Sy Gourrah, Senior General Manager of Smart Technologies at ACTOM says the adoption of Internet of Things (IoT) and artificial intelligence (AI) technologies is driving a profound transformation in South Africa’s electro-mechanical equipment sector. This is giving rise to smart grids and the optimisation of energy generation, distribution, and consumption. Central to this digital transformation is the demand for intelligent equipment capable of remote monitoring and control and enabling unprecedented efficiency and resilience.
Gourrah says the uptake of digital transformation in the industrial sector has been rapid, with leading equipment manufacturers realising the importance of giving their equipment a ‘voice’ through IoT. As a result, this sector is seeing significant development towards becoming smart by leveraging real-time data for condition monitoring. This is key to enhancing the performance and efficiency of equipment and enabling remote monitoring that benefits both the manufacturers and clients, as downtime can be prevented by tracking the health and other parameters of components and infrastructure.
Smart grids
Smart grids that leverage AI and IoT can bring numerous advantages to the country’s power system as they allow for the monitoring of the electrical system in its totality. Power losses can be determined, as can the best sources of generation at any given time and actual power consumption, as data is logged in real time. Additionally, AI enables the generation of algorithms to optimise consumption, monitor production or generation and track theft, vandalism, and losses in the system. Smart grids can progressively improve system performance, determining energy usage, monitoring transmission, and enabling condition monitoring of equipment, among other things
However, in the digital transformation of the local electro-mechanical equipment sector, it must still ensure inclusivity and accessibility while embracing smart grids. Gourrah highlights that as well as meeting the demands of digital transformation through the use of IoT devices and AI, there is huge potential in South Africa to equip people with the skills to deploy these new technologies, manufacture IoT devices, develop AI and program and code the solutions for AI. Moreover, the country needs to move with the times and introduce these emerging technologies as part of school curricula, she says.
She also notes that to ensure inclusivity and accessibility in adopting smart grid technologies across South Africa, the industry would have to overcome several challenges. These include resistance to change, the fear of losing jobs, South Africa’s current regulatory framework and potential pushback from labour unions. Additionally, Eskom could prove to be a hurdle as it currently has a controlling stake in generation and the transmission grid with still relatively limited competition in those sectors.
Economic and environmental benefits
Transitioning to smart grids in South Africa could yield numerous significant economic and environmental benefits. This is largely due to smart grids’ capacity to enable increased energy efficiencies, reduced carbon emissions, greater grid reliability and reduced peak demand. Smart grids can also contribute to lowering the costs of operational, maintenance and management resources – all of which would serve to bring down energy costs and usage.
Additionally, smart grids can contribute to enhancing energy efficiency and resilience in the face of evolving energy demands and climate change, as they monitor real-time data, which means they can enhance real-time interaction and interconnectivity between energy producers and energy consumers. Energy usage can be optimised through improved automation and remote switching. Smart grids can also monitor temperature, humidity, water content, illuminance and assist with the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants. Thus, they could enable significant positive steps to combat climate change and improve energy efficiency.
Leading equipment manufacturers like ACTOM are recognising the importance of developing intelligent solutions and the company has already started adding condition monitoring capabilities to its equipment, as well as implementing digital substations.
Globally, the shift to smart grids is inevitable and moving fast, Gourrah says. As a country, South Africa needs to keep pace and begin the transition to smart grids. Digital transformation, which includes intelligent IoT devices and smart grids, has the potential to ensure visibility and achieve greater efficiencies in our power management systems.
For more information visit: www.actom.co.za
