The paradox of low-power technology
by Roger Lilley, Editor
 One would expect that modern electronics that has yielded low-power devices would result in reduced demand on the power grid but this is not the case. The paradox is that low-power electronics both assists in energy saving and also contributes to energy wastage. ... ( more) |
Microgrid market boom on the way
Information from Global Data
The global microgrid market is set for exceptional growth in the coming years. According to the new report, the global microgrid industry is anticipated to reach a value of $18,9-billion in 2020 from a 2012 value of $5,3-billion, demonstrating a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17,2%... ( more) |
Global shale oil developments
by Chris Bredenhann, PwC
Global developments in the shale oil space could revolutionise the world's energy markets over the next couple of decades, resulting in significantly lower oil prices, higher GDP, changing the geopolitics and shifting business models for oil and gas companies... ( more) |
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Jacob Marley: Electric cars and the robobee
Sir, two articles, nicely juxtapositioned on the same page of a leading business daily last month, caught my eye and I am tempted to put the merits of my case to your erudite readers. The first article was all about electric cars, or rather, how to create a market for them... (more) |
State of the coal mining industry
by Michelle Reinhard, Hatch Goba
One of the biggest challenges facing the local and international thermal and coking coal markets is the uncertainty in the global economic situation which has resulted in many capital projects being shelved or postponed, according to Gerrit Lok, director for coal at Hatch Goba Africa... (more) |
Energize InBox
Winning letter to the editor
This month's letters cover "thinkers" and "doers" in technology, and the issue of nickel pollution from power stations... (more) |
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Chinese industrial expansion
Information from Global Data
China's continuing reliance on thermal energy will prove the key driver in the global boiler, turbine and generator (BTG) market in the near future. According to a recent report, BTG market revenue in China will increase steadily from an expected total of $20,9-billion in 2013 to $30,1-billion in 2020... (more) |
Where is the next tractor coming from?
by Andrew Jones, S&C Electric Europe
Let us consider the evolution of two technologies that consumers, institutions and businesses use every day: the electric grid and the telephone. The electricity grid infrastructure is largely exactly as it was a century ago; whereas the telephone industry has changed beyond all recognition... (more) |
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Impact of leading power factor loads on alternators
by Gary Olson, Cummins Power Generation
Many electrical loads incorporate elements that can impose a leading power factor on the power source. While these loads are typically not a problem for utility power sources, leading power factor can cause generator set failures or the failure of certain loads to operate properly on a generator set... (more)
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Electrical design considerations for critical facilities
by Eben Owen, Schneider Electric
Constant power supply is fundamental to the operation of a mission-critical facility and, as power outages are not uncommon, certain electrical design considerations need to be put in place to help minimise the risks posed by such outages... (more) |
Forecasting domestic hourly load profiles
by Martin Chanza, Pranesh Ramjith, and Gerard van Harmelen, Enerweb
Electricity distribution to households and business is the final step in the electricity generation, transmission and distribution value chain. Redistributed energy by municipalities to the South African domestic market is key to planning energy demand and supply... (more) |
Risk assessment in substation fire protection
by Grant Wilkinson, Alien Systems & Technologies
Fire safety is serious business. No matter your industry the damage caused by a fire could be catastrophic for your business. But how do you mitigate the risk? The Fire Protection Association of Southern Africa recommends a fire risk assessment be done when any meaningful changes occur... (more)
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Circuit breaker maintenance in easy steps
Information supplied by Megger
Circuit breakers (CBs) sit quietly for months or even years, apparently doing nothing. Eventually the time comes, however, when the breaker is required to operate and then it must respond - instantly. If it doesn't, supply disturbances can cascade, people could be injured, equipment can be damaged and the supply network may be vulnerable... (more) |
Protection system for distribution substations
by Rich Hunt and Jorge Cardenas, GE Digital Energy; and John Coursey and Stephen Hirsch, Orion
Orion New Zealand (Orion) is a distribution utility that serves the city of Christchurch, the second largest city in New Zealand. Orion is adopting the technical capabilities found in the IEC 61850 standard and other technologies for a simple-to-implement, fit-for-purpose design for distribution protection... (more) |
Funding renewable energy projects in rural areas
Information from AECF Africa
Much is said and written about the potential for renewable energy to transform the lives of rural people right across the African continent, but it is less common to see actual examples of successful renewable energy businesses in this arena... (more) |
Biogas: global trends and local opportunities
by Heather Griffiths, Single Destination Engineering
The renewable IPP procurement programme aims to install 3725 MW of renewable power in line with the allocated renewable energy capacity in the IRP 2010 - 2030. Biogas is included in the program with an allocation of 12,5 MW. South Africa has been slow to install biogas plants... (more) |
Power management systems for mining operations
by Frank Kling, ETAP
Next generation PC-based power management applications should be able to to integrate an active blueprint of system topology, engineering parameters, and other pertinent information (such as GIS assets) with time-synchronised data acquired for the purpose of visualising and depicting the actual operation of the system... (more) |
The role of isolation transformers in UPS systems
by Neil Rasmussen, Schneider Electric
Most modern UPS systems do not include the internal transformers that were present in earlier designs. This has increased efficiency while decreasing the weight and size of UPS systems. In the new transformerless UPS designs, the transformers are optional and can be placed in the best location to achieve a required purpose... (more) |
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