A number of wind turbine projects are being planned to help address South Africa’s crippling power shortage with more sustainable forms of electricity generation.
While solar energy remains the leading light in terms of renewable energy resources, wind power generation does have an important role to play in regions like the Eastern Cape and other exposed areas where consistent wind is experienced and the landscape is not conducive to solar options.
A leading supplier of cabling for all renewable energy projects in South Africa, Helukabel South Africa, is stocking-up and preparing for the number of projects that it expects to be approved in the nearby future, both in South Africa and elsewhere in Africa. The company already supplies cables for both forms of renewable power generation in the region and has tailored its offering with dedicated cables that are designed specifically for each type of plant.
Technology comes of age
Heluwind power cables and dedicated accessories are designed to fit seamlessly into each step of the assembly of a wind turbine plant, making the entire electrical installation project a far simpler undertaking. Stock holdings, ordering and statutory requirements (in terms of compliances and quality control) are also simplified with the use of a single-source supplier.
“Helukabel has been integrally involved with those specialists worldwide who originally developed the technologies that are used in wind turbines today. Since those early days we have continued to work with them to develop cabling technology that is suitable for every aspect of the project from infrastructural and tower cables, to electrical, transmission, data and communications cables and even the security and monitoring systems,” says the company’s Doug Gunnewegh.
“That means that the engineers usually look no further than Helukabel when they are designing a wind turbine plant, as all cables are custom-made for wind power generation and have all the necessary certifications and approvals that are required internationally for this type of plant.”
Rapid deployment
Interlinking the complex cabling systems within a plant is seamless when using Helukabel accessories that match the different types of cables used on these plants. This can significantly speed up installation time and leads to tidier, neater and safer terminations and joints throughout the plant. Similarly the types of cables used are manufactured to have the right properties required for the task and are designed to minimise problems during the installation phase, as well as throughout its entire useful life.
In the case of Heluwind and other dedicated wind turbine cables supplied by Helukabel, they are designed to exceed the requested life span. So despite cables being subjected to extreme stress in these harsh conditions, they will still maintain their integrity throughout their required length of service.
“These cables are specially made to withstand the specific stresses and strains of the roles that they are intended for,” adds Gunnewegh. “This includes anything from the ability to withstand great torsion as a result of the extreme height that the cables are drawn to, or even the onslaught of rodents that may be attracted to heat sources etc in rural areas where the towers are usually situated. It is fair to say that after more than 30 years of manufacturing specialty cables for this industry, our engineers have seen it all and have learned to cater for almost any eventuality.”
Fit for purpose
Helukabel cables are tested at the company’s research institute in Germany. Tests include the full requirement of electrical, torsion (to more than 16 000 cycles) and other tests as required to ensure functional properties are correct. Further testing is also conducted to ensure that the cables’ operational reliability is significantly longer than the standard lifetime of a wind turbine.
As a result, the company’s cables are installed in thousands of wind turbines worldwide, providing reliable service onshore and offshore under climate conditions as diverse as those found in the cold blustery climes of Scandinavia to harsh climates of Africa.
For more information contact Doug Gunnewegh, Helukabel South Africa, +27 (0)11 462 8752, [email protected], www.helukabel.co.za
| Tel: | +27 11 462 8752 |
| Email: | [email protected] |
| www: | www.helukabel.co.za |
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