Housing in Southern Africa August 2015

Energy Efficiency, Green Building & IBTs

Power solutions T his appeal will, of necessity, result in companies seeking alternative power sources to accommodate the energy require- ments shortfall. However, Craig Bouwer, Zest WEG Group’s Generator Set Division says that there is an apparent lack of understanding of the many issues surrounding standby power. “Com- panies are generally unaware of how to assess the standby power requirements of a facility or building. By implication, this suggests that companies are also often unaware of what the optimal solution for a given application should be.” A standby power solution is an important capex decision that needs to be considered carefully in terms of the company’s overall requirements. Moreover, the supplier needs to have the necessary technical expertise and relevant experience to offer a custom- ised solution. A key consideration for a standby power solution is to under- stand the environment in which the generator set has to function. Original equipment manufacturer Zest WEG Group’s Generator Set Divi- sion has a dedicated facility in Cape Town and offers generator sets rang- ing from 20 kVA units up to 250 kVA off-the-shelf products, 300 kVA to 2 000 kVA individual customised units as well as multiple sets to achieve

The current power constraints facing South Africa and Africa have resulted in companies being requested to cut their power consumption by at least 10% in order to alleviate the pressure on the overburdened transmission and distribution infrastructure.

says Bouwer. Another area where Zest WEG Group’s Generator Set Divi- sion’s experience comes to the fore is its knowledge of local regulations pertaining to different metropolitan areas. Regulations also differ with re- gard to the particulate levels of diesel fuel storage and sound decibel levels related to noise attenuation. All equipment supplied by Zest WEG Group’s Generator Set Division is standard with a 12 month war- ranty. The Group has a dedicated service department, which offers basic maintenance contracts that include measures such as replacing the generator sets’ oil and filters. Extended or long term maintenance contracts are also offered. Bouwer cautions that, whilemain- tenance is critical, companies should take ownership of their generator sets. “We propose to mitigate risk and that a dedicated member of the customer’s staff be trained through our manufacture, test, installation and commissioning process. This enables the customer to be more self-sufficient and compliments all aspects of aftermarket support.” Flexibility in approach to design and engineering will ensure that the installation is geared towards minimising the capital cost and run- ning expenses, whilst optimising en- ergy output for an uninterrupted and reliable power supply. ■

turnkey solutions in excess of 12 MVA for large-scale applications or proj- ects. “The type of load and the total power drawn should bemeasured by a qualified team from the generator supplier prior to recommending a particular diesel generator set. Fol- lowing this, accurate load calcula- tions canbe carriedout and a suitable systemrecommended. We look at the entire electrical infrastructure and not just the generator set itself. In this way we are able to recommend the power rating of the generator set,”

August 2015