Sparks Electrical News May 2020

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

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Easy UPS 3M 3-Phase UPS makes business continuity even easier SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC has intro- duced the first version of Easy UPS 3M 3-phase Uninterruptable Power Supply (UPS), with 60 and 80 kVA (400V) in- ternal high-capacity battery modules. Easy UPS 3M UPSs personify simplicity as they are easy to install, easy to use, and easy to service, providing business continuity for small and medium busi- nesses, and making it an excellent fit in both the data centre space and in in- dustrial environments. “With its optimised footprint design and competitive product features, Easy UPS 3M with internal battery modules allows Schneider Electric to better meet customer needs and partner requirements in a wide range of industries, making it an excellent fit for small and medium businesses, data centres, and manufacturing facilities,” says George Senzere, Pre-Sales Manager, Anglophone for Secure Power Solutions at Schneider Electric South Africa. “Easy UPS 3M fills a growing market need for a reliable and convenient solution, delivering power availability, manageability, and quality while reducing total cost of ownership.” complete range of services throughout the entire Easy UPS 3M lifecycle. Customers benefit from the included start-up service to ensure the UPS is properly and safely configured for best performance, reliability, safety, and peace of mind. Easy to install, use, and service, Easy UPS 3M: • Provides easy design configuration with the input/output/bypass breaker built in so there is no need for an ex- ternal breaker cabinet. It is simple to service and offers front/top access for service and built-in UPS lifecycle management. Easy UPS 3M was introduced earlier this year for external batteries supporting 60-200 kVA. With Easy UPS 3M with internal battery modules, users can now select the UPS with a predefined runtime for their loads, simplifying the selection process and enabling faster deployment of the solution. Schneider’s global service setup with strong, local service representatives and partners provides customers with a • Offers resiliency against harsh en- vironments with conformal coated printed circuit boards, replaceable dust filter, operating temperature up to 40°C, and strong overload protec-

tion, all of which make Easy UPS 3M a reliable solution to ensure business continuity. • Provides less system complexity and saves on CapEx investment while de- livering up to 99% efficiency in ener- gy-saving ECO mode, making it ideal for small and medium businesses. • Offers UPS management and remote visibility of equipment performance and status supported with a 24/7 expert service bureau using the next generation management software, EcoStruxure IT Expert and EcoS- truxure Asset Advisor and an add-on network management card. • Is Green Premium certified, offering sustainable business performance by design.

Easy UPS 3M 3-Phase UPS makes business continuity even easier.

Enquiries: +27 (0)11 254 6400

A growing focus on renewable energy W hether you are looking for the right cable ties, marking and identification products, instruments, or specialised assembly or bespoke electrical assemblies, HellermannTyton provides a tailored balance of plant solutions. “We have a basket of products that are specific to the renewable energy market, these are dc Combiner Boxes, Tracker Control Systems (used mainly on solar farms), motor interconnection cables and PV harnesses,” explains Este Booysen, Sales Engineer – Renewable Energy at HellermannTyton. The company also has a range of tools and instruments specifically for the PV industry to install, commission and maintain sites effectively and safely. Booysen’s focus is on sourcing specific products for the market, researching opportunities for product supply on projects – be that to develop, design or manufacture – and liaising with customers and suppliers in terms of technical specifications and supply negotiation, especially for larger projects. She notes that renewable energy is a key growth area for HellermannTyton globally and will be part of the growth market for the foreseeable future. HellermannTyton has an extensive product portfolio for the solar industry. It is able to develop a fit-for-purpose solution from concept to completion. Not only is the company able to offer customised assemblies but it also offers the ability to design and manufacture custom fixing and fastening components through its in-house Design Facility, state-of-the-art Tool Room and plastic injection moulding facility. When choosing materials and building made-to-specification cable management solutions for the renewable energies sector, HellermannTyton has one overriding aim: durability. As a result, maintenance expenses – and therefore operating costs – are kept to a minimum while the operational stability of the solar plant rises. Although the company doesn’t offer a maintenance service, much focus is placed on the spares required for solar plants such as fuses, fuse holders, surge protection devices and spare PV connectors. “These items often require replacement and offer an opportunity for

repeat business over the period of the plant’s lifespan,” she says. The company offers products with excellent UV resistance. The locally manufactured polyamide PA66W, UV and Weather Resistant Cable Tie is ideal for use in all solar applications. Alternatively, the SS316 Stainless Steel Cable Tie, which has excellent corrosion and weather resistant properties, can be used. Maintenance costs are kept to a minimum as a result of the long-lasting nature of the products. Their solar labels, for example, have been proven to last for up to 10 years. HellermannTyton also offers a tailor-made String Combiner Box (SCB). Based on customer requirements, the company will design and manufacture the SCB according to internationally recognised standards using approved components from local and international suppliers. “We recently had our 1500Vdc String Combiner Box Type Tested in a facility in Germany,” explains Booysen. “We design and manufacture all our products to IEC standards and maintain the highest level of quality. Our solutions are designed and tested in such a way that the completed unit is fully functionally tested to make installation as easy as possible.” Solar installations require regular maintenance. Thanks to the innovative combination of multimeter and clamp meter instruments with full colour displays and high infrared resolution cameras, it is easier and more intuitive to detect problems that are not visible to the naked eye. This will ensure the best generation of a PV system, putting the best tool in the hand of the owner. The design of a clamp meter with a thermal camera and Bluetooth connectivity, that can measure 1500V dc and currents up to 1000A ac/dc TRMS, becomes the ideal fault finding, commissioning and analysis companion on a PV site. Booysen believes that the outlook for the renewables industry in South Africa is positive. “Looking at the IRP, renewable energy will always be part of the energy mix in South Africa. We are a sunny country and I foresee that the renewables industry will be here to stay for the foreseeable future,” she concludes.

Enquiries: www.hellermanntyton.co.za

It is time to prepare for the expanding renewable energy sector

W ith Eskom’s announcement in February of the possibility of load shedding over the next 18 months, it is no revelation that South Africa’s energy situation is precarious. This is according to Janine Espin, Managing Director of EDS. Because Eskom alone cannot supply the R1 trillion in- vestment in power generation, transmission and distri- bution needed before 2030 in terms of the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), private sector participation will be essential. As such, our focus on the supply of renew- able energy by Independent Power Producers (IPPs) needs to intensify. However, to give the renewable en- ergy sector the space it needs to grow, this will require the removal of obstacles that currently hinder private sector energy solutions. Independent Power Producers: the current reality Renewable energy holds great promise for South Af- rica and, according to Minister of Energy Jeff Radebe, since its inception in 2011, the Renewable Energy In- dependent Power Producer Procurement programme

is registered with CIPC and South African Revenue Service (SARS) for tax compliance, in addition to registering with the Department of Labour and obtaining the necessary compliance certificate in this regard. These processes can take a long time, so it’s advisable for companies to use their time wisely now and give themselves the benefit of being prepared and ready to dive straight into the real work of growing the renewable energy sector when the fifth bidding round is announced.

between 2022 and 2030 has been introduced and is expected to create as many as 16 000 direct jobs annually over the eight-year period. What next for IPPs? While there is no indication as to when companies can submit their proposals for consideration by the De- partment of Energy for the fifth round of bidding, IPPs and companies in related industries should not lose hope or sit idle. Because these IPP projects can have such a positive impact on unemployment in surround- ing rural areas and contribute to the strengthening of our power position and ultimately our economy – IPPs should be using the time to prepare. Local businesses in close proximity to IPP sites – that have the potential to supply goods and services to IPPs – need to make sure they comply with the necessary requirements to become a preferred supplier. This is critical, because non- compliance will limit the ability of renewable energy projects to make an impact in the area in which they are located. This means ensuring the company

has planned for the creation of 38 701 full-time jobs and a contribution of more than $14 billion in private sector investment in South Africa. 102 IPP projects have been procured from four bidding round windows with the announcement of the fifth window keenly awaited. These projects use a variety of renewable en- ergy technologies including biomass, landfill gas, hy- dro, solar (concentrated solar power and photovoltaic) and onshore wind. The new IRP 2019: making progress After many years of debate, the Integrated Resource Plan was finally published by the Department of En- ergy in 2019. Although there is concern that the Plan is inadequate in a number of aspects, these concerns must be viewed through the prism of a handful of developments. The first being the encouragement for IPPs to bring forward the new renewables com- missioning date from 2025 to 2022, along with an increase in the annual allocation for large-scale cor- porate power purchase agreements. In addition, an annual commissioning of 1.6 GW of wind energy

Enquiries: +27 (0)11 447 4683

Janine Espin, Managing Director at EDS

SPARKS ELECTRICAL NEWS

MAY 2020