Eskom’s losses, tariffs back in the spotlight
Creamer Media’s Chanel de Bruyn speaks to Creamer Media Editor Terence Creamer about power utility Eskom’s unsustainable debt position and financial loss and the tariff increases it is seeking.
Author Archive for: Engineering News
Entries by
Bearing isolators faring well in bearings sector
Bearings distributor BMG tells Engineering News that its Garlock Klozure and Guardian Bearing Isolators have fared notably well subsequent to being introduction to the BMG range of isolators. A bearing isolator is an advanced sealing solution that is used to protect bearings on rotating equipment in harsh environments, such as pumps, gearboxes, electric motors, split pillow blocks, and even steam turbines.
International award boosts local energy efficiency project
The South African Industrial Energy Efficiency (IEE) project, led by local energy organisation the National Cleaner Production Centre South Africa (NCPC-SA), has won the International Energy Project of the Year. The IEE project was one of 26 project applications, and the award was presented by the Global Association of Energy Engineers during a virtual award ceremony held last month.
Flowmeters can reduce wasted energy
Specialised importer and distributor of industrial and electronic products Actum Group offers a range of energy efficient products to service a variety of industrial and electric applications. “In our energy efficiency range, we have world-leading brands that can help customers run not only a more efficient, but also a safer, operation,” states Actum Group director Greg Barron.
Cooling equipment to increase energy efficiency of data centres
There is a significant push to provide energy efficient technologies for data centre applications to reduce their carbon footprint and reduce energy costs. Consequently, data centres can save significantly in terms of energy and associated costs by ensuring their cooling solutions are designed correctly with reputable internationally recognised brands, says power solutions provider Master Power Technologies (MPT) sales and marketing manager Rory Reid.
Company releases efficient lighting range
Lighting technology manufacturer BEKA Schréder last month announced the launch of the ECOBAY, a light-emitting-diode (LED) lighting range with a high return on investment. According to BEKA Schréder, ECOBAY is the ideal luminaire for lighting industrial facilities at optimised light levels, and delivers the best solution for lowbay and highbay applications.
Noticeable growth in smart home market
There has been noteworthy growth in the local smart home and building automation market in the past three years, owing to the growing demand for energy efficiency, says automation solutions provider ElectroMechanica (EM) product manager Ryan Whitelaw. EM has focused on expanding its product offering and supplying products and solutions to these growing markets to meet the demand for increased energy efficiency.
Pandemic prompts local focus on energy efficiency
Owing to Covid-19, the South African National Energy Development Institute (Sanedi) has witnessed an increase in the number of new applications from companies for the Section 12L Energy Efficiency tax incentive. “With companies aiming to be competitive under the pandemic and remain in business, they are left with little choice but to improve operations and become more energy efficient,” says Sanedi GM Barry Bredenkamp.
Shift in strategy to maximise offering
Bearings manufacturer and distributor SKF held a virtual webinar last month to discuss the company’s three-pronged strategy shift to better meet client requirements. “The strategy has encouraged every part of the company to rethink the way it works, especially SKF’s core research and development (R&D) functions,” said SKF chief technology officer and innovation and business development president Dr Victoria van Camp during the webinar.
Eskom says it needs R23bn more from tariffs in 2021 to remain a going concern
State-owned electricity utility Eskom argued on Thursday that it required additional revenue of R23-billion for the upcoming financial year to remain a going concern and told the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) that further tariff increases, beyond the 5.22% already approved for next year, were required to enable it to migrate to financial sustainability. Nersa is currently hosting public hearings as part of its deliberations on how to implement a regulatory clearing account (RCA) balance that had already been approved, as well as how it should respond to supplementary applications by Eskom arising from two recent adverse court rulings.
