The General
Electric (GE) Power has released a Whitepaper on digitization of energy transmission
and distribution in Africa, reports ITRealms.
According to ITRealms findings, the White paper highlighted the
future of smart energy in Sub-Saharan countries, its challenges and
opportunities.
Also, it discussed role of smart technology to transform
grids and the way energy is generated, distributed, traded, managed and stored,
underscoring necessary steps to grid modernization.
GE further recommends holistic solutions to leapfrog ahead
Africa’s energy sector and showcases regional examples.
As Africa faces emerging opportunities to help deliver
efficient, affordable and reliable electricity to consumers, GE Power’s Grid
Solutions business, unveiled a whitepaper on the “Digitization of Energy Transmission
& Distribution in Africa.” The paper explores the opportunities and
challenges faced in Sub-Saharan Africa as the new future of energy and
electrification emerges.The paper also
looks at the role of smart technology to transform grids as they continue to
reflect the changes in the way energy is generated, distributed, traded,
managed and stored.
Co-authored by the Strategic Marketing unit of GE Power in
Sub-Saharan Africa and Energy & Environment Research Analysts of Frost
& Sullivan, the white paper presents several challenges that affect energy
access and power supply stability in Africa. They include inadequate power
generation but more significantly, low levels of electrification caused
primarily by faulty, aged or wrong setup of transmission and distribution
infrastructure.
With the digital transformation of the energy sector rapidly
gaining traction on a global scale, new opportunities are emerging to help
deliver efficient, affordable and reliable electricity to consumers.
According
to the whitepaper, smart grids can create the potential to combat SSA’s power
sector challenges, and provide the opportunity for the region to develop its
energy capabilities and, therefore its energy security as well as security of
supply. The digital transformation of grids allows users to take a holistic
approach to achieve efficiency, flexibility, transparency and long-term
sustainability.
• Information
Communication Technology Integration will support real-time or deferred
bi-directional data transmission that will enable stakeholders to efficiently
manage the grid through increased speed and volume of data output, providing
utilities the opportunity to maximize cost reductions, increase power
reliability and increase customer satisfaction
• Wide Area
Monitoring and Control ensures visibility into the power systems to observe the
performance of grid components allowing for major cost-saving benefits
associated with predictive maintenance and self-diagnosis.
• Smart
technology like Intelligent Electronic Devices (IEDs), Advanced metering
infrastructure and grid automation ensure seamless transition and integration
of renewable generation or micro-grids where necessary; predictive maintenance
in distributed grids to reduce outages; and effective revenue management.
“Transmission and distribution networks are seen to be the
weakest links in Africa’s power systems and hence represent a huge opportunity
area for improvement,” said Lazarus Angbazo, CEO, GE’s Grid Solutions business,
Sub Saharan Africa. “Going forward, there is a need to move beyond simply
maintaining and repairing aged infrastructure. To truly advance the power
sector, a holistic approach needs to be adopted; one that ensures
sustainability, reliability and longevity of power supply. By utilizing internet
of things (IoT) technology, the smarter grids of tomorrow will deliver
all-encompassing solutions based on the convergence of operating technology
(OT) with information technology (IT) and incorporating emerging concepts such
as distributed generation and energy storage,” he further added.
Smart grids will play a key role in the region’s transition
to a sustainable energy system through facilitating smooth integration of new
energy sources; promoting interoperability between all types of equipment;
enabling the growth of distributed generation and its potential incorporation
into the main grid; supporting demand-side management; and providing
flexibility and visibility of the entire grid. GE’s grid solutions six-step
process highlighted in the whitepaper will help utilities along the
digitization journey of their energy infrastructure.
Nenye Dom/GEE
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