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ROUND UP
Driving the future of CSP with advanced steam turbines
Having set the African record of 161 hours
for continuous operation at a load factor of
76% before an inclement weather interrup-
tion during its first month of operation, the
Bokpoort concentrated solar plant (CSP) in
the Northern Cape is a shining example of
the immense potential of CSP technology
as a renewable energy source.
Powered by a Siemens SST-700 two-
casing steam turbine generator set, the
multi-billion rand Bokpoort plant also boasts
9,3 hours of storage, thanks to molten salt
storage facilities that act as a massive
rechargeable battery. Bokpoort is among
the most efficient solar plants in the world
operating in this class of capacity and
technology.
It has a total power generating capacity of
50 MW net power output, and is equipped
with the largest thermal storage size ever
adopted for a parabolic trough plant. It is
expected to yield more than 230 GWh/year
to support the national power grid.
An estimated 89 000TW of solar energy
reaches the Earth's surface annually – over
5 000 times more than the average yearly
power consumed by humans. With most
parts of South Africa averaging more than
2 500 hours of sunshine per year, solar
technology is a very viable form of clean
renewable energy.
South Africa has emerged
as a renewable energy leader
and billions of rand is being
invested in CSP. The Solar En-
ergyTechnology Roadmap (SE-
TRM) – a joint initiative of the
Department of Energy and the
Department of Science and
Technology – estimates that
30 GWof CSP can be developed
locally by 2050.
Enquiries: Keshin Govender.
Phone: +27 11 652 2000 or email
or visit /
siemens_press
CONTROL SYSTEMS + AUTOMATION
Block I/O module
RETAutomation Controls offers a communicationmodule with
serial interfaces for its ultra compact TBEN-S Ethernet block
I/O series:TheTBEN-S2-2COM module comes with two serial
ports, which can be individually configured as RS232 or RS485
interfaces as required.Two additional slots offer four universal
digital inputs or outputs. A Modbus
RTU master is also integrated for the
RS485 interface, which can connect
up to eight Modbus devices.The new
TBEN-S2-2COM modules also sup-
port Turck's multiprotocol technology
and can therefore be run in Profinet,
Ethernet/IP or Modbus TCP networks
without any intervention required by the user.The slim 32 mm
2COMmodules particularly simplify applications requiring the
connection of digital signals in restricted spaces next to devices
with serial interfaces.Thanks to its IP67 protection, themodules
can be mounted directly in the machine and thus reduce the
wiring effort required. All parameters of the serial interfaces,
such as start-stop bits, parity or baud rate are set simply via
GSDML or a parameter software such as Pactware.The power
supply of the serial field devices can be set between 5 and 24V.
Other technology modules for SSI and other interfaces will
follow as part of the expansion of theTBEN-S series.
Enquiries: BrandonTopham.
Email