Farmers are making increasing use of photovoltaic solar panels and variable speed drives (VSDs) to get clean and continuous power to their boreholes in remote locations, cutting out the need for costly infrastructure and cables to link with the main grid.
Zest WEG Group supplies these standalone electrical solutions so that users in the agricultural sector can immediately benefit from solar power for pumping water.
As a key element of this arrangement, the VSD protects the motor from the fluctuating energy flow of the solar panel, allowing the motor speed to vary as the strength of the sun’s rays changes with weather and times of day. This ensures maximum system operation during the day while protecting the motor and VSD. In addition to this, the VSD also offers a variety of other motor protection features such as over voltage, under voltage, phase imbalance, phase loss and over current, which would normally have had to be done by other external equipment.
The appropriate model of VSD is selected from the range of WEG units to suit the size of motor and pumping capacity required. Typically, the photovoltaic option is chosen for motor sizes up to approximately 5,5 kW, but larger motors can also be catered for by installing more solar power capacity.
The added value in WEG’s VSD includes the company’s in-house software that allows its technicians to optimise the performance of the motor and pump, according to the application. The solar powered option also eliminates the potential voltage drop over extended lengths of electrical copper cable between the source and the motor, as well as the possible theft of this cable and the resulting disruption and added cost.
Supporting customers is key to Zest WEG Group’s operating philosophy, and the Group operates a network of strategically situated branches and distributors across South Africa and the continent. Experienced technical staff is available countrywide to advise customers, as well as to set up and commission this innovative, renewable-based energy solution.
Localised inverter-integrated transformer
Electrical Power & Protection
ACTOM, South Africa’s largest manufacturer, repairer and distributor of electromechanical equipment, is launching a breakthrough in renewable energy integration with its localised inverter-integrated transform
Read more...ABB innovation for energy efficiency and sustainability
Electrical Power & Protection
The application of sensor technology to reduce the operational and standby power losses of traditional current and voltage transformers can lead to energy savings of 181 MWh over a 30-year period, the lifetime of a typical switchboard in the African environment.
Read more...UPS systems are key to keeping SA’s automotive industry up and running Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
During loadshedding, PLCs and OT systems often fail, not because they are directly tied to the factory’s core manufacturing process, but because they are now an integral part of IT infrastructure. When an IT system shuts down, the impact is far more complex than simply restarting machinery.
Read more...ACTOM advances energy infrastructure
Electrical Power & Protection
At this critical juncture where South Africa is poised to modernise its power infrastructure, ACTOM’s Engineering Projects and Contracts (EPC) Division showcased its capabilities for the first time at Enlit Africa 2025.
Read more...Advanced contactor solution to revolutionise motor management Schneider Electric South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
Schneider Electric South Africa has launched the TeSys Deca Advanced, an advanced contactor solution designed to revolutionise motor management with unparalleled efficiency, reliability, simplicity and sustainability.
Read more...Steaming ahead with boiler skills development
Electrical Power & Protection
As an expert in steam and boiler operations and maintenance, AES is very focused on safety, quality, technology advancement and the development of human capital. The company invests heavily in training and the promotion of talented people on an equal opportunity basis into the industrial operations environment.
Read more...High-performance oscilloscopes
Electrical Power & Protection
RIGOL Technologies, a global leader in electronic measurement instruments, has launched two powerful additions to its oscilloscope portfolio.
Read more...Revolutionising solar farm management with remote monitoring solutions
Electrical Power & Protection
As South Africa continues its transition to renewable energy, the efficient management of solar farms has become more critical than ever. Iritron, a leader in industrial automation and control systems, is at the forefront of this revolution, offering advanced remote monitoring solutions tailored to the unique challenges of solar farm operations.
Read more...SKF announces wave energy technology partnership SKF South Africa
Electrical Power & Protection
SKF and Carnegie are collaborating on the design and delivery of a power take-off system driven by the motion of a buoy that sits a few metres below the surface of the ocean and moves with the ocean’s waves.
printer friendly version