The average daily solar radiation in most African countries makes concentrated solar power (CSP) one of the most attractive renewable energy solutions to ensure a secure supply of clean electricity to power economic and infrastructure growth on the continent.
As a company, Siemens believes CSP is a key technology of the 21st century and is one of the world’s leading solar power technology suppliers. “We are already the market leader in steam turbines for solar thermal power plants and, with the power block, we can offer a key part for solar power plants – the part that is responsible for power generation,” says John Hazakis, head of Solar and Hydro at Siemens Southern Africa. Hazakis says that Siemens was the first steam turbine supplier to re-enter the CSP market in the 21st century, pioneering commercial solutions in the US and Spain. Today, Siemens is the world market leader in steam turbines for CSP plants, and has more than 20 years of experience with steam turbines for daily cycling.
With the acquisition of Solel in 2009, Siemens now boasts high-efficiency receiver technology and comprehensive expertise in the engineering and construction of solar fields. “We are able to offer the key components for the construction of parabolic trough power plants from a single source and to further enhance the efficiency of these plants, and this expertise is available for our customers in Africa,” adds Hazakis.
“The roll-out of CSP in South Africa, and the rest of Africa, is not only good for ensuring a sustainable source of electricity, it also offers huge potential for job creation and localisation,” says Hazakis. “However, to create a sustainable industry more capacity needs to be allocated to CSP technology to ensure that the necessary investments can be made in local manufacturing and skills development.”
Siemens CSP power plants are very much like a standard power plant with an energy source, steam, and conversion of thermal power to electricity. In these plants the energy source is sunlight, focused by parabolic mirrors onto solar receivers located in the focal line of the parabolas. The entire parabola moves to track the sun and maximise the collection of solar energy. A fluid, typically a synthetic oil, flows through the receivers as a heat transfer medium. In the process the fluid is heated and its energy is transferred via a heat exchanger to water. The steam thus produced is used to generate electricity in a steam turbine-generator.
Driving digital transformation in the truck industry Siemens South Africa
IT in Manufacturing
Tatra Trucks, a leading truck manufacturer in Czechia, has adopted the Siemens Xcelerator portfolio of industry software including Teamcenter software for product lifecycle management and the Mendix low code platform to help increase production volume and strengthen its ability to manufacture vehicles that meet specific customer requirements.
Read more...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.
printer friendly version