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The state of the renewables industry in SA
by Dr. John Ledger, Sustainable Energy Society of Southern Africa (SESSA)
 The sustainable energy sector in SA is a slumbering giant. Cheap and abundant coal-generated power has made way to sustainability - natural resources and human resourcefulness are the most valued commodities in generating the power to sustain the economy. We must do this in a way that future generations will inherit security of supply and sustainablity... ( more) |
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Brace yourself - the electricity price trajectory for years to come
by Mike Rycroft, Mark Botha and Chris Yelland, EE Publishers
 The generation capacity crisis in 2008 prompted a review of Eskom's build programme. The expectation of a short-duration adjustment, and thereafter electricity prices increases would follow inflation didnot materialise, and price increases much higher than inflation are expected for many years to come... ( more) |
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The shocking state of plugs, sockets, adapters and portable socket-outlets in South Africa
by Chris Yelland and Peter Adams, EE Publishers
 Products that allow electric plugs to be inserted incorrectly, thereby exposing users to live parts and the risk of a lethal electric shock, can be found for sale at major retail outlets in South Africa. The National Regulator of Compulsory Specifications (NRCS) says it has no grounds to take action. There is clearly something very rotten in the state of Socketland... ( more) |
Address by Prof. Jonathan Jansen at the 2011 EE publishers luncheon
Prof. Jonathan Jansen was the guest speaker at the EE Publishers executive business briefing and luncheon held at Oakfield farm, Muldersdrift, on Friday 11 February 2011, where he gave a deeply moving and inspiring presentation and lesson on humility and forgiveness entitled: "Mind vs. Mouth"... ( click here to listen) |
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The Jacob Marley column: Old king coal
Allow me to disabuse your erudite readers of the notion that I am a stark-raving green lunatic who would rather plaster solar panels all over the country-side than preserve nasty, smelly carbon-dioxide-spewing coal fired power stations that will cook the earth... (more)
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High reliability data centre
Information from Diesel Electric and Multisource
Multichoice has built a new 500 sq m data centre at their premises in Randburg, which is provided with a high reliability electricity supply system and an energy efficient cooling system... ( more) |
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China and nuclear energy: Solving an energy crisis
by Chris Meyer, technical journalist
China is rich in coal and water resources, which are unevenly distributed throughout the country. Coal deposits are predominantly in the north and northwestern regions, while water resources are
mainly in the southwestern region... (more) |
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The role of coal in SA's proposed energy mix
by Gerrit Lok, Hatch
The IRP 2010 20-year electricity capacity plan is crucial towards determining South Africa's long-term electricity demand. At current projected GDP rates, South Africa is looking at another 120 - 140 years of coal consumption... (more) |
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Renewable energy generation connection capacity
Information from Eskom
At present developers of RE projects do not have a clear idea of the available capacity for connection to the transmission network. To address this situation a study was undertaken to determine the available connection capacity for new generation... (more) |
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Electromagnetic forces in transformers under short circuit conditions
by Nadim Mahomed, Powertech Transformers
Short circuit events generate high current conditions in transformer windings. These currents inturn induce excessive forces in a transformer. Electromagnetic forces are important considerations in the design, manufacturing and operation of transformers... (more)
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Testing standards for arc rated garments_Part 2
Information from JAS Consulting
South Africans are accepting electrical arc flash hazards as an everyday reality in the workplace. Electrical workers discuss the topic with keen interest and display an admirable understanding of the phenomenon... ( more) |
50 ms roaming for moving trains is now a reality
Information from RJ Programmable
Wireless communication is a natural fit for railway applications, particularly train-to-ground connections and rolling stock. It is crucial that clients on moving trains not lose any data during handover (the time spent roaming between APs)... ( more) |
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A step forward for global electric vehicle roll-out
Information from IEC
The IEC and e8, a global organization of ten world leading electricity companies, have, for the first time, brought together all major stakeholders that need to collaborate to accelerate the global roll-out of EVs (electric vehicles)... (more)
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All charged up for electric cars
Information from Siemens
Major cooperative projects are paving the way for the launch of electric vehicles. Experts from industry and universities are creating the technological basis for linking vehicles to the power grid... (more)
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Capacity credit: Firm power from the wind
by Mike Rycroft, editor
Wind is a variable resource and as such is generally regarded as not being capable of contributing to firm power. A probabilistic approach that takes both demand variation and wind generation profiles into account shows that wind can be a firm power source... (more)
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Power from wind
by Rainer Weiss, Semikron
Wind turbines with power electronics are increasingly popular all over the world. Semikron provides application-specific solutions combining power electronics and customer support... (more) |
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Lubrication systems for renewable energy production
Information from Lincoln Lubrication
Proper lubrication is key in ensuring a smooth operation, and in keeping costs to a minimum. It is therefore imperative to note that lubrication is a savings and not a cost... (more) |
