Page 16 - Energize October 2022

INTERVIEW

Assisting the private sector to

mitigate load shedding

An interview with Hitachi Energy

Energize: The government has opened
outh Africa is seeing the
the door for greater private sector
wholesale transformation
Sof its energy system. participation in South Africa’s electricity
This encompasses generation, industry. What does Hitachi Energy
transmission, distribution, storage, propose as being the best way forward?
monitoring and control. As renewables
ultimately replace fossil fuels, power Malvin Naicker: The current challenge in
grids must remain resilient and ensuring sufficient generation capacity
become even more flexible to adapt to in South Africa places the spotlight on
fast-changing demands. innovative technologies in the energy
This places the spotlight on sector. What we see in South Africa
innovative new technologies in the is the wholesale transformation of
energy sector. The focus on renewable the energy system, encompassing
energy and microgrid solutions with generation, transmission, distribution,
battery energy storage systems storage, monitoring and control. As
(BESS) is ideal to ensure stable and renewables ultimately replace fossil Malvin Naicker
sustainable power by harnessing solar fuels, power grids must remain resilient
energy for a clean-energy future. and become even more flexible to
Even though coal continues to play a adapt to fast-changing demands. The effective maintenance management
dominant role in South Africa’s power current shortfall in electricity supply environment but also to improve the
mix, the country can still leverage the not only calls for a dramatic increase in productivity of the technical teams
massive opportunity of harnessing generation capacity but presents a major carrying out the work, and Hitachi’s
renewables and distributed energy opportunity for a technology leader like Lumada APM enables this.
resources. Hitachi Energy to assist in optimising the Hitachi Energy’s e-mesh™
Hitachi Energy is advancing a national grid. digital ecosystem provides software
sustainable energy future for all. management for distributed generation
Energize spoke to Malvin Naicker, the Energize: What technologies can Hitachi at both a local and fleet level, with
managing director of Hitachi Energy,
Energy offer South Africa to help built-in maintenance management for
sub-Saharan Africa, about how the
mitigate the impact of load shedding? performance prediction at both a local
global technology leader provides
and fleet level.
customers in the utility, industry and
Malvin Naicker: Asset Performance The e-mesh portfolio offers end-
infrastructure sectors with innovative Management (APM) is key, especially to-end distributed energy solutions,
solutions and services across the as load shedding represents abnormal combining advanced analytics, software
value chain. Together with customers, operation of a power grid. Load shedding technology, and hardware systems. Our
partners, governments and other introduces more potential risk of PowerStore™ battery energy storage
key stakeholders, Hitachi Energy is equipment failure because it is difficult solutions ensure the highest penetration
pioneering technologies to enable
to continuously monitor the health of of renewables share, increase grid
the digital transformation required
assets and predict potential failures and stability, and provide reliable power
to accelerate the energy transition
reprioritise maintenance. while minimizing CO 2 emissions. The
towards a carbon-neutral future.
It is key to not only provide a more new-age automation solution, built

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