Electricity and Control July 2020

DRIVES, MOTORS + SWITCHGEAR

spoke E-houses, as required for such specialised equip- ment, before onward delivery to the mining site in the DRC. Spohr notes that this first remote witnessed FAT con- ducted for a Zest WEG customer is likely to influence the way these tests are done in future. “Now that we have done it this way, of course, we wonder why we have not done this before. We have shown that the testing can be done to the required standards, with significant savings in time and cost,” he says. “While, for this project, the VSDs were manufactured by WEG in Brazil, the same FAT procedure can just as easily be applied for equipment manufactured by Zest WEG locally, for our customers in South Africa and across the African continent. “For example, if we are manufacturing a power trans- former at one of our South African manufacturing opera- tions for a customer in Cameroon, there is every reason to conduct the FAT remotely, to be witnessed and signed off accordingly.” Recognising that remote testing does require a level of trust between customer and supplier, Spohr says that while this is something that develops over time, it would be implicit anyway in the signing of a supply contract. “With remote testing, FAT test certificates are provided to the customer as they would be traditionally, and at Zest WEG we have longstanding relationships with many of our customers. These are reinforced by our commitment to supporting all equipment we supply through its full operational lifecycle.” MV and HV equipment Looking at the supply of MV and HV equipment more broadly, Spohr highlights that from the beginning of 2019, Zest WEG established a team focused specifically on supplying HV equipment to targeted market sectors in South Africa and across Africa. “Although the company has long been recognised for its supply of low voltage motors and equipment, MV machines have always been part of the portfolio. With the addition of local manufacturing facilities for transformers, E-houses and panels and new developments in MV motors and drives by WEG, the company decided to increase its focus and dedicate a team to these products,” says Spohr. “We are working across the same range of industry sectors where we have always been active – now focused on HV equipment.” The team comprises specialists in sectors such as mining and industrial, oil and gas and public enterprises – encompassing projects in power generation and infrastructure, water supply and wastewater treatment, and ports and pipelines. He notes that there are a lot of African and international engineering companies active on the continent and the drive to accelerate Africa’s growth and development sees a substantial and growing demand for high voltage equipment. The development of liquefied natural gas

At a glance ■ To keep this project on schedule, Zest WEG arranged for the final factory acceptance test on four VSDs to be witnessed remotely. ■ This is likely to influence the way these tests are done in future. ■ Well known for its LV motors and equipment, Zest WEG also supplies MV machines and has a team focused on supplying HV equipment to key industry and infrastructure sectors in South Africa and across Africa.

A view of the testing facilities at WEG Brazil.

supplies stemming from the finds in Mozambique, for example, present significant opportunities for South African and African based equipment manufacturers. These new gas fields are attracting interest from big global players such as Total, ExxonMobil and Sasol as well as international investment where finance institutions may stipulate localised content requirements. “At home we are all well aware of South Africa’s need for civil infrastructure development – and the public sector is opening up opportunities for locally manufactured equipment. Sometimes slowly,” Spohr agrees, “but, because the need is so great, the opportunities can only grow.” The need for a more

stable electricity supply and the increased generation capacity outlined in the IRP 2019, for example, indicate a growing demand for HV equipment. Zest WEG is well placed to meet such requirements. “We have already landed

some significant MV and HV contracts at home and in oth- er African countries. This is a strong growth focus for the company.” □

A WEG MVW01 variable speed drive.

For more information visit: www.zestweg.com

Electricity + Control JULY 2020

13