Page 13 - AfrElec Week 28

AfrElec
NEWS IN BRIEF
AfrElec
in the kind of scale that Europe has. e conversation for Africa is around substituting expensive bad fossil fuels into something that is cleaner and most certainly cheaper. We have to replace fuel-based energies with green and sustainable ones,’ Ms. Songwe said.
She added partnerships and cooperation were needed in supporting African countries to deliver on their energy and development agenda.
‘We need to begin to honestly and seriously look at the nancing structures
of Africa’s infrastructure. We are nancing infrastructure at shorter time frames than it takes to build that infrastructure resulting in debt sustainability issues,’ said Ms. Songwe to private sector representatives attending the webinar.
GRID
Schneider Electric signs
$290mn deal to optimise
Egypt’s electricity network
Egyptian Electricity Holding Company, Egypt’s national utility provider, has signed an agreement with Schneider Electric to build four control centres to monitor and optimise the electricity network. e project is worth $290mn.
e new centres will help convert the country’s national electric distribution network into a future-ready smart grid.
e four control centres will use Schneider Electric’s Advanced Distribution Management System to monitor, control, and recon gure the network through the use of big data and arti cial intelligence.
e agreement, which was signed this week, also includes more than 12,000
smart ring main units that will be installed throughout the national network.
e project has a timeline of 18 months and will help create a country-wide smart grid to meet the needs of Egypt’s growing population, as well as its industrial development.
Schneider Electric will leverage its EcoStruxure Grid technology to build a future-proof smart grid that will use the power of digital to both automate and optimise the grid’s operations.
Much of the equipment that will be used for the project will be manufactured in Egypt.
‘ is project is a rst of its kind, that will increase the grid’s e ciency and sustainability by deploying smart technologies. It will also help advance the calibre of our engineers and workers, helping them to achieve new and advanced ways of working that will be utilised in the upcoming phases of our grid project,’ said Egypt’s Minister of Electricity and Renewable Energy, Mohamed Shaker.
ESKOM
Eskom cannot give clear information on power cuts
South Africa’s state utility Eskom cannot
say how long a new round of power cuts that began on Friday will last, its spokesman Sikonathi Mantshantsha told Reuters.
Eskom implemented planned power outages for the rst time since March on July 10, ending a period of unusually stable power supply thanks to reduced demand during a coronavirus lockdown.
e company generates more than 90% of South Africa’s power but has battled to meet demand for years because of faults at its coal- red power stations, which have interrupted
power supplies, hampered economic growth and deterred investment.
“ e reality is we don’t know which of the coal units are going to fail on any given day, that is true for both the old and the new units,” Mantshantsha said.
He said Eskom was sending a team led by one of its senior engineers to try to improve the performance of problem power stations. Morning peak power demand on Wednesday was at its highest this year because of extreme cold weather, compounding the generation shortfall, Mantshantsha added.
Eskom said on July 15 that it would step up load-shedding to Stage 2 from Stage 1 from 1200 GMT, requiring more supply interruptions.
Stage 1 allows for up to 1,000MW of the national load to be shed, and stage 2 up to 2,000MW.
SOLAR
SA solar body aims to boost economy
South African solar industry body SAPVIA’s new board members have rea rmed their belief that the renewable energy sector is key to kick-starting the South African economy post-COVID-19.
Elected at the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) annual general meeting in June, the new board members will serve a two-year term of o ce.
APVIA was formed a decade ago by six individuals with a passion to have renewable energy included in the IRP2010. Today the industry body represents 378 companies and service providers across South Africa.
SAPVIA COO Nivesh Govender says the new board members add a wealth of experience and knowledge to the industry. “We have come a long way since then and as a body, we are excited to step into this new chapter with a multi-talented team steering us,” said Govender.
He believes a key focus area for the year ahead will be the role the renewable energy sector can play in helping to kick-start the South African economy post-pandemic.
Incoming board member Frank Spencer of Mettle Solar Investments told ESI Africa he believes the renewable sector across Africa is likely to grow exponentially, constrained only by government policy and regulations.
“In particular the Commercial and Industrial sector is likely to add signi cant capacity, as grid topologies continue to morph
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