found out the hard way (look at all those burnt bundles!)”. This sums it up. The fact of the matter is that if a building is wired up to SANS 10103 code of prac- tice, it is not going to set the building alight by itself. The circuit breakers these days are very reliable and safe. So, what is the problem? There are three problems, actually. The first is interference and concerns a passen- ger jet aircraft which caught fire and crashed off the coast of Nova Scotia, Canada. Investigators identi- fied evidence of arcing in the wiring of the in-flight entertainment network, but this did not trip the cir- cuit breakers, which were not designed to trip on arcing. So, this is problem number one: once the electrical installation is complete it is quite possible for it to be rendered unsafe by persons adding a system to it which is unsafe. One sees this all the time: UPS systems, computer power supplies, etc., all hooked up to the electrical system in an unsafe

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When it comes to electricity, what you don’t know can hurt you

Digital marketing ideas for electrical contractors

products could find themselves working twice as hard as their com- petitors to achieve the same result. This enables electrical contractors to work smarter instead of harder. Safer and simpler maintenance Safety is a key consideration for all those in the electrical industry. Be- ing able to automate certain tasks, or to flag issues remotely removes many of the risks that electrical contractors face on a daily basis. Digitisation and connectivity of the electrical system also bring benefits for the installed base, providing visibility of the system status (loading, alarms, location) at a device level, either locally or remotely via the app, allowing for a more focused call-out for emergency/pre- ventive and predictive maintenance. This is coupled with full trace- ability of the product. In additional full analytics, packages may be added on top to provide dynamic monitoring of the system and rec- ommendation, prolonging the life of the equipment and building a closer relationship with the end user. Meeting customer demand Customers are increasingly aware of the latest technological innova- tions and, therefore, expect these to be offered to them at the very least. Being digital-smart means that you can fulfil the needs of your customers and lead the way in educating them on the vast benefits associated with smart or digital devices in the electrical industry. An electrical contractor who is limited to installing simple wired-in solutions is far from meeting the current expectations of customers. An inert device that isn’t IoT connected can’t tell a customer anything until someone physically looks at it, an unnecessary inconvenience in today’s connected world. However, a device which constantly streams data can offer them lots of useful, actionable insights in real-time – on factors such as energy consumption, equipment health, and faults. By offering smart innovative solutions to customers, electrical pro- fessionals can transform businesses, saving installation time, energy and money. For example, a recent study showed that for machine builders, embracing IoT could mean drastically reducing their time- to-market by up to 50% as well as reducing their maintenance costs. Solutions which incorporate Schneider Electric’s EcoStruxure can help professionals to deliver on the expectation of IoT for their cus- tomers. EcoStruxure encompasses connected products that deliver operational data in real-time, edge control to manage the process, and optimising as needed. Apps and analytics then provide the agility to allow users to make decisions faster. Getting up to speed It is not in question that digital transformation presents exciting op- portunities for electrical contractors to reduce costs, save time, in- crease efficiency and safety. However, these don’t come without their challenges and pitfalls – especially for the less technologically savvy. As with many industries, the pace of technological advancements means swiftly changing customer expectations as well as necessitat- ing new skills in the electrical industry. There is a prime opportunity for the next generation of electrical professionals to carve out a place for themselves in the industry, and offer real value to their teams at the same time. Customers are look- ing for electrical advisors who can bring confident, individual recom- mendations for their specific needs, as well as digital solutions that enable superior monitoring and maintenance. Meeting these ever-changing needs will be a prerequisite for suc- cess in the future of the electrical industry.

Stewart Gregory, VP of Power Products at Schneider Electric, dis- cusses why it’s essential to keep up with new innovations as they arrive. Innovative technologies are now used to facilitate business opera- tions across a vast number of industries. The electrical industry is no exception. Change in the electrical industry has moved so rapidly that those who were slow to catch on are now being left behind. In the meantime, those who welcomed new innovations as they arose have benefitted in a multitude of ways. Given the increasingly competitive and constantly progressing na- ture of the industry, it has never been more critical for electrical con- tractors to stay on top of the latest products, trends and techniques to be competitive. Yet, as the importance of software and connectivity continues to grow, the sector is becoming increasingly divided, slowly splitting between those who recognise the opportunity and those who are yet to be convinced. For those who wait too long, the chance of catching up diminishes as the capabilities gap continues to grow. An unprecedented number of installers and engineers will soon be retiring from the electrical industry. This provides the opportunity to upskill the sector ‘en masse’. Therefore, those in the profession, and those entering it, need the training to prepare them for the rapidly digitising workplace. End users are digitising, and electrical engineers need to digitise along with them, otherwise companies may find themselves unable to fulfil the needs of their customers. In the residential sphere, cus- tomers are demanding smart homes whilst in corporate buildings, energy management systems have become indispensable. To match changing customer expectations, electrical contractors need to get trained on what these products are, the benefits, and how to install them to avoid being left behind. The opportunities that digitisation and innovation present to the electrical industry are emerging fast. These include energy manage- ment, predictive and preventive maintenance, service contracts and reduced running costs for the client, to name but a few. Those busi- nesses which successfully implement new technologies are set to receive a number of overarching benefits. Gaining a competitive advantage Working with the latest technologies can improve efficiency for elec- trical contractors, ultimately giving them an edge in this competitive market. For example, working on boards with plug-in components, such as Isobar P, cuts the wiring time in half for the electrical con- tractor, while leveraging connected technologies that allow users to instantly monitor the health and energy usage of their distribution boards, via simply connected software packages. This means the electrical contractor saves time on the installation whilst the end user saves money through greater connectivity. Furthermore, digital advancements have brought changes to prod- uct configurators. If you’ve designed a system with different connect- ed components, electrical contractors no longer need to spend time either speaking to third parties or looking up each product to ensure they’re all compatible. Thanks to the digitalisation incorporated by Schneider Electric, compatibility can be checked quickly and simply – all via a mobile phone. Electrical contractors can simply download a simple app, con- nect to the board and check the compatibility of different compo- nents. The app will then alert them to any issues and provide a full maintenance log and traceability. These are just two examples of the ways that digital technologies and innovation can increase efficiency for both electrical contrac- tors and their customers. Those who fail to get trained on new digital

• One way or another, you have to reply to all of these comments quickly. • Social media sites give electricians an existing opportunity to make their brand more popular. • If you promote your electrical business in an effective way, the aware- ness of your brand is likely to increase significantly over time. People will remember your brand and contact your electrical company when such a need arises. Now, let us try to figure out how to use social media to promote an electrical company. First and foremost, you need to create profiles for your electrical company on the top social media sites. After that, you have to promote your electrical business on social media in the best possible way: • Add social media buttons to your electrical business website. By do- ing so, you will make it possible for your site’s visitors to join your company on social media. • Update your social media profiles with fresh content. It would be great for you to publish fresh content on your electrical company’s social media profiles regularly. This is something that helps electri- cians draw the attention of social media users to their businesses. • Make use of paid social media ads. If you take advantage of paid ads, you will be able to advertise electrical services on social media fast and easy. Provide all types of electrical services Your job is to provide an effective solution to any of your client’s electrical needs. If you provide a full range of electrical services, you will be able to help anyone. That means that your electrical business will get more clients. Email marketing will help you get more repeat customers for an electrical business First of all, you have to attract potential customers to your electrical business. After that, your task is to turn your new clients into repeat ones. And of course, email marketing will help you with that. So, it would be nice for you to collect emails of your prospects and then send them an email from time to time. By doing this, you will be able to remind your potential and existing clients about your electrical business. People will contact you when they need to get electrical work done in the future. As a result, your electrical business will get more repeat customers as well as sales. Provide good services at good price It is also important to note that your marketing efforts will be crowned with success only if your business provides good electrician services at a good price. Otherwise, you will just waste your time and money on marketing your business. It goes without saying that electricians should do everything possi- ble to achieve customer satisfaction. High quality of work has to be the number one priority for your electrical business. That is why you have to hire only highly professional electricians, who can provide customers with high-quality work. Plus, electricians must be committed to the best possible customer experience. It is very important for electricians to communicate with their clients effectively. If your clients are happy with the quality of your electrical work and customer service, they will most likely choose to use your electrical services again and again in the future. However, the most important thing is that happy clients will leave positive reviews about your company and recommend your electrical business to others.

Enquiries: www.se.com

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

AUGUST 2021

CONTRACTORS’ CORNER

5

Free replacement prepaid electricity sub-meters offered by Recharger after recent unrest

ing three- and single-phase, split, wired, and wire- less options, Recharger’s prepaid sub-metering solutions are of international standard, as well as being Standard Transfer Specification (STS) com- pliant. Recharger is also proud to be the first or- ganisation of its type to offer a lifetime warranty on certain products. For more information on the organisation and its full offering, in addition to de- tails on where to purchase prepaid sub-meters and tokens, visit www.recharger.co.za

together to defend their infrastructure against mob rule and to engage once more in protecting and rebuilding, rather than tearing down. Indeed, our own Recharger employees have recent per- sonal experience in this regard. “We as Recharger believe in the resilience and capacity of all South Africans to stand together to rebuild that which has been senselessly and in- sensitively destroyed. Therefore, please feel free to contact Recharger Prepaid Meters as follows if you are an individual or business owner who could be helped in this manner,” he concludes. With a comprehensive range of meters, includ-

Recharger Prepaid Meters is preparing to offer free electricity sub-meters to property owners who own sub-meters that have been damaged in the recent protest action and looting incidents. The company says it wishes to support and assist lo- cal businesses with the rebuilding efforts currently underway after the violent unrest that flared up across parts of South Africa. This is according to Recharger Head of Opera- tions and Administration, Brian Kuhnert, who ex- plains, “We all know that the current COVID-19 pandemic was impacting on businesses creating immense pressure on the economy, and especially for small businesses. The extreme civil unrest in- cidents that we’ve seen recently, especially across most of KwaZulu-Natal and parts of Gauteng, have only caused further economic pressure. While the costs are still being counted, with early forecasts indicating that it will be in the billions, the impact on the economy has been extraordinarily damag- ing in the here and now. “We have seen first-hand what the effect of the violence and looting has been in KwaZulu-Natal. A number of our clients and friends have been personally affected, and many of them are owners or employees of small businesses. The destruc- tion of people’s livelihoods has been disturbing to witness. We would like to reach out and play a constructive part in helping people to start re- building.” Recharger is a leading supplier of prepaid elec- tricity sub-meters, tokens and token vending solu- tions nationally and internationally. The company has installed more than 200 000 Recharger sub- meters for commercial, industrial and residential clients. Prepaid sub-metering entails having cus- tomers buying electricity upfront and using it until the prepaid amount is consumed, thereby assist- ing property owners in managing electricity con- sumption and therefore costs. Kuhnert confirmed that Recharger would like to offer replacement prepaid electricity sub-meters, at no cost, to both businesses and homes that have had their prepaid electricity sub-meters damaged or destroyed in the recent civil unrest. “We would like to stand behind our commu- nity and offer our help in the rebuilding process where we can,” he says. “And so, for those people who have damaged meters and need a replace- ment, we will do a swap-out whereby they give us their damaged meter in return for a new one at no charge. This applies to whichever meter they were previously using – even if it was not a Re- charger product, we will replace the sub-meter for free, subject to terms and conditions. Should there be cases where people need to rebuild a business or home premises, we will ask their architect to specify that a Recharger meter is required in the build process.” Kuhnert notes that, as stocks are limited, the of- fer can only be extended as long as stocks last. “We are making this offer,” he explains, “be- cause, as mopping-up operations continue, we are encouraged to see how communities have come

Email Recharger Prepaid Meters to submit your request: admin@recharger.co.za

Brian Kuhnert, Recharger Head of Operations and Administration.

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

AUGUST 2021

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

6

Instrument for checking electric vehicle charging stations and electrical safety

A s the roll-out of electric vehicles (EVs) gains momentum across the world, EV charging stations are going to become a more com- mon sight. Their prominence will open up a whole new world of opportunities for electrical contractors who will be required to install, maintain and service the charging stations. There are currently around 76 EV charging stations dotted around the country,” says Ryan Burger, divisional product manager – Tools and In- struments at HellermannTyton. “Being a new technology, however, new instruments will be required, and HellermannTyton has the solution.” The MACROEVTEST is a portable device for the verification and con- trol of electric car charging stations (EVSE) in accordance with the IEC/ EN 61851-1 and IEC/EN60364-7-722 standards, and for safety tests in environments civil and industrial CEI 64.8. “There is not another product available that covers all the standards at this time,” he says. The MACROEVTEST, in combination with the EVTEST100 EV adapter, connects to the charging station to allow the verification of the EVSE’s complete functionality and electrical safety. The MACROEVTEST control- ler is attached through a C100EV cable to the EVTEST100 unit, which is connected via a built-in cable with a Type 2 plug to a recharging station. The handheld MACROEVTEST, with its touchscreen display, simplifies communication with the EVTEST100 unit to simulate the presence of a car being recharged. All tests can be performed correctly by simply fol- lowing a guided procedure. Before each test, the MACROEVTEST display shows precisely how to connect the cables and after the measurement it reports the recharging station’s safety verdict as shown by a green or red thumb symbol. Built-in tests for charging stations include continuity tests of the pro- tection conductor, insulation test, status verification, overall ground resist- Hitachi ABB Power Grids announced at the beginning of July that it will be evolving to become Hitachi Energy from October 2021. The decision to change name has board and shareholder consent and coincided with the business’ first- year anniversary since it started operations on 1 July 2020. Hitachi Ltd has an 80,1% stake in the joint venture while ABB Ltd holds the balance. Headquartered in Zurich, Switzerland, the global technol- ogy and market leader brings a rich heritage of pioneering breakthroughs, which have helped to increase access to safe, secure and reliable electricity for more than one century. These range from pioneering innovations such as long dis- tance commercial HVDC technology that enables countries to transmit large amounts of power efficiently, with minimum losses over thousands of kilometres while reducing carbon footprint, to providing microgrids and energy storage solu- tions that, when combined with intelligent control systems, ensure reliable distributed power availability. The business has played a leading role in enabling a stronger, smarter and greener global energy system. Today, combating climate change is paramount and one of the most urgent challenges of our times. According to the IEA’s Net Zero by 2050 report, “the path to net zero emis- sions is narrow” and staying on it requires increased invest- ment in infrastructure and, specifically, an ”immediate and massive deployment of all available clean and efficient en- ergy technologies”. By 2030, the world economy is expected to be some 40% larger but consuming 7% less energy to be on track for net zero in 2050. By this time “the energy sector will be domi- nated by renewables” and ”electricity will account for almost 50% of total global energy consumption” – up from about 20% today. An equitable and sustainable energy transition is at the center of this global challenge. Hitachi ABB Power Grids places sustainability at the heart of its purpose: powering good for a sustainable energy future. The transition to the Hitachi Energy name reflects the rapidly evolving energy landscape and the opportunity to create eco- nomic, environmental and social value, with Hitachi enabling the business to position its pioneering and digital technolo- gies to serve existing and future customers, and soopening up opportunities in areas such as sustainable mobility, smart life, and data centers. By combining advanced digital solu- tions and services such as Hitachi Lumada with an energy platform built on unique domain expertise and experience, the business is serving customers and partners co-creating global solutions to solve the global challenge of an inclusive and equitable carbon-neutral future. Toshiaki Higashihara, executive chairperson and CEO of Hitachi, said, “With climate change and increasing natural dis- asters, there is a need to solve three social issues worldwide:

ance, and verification of the RCD’s tripping point for type A, B, and B 6mA. Verification tests and simulations include vehicle not present, vehicle pre- sent/not charging, and vehicle present/charging. Detectable events and anomalies during the recharging phase include simulation of a fault on the protection conductor, the presence of voltages on the EVSE output connector, and verification of the mechanical lock in the charging sta- tion connection (if this function is present). The MACROEVTEST can also simulate various fault conditions, including the interruption of the protec- tive conductor (PE) or an error of the Control Pilot (CP) signal. It can also verify the recharging mode and the encoding of the recharge current by monitoring the pulse-width modulation (PWM) signal. Rated currents of charging cables can be simulated to 63 amp. Tests are provided for RCDs type A, type ac up to 1000 mA and type B. By using the RCDX10 accessory with external jaws provided with the instrument, 10 A RCDs may be tested. Insulation tests can be made at up to 1000 V as well as continuity tests at 200 mA and total ground resistance. With appropriate programming, guided by the touch-screen system, this device can test power interruption, tripping currents, I2t for magneto-thermal switches (MCB) with curves B, C, D, K, and fuses type gG and aM. Other tests include Loop/Line impedance measurements and as- sumed short-circuit current with high resolution (0,1 m Ω ) in TN systems using the optional accessory TIMP57. By using optional external probes, the MACROEVTEST can also measure environmental parameters such as air temperature, humidity and illuminance (Lux). By using an optional transducer, it is also possible to perform measurements of leakage cur- rents, cosphi power factor, power and harmonics. The rechargeable NiMH battery is supplied with an external charger.

“The MACROEVTEST TFT colour display with its touchscreen allows for rapid setting and use of the instrument, showing on its display all alter- natives for performance measurements. The system prompts the most suitable connections to certify correct and reliable test results. All tests can be saved and the data can be transferred via WiFi or optical USB to an external PC,” explains Burger.

Enquiries: www.hellermanntyton.co.za

Hitachi ABB Power Grids becomes Hitachi Energy and broadens commitment to a sustainable energy future

Solar PV installers: The key to a booming solar industry in South Africa

T he installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems at homes and busi- nesses is becoming an increasingly attractive option for people looking to re- place or supplement their grid power sup- ply. With loadshedding expected to con- tinue erratically over the coming months, the upward trend of PV adoption is likely to continue. However, it is crucial that these PV systems are correctly installed for the sake of the end user – and for the success the entire solar PV value chain. This may sound alarmist, but the truth is that a poorly installed system is damaging in many ways. Since most of the maintenance problems that affect a PV system start at installation phase, the role of the installer is vital in the success of a system. If the system’s performance is suboptimal, it may lead the user to regret the invest- ment and thus harm the reputation of PV in general. If the system is not compliant with the relevant regulations and requirements, it could cause a variety of issues and also place the installer in legal trouble. If the system is incorrectly installed, it could be hazardous to the end user and cause irreparable repu- tational damage for the installer and for PV as an energy source. Poor installation can also lead to poor return on investment which again diminishes the reputation of using PV and may discourage others from adopting PV systems for their homes or businesses. There is wide variety of issues which could impact public perception of the reliability and credibility of solar PV. This perception, in turn, impacts the success of the wider industry and value chain. It is vital that installations are done professionally and to the quality stand- ard – but it is easier said than done. In an increasingly difficult economic en- vironment, an installer may not have the means to invest in themselves in terms of training and equipment. Many businesses today are focusing on staying afloat and meeting customer expectations for short- term gains. The ability to plan and invest in a longer-term picture can be considered a luxury enjoyed by well-established, mature businesses. Small businesses in the indus- By Svilen Voychev, MD, Valsa

try need to understand what it takes to in- stall a fully compliant, properly functioning system – and ensure they have the right tools for the job. Valsa is excited to help improve the pro- fessional capabilities of our customers in the solar energy installation space. We re- cently launched a cash-back campaign: until December 2021, installers who spend R100 000 with us will qualify for R2500 cash-back to spend on industry-leading tools from Makita and HellermannTyton. This pro- vides installers with the opportunity to pur- chase high-quality tools which they may not ordinarily invest in, especially in the current economic and business environment. This campaign is an important part of our vision for lowering the barriers to entry for new installers in the industry, because it ap- plies to any installer regardless of whether we have done business with them before. With the tools on offer, installers can do their jobs and ensure the installation is streamlined, compliant with industry regulations and ex- ecuted to the customers’ specifications. This ultimately ensures that the installed equip- ment lasts throughout its specified lifetime and will contribute to developing a positive reputation for the PV industry. Solar PV adoption is sure to increase as consumers continue to seek viable power alternatives. Each roleplayer in the wider PV industry has a role to play in ensuring a sustainable and successful business en- vironment. About Valsa With offices in Namibia, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Botswana and Swaziland, VALSA Trading’s head office and manufacturing facility is based in Johannesburg and supplies PV solar mounting systems and related PV products throughout South Africa and Africa. Valsa designs, manufactures and supplies mount- ing system solutions for all types of roofs, carports, ground, pole, facade, floating and tensile cable applications. A full range of PV solar energy products is also available.

environment, resilience, and security and safety.” He says Hitachi ABB Power Grids provides a variety of solu- tions that solve these social issues. “By changing the company name to Hitachi Energy, we are further strengthening our commitment to the realisation of a sustainable society. Hitachi and Hitachi Energy will contribute to solve social issues and improve people’s quality of life by realising social innovation in the energy field with customers and partners.” According to Keiji Kojima, president and COO of Hitachi, “To realise a sustainable society, the use of digi- tal technology is becoming indispensable in all fields. In the energy field, power grids are expected to be at the core of innovation since they have high affinity with digital technology, and I am confident that Hitachi Energy will lead this innova- tion.” He says Hitachi will combine digital technologies such as Lumada with Hitachi Energy’s advanced energy technolo- gies to provide innovative energy solutions that create social, environmental and economic values. “The energy landscape continues to evolve and so do we,” says Claudio Facchin, CEO of Hitachi ABB Power Grids. “With our new name, Hitachi Energy, we are broadening our commitment to creating further value for customers, our employees and society. The past year has been demand- ing for everyone, but we look forward with optimism. I am proud of our talented people in 90 countries, and through our passion, authenticity and culture of diversity and in- clusion, we continue on our journey – powering good for a sustainable energy future, pioneering and digital tech- nologies, as the partner of choice for enabling a stronger, smarter and greener energy system. “Hitachi ABB Power Grids will change its name to Hitachi Energy as of October this year. At the same time, we will change our corporate brand to the Hitachi brand and use it for external and internal communications.” The business was formally registered as Hitachi Energy Ltd on 30 June 2021 and is now undertaking the formal process for the global name change.

Enquiries: www.hitachiabb-powergrids.com

Enquiries: +27 (0)11 675 3834

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Progress and positivity on solar PV local manufacturing T he South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) has welcomed the investment decision by Italian-based firm Ener- tronica Santerno to expand their manufacturing activities in South

fully realise the capacity requirements of the South African market, both currently and in future procurement rounds. This, to enable the country to realise the full economic and industrialisation potential of the uptake of RE. “Following the extended pause in government procurement of clean, affordable RE generation infrastructure through the REIPPPPP, we are starting to see confidence growing among industry members who now feel ready to invest in local manufacturing. “After a period of decline, where investors felt hesitant to move forward with local manufacturing due to the lack of certainty from government, we are now seeing the green shoots of a South African RE manufacturing sector. With this confidence, we hope to see additional investment, local job creation and, of course, upskilling of local workers. “We cannot afford to let this opportunity pass and we look forward to working with government to deliver not only on our energy needs through sustained and consistent procurement of renewable energy, but also on job creation and sustainable employment through a commitment to lo- calisation. “SAPVIA welcomes this positive investment from our member, Ener- tronica Santerno, and we look forward to working with them and support- ing their future success in the South African market.”

South Africa realising the full, transformational potential of its solar PV market. Localisation, upskilling and a focus on ensuring true South Af- rican participation across the value chain are vital if we are all to benefit from the full rewards of the REIPPPP.” According to Luigi Guerra, country manager of Enertronica Santerno, “the group has already successfully implemented manufacturing activi- ties in the RSA in various sectors associated with renewable energies. In 2013, in fact, a production plant was built (and then successfully dis- mantled) for the manufacturing of supporting structures for photovoltaic panels which supplied steel works for around 400 MW of panels. “Subsequently, inverter-based power stations for a total capacity of around 600 MW were locally built with a 58% local content, making En- ertronica Santerno one of the leading local producers in South Africa in its own market sector.” Govender emphasised that government must continue to act in the interest of South Africans.” We await confirmation from the DMRE and DTICthat legislation will be implemented to ensure that projects are able to meet the localisation requirements for Bid Window 5 of the REIPPPP. We need certainty, sustained procurement and a consistent approach to developing the local manufacturing market segment. “SAPVIA will continue to engage actively with our members to ensure that we are proactively seeking to attract additional investment, both for- eign and local, to drive local manufacturing capabilities, so that we can

Africa. SAPVIA is the industry body representing solar PV in South Africa. The Italian firm, which has been an active player in South Africa over the past 10 years, will be investing up to R17 million to enhance the ca- pability of manufacturing inverters for solar photovoltaic applications, including storage solutions, with a maximum initial production capacity of more than 500 MW per year, gradually ramping up to higher capacity targets. The inverters will achieve a designated local content value higher than 40%, therefore exceeding the minimum requirements for public procure- ment. Activities to practically implement the plan are already in place a will be finalised in the next five months. Welcoming the news, Niveshen Govender, SAPVIA COO, said, “This significant investment shows the massive potential for the solar PV mar- ket here in South Africa. The fact that we are attracting international in- vestors shows the viability of our renewable energy sector both in terms of financial return as well as the capability of our workforce to deliver best-in-class manufacturing. “Post Covid, we will require foreign and local investment to drive the economic recovery and transform our energy infrastructure to meet current and future requirements. This investment will also contribute to By Caspar Herzberg, president, Middle East and Africa, Schneider Electric S outh Africa has long dominated Africa’s growth charts and I believe that we have the potential to be the fastest growing economy on the continent again. There is one issue that we must address, and that’s the issue of electricity. Simply put, South Africa must fix its power shortages and reduce load shedding to zero. To do this, we must talk about deregulation and technology. I had the pleasure of speaking about this issue recently on a session organised by the Renewable Energy Solu- tions For Africa Foundation. South Africa has long been a beacon for developmental progress throughout the region’s economy, and the country has an opportunity to lead again in this age of renewable energy solutions. Although South Africa was one of the pioneers of the renewable energy programme in Africa (2007), the real- ity is that it is still off the pace when it comes to incor- poration of renewable energy in its overall energy mix. Much of the country’s energy is derived from coal-fired power plants (>86%). Coal was once one of the cheap- est sources of power, but those days are long gone. Now, renewables are the cheapest source of power on the planet. And they are quicker and cheaper to scale up. Why are we struggling to do this? There are two chal- lenges. The first is the issue of who controls the power network. Eskom owns most of the generation and trans- mission assets. In 1998, South Africa was the first sub- Saharan African country to come up with the idea of pri- vatisation; however, this has proved controversial. What has changed are cost and supply – South Af- rica has moved from inexpensive to expensive electric- ity in recent years. It is estimated that, since the events of 2008, the average electricity tariff increase in South Africa has been around 300%. And electricity tariffs will continue to increase in the future at a higher rate, which is unsustainable in the long run. At the same time, there’s not enough power to meet the needs of South Africa’s people and businesses. The introduction of a deregulated electricity market could induce more competitive prices as proven in other countries with a particular focus on renewable energy integration. This is especially important. The country faces a major shortage in power generation, with load shedding expected to continue for the coming five years. For an economy the size of South Africa’s, we can and will do better. Deregulation has always been a big talking point for South Africa’s energy sector, but we are seeing more political impetus to change the status quo. Last year President Cyril Ramaphosa set up a presi- dential task team to explore the best ways to address the two big issues of power generation and energy debts. One recommendation may be to come up with an inde- pendent company to manage the national grid. Another may be to deregulate energy distribution. These suggestions would be a fascinating step, as they would allow for the opening up of the energy sector to new, independent power providers. The political will is there, and there is a realisation that renewables are the solution to

Enquiries: www.sapvia.co.za

Deregulation and technology will fulfil South Africa’s power needs

Coalition brings solar power to one of Africa's oldest national parks GivePower Foundation , a non-profit or- ganisation committed to extending the environmental and social benefits of clean, renewable energy around the globe, has completed three solar projects in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) in partnership with Nuru, a Congolese re- newable energy utility. The installations, designed to help protect endangered wildlife and support children historically affected by violence, were made possible by Congo Power, an initiative backed by Google, and by Silfab Solar, which gener- ously donated equipment. "The work we are doing with our part- ners in the Democratic Republic of Congo is both immensely challenging and in- credibly meaningful," said Hayes Barnard, founder and chairman of GivePower. "The DRC is rich in resources that have fueled conflict and instability for decades, while access to electricity remains scarce. Through our collaboration with Congo Power, Google and Silfab Solar, we will col- lectively unlock new opportunities to scale community-led clean energy solutions." Two communities surrounding the Ga- ramba National Park,where armed con- flicts and instability in past decades have led to an increase in poaching, now have solar mini grids that will bring reliable and clean power to the area. The mini grids, which were built and are operated by Nuru, were largely funded by the Eu- ropean Union through its partner African Parks Network, a not-for-profit organiza- tion working to revitalize conservation areas that are currently under threat. With access to stable and affordable electric- ity the communities of Tadu and Faradje are less reliant on extracting resources from the park and have a greater ability to generate sustainable livelihoods that don't degrade the surrounding natural environment. Additional financial support included the forward purchase by Google of Peace Re- newable Energy Credits (P-RECs), an inno- vative financing instrument developed by Energy Peace Partners (EPP) to help fund high impact renewable energy projects .

South Africa’s energy needs. The latest renewable plants produce electricity at a cost lower than would be the case from new coal or nuclear power stations, which have been the preferred choice for a long time. Let us now talk about the grid itself. The majority of our existing electric grids are decades old and were built when electricity needs were simple. Our current grids are not designed for today’s requirements, let alone our fu- ture needs. And they also incur major cost. Globally, transmission and distribution losses amount to $200-billion (US) per year. In Europe alone, annual electric distribution losses represent €5-billion in waste. In South Africa, Eskom and municipalities lose close to R20-billion every year. The ever changing and rising en- ergy demands of the 21st century necessitate moderni- sation in our electric grids. This is especially true in South Africa. A smart grid is an intelligent, digitised energy net- work that delivers energy in an optimal way, from source to consumption. Smart grids integrate information, tel- ecommunication and power technologies with the exist- ing electricity system. It introduces a two-way dialogue where electricity and information can be exchanged be- tween a utility and its customers. Smart grids are more efficient, more reliable, more secure and greener. There are three key reasons why this matters. Today, when power lines break or power plants cannot produce enough power, black-outs occur and that is a problem. At the same time, today’s grids often rely on a single power source and do not provide detailed information on usage, making it difficult to manage. A smart grid is far more re- sponsive to ever-changing environmental and load con- ditions. The amount of data generated and aggregated will be used to make the grid more reliable, optimise its efficiency and speed up the shift toward renewable en- ergy transition. In effect, this is digitalisation at its best, which will support the other two big electricity trends – population growth and decarbonisation. Smart grids encourage the growth of renewable energy by using solutions like Distributed Energy Re- sources. The smart grid enables newer technologies to be integrated such as wind and solar. Power generation can now be distributed across multiple sources, so the system is more stable and efficient. Second, smart grids empower consumers and businesses with real-time in- formation on their energy usage, allowing them to un- derstand how they are using energy and which is going to spur behavioural change (research shows that when consumers and businesses know exactly how much energy they consume, they’re likely to look for ways to reduce their energy use). Third, the technology behind smart grids helps utility companies to reduce power surges and outages. One ex- ample of this is the self-healing grid we have developed with Stedin, one of the largest utilities in the Netherlands, for a self-healing grid solution in downtown Rotterdam. A blackout caused by a broken cable was resolved in 18 seconds thanks to the network automatically reconfig-

Caspar Herzberg, president, Middle East and Africa, Schneider Electric

uring itself to resupply affected customers via another path. It could have taken hours to fix this fault if we were talking about a traditional grid. Given South Africa’s growth, we must make use of the time we have now to transform the energy sector and realise a green recovery. South Africa’s population is expected to grow by ten million by 2030, up from the current 60-million today. And many more people will be living in South Africa’s cities. South Africa’s population is expected to increase by about 27% by 2050 and to be- come increasingly more urbanised – four out of every five people will be living in South Africa’s cities by 2050. When you combine this with the government’s ambitious National Development Plan that aims to eliminate pov- erty and reduce inequality by 2030, it is obvious that we have to future-proof the country’s electricity supply. If we are going to keep pace with the demand for electricity, it must be through digital transformation. And that means smart grids and deregulation. There is another reason why we need change. This is the year of COP26, when countries are being urged to do more on carbon emission reduction. South Africa is proposing to deepen its emissions cuts by almost a third in 2030, according to a draft climate plan published this year. Under this plan, South Africa will cut emissions by 28%, compared with its 2015 pledge. This plan relies on “a very ambitious power sector investment plan” and the implementation of a green transport strategy, energy ef- ficiency programmes and a carbon tax to meet the goal. But we believe the country can do much more – 86% of the country’s electricity in 2020 was generated by coal, making South Africa the most coal-reliant among G20 economies. There’s hunger to invest in renewables, and South Africa has everything needed to generate all the power it needs from solar, wind and other renewable sources. South Africa must seize this opportunity to stimu- late investment in renewable energy solutions through de- regulation and technology upgrades. What we need is the courage of our convictions to make this happen, to realise a brighter, cleaner future for all South Africans.

Enquiries: www.se.com

Enquiries: www.givepower.org

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AUGUST 2021