Page 24 - Energize January 2021

NEWS

Ending 2020 on a high note

an­African renewable power producer company, BioTherm Energy,
backed by leading emerging market investor Actis, has announced
Pthe official operations of its Excelsior Wind Energy Facility at the end
of 2020. This marks the completion of its third Independent Power
Producer (IPP) in South Africa in 2020 as part of the fourth round of the
Government’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer an on­site substation and a dedicated 132 kV power line, and
Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), boasting a combined generating will feed over 132 GWh of renewable power into the national
capacity of 165 MW of the country’s renewable energy production. grid, enough to power an estimated 35 000 South African
The 33 MW Excelsior Wind Energy Facility, in the Western Cape, homes each year.
successfully achieved its commercial operations on 23 December 2020, The wind farm is constructed on 2300 hectares of land in
adding to the already achieved commercial operation of the 132 MW Swellendam, an area known as one of the largest agricultural
combined capacity of the solar plants Aggeneys and Konkoonsies II earlier producing areas in the country. By the very nature of wind
in the year, power, over 90% of the land on the site will continue to yield
“We ended 2020 on a high note, having led three IPPs to commercial agricultural crops as well as sustain livestock farming.
operations, whilst having connected our fourth project to the grid, Construction commenced two years ago and provided jobs
expecting commercial operation in the first quarter of this year, which will to about 380 workers, the majority of which came from its
add another 120 MW to our generating capacity in South Africa,” said surrounding beneficiary communities within the Overberg
Robert Skjodt, CEO of BioTherm Energy. Municipality. These are the same communities that will benefit
The company’s portfolio of pan­African projects includes what will be from economic development programmes, through the 20­year
Kenya’s second largest wind farm, the 100 MW Kipeto Wind energy project operations period of the plant.
undergoing commissioning southwest of Nairobi. The focus of the economic development initiatives will
Thebe Investment Corporation (TIC) has a 37,5% stake in BioTherm include education; skills development; and environmental
Energy’s four South African energy projects. “Thebe is delighted to be stewardship, in addition to others. During the construction
contributing to South Africa’s clean energy power portfolio as the country programme a number of early spend programmes were
transitions away from thermal technologies to deliver affordable energy to implemented, focused on the provision of secondary school
our people, whilst also contributing to climate change imperatives,” study guides across various subjects for Grades 8 to 12. This is
commented Sunil Ramkillawan, CEO of Thebe Energy and Resources. in addition to the various Covid­19 relief programmes, aimed at
Excelsior Wind has a direct connection to the Vryheid substation, via alleviating the impact of the pandemic on local communities. n

Water heater delivers ultra-efficient, eco-friendly

performance with award-winning design

Inverter compressor boosts heating performance and lowers energy consumption while
smart features deliver enhanced convenience.

G Electronics (LG) will be presenting its advanced, energy­saving inverter heat pump
water heater at CES 2021. A CES Innovation Award­winner, the new model is powered by
LLG’s renowned dual­inverter compressor, which promotes fast and effective water heating,
all the while delivering lower electricity consumption and running costs. Furthermore, the
highly efficient and durable smart appliance is compatible with the LG ThinQ™ app for
convenient control from inside or outside the home.
LG’s dual­inverter compressor heats water using condensation heat generated in the process
of compressing and circulating refrigerant. The result is a water heater which uses as much as
74% less energy to operate annually than a conventional electric water heater.
The new product will be available in 200­liter and 270­liter capacity versions, featuring
impressive energy efficiency ratings of A+ and A++, respectively. In addition, the highly durable
compressor and water tank are covered by a 10­year warranty. duration of operation.
LG’s efficient system utilizes heat from the air to further reduce electricity usage, while its A winner of every major product design
two internal heat sources – heat pump and heater – ensure that users will never have to go award – iF Design, Red Dot, IDEA – this
without hot water even in times of heavy use. product has a sleek, modern style in line with
The smart inverter heat pump water heater is Wi­Fi­enabled, allowing it to work seamlessly LG’s latest premium home appliances and is
with LG’s mobile ThinQ app, available on both Android and iOS devices. With the app, easy to install as well. The water heater will
homeowners can manage and monitor the system remotely, receive regular maintenance be on display in LG’s CES 2021 virtual
reminders and diagnose certain issues without having to call customer service. Users can also exhibition booth (http://exhibition.LG.com)
check the water temperature in real­time and use the scheduling function to set the time and from 11 January 2021. n

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