THE South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE) will host a Smart Grid Conference at the Eskom Academy of Learning in Midrand from 23 to 25 February to address the technology and business aspects of smart grids.
The conference will provide a platform for industry to discuss cutting edge innovations in smart grid technology including addressing how the current electricity network can be converted into a smart grid. An impressive list of international and local experts will be speaking and participating in discussion at the conference. These include:
• Professor Massoud Amin currently director of the Technological Leadership Institute at the University of Minnesota and considered to be the ‘father of smart grids’.
• Professor Qing-Guo Wang currently a full professor in the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering at the University of Singapore and in 2016 will be a visiting professor in the School of Electrical Engineering at the University of Johannesburg.
• Kurt E. Yeager currently vice-chairman of the Galvin Electricity Initiative, a non-profit organisation focused on transforming the reliability and value of the USA’s electricity services.
• Lee Stogner, currently president of the Vincula Group and a specialist in the Internet of Things.
Smart grids provide a real-time, dynamic and focused balance between demand and supply. Adding a communications layer to the electric power system creates smart grids. This allows the consumption of electricity to change from a one-way transaction (generator to consumer) to a bi-directional transaction where the consumer can communicate with the system and plan consumption based on price and/or availability. In addition, the utility can communicate with the consumer, and the consumer can respond to requests from the utility, for example to limit load in the event of shortage to alleviate the need for load shedding.
It is strongly believed that the adoption of smart grid technology will provide immense benefit to South Africa and Sub Saharan Africa, considering the severe shortage of generating capacity being experienced at present in this region.
For further details on the conference and to register online go to www.saiee.org.za
Enquiries: +27 11 487 3003
