Energize

Omicron and Alectrix - Innovative testing and diagnostic solutions

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Omicron is an international company serving the electrical power industry with innovative testing and diagnostic solutions.
As its exclusive distributor in South Africa, Alectrix is responsible for all sales and application support as well as providing training for OMICRON equipment such as the universal CMC 356 protective relay test (see also page 30).
Contact Alexander Dierks, Alectrix, Te

Power for Africa

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

by Mike Rycroft, editor The RFI issued in December 2011 by the Department of Energy for non-renewable IPPs achieved an amazing response totaling some 61 000 MW, 50% more than our total generating capacity. Sub-Saharan Africa is said to be an energy poor region, but this response shows that the potential to generate adequate electricity for the region's needs exists Although rumour has it that 40

What is Energize?

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Energize the independent power and energy journal of Southern Africa is a business-to-business journal, published by EE Publishers, eleven times per annum, serving the electrical power and energy sectors of Southern Africa.
Mission Statement Energize strives to keep readers abreast of the latest technologies, developments, applications and news in the field of electrical power and energy, b

Statement of Editorial Policy

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Energize publishes technical and semi-technical articles regarding the generation, transmission, distribution and application of electrical power and energy. Energize also publishes relevant institute, industry, company, project, product, technology, people and event news, as well as relevant views, opinion, comment and analysis.
Disclaimer Articles in Energize by the editor do not necessarily

energize Inbox...

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Submit your letters to the editor to energize@ee.co.za and be in line to win a prize. Energize reserves the right to edit letters.
Our winning letter to the editor Sir In the USA, as part of the Energy Policy Act of 2005, under Sec. 1251, all public electric utilities are now required to make available upon request net metering to their customers: ``(11) Net Metering Each electric utility s

WIN

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Send us your letters and be in line to win great prizes! This month's winning letter receives a set of books from EE Publishers

Editor's comment:

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The IRP 2010, under Para 6.15 and 6.16 dealing with policy and facilitation, states the following : 6.15 Net metering, which allows for consumers to feed energy they produce into the grid and offset this energy against consumed energy, should be considered for all consumers (including residential and commercial consumers) in order to realise the benefits of distributed generation. The impact of su

SARPA Convention 2012

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The South African Revenue Protection Association will be holding its 16th annual convention hosted by Drakenstein Municipality from 12 13 July 2012. The aim of the convention is to share information and knowledge between the roleplayers in the revenue protection environment and to equip member 's utilities to minimise revenue losses.
Revenue protection services have always played a significan

15-year-old SANAE base to receive technical make-over

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The SANAE IV (South African National Antarctic Expedition) research base in Antarctica was originally constructed in 1997, when an SSI group company provided the mechanical services. The Base was constructed on Vesleskarvet, a rocky outcrop about 300 km inland in a highly hostile environment where summertime temperatures rarely exceed -10°C and winter sees the mercur y plummet to a bone chilling -

Call for papers on electrical accidents/safety issues

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

For a number of years, AMEU conventions included an appeal to AMEU member undertakings and Eskom to submit proposals for papers and/or presentations on electrical accidents/incidents and any lessons learned for inclusion in a `safety briefing session' forming part of the convention programme. This process was discontinued prior to the 2011 convention due to a perceived lack of interest from member

Coal and carbon petrography and its applications for use in industry

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A one day colloquium in the series "Impacts on sustainability in the Southern African coal industr y", hosted by The Fossil Fuel Foundation of Africa in association with University of the Witwatersrand, will be held on Tuesday 22 May 2012 at the Bytes conference centre, Midrand, Johannesburg. The one-day colloquia presented will be applicable specifically to the southern African coal and carbon in

Seventh Southern African Energy Efficiency Convention

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The seventh Southern African Energy Efficiency Convention (2012SAEEC) will run over two days and will feature over 40 speakers, bringing together stakeholders in the energy efficiency sector including equipment suppliers, consulting engineers, energy service companies, end-users of energy, utilities and researchers. Topics covered range from mining and industrial energy optimisation; tax rebates;

National electrification indaba

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Department of Energy (DoE) convened a national electrification indaba at the Elangeni Hotel, Durban, from 15 to 16 March 2012. The objective of the Indaba was to have open discussions and debate, with all relevant stakeholders, on electrification related issues that inhibit the DoE from meeting its set objective of universal access to electricity. The Integrated National Electrification Progra

Welding school of excellence

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Eskom Academy of Learning (EAL) Welding school of excellence was officially opened by the Minister of Public Enterprises Malusi Gigaba. The school, which is based in Midrand, forms part of Eskom's professional welding capability development programme which aims to improve its capacity to train welders to i n t e r n a t i o n a l q u a l i t y s t a n d a r d s, in order to meet its requiremen

Power Academy launched in eMalahleni

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Siemens Power Academy, an R8-million training investment, was officially launched in eMalahleni, on April 2012. The academy provides instrumentation and controls (I&C) training focused on fossil power generation to learners already in the energy industr y working for power utilities, such as Eskom. In the past, this type of instrumentation and control training was originally only offered in Eu

15% shareholding to employee share ownership trust

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A broad-based black economic empowerment initiative provides a 15% shareholding of Siemens Limited to the new Employee Share Ownership Trust. Overall Siemens Limited BEE shareholding remains at 30%. Siemens Southern Africa has once again made positive moves in the area of black economic empowerment (BEE) and set an example for multinationals operating in South Africa. The 15% shareholding previous

Exxaro and Tata Power launch cleaner energy company, Cennergi

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Exxaro and Tata Power have announced the successful launch of Cennergi, a new cleaner energy company which will serve the expanding energy markets in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana. Exxaro Resources (Exxaro) and The Tata Power Company (Tata Power), of India, through its subsidiary Khopoli Investments, have formed a 50-50 joint venture to create a new energy company, Cennergi. Together, the par

SAEE celebrates tenth birthday at Eastern Cape conference

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Southern African Energy Efficiency Association's (SAEE's) Eastern Cape energy efficiency conference in Port Elizabeth, on Thursday 19 April 2012 marked both the launch of the SAEE Eastern Cape branch and the association's tenth anniversary. The event was sponsored by Eskom. The organisation was founded ten years ago with a view to provide opportunities for stakeholders to meet, debate and disc

Corporate social investment programme reaches out

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Zest WEG Group's corporate social investment (CSI) programme has provided two generators and funding for a year 's supply of diesel and gas, as well as the repair of two kitchens, at the Soweto Kliptown Youth (SKY) Centre in Gauteng. The SKY Centre, founded in 1987 by Bob Nameng when he was only sixteen years old, started out as an after-school care facility. Nameng still heads up the centre

SAIEE Council 2012 - 2013

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The SAIEE council for 2012 is constituted as follows: President: Mike Cary Deputy president: Paul van Niekerk Senior vice president: Dr. Pat Naidoo Junior vice president: Andre Hoffmann Immediate past president: Andries Tshabalala Honorary treasurer: Viv Crone Honorary vice president: Roland Hill Fellows: W J Bergman, T Britten, M Case, V Cohen, T Eichbaum, H Geldenhuys, P Johnson, I Kruger, J Mac

Energy university registers global and local growth

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Schneider Electric has announced that its energy university now caters to almost 100,000 users worldwide and has experienced an impressive 73% growth in traffic in 2011, exceeding the company 's expectations and positioning it well to reach its 2012 objectives. The university is a vendor neutral, educational community that provides the fundamentals needed to implement successful energy-efficient s

Conference on shale gas in South Africa

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The debate on the possible exploitation of shale gas underlying the Karoo has moved to a new place with the release of an Econometrix report that stressed the contribution any shale gas could make to South Africa's energy deficit. Importantly, it quantified for the first time the job creation prospects if even a fraction of the estimated n-place gas could be brought into production. It is essentia

Major boost for energy generation

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

WINDaba 2012, the 2nd Annual event hosted by SAWEA takes place from 22 24 October at the Cape Town International Convention Centre.
This is the event where the industry's brightest minds meet to exchange latest knowledge, forge meaningful business relations and create connections with influential people from South Africa and around the world. WINDaba combines a comprehensive high-quality conf

Solar power for 850 homes in Mali

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Two of the largest off-grid PV plants in Africa started operation in Mali using multicluster technology from SMA Solar Technology (SMA). Both hybrid systems with a combined output of 200 kWp, have been supplying solar power to more than 850 households in th e villages of Kolondieba (150 kWp) and Ourikela (50 kWp). The contracting authority for both projects is the Dutch Foundation Rural Energy Ser

US124-million loan for geothermal projects in Kenya

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

In December 2011 in Tunis the African Development Bank (AfDB) group board of directors approved two financing vehicles to support geothermal steam field development projects in Kenya. It said this would set the stage for investments that would help meet Kenya's rapidly increasing d e m a n d f o r p o w e r. T h e p r o j e c t should be financed through a loan of US$124-million from the African D

Solar-diesel hybrid system

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Power generation projects take time to plan and to complete. The Tsumkwe renewable energy project, one of the largest state-of-the art 200 kW solar diesel hybrid systems in Africa was commissioned in 2011. Businesses and some 700 residents now have access to modern energy services.
Nampower was in the process of consulting government on a suitable date for the official inauguration of this proj

Zambia expects to export power

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Zambia power rehabilitation project involves the rehabilitation and up-rating of the country 's three major hydro power stations, Kafue Gorge, Kariba North Bank and Victoria Falls. Kafue Gorge was increased from 900 to 990 MW, Victoria Falls has been restored to 108 MW and Kariba North Bank is up from 600 MW to 720 MW. The total generation capacity yielded from the PRP is 210 MW. The main hydr

Tunisia plans power export interconnections

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

With unparalleled solar resources, and significant wind power generation possibilities in the north of the country, Tunisia has focused on a multifaceted programme to develop these projects.
The government has introduced legislation allowing surplus electricity produced by plants attempting to be self-sufficient to be sold on to the Tunisian Electricity and Gas Company, up to 30% of total produ

Sierra Leone: Second phase of hydro scheme

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Joule Africa, the jointly held US/UK firm that entered into a memorandum of understanding with the Government of Sierra Leone to develop the second phase of the Bumbuna Hydroelectric power station has announced that it has commenced the Bankable Feasibility Study (BFS) for the project.
following: a full environmental and social impact study of the proposed dam sites; hydrological studies; a top

Wind energy in Morocco

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Moroccan government has set the target of raising the contribution of renewable energy to 20% of national electricity consumption by 2020.
In support of this target, two wind farms with a combined capacity of 100 MW are scheduled to commence commercial operation by 2013.
Siemens will be responsible for supply, installation and commissioning of the 44 wind turbines each rated at 2,3 MW. T

Power plant sale in Tanzania

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Went worth Power is to sell its 18 MW gas-fired power plant and associated assets in Mtwara, Tanzania to Tanesco, the Tanzanian utility, for US$13,5-million. The Mtwara power plant is an 18 MW gas-to-power generation facility that sells electricity to Tanesco in the Mtwara and Lindi regions of Southern Tanzania. It is supplied by natural gas produced, processed and pipelined from the Mnazi Bay Con

Upgrade of Namibian hydropower

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Namibia 's main source of power generation, the Ruacana hydropower station, is scheduled for a boost with the installation of a 4th unit generator.
When commissioned in March 2012, an additional 92 MW will be added to the current installed capacity of 249 MW. Other projects at feasibility study phase include Kudu, Erongo Coal, Baynes, Orange River Hydros, biomass, wind, and solar. Nationally, t

The rental power industry in South Africa: interview with Martin Foster, Agrekko

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

What are your thoughts on the rental power industry in 2011 key developments/trends /performance etc?
2011 saw a growth in demand for the rental power industry due to the expansion of projects in sectors like construction, oil and gas, manufacturing, mining and utilities. Many private power companies that were badly hit during the recession are still struggling to fund their permanent power p

Doors ajar for new transformer entrants in South Africa, says Frost & Sullivan

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

While activity appears slow or subdued, market players are preparing for some significant changes in the technological and contractual landscape of high voltage transformers in South Africa.
The high voltage transformer market is soon to see the return of ABB as a key player in 2013, while the major current tender holders include Powertech, Siemens, Contipower, and Zest WEG. The dominance of ex

The Jacob Marley column: Pie in the sky?

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Sir I must admit to not having been particularly conscious about the amount of energy in the air, and was wondering whether your erudite and well-read subscribers had given it much thought. I am not referring to hot air, of course, of which we are all conscious when political tensions rise, but a few age-old phenomena which seem to have escaped the notice of even the most ardent students of sustai

The Electricity Legislation Second Amendment Bill

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

by the Free Market Foundation Amendments to Electricity Regulation Act 4 of 2006 The foremost question the Free Market Foundation (FMF) asks in addressing any policy question, including the contents of the above mentioned Bill is, will this policy be to the long term benefit of consumers and especially those who are the poorest and most vulnerable? Consumer satisfaction is generally achieved by an

Energy efficient lamps shine light on environmental sustainability

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Energy efficient lighting is becoming increasingly important as an immediate solution to rising electricity consumption, with the increasing compatibility of Compact Fluorescent Lamps (CFL) with existing lighting infrastructure spurring business intelligence company GlobalData. Lighting appliances consume approximately 19% of total generated electricity. Environmental concerns and government aware

Duvha power station control and instrumentation upgrade

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Information from Siemens After an invitation to tender on the 12th November 2010 for the Replacement of the Control and Instrumentation System on Units 1 to 6 at Duvha Power Station, the Siemens EFIE business unit successfully concluded the negotiations and was awarded the contract. Duvha power station is a coal fired power station built between 1978 and 1984, it is situated near eMalahleni (Wit

ABSA Campus CHP and the big picture

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

by Ken Gafner, Single Destination Engineering Historically, the cost of electricity in South Africa was low, resulting in a disregard for energy efficiency in almost all buildings and industrial processes. Aside from the environmental aspects, increasing electricity costs mean it makes financial sense to review almost everything we do to make sure we use the absolute minimum electricity. Combined

Load bank rental services

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Many private power companies that were badly hit during the recession are still struggling to fund their permanent power plants, thus increasing the demand for rental solutions to fill in the gaps. Aggreko's response to the demand has been to follow a strategic growth plan, which saw own or acquire 16 new locations in 2011. The company has over 25 years experience in delivering load bank rental se

Meeting critical telecomms and data centre needs

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Demand for Mobile, containerised data centres and secure power energy centres is increasing in South Africa and worldwide.
According to the company, these solutions can be easily deployed and expanded.
Offering one stop engineering, high security and highly efficient solutions, they are pre-tested at the factory before shipping. With data centres, all that the client needs to do when the con

Flame monitoring system

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The Durag flame monitoring system, can monitor flames of all burner types, fuels and combustion modes. The D-LE 103 flame sensor is available for different spectral ranges from UV to IR. UV flame sensors are mainly used for gas firings, whereas in the case of liquid and solid fuels, it is the high emission in the IR-region that will be evaluated. The 10-stage adjustable threshold setting permits o

Bridging the maintenance gap

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

With more than a decade of experience and quality products under its belt, wear control specialist Filter Focus is helping industr y bridge the divide between substandard, out-dated maintenance practices and profitable maintenance practices. Since its establishment in 2002, the company has been combining efficient and cost-effective filtration solutions with an advanced range of lubricating oils a

Power and energy meters

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Get early warning of impending problems that could lead to equipment malfunctions or downtime. Diagnose and isolate the cause of power-related equipment or process problems. Perfect for demand control applications, Schneider Electric's PowerLogic PM700 series meters offer outstanding quality, versatility, and functionality in a cost-effective, ultra-compact unit. The meter is simple to use and off

Protecting IT investments from spikes, dips and loss of power

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Protecting IT investments from spikes, dips and loss of power is becoming increasingly important in both the home and business landscapes, and thanks to the APC BX650CI-ZA solution from distributors Drive Control Corporation (DCC) this protection need no longer break the bank for budget conscious consumers. The APC BX650CIZA is a low cost entry to mid-level desktop UPS system that provides enough

New 32 t balancing machine

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Marthinusen & Coutts (M&C) recently commissioned a new multimillion rand 32 t Schenck HM7 U/S balancing machine at its 9500 m² high-tech workshop in Cleveland, near Johannesburg. The unit was purchased from Schenck in Germany in early 2011, and is the only machine of its type and capacity in South Africa. It is also the third largest h ig h spe e d dy n am ic b a l a n c i n g machine in sub-Sahar

Automatic coal flow monitor

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

With the increasing demand from the power industry to achieve better combustion performance and fuel economy, M&W Asketeknik has developed the ACFM-2200 automatic coal flow monitor in close cooperation with specialists from coal fired power utilities. The monitor is a fully automatic monitoring and sampling unit, which collects pulverised coal samples from pneumatic transport pipes between mills a

Green UPSs for prepackaged data centre

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Eaton was contracted by SDE Consulting Engineers to supply two 9395 UPSs to Megatron in Midrand. The Eaton 9395 275 kVA UPSs, complete with variable module management system (VMMS), patented hot-sync and advanced battery management, are being installed in a "blade room" at Megatron's pre-package maximises efficiencies at lighter loads without compromising reliability.
It optimally employs uni

Combustion flue gas analyser

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Emerson has announced the release of the latest solution for combustion flue gas analysis, the Rosemount analytical model 6888 in situ oxygen analyzer. The 6888 provides accurate measurement of the oxygen remaining in the flue gases coming from combustion processes such as boilers, incinerators, kilns, process heaters, and industrial heating furnaces. By maintaining the ideal level of oxygen in th

Donation to schools

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Diesel Electric Services recently undertook to donate the following materials to Mncube Secondary school: 5 x wooden doors complete with handles and hinges and 5 x security gates complete with locks, keys and hinges. Diesel Electric Services were made aware of some of the daily challenges that teachers and pupils face and decided to step on board in the hope that the donations would help create

The answer to new energy efficiency building regulations

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The achievement of savings in energy consumption is a national imperative in South Africa as energy consumers ask what they can do to reduce their energy bills. Fluke, represented in southern Africa by the Comtest Group, has come up with a solution to the new energy efficiency regulations for buildings which came into effect in November 2011.
Called SANS 204:2011 and SANS 10400XA:2011 they rela

An alternative to grease lubrication of bearings

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Bearings and power transmission components distributor Bearings 2000, has introduced a revolutionar y range of application-oriented Lubtect bearings, developed by FAG. FAG has developed the Lubtect range of bearings to provide an alternative to grease lubrication in bearings and the benefits thereof.
Lubtect is suitable for ball, needle roller, spherical roller, tapered roller and cylind

Secure power systems business for industrial and infrastructure customers

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Schneider Electric South Africa, has announced the creation of secure power systems for industry and infrastructure business, a new global line of business designed to continue initiatives providing fast and efficient total system support and global services for large facilities with solutions that increase power availability and systems uptime of mission critical applications.
The systems will

Sampled values provide many benefits for the power systems of tomorrow

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Information from Alectrix Sampled values (SV) are used for the transmission of digitised instantaneous values of quantities of the power system, mainly the primary currents and voltages. Thus, SVs can replace the classical secondary quantities. SVs are published on the substation network and are subscribed by any device that can make use of them. The idea of SVs is almost as old as the applicati

Direct current is the future

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

by J B Woudstra and H Stokman, The Hague University of Applied Sciences A world with direct current grids instead of alternating current grids. Is that possible? Sustainable generation of electrical energy is always linked with DC voltage. Solar cell systems produces a DC voltage, wind turbines always convert the AC voltage with a variable frequency in a DC voltage to convert it into an AC voltage

Advanced distribution management

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Information from Oracle Distribution grids need data and systems to drive safe and reliable operations. As SCADA, distribution automation, and outage management systems prove, dramatic improvement in grid efficiency and reliability can be achieved through increased real-time analytics driven by larger data volumes. The smart grid increases the volume and variety of grid management data available

Distance relay response to transformer energisation

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

by Joe Mooney and Satish Samineni, Schweitzer Engineering Laboratories Modern distance relays use various filtering algorithms to extract the fundamental frequency component of power system voltage and current waveforms. The relays then use the filtered voltages and currents in such numerous algorithms as distance, overcurrent, under/overvoltage, and frequency. Use of filtered voltages and current

$11- million substation order in Kenya

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

ABB has won two orders worth about $11-million from the Kenyan national power utility (the Kenya Power & Lighting Co.), to supply two new airinsulated switchgear (AIS) substations and extend two existing ones in the North and South West regions of the country. The orders are for the turnkey construction of two new 132/33 kV substations at Kitale and Awendo, and for two 132 kV switchgear bays for t

35 years of experience in safety

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A J Charnaud & Co's long-standing commitment to innovation in safety of their customers, has led to the development of revolutionar y technology in personal protective clothing over the years. The Charnaud E20300 is the latest innovation for safety shoes. This full leather, nonmetallic safety boot is water, heat (300°C) and electric shock (20 kV) resistant, with the option of a metatarsal guard. W

UK smart grid evaluation framework

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The UK energy regulator Ofgem (Office of the Gas and Electricity Markets) has published the first smart grid evaluation framework, to provide energy companies with a methodology for assessing the value of new smart grid solutions. The framework has been produced for the smart grids forum, established by Ofgem and DECC (Department of Energy and Climate Change) in April 2011, to provide leadership t

City Power refurbishes key transformer bays

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

In their on-going bid to partner with City Power and improve Gauteng's electrical infrastructure, Southern Power Maintenance are pleased to announce their involvement in the refurbishment of a series of key substation transformer bays throughout the province. Though work on the Peter Road and Soweto sub-stations is complete; work is still being carried out on majorresidential sub-stations in the a

New troubleshooting toolkit detects problems

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

A new dimension to WearCheck's traditional oil analysis ser vice brings relief for customers with through the introduction of a mobile troubleshooting service.
Until recently, customers sent oil samples to WearCheck for analysis and diagnosis. A normal result meant operations continued uninterrupted. However, reports indicating abnormal symptoms meant customers had to investigate and fix the so

Chairman of local mirror committees (of IEC SC 17A and SC 17C) appointed

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Schneider Electric South Africa is pleased to announce that the company 's standardisation manager for medium voltage in its energy business, Isaac Kruger, has been appointed as chairman of the South African mirror committees of the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) SC 17A and SC 17C committees, and has been selected as the South African delegate to attend international subcommittee

Monitoring surge arresters from remote locations

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Dehn's condition monitoring system allows SPDs to be monitored remotely without going to site saving valuable time and money. The compact DRC MCM XT DIN rail mounted device is designed for condition monitoring of up to ten pre-programmed Blitzductor XT arresters (40 signal lines) with an integrated LifeCheck monitoring circuit.
Integrated into the SPD modules, LifeCheck permanently monitors t

Measuring data analysis in real time

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

To be able to analyse the huge amount of measured data in real - time, a transmission medium with high bandwidth is necessary. Ethernet provides this high performance. To access the data CAM supports the commonly used Modbus/ TCP protocol, which is supported by many visualisation tools as a standard. The time synchronisation of the devices can be performed using a NTP server, which is integrated i

Intelligent surge protection

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The new Plugtrab PT- IQ product family from Phoenix Contact is the first generation to provide proactive functional monitoring for signal interface surge protection devices. A yellow status signal indicates that the performance limit has been reached as a result of frequent surge voltages, while a small reser ve capacity ensures that protection remains effective. The user is informed and can repla

New HV insulation resistance testers

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Megger's new high-voltage insulation resistance testers (IRTs) offer exceptional versatility in a compact, rugged and light unit that weighs little more than half as much as its predecessors. Capable of providing accurate measurements up to 10 TS for 5 kV versions and 20 TS for 10 kV versions and having facilities for automatic timed IR tests and more advanced diagnostic tests; PI, DAR, DD, SV a

Concrete poles for Roodepoort integrated housing project

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Over 3000 prestressed I -shaped concrete poles are being supplied by Aveng Manufacturing Infraset for the electrification of a fully-integrated housing development in Fleurhoff, Roodepoort.
The development involves the construction of 9600 houses varying between 30 m² and 100 m². The construction programme began in 2010 and will run to 2016. Some of the units are being sold on the open market,

Integrated capacitive high voltage monitoring system

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Capdis-S1+ from Kries is an integrated capacitive high voltage detecting system according to IEC-61243-5 providing continuous three-phase voltage indication. No external power supply or battery is required for voltage detecting, and the device performs continuous online insulation measurement, making it completely maintenance-free.
Capdis-S1+ includes a self-test, which offers inherent safety,

New PV cable expands range

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Lapp Group, has launched a new type of power cable for the voltage range up to 1,8/3 kV. The new product will be sold under the ÖLFLEX TRAFO brand name.
Together with the company 's existing range, it means that the group can now offer an integrated solution for all the solar industry 's cabling needs. The cable was developed in partnership with SMA Solar Technology, It is specifically designed

Busbars installed in commercial office development in Gaborone

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Legrand Zucchini busbars, designed for the safe and efficient distribution of electricity, have recently been installed at the new Prime Plaza commercial office development in Gaborone, Botswana. This new city centre building, with a reputation as the `greenest office development in Botswana,' will ultimately consist of three buildings, with a total construction area of 11 180 m². Legrand's Zucchi

Morupule Colliery expansion project

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

SSI Engineers and Environmental Consultants, in partnership with ADP Projects, have been working on the Morupule Colliery Expansion Project for almost three years. The SSI Electrical and C&I project scope includes the design and specification of the complete 11 kV and 550 V/400 V networks and systems on surface and underground comprising the following equipment/systems: 11 kV indoor switchgear, 11

Rechargeable batteries - Part 4: Battery graveyard

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

by Dr. Paul Lefley and Ayodele Soge, University of Leicester, and Jonathan Starkey, Converteam In the UK, currently over 20 000 t of batteries are thrown away each year, the majority ending up in landfill. Whilst nickel cadmium, lead-acid and lithium batteries contain substances, hazardous to the environment, the zinc and manganese batteries that make up the majority of the battery waste do not co

Corporate energy management

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

by Deon van Aardt, Invensys Wonderware Energy management at the enterprise level is not only the responsibility of plant managers and engineers; it has now become the responsibility of corporate management as well. All departments within a company consume energy and add cost to a product or service, so everyone must be involved in developing and maintaining an energy management strategy that can

Repair and design change on a 28 MW synchronous motor

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Marthinusen & Coutts recently completed a repair and design change on a 28 MW Jeumont Schneider synchronous motor operating at the Saldanha Steel plant on the Cape West Coast. This motor incorporates an 18 ton stator which is 3 m in diameter, making it one of the largest non-power generating stators ever to be repaired in South Africa - and at the company.
Saldanha Steel was experiencing repeat

Motor distributor sets sights on Africa

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

South African electric motor distributor Zest has set its sights on the African market following its acquisition by Brazil-based group WEG in late 2011. The company has distributed WEG products in South Africa for more than three decades and began representing the group in the southern African region twelve years ago. Zest group MD Louis Meiring says his company is now responsible for marketing an

New motor protection relay

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

If you need two-way master/ slave communications, then this new motor protection relay is not the relay for you.
However, if you can live without fieldbus communications but wish to have all the bells and whistles, then this new product is definitely worth considering.
Why? The relay and free issue software combine to provide a protection, motor management and control platform from which lit

Current sensor with extended range

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Wago's new 789-621 current sensors feature an extended measurement range of 0 - 140 A DC and are suitable for conductors up to sensors are designed for continuous current measurement of individual lines during operation.
Like the 789-620 model (0 - 80 A DC measurement range), the 789-621 sensor features 0,5% full-scale a connect to the following systems: Wago-I/O-System, To-pass telecontrol m

Super production platform comes on stream

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Brazilian oil major, Petrobras, has just launched P-57, a super floating production, storage, and offloading (FPSO) - type platform.
Expected to commence oil production at Parque das Baleias - in the north of the Campos Basin, Brazil - in late November, P-57 will be anchored at a depth of 1260 m, and be capable of processing up to 180 000 barrels of oil and 2-million m 3 of gas per day. As a

Sensitive earth leakage protection

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

NewElec's GA range of earth leakage protection relays reliably disconnect the supply voltage in a faulted network in the event of voltage insulation failure. This results in a leakage current flowing to earth and not returning to the supply transformer via the line conductors.
The GA earth leakage protection relay enables more sensitive earth leakage protection of high kilowatt motors start

Modernised underground haulage power system

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Actom Electrical Products has introduced a modernised underground haulage power system. Not only is the new system it sleeker, lighter, more durable and easier to install and maintain, but it is also available at a significantly lower price than the old product.
These systems are mainly used for supplying power for lighting of underground haulages containing the 16 A sockets and ES porcelain la

Innovative signalling device to boost safety underground

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Safety warning specialist Booyco Electronics has introduced a unique and innovative "Intelligent whistler " to boost safety underground - a signaling device that operates between a vehicle and a guard, incorporating an operator "whistle" worn around the guard's neck. The technology was developed quite recently at the request of a customer and, based on its beyond-expectation effectiveness, is now

Energy efficient labeling

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Following several calls by government for households to reduce their daily energy consumption and alleviate pressure from the electricity grid, the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS) has introduced a product labeling standard for electronic appliances.
The standard will empower consumers to make informed choices when purchasing appliances such as dishwashers and television sets. SANS 941,

Mobile ore-grinding plant

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The OGPmobile is a fully functional grinding plant, which is comparable with the test circuits in the Loesche test centre in Neuss, Germany. The flexible circuit allows operation in an air flow as well as in over flow mode without gas sweeping. Large samples of milled material (of 200300 tons for further direct processing in subsequent process steps) can be produced. The quality of the milled prod

Innovative three phase motor

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

WEG's innovative three phase W22 motor, available locally from Zest WEG Group, provides an energy efficient solution for reducing industrial energy consumption. By cutting down on wastage in specific industrial and miningapp lications, these energy efficient electric motors not nly reduce costs but also make an important environmental contribution by decreasing the national energy consumption of

New photoelectric sensor

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Making life that much easier in the automated environment is something Countapulse Controls has done for many years, and the company has announced that it is no longer necessary to spend extra money on "fine tuning" sensors as the new Leuze 318B series photoelectric sensor with the integrated and patented Leuze omni-mount is now available. This innovative mounting mechanism which is standard on th

Cutting energy consumption by 30%

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Kamaz, the largest truck manufacturer in the Russian Federation, has achieved annual energy savings of 30% in all its plants, using an advanced energy saving concept from Atlas Copco.
Through installing new compressed air equipment, the company is able to reduce their energy bill by more than 200-million rubles (5,2-million) in 2012. Following an evaluation of Kamaz's existing systems, Atlas Co

The impact of geyser timers and low flow showerheads on SWH installations

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

by Robin Thomson, SESSA Eskom has contracted Ellies Renewables, a division of JSE-listed Ellies, to install low flow showerheads and geyser timers to residential households who apply and are within the Ellies installation areas. These showerheads and timers will be provided and installed at no cost to the households. The timers, which reduce the heat and energy losses that occur when the water i

The role that EIAs play in promoting sustainability in South Africa

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Information from Aurecon South Africa has one of the worlds most advanced environmental legal frameworks entrenched with the environmental right to "ecologically sustainable development". Numerous tools, including environmental impact assessment (EIA), are made available within the legal framework as listed in the National Environmental Management Act (NEMA). EIAs have proven useful tools towards

Long backup UPS systems

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Sinetech are the sole agents for the Main Power range of UPS systems, and have been selling these systems since 1995. Extremely reliable, with this range has proven to be a very popular UPS system in South Africa and neighbouring countries. The systems come with standard backup times, but the range also includes a long backup version with extended backup times utilising external batteries.
Co

Solar heating and cooling - a new reality

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

South African lifestyle company OptimumPM is transforming the use of solar heating and cooling technology for commerce and industry. Solar heat energy sources have traditionally been applied to water heating for geysers, as the technology had not until recently been developed sufficiently for use in commerce and industry. However, the second-generation technology is now market-ready in South Afric

Acquisition of marine current turbines

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Siemens has acquired the majority stake in Marine Current Turbines, the UK company which develops and builds tidal power systems. As a pioneering company, Marine Current Turbines has become a technology leader in tidal power systems. Back in November 2011, Siemens increased its stake in the company to 45%. Siemens is planning to complete the acquisition of Marine Current Turbines in soon. Global c

Project Power Save target exceeded

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Ellies Renewable Energy has as of April 2012, through its free installations into homes of energy efficient products, exceeded the initial 45 MW target. The project power save campaign, which aimed on reducing 45 MW off the national grid between Februar y and March, has been successfully completed reaching a total 53,6 MW by the original deadline of 31 March 2012. This success has enabled Eskom to

Survey on costs of energy

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

The World Energy Council (WEC) and Bloomberg New Energy Finance (BNEF) have signed a partnership agreement to collaborate on the development of a comprehensive survey on the costs of new, renewable and conventional energy technologies. The study will build on the WEC's existing flagship Survey of Energy Resources, the prime compilation of global energy resources and reserves. Since 1934 the WEC's

Next version of solar resource assessment system

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

NRG Systems has released the next version of its solar resource assessment system, now with a choice of pyranometer to support solar resource assessment campaigns.
The system is used to measure the potential of a given site to produce photovoltaic solar power on a utility scale. On-site measurement is increasingly important in solar resource assessment. As using satellite data alone to assess t

Appetite for renewable energy higher than anticipated

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

South Africa's appetite for renewable energy is higher than anticipated and Government should move quickly to take advantage of this interest and expand its independent power producer (IPP) purchase programme. This is the view of Sustainable Energy Society of Southern Africa acting-CEO, Theo Covary when reacting to the recent announcement by Energy Minister, Dipuo Peters.
Using the IPP purchase

... People, People, People

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Seen at Brian Madeley's retirement Seen at the Eaton 2012 Johannesburg Roadshow Seen at Niasa lecture 23rd April Seen at the Transformer Maintenance Conference on the 18th April 2012

Reaching the roof of AFRICA

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

It's an experience never to be for gotten . by Daniel Munslow Mount Kilimanjaro, with its white glaciers and contrasting brown alpine desert, is a magnificent mountain. It stands majestically amid vast open plains only three degrees south of the equator. It has it all ï farms, rain forests, moorlands, highland deserts and glaciers on "the roof of Africa."

To witness a sunrise from 5895 m abov

4th Wind Power Africa Conference Cape Town International Convention Centre

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

28 30 May 2012 The fourth Anniversary of Wind Power Africa is a manifestation of the importance of wind energy in Africa.
The conference will be accompanied by an attractive renewable energy exhibition which will support the transfer of information in this specific market.
Contact Dominque Beziek, Tel 022 492-3095, office@afriwea.org

Power Africa 2012 University of the Witwatersrand

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

9 13 July 2012 The smart grid is challenged to deliver on energy savings, demand side solutions, energy efficiency and to accommodate renewable energy resources. Power Africa explores the intelligent grid integration of renewable energy resources and invites paper and poster contributions and your participation in structured tutorials and a supplier exposition.
Contact Antoinette, Tel 011 717

South African Revenue Protection Association Convention 2012 Drakenstein Municipality

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

12 13 July 2012 Every year more and more councillors, civil engineers, electrical engineers, water engineers and treasurers attend the SARPA Convention on the basis that it is the one and only forum in South Africa that focuses on a holistic approach to securing the income of your council or utility for services provided to the public.
Contact Andrew Mabena, Tel 011 061-5000, sarpa@vdw.co.za

Industrial and Commercial Use of Energy (ICUE)

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

Protea Hotel, Technopark, Stellenbosch 14 16 August 2012 The eighth international conference on the "Industrial & Commercial Use of Energy" (ICUE) offers a forum for professionals, manufacturers, distributors and installers of all energy systems in commerce and industry, to discuss the latest developments and the effective use of all forms of energy Contact Prof. Nico Beute, Cape Peninsula Unive

63rd AMEU Convention 2012 Emperors Palace Gauteng

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

15 17 October 2012 The convention theme is "Solutions for a smart industry" and will cover the topics smart grids; renewable energy; international trends; system per for mance, energy shortages and load shedding; independent power producers and embedded generation; demand side management and energy efficiency; new technology; safety and tariffs in the context of municipal networks.
Contact Ma

Power-Gen Africa 2012 Sandton Convention Centre Johannesburg

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

6 8 November 2012 This inaugural event will host dignitaries from around the world who will share their expertise and experiences to help define the energy sector of the future. It will also provide the perfect opportunity to mix with high flying industry leaders and keep abreast of the latest developments in the subsaharan region in the field of power and energy.
Contact Samantha Malcolm, sa

authour@pressmart.com (authour) — Tue, 01 May 2012 00:00:00 GMT

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