Mechanical Technology November-December 2016

⎪ Nota bene ⎪

State-of-the-art microgrid to power African Red Cross An ABB hybrid microgrid is to provide uninterrupted and cleaner power derived from renewable solar PV and diesel gensets to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in Kenya

a diverse range of applications such as remote communities, islanded electrical grids, utility grid support and research and industrial campuses. ABB has been a member of the ICRC corporate support group for the past de- cade, contributing to water and habitat programmes for victims of conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo and Iraq. ABB also helps train ICRC engineers. Microgrids are low- or medium- voltage grids located at or near the consumption sites. They can generate power from renewable and conventional sources and, although they are mainly electrical systems, they can also incorpo- rate a thermal energy component, such as combined heat and power. Microgrids are increasingly being equipped with energy storage systems, as batteries become more cost competi- tive. The system is controlled through a microgrid controller incorporating de- mand-response so that demand can be matched to available supply in the safest and most optimised manner. A flywheel or battery-based grid stabilising system can be included to offer real and reactive power support. The concept of a microgrid is not new: the earliest electricity networks were essentially microgrids before they were joined into regional and national grids. What is new is their changing and expanding role in the face of rising power demands, falling cost of renew- able sources, and the increasing need for supply resilience and autonomy – both on- and off-grid. www.abb.com

A BB technology is to power the largest logistics hub of the Inter- national Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) through a state-of-the-art microgrid, delivering reliable power for the first time in a region exposed to fre- quent outages and power quality issues. Located in the Kenyan capital, Nairobi, the global logistics centre for the ICRC employs 170 employees delivering food and other essential items such as medicines and relief supplies across the African continent. ABB will build a microgrid for the ICRC that runs on solar energy and diesel to maximise the use of renewable energy and secure the supply of reliable power. It is scheduled for completion by the middle of 2017. The agreement reflects an ICRC initiative launched in 2014 for greater technology collaboration with the private sector.

“We are delighted to partner and support the humanitarian work of the International Committee of the Red Cross,” said ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer. “Microgrids have enormous potential in Africa, where more than 600-million people live without access to electricity. Reliable access to electricity is essential to speed up economic development.” Microgrids are used to integrate distributed energy resources and loads that can be operated in a controlled, coordinated way either connected to the main power grid or to provide power in- dependently, ensuring utility-grade power quality and grid stability. “Reliable power is essential for our staff to continue their life-saving work uninterrupted in the field,” said ICRC president Peter Maurer. “In addition, the ABB microgrid solution is in line with the ICRC’s goal to use environ-

mentally friendly technolo- gies. Solutions such as this are proof that cooperation between the corporate and humanitarian sectors is not only possible, but also im- perative. We are happy and proud to count ABB as a member of our corporate support group.” ABB is a pioneer in mi- crogrid technology with a track record of more than 30 global installations that are operated commercially for

Industry diary

December 2016 Pump Guy, Larry Bachus 5-8 December 2016, Secunda Phindi Mbedzi

ABB is to provide a hybrid solar-diesel microgrid to power the Kenyan logistics hub of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).

+27 11 325 0686 phindi@2kg.co.za www.2kg.co.za Valves, John Tonkin 5-8 December 2016, Johannesburg phindi@2kg.co.za www.2kg.co.za February 2017 Energy Storage 2017 8-9 February 2017 Paris, France Mohammad Ahsan +44 203 141 0606 mahsan@acieu.net

The African Energy Indaba and NEPAD’s Renewable Initiatives NEPAD, the implementing arm of the African Union (AU), is embarking upon an exercise to accelerate the development and implemen- tation of Africa’s High Priority Renewable Energy Projects. funding these projects for further develop- ment or implementation. NEPAD senior energy advisor, Professor Mosad Elmissiry notes, “This will be the first time that country government’s will be showcasing their high priority renewable energy projects to the open market and look- ing to attract private sector participation and investment.” Through the Sustainable Energy for All Initiative (SE4ALL), NEPAD is cooperating with The Africa Energy Indaba Conference to host focused sessions where country project owners will present their selected projects to potential investors/developers and other interested stakeholders, who would consider The 2017 Africa Energy Indaba is taking place at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg from 21-23 February 2017.

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Mechanical Technology — November-December 2016