Due to the rapidly increasing global demand for electrical energy, managing power transmission and distribution has become one of today’s most complex challenges. Additional capacity of cost effective and environmentally compatible electrical power must be created in order to meet the growing demands that urbanisation is posing across the continent. Most power grids, however, designed and built decades ago are struggling to cope with these new requirements. A smart transformation is required.
“The grid of the 21st century is a flexible and living element which is proactively operating industry and infrastructure,” says Martin Sanne, CEO Siemens Smart Grid, Africa. Sanne adds that several challenges threaten reliable energy supplies worldwide necessary to develop smarter grids, including fluctuating power generation from renewable sources, ageing infrastructure, unforeseen environmental factors, and technical and non-technical losses.
The Siemens Smart Grid portfolio
Siemens Smart Grid is addressing these trends through its unique portfolio of products, services and solutions and a focus toward unique software. The company’s advanced software solutions for operational, as well as enterprise IT, cover all levels of intelligent energy infrastructure. Siemens also works with a network of leading industry partners to support its unique end-to-end smart grid capability.
Johan Helberg, divisional director of Smart Grid services: “Siemens recognises that the Smart Grid is about improved energy delivery, informed consumption and reduced environmental impact. That is why we are proud to offer a complete spectrum of products, solutions and services for the protection, automation, planning, monitoring and diagnosis of grid infrastructure, including products, complete solutions and services for rail electrification.”
Recently, Siemens Smart Grid was named as one of the top 10 vendors across the smart grid value chain for 2013 by GTM Research (Green Tech Media). Chosen from over 40 companies, Siemens was selected for being one of the few suppliers that claim a nearly complete smart grid solution portfolio and was specifically chosen for its expertise in transmission and distribution automation, proven market success, multiple deployments and clear business cases.
At the Africa Utility Week Show in Cape Town, the Siemens Smart Grid team showcased its technology in energy automation for the African market; with the advanced Demand Response Management System Protection Relays from the new Siprotec 5 family and new distribution automation technology in the Siprotec 7SC80 controller and relays; enabling very fast fault detection and load balancing for distribution networks.
Siemens Smart Grid also displayed its meter, communication and Smart Grid services with the world leading energy data management platform, EnergyIP, catering for robust meter to cash operations, AMI health analytics, smart prepayment, virtual metering and more. The communication solution that was highlighted was the Ruggedcom RX1500 switch series. The recent addition of the Application Processing Engine (APE) line module has revolutionised the way switches and routers will be viewed and used as today’s utilities are using these devices at the core of their strategy to exceed their security, protocol gateway and data acquisition needs. The distribution portfolio is rounded out neatly by the new smart prepaid and postpaid meters, the IM100 and IM300.
“Smart metering and the bigger Smart Grid philosophy is characterised by bi-directional data flows and integrated communication technologies among all relevant users of the energy conversion chain. We are making the Smart Grid a reality by partnering with utilities and cities to implement their Smart Grid vision,” concludes Sanne.
For more information contact Keshin Govender, Siemens Southern Africa, +27 (0)11 652 2412, [email protected], www.siemens.co.za
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