ABB inaugurates its first South African microgrid at Longmeadow headquarters

14th July 2016

ABB inaugurates its first South African microgrid at Longmeadow headquarters

From Creamer Media in Johannesburg, this is the Real Economy Report.

Sashnee Moodley:
Automation technology group ABB has commissioned an integrated solar-diesel microgrid installation at its 96 000 m2 Longmeadow facility in Johannesburg. This is the group’s first microgrid in South Africa. Mia Breytenbach tells us more.

 

Mia Breytenbach:

The microgrid makes use of power fed from the national grid and a solar photovoltaic (PV) installation. It also makes use of a backup feed from four diesel generator sets.

Special adviser on energy to the Presidency, Silas Zimu, and ABB Power Grids division president Claudio Facchin inaugurated the microgrid at ABB in June.

Zimu said that the microgrid goes beyond innovation.

Special adviser on energy to the Presidency Silas Zimu
 

Mia Breytenbach:
He also stressed the need for innovation and underscored the opportunity for offgrid renewable-energy, as it was key to providing electricity.
Zimu further suggested the need for energy planners to understand that “people follow electricity”.

This was seen from the population growth and urbanisation in South Africa.

Before the presentation of the grid ABB Power Grids division president Claudio Facchin highlighted the changes in the energy value chain and in the grid.

ABB Power Grids division president Claudio Facchin:


Mia Breytenbach:
ABB Grid Automation MD Massimo Danieli also pointed out the changes in the traditional grid and outlined the need for the microgrid at ABB’s facility in Longmeadow.

ABB Grid Automation MD Massimo Danieli:

Mia Breytenbach:
The microgrid is designed to ensure uninterrupted power supply. This is to keep the lights on and the factories running during any planned or unplanned power outages on the main grid supply.
(B-roll: microgrid)

ABB South Africa MD Leon Viljoen outlined the key features of the microgrid.


ABB South Africa MD Leon Viljoen

Mia Breytenbach:

The solution comprises a 1 MVA/380 kWh, battery-package PowerStore and the Microgrid Plus – ABB’s dedicated control system for microgrids.

The PowerStore grid stabilising system addresses frequency and voltage fluctuations.

The Microgrid Plus distributed control system manages the supply of power and balances the fossil-fuel and renewable-energy sources in accordance with loads.

This enables access to utility-grade power.

A cloud-based remote service system will be deployed for the operations and maintenance of the microgrid.

The grid is expected to increase renewable-energy use at the Longmeadow facility.

It is also expected to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by more than 1 000 t/y and electricity costs by 50%.

Viljoen further outlined the company’s driving forces for installing the microgrid.


ABB South Africa MD Leon Viljoen:

Mia Breytenbach:
Viljoen highlighted the need for access to reliable and sustainable energy systems.

He noted that about 24% of people in sub-Saharan Africa had access to electricity, while only 28 GW of electricity was installed in in the region, excluding South Africa.

Further, about 25% of the countries in sub-Saharan Africa faced rolling blackouts, some of the countries daily.

Other challenges included power tariffs that were on average $0.13/kWh.


ABB South Africa MD Leon Viljoen:

 

Sashnee Moodley:

That’s Creamer Media’s Real Economy Report. Join us again next week for more news and insight into South Africa’s real economy.