DistribuTech to make African debut as part of co-located event

23rd August 2013

By: Samantha Herbst

Creamer Media Deputy Editor

  

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International power transmission and distribution event DistribuTech, which has been providing a comprehensive overview of the power distribution sector for more than 20 years, will make its Africa debut next year, in conjunction with the second Power-Gen Africa conference and exhibition.

The two events will run concurrently from March 17 to 19, 2014, at the Cape Town Con-vention Centre, under the auspices of business-to-business media major and events organiser PennWell International.

Following the success of the first Power-Gen Africa, held in 2012 at the Sandton Convention Centre, in Johannesburg, PennWell International decided to co-locate the two events to present one end-to-end platform to address the needs of Africa’s energy sector throughout the electricity delivery process – from generation to efficient distribution and end-user delivery.

“Given Africa’s unique challenges and the fact that so many of its power utilities are integrated end-to-end energy providers, it’s clear that Africa’s energy stakeholders would be better served by a single event that addresses the entire power generation and delivery chain,” says PennWell International conference director Nigel Blackaby.

He adds that the effect of hosting two major global brands under one roof will offer partic-ipating utilities and other stakeholders a “one-stop shop” to meet participants involved across the value chain, thereby providing a more comprehensive value proposition.

Blackaby believes bringing key technology providers, power industry professionals and financiers together will ease the process of implementing energy infrastructure in Africa, which would, in itself, be an achievement for Power-Gen Africa and DistribuTech Africa.

“Our aim is to bring people together and exchange information. The electricity generation industry is so vital to economic and societal development that aiding the process of bringing electricity to parts of Africa would be a worthy ambition for us.”

He adds that PennWell International’s long-term goal is to establish the two events as yearly forums, where African stakeholders can share new ideas and experiences for the benefit of the industry as a whole.

Next year’s event is expected to feature a comprehensive conference programme, focused on business, strategy and technology, including distribution systems, transformers, substation automation and metering.

Specific to Africa, the event will delve into the issue of revenue collection and will include several sessions on smart metering and smart grid development.

Blackaby emphasises the need for stake-holders to understand the complexity of smart grids and to break the concept down into its various components, including communication tools, cybersecurity aspects and country-specific application.

“The implementation of this technology may be different in countries that have a developed transmission and distribution system. Africa, however, can be seen as a blank canvas and, in some ways, presents an opportunity to establish a sophis-ticated power grid system, assuming the finances for it can be procured,” he enthuses.

Meanwhile, Power-Gen Africa will focus on the conventional and renewable power industries, focusing on the development and demands in sub-Saharan Africa.

As with DistribuTech Africa, the three-day event will combine a multitrack conference and exhibition, where suppliers from the local and international power sectors will showcase their latest technologies.

Moreover, the conference will devote an entire track to renewable energy, which, according to Blackaby, has become an increas-ingly important part of the potential energy mix in Africa since South Africa launched its Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Programme in 2011.

He tells Engineering News that the renew- able-energy track will discuss policy regu-lations, new technologies and challenges in developing wind and solar projects in Africa.

In terms of conventional power, Power-Gen Africa will discuss the optimisation and energy efficiency of power plant operations, with a focus on clean and efficient power and new technologies designed to reduce power plant emissions.

The event will also evaluate the financing of and investing in Africa’s power sector by considering the source, delivery and format of investments. “We’re going to focus a fair bit on this topic and we have been seeking out banks that are willing to discuss what their role is in developing the continent’s power generation sector,” says Blackaby.

Other conference streams will include a strategic track featuring country-specific over- views, training, policy, regulation and finan-cing, as well as a technology track, which will provide a detailed look at gas turbines, boilers, operations, maintenance and electrical systems.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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