South Africa Contact Issue 2.2012

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    The customer magazineo ABB in India,

    Middle East & Arica

    2|12

    contact

    Motor racing goes green 06The International Solar Challenge promotes alternative energy innovationTransforming energy systems 17Saudi Arabia enters a new solar eraSpurring Africas growth 24Custom-made solar solutions or a continent on the move

    Generating power rom the sun

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    Motor racing goes green

    The International Solar Challenge promotes

    alternative energy innovation06 10Shining a light on EURO 2012

    Centralized intelligent lighting or large spaces

    Contact 2| 12Customer news magazine from ABBcopyright 2012web:www.abb.comemail:[email protected]:ABB GroupLayout:Shilahar Associates, Bangalore, IndiaCover picture: De Nittis PV plant, Foggia Puglia, Italy

    Carlos Pone

    CEO, South Africa

    Sub-Regional Manager, Southern

    Africa

    contact2 |12

    Dear riends,

    Blessed with an abundance o sunshine,

    much o the Arican continent receives

    up to 325 days o sunlight a year. The

    potential is enormousharnessing solar

    rom just 0.3 percent o North Arica

    could meet all o the energy requirements

    o the European Union.

    With the demand or electricity growing

    exponentially in developing countries,

    renewable energy is starting to assumea crucial role, especially as even

    mature economies are switching to

    energy-eicient technologies that lower

    environmental impact.

    As a clean, unlimited and sae energy

    source, solar has assumed a key

    role, as unlike its energy producing oil

    counterpart, solar creates absolutely

    no pollution. This could possibly be

    one o solar energys most important

    advantages.

    ABB has extensive experience in the solar

    power industry since the early 1990s

    when we developed an automation

    platorm or the worlds irst test acility

    or concentrating solar power. Since then

    we have contributed signiicantly to solar

    power developments in Arica, Asia,

    Europe and America.

    We have optimized our technology to

    generate approximately 15 percent more

    energy than conventional alternatives.

    In this issue o Contact we ocus on solar

    technologies that will unlock the potential

    in solar energy developments around the

    globe. I trust that you will ind this an

    engaging and inormative read.

    Best regards,

    Carlos Pone

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    Local news04 Enabling substation communication

    Seamless controls or complex supply

    networks

    07 Spotlight falls on solar desalination

    Innovative, energy-efcient technology or

    potable water

    Global news08 Energy storage why do we need it?

    Delivering reliable power on demand

    Feature12 Harnessing Italys solar power potential

    Delivering 14 PV power plants in Italy

    In ocus15 Lethabo plant goes on stream

    Complementing uel generation with solar

    energy or higher output

    16 Going green with hybrid power plants

    Complementing uel generation with solar

    energy or higher output

    17 Transforming energy systems

    Saudi Arabia enters a new solar era

    18 Powering one of Indias largest solar plants

    40 MW grid-connected solar power plant

    commissioned in fve months

    Events20 Increasing energy efficiency in hotels21 Managing a precious resource

    For a better world23 Leading through innovation

    Highly efcient CSP power plants

    Glimpses o ABB24 Spurring Africas growth

    Custom-made solar solutions or a continent

    on the move

    19 Clean power from MozambiqueSongo-Apollo HVDC link to transmit 2 gigawatts power rom thehydro plant on the Zambezi river to neighboring South Arica

    22Solar integration and

    export

    Dedicated solutions

    or grid integration and

    commercialization o

    solar power

    Table o contents

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    Digital control systems now orm an

    integral part o modern substations and

    or these systems to operate seamlessly

    standard communication protocols are vital

    as they connect the constituent parts o

    the substation. Substation communication

    protocols carry numerical data which isexchanged between the control center

    and the various substations connected

    to it. This achieves real time network

    representation and acilitates remote

    control o switching devices. This is how

    substation automation provides the utilities

    the necessary tools to meet their objectives.

    Fully digital automation systems use RTUs,

    bay computers, gateways and numerical

    relays, all communicating over standard

    protocols such as IEC 60850-101.

    However, the true triumph o technologylies in its region-speciic application and

    success. Nowhere was this more apparent

    than in the challenge that our Power

    Systems division aced in Egypt, when

    installing substations that had to interace

    with Arevas supervisory control and data

    (SCADA) system.

    It took the engineering team, led by

    Khaled Abdallah and Medhat Yassin and

    ably supported by Benn Doer and his

    technical team rom Germany, 20 months

    o hard work to create a solution thatsuccessully linked the 500/200 kilovolts

    (kv) transormer substations via our RTU

    560 products in the National Egyptian

    Control Center. The team successully

    installed ABB products with the Areva

    SCADA work station via IEC 60850-101 set

    o standards that allows or interoperability

    between products rom dierent vendors.

    Just one month prior to this, the same

    solution was implemented at the Alexandria

    Regional Control Center, in which ourRTU 560 products connected the 66 kV

    transormer substations with Siemens

    SCADA, using the IEC 60870-101 special

    proile protocol. This greatly improved our

    chances to participate in the Alex RCC

    upgrading tender.

    Among the ar-reaching eects o this

    achievement, our Power Systems standing

    in the region will be strengthened, and

    this will relect in an increase in market

    share, giving us a real chance to participate

    in orthcoming telecommunication andnetwork projects like the Upper Egypt

    RCC LOT 1 and 2 projects.

    For more information:

    www.abb.com/controlsystems

    Local news

    At the KNX Top Event 2012 held at

    the Light and Building Fair in Frankurt,

    Germany, ABB in Egypt, previously

    nominated in 2006 and 2010, was

    nominated or the Family Park project in

    New Cairo City, together with Egyptian

    Company or Intelligent Building a

    certiied system integrator. We emerged

    one o the top ive winners.

    The KNX Award honors some o the

    world's most outstanding projects or homeand building services technology. Our

    project was singled out rom the 15,000

    projects submitted and the 40 nominated.

    On receiving the award, Tamer Hamdy,

    Manager or KNX smart building systems

    and wiring accessories, ABB in Egypt, said,

    KNX is an energy-eicient solution or

    modern buildings. It is no more a luxury,

    now it is a necessity in the construction

    sector to ulil energy saving regulations.

    ABB is very proud to contr ibute to a better

    uture with innovative solutions.The Family Park project eatures ully

    automated lighting, dimming, visualization

    monitoring, and control systems. KNX

    solutions cover a landscape o 160,000

    square meters eaturing all lighting control

    circuits, dimming circuits in some areas,

    dierent operation scenarios such as

    central monitoring, current detection per

    circuit and touch screens or local control in

    some areas. In all, 4,500 meters o control

    cables were installed to link all control

    KNX solution is awinner10 percent saving atFamily Park projectin Egypt

    Enabling substation communicationSeamless controls or complex supplynetworks

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    Local news

    panels, monitoring status o operation or

    all motors, irrigation pumps and valves in

    the park. According to our calculations,

    the end customer can achieve an average

    saving o 10 percent in power consumptionthrough the technology.

    Based on the proven KNX technology,

    accepted as the worlds irst open

    standard, ABBs i-bus KNX supports

    building system engineering with intelligent

    and networked room and building controls

    or lighting, shade, heating, ventilation and

    air conditioning and allows lexibility with

    planning and implementation.

    Over the last 13 years our company has

    executed around 240 similar projects in

    Egypt and more in Tunisia, Algeria, Kenyaand Syria. In Egypt, some o our projects

    include integrated solutions or the Nile

    City Towers and Laarge headquarters;

    lighting controls and room management

    systems in the hotel sector in Cairo and

    Alexandria; in addition to so lutions or the

    commercial and banking sectors.

    ABB in Egypt establ ished the i rs t

    certiied KNX training center in Arica in

    2009, oering the best KNX solutions or

    energy saving in buildings, and providing

    improved energy eiciency solutions orbuildings and green cities, thus supporting

    the main network in saving energy and

    covering multiple areas.

    For more information: www.abb.com/knx

    Lighting up Cairo Festival CityStable, reliable power systems

    Cairo Festival City is a liestyle concept

    where oice, home and leisure are united

    in a new mixed-use urban development.

    Situated in the metropolitan Greater Cairo

    area, it will attract an estimated ootall o

    750,000 per week and provide employment

    or over 5,000 people.The turnkey 100 megavolt ampere

    substation that will power the development

    was completed by ABB in Egypt or Carillion

    Construction Limited. The air-insulated

    switchgear (AIS) substation ensures reliable

    power supply to Al-Futtaim Group Real

    Estates mega project spanning three million

    square meters, and connects it to the

    national distribution grid.

    Key products supplied included power

    transormers, air-insulated switchgear,

    neutral point earthing equipment, andauxiliary systems and cables. We also

    supplied IEC 61850 substation automation,

    control, protection and metering systems,

    including equipment to enable remote

    monitoring and control. In addition, our

    building management system (BMS)

    solution simpliies monitoring and control o

    all substation buildings, including heating,

    ventilation and air-conditioning (HVAC)

    systems.

    The substat ions are equipped with

    capacitor banks, to reduce electricitylosses and enhance stability by improving

    the network's power actor, which is an

    indicator o the usable power available in

    the grid.

    Our comprehensive oering, domain

    knowledge and track record have helped

    us establish ABB as a leading player in the

    Egyptian market, adds Magdy Mahmoud,

    manager o Substations business in Egypt.

    We are proud to contribute to this mega

    project.On completion, Cairo Festival City will

    accommodate around 13,000 residents,

    rom the large luxury Oriana villas to

    spectacular apartments, oering a range

    o liestyles or amilies, single persons and

    working proessionals.

    For more information: www.abb.com/substations

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    Local news

    A

    t the internationally acclaimed

    Solar Challenge that took place in

    South Arica in September 2012,

    ABB sponsored two alternative

    energy race cars. The cars, designed,manuactured and raced by students

    rom the University o Johannesburg (UJ)

    competed in the 5,400 kilometer rally

    around the country.

    The unique concept o cars ueled

    by renewables was the basis or UJs

    Alternative Energy Vehicle project, which

    began in 2010. Our Control Technologies

    business took a keen interest in the

    progress o the project, and has since

    sponsored equipment to upgrade the race

    cars in a distinctively competiti ve manner.Each car was equipped with a Freelance

    Control System as well as a Compact 800

    system. Our state-o-the-art technology

    allowed the cars to maximize the energy

    used, while optimizing their eiciency,

    range and speed.

    The two-week countrywide endurance

    challenge took place in September and

    university students rom around the globe

    traversed some o the most arduous

    terrain South Arica has to oer. This

    was a groundbreaking eort that broughttogether students, academics and industry

    proessionals to develop and promote

    alternative energy innovation.

    As the irst South Arican team to

    participate in this challenge, each team o

    UJ students participates in the project over

    a three-year period rom undergraduate

    to postgraduate level. This encourages

    knowledge transer and peer monitoring.Two dedicated teams o 24 undergraduates

    and our Masters students who provide

    mentoring, worked on the cars.

    Although the vehicles looked aesthetically

    similar, they were each charged by dierent

    power plants. The hydrogen vehicle used

    a hydrogen uel cell to charge the batteries

    and drive the electric motor. A hydrogen

    uel cell takes hydrogen and oxygen

    and produces electricity in a chemical

    reaction. The by-product released during

    the chemical reaction is water, which makesthe hydrogen uel cell an ideal candidate

    to promote clean energy.

    On the other hand, the turbine vehicle

    used an electric generator mechanically

    coupled to a gas turbine in order to charge

    the batteries and drive the electric motor. A

    single turbine and a turbo-prop converted

    the thrust generated into rotational motion

    at revolutions per minute (RPM). The

    rotational motion produced by the turbine

    was used to drive the electric generator.

    The turbine operated on kerosene-typejet uel, but can also operate on methane

    and other bio-uels. Both vehicles had a

    iberglass shell, devised by industrial design

    students, which served as protection or

    University of Johannesburg's solar-powered race car

    the various systems onboard the vehicle.

    Going green is great or the environment

    as alternative energy is a better solution.

    However, i we dont manage the way we

    store and use alternative energy we arebeing just as wasteul, said Keagan Smith,

    one o UJs Alternative Energy Vehicle

    project engineers, ABBs technology allows

    or the eicient use o our energy sources.

    The innovative solutions that are

    developed through the education and

    awareness obtained during the race indicate

    that individuals, utilities and goverments are

    trying to ind alternative ways to provide

    energy. Even though the race is called the

    Solar Challenge, the aim is to showcase

    dierent alternative energy solutions tocombat declining petroleum supply and

    cater to the increasing demand or energy.

    For more information: www.abb.com/solar

    Motor racing goes greenThe International Solar Challenge provides a common platorm or academics,racing enthusiasts and industry proessionals to develop and promote alternativeenergy cars

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    Local news

    At present, countries in the

    Middle East ace a major

    water challenge due to the

    scarcity and rapid depletion

    o reshwater resources. This is urther

    complicated by the heavy inancial and

    economic burden in providing desalinated

    and treated wastewater. ABBs innovative

    energy-eicient technology or the water

    industry evoked a lively discussion at theevent, among researchers, executives,

    decision and policy makers, and other

    stakeholders.

    Discussions at the 10th Gul Water

    Conerence in Doha, Qatar, covered

    water security and ood sustainability,

    management o natural resources,

    groundwater and surace water,

    management o the municipal water

    sector and desalination technologies

    the topic we ocused on.

    Solar desalination is a techniqueused to desalinate water using solar

    energy. High drinkable water scarcity

    zones usually correspond to high Direct

    Normal Irradiance (DNI) areas such as

    the Middle East. ABB oers products or

    the complete water cycle rom collection,

    through puriication and transportation

    to distribution and re-use, serving

    customers with enhanced, eicient and

    reliable products and solutions.

    Focus on energy efficiencyDesalination plants play an essential

    role where increasing demand or

    potable water outpaces the availability o

    natural resources. Our portolio includes

    a wide range o products and solutions

    or Reverse Osmosis (RO), Multi-Stage

    Flash (MSF), Multiple-Eect Distillation

    (MED) and hybrid desalination plants,

    with a speciic ocus on energy eiciency.

    Juha Alopaeus, Country Manager,

    ABB in Qatar, attended various sessions

    at the conerence during the three days.He said: The event oered a useul

    platorm to discuss ABBs technology

    geared towards the water industry. Solar

    desalination oers the most promising

    Leading innovation in solar desalination technology

    option or use o solar energy and

    ABB has a strong ocus towards solar

    desalination plant opportunities which

    are o particular importance to this

    region.

    At the conerence, a white paper

    on Solar Desalination: Important

    Technology Aspects, was presented by

    Shrikant Bhat, Control and Optimization

    Group, Research Department, andSenthilmurugan S, rom Water Industry

    Sector Initiative.

    In addition, we hosted a networking

    booth to discuss and present solutions,

    systems and products or the water

    industry with speciic ocus on

    desalination, solar, pumping stations,

    water distribution and irrigation networks.

    For more information: www.abb.com/solar

    Spotlight alls on solardesalinationInnovative, energy-eicient technology addresses the challenge o providing resh

    drinking water in water-scarcity zones

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    Energy storage why do we need it?

    Its not that energy storage is a whole new

    concept, it has, in act, been an integralcomponent o electricity generation,

    transmission and distribution systems or

    more than a century. Traditionally, energy

    storage needs have been met by physically

    storing uels or ossil-uelled power plants,

    and by using generated power in pumped

    hydro storage schemes.

    Recently however, there has been a

    shit in the power landscape towards using

    and integrating renewable energy, mostly

    wind and solar energy. Although renewable

    power generation is more sustainable inthe long run, the delivery o reliable power

    on demand remains a major challenge.

    Wind and solar power installations

    are aected by seasonal and diurnal

    changes and can only generate power

    intermittently and with a highly variableoutput. This is where energy storage plays

    a crucial part in supporting the grid

    when the wind is blowing or the sun is

    shining, excess power should be stored

    and made available during both, suboptimal

    generating conditions and during peak

    demand.

    Such undamental changes in the

    architecture and controllability o the grid

    must be supported by smart, eicient power

    transmission and distribution networks. For

    these networks to deliver and distributepower eiciently, the storage o energy at

    appropriate times and locations becomes

    vital; both, to balance generation with

    consumption, and to maintain grid stability.

    Delivery o power on demand depends on reliable energy storesto provide power bridges that support short-term gaps, saeshutdown and back-up needs

    Global news

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    The right energy storage solution for

    the job

    ABB has a long history o deliveringenergy storage solutions, including pumped

    hydropower schemes that go back over a

    century and more than a decades experience

    in battery energy storage systems.

    Our technologies address a wide range o

    power needs rom merely tens o kilowatts

    up to hundreds o megawatts, thus, utilities,

    industrial customers and rail operators

    around the world continue to deploy these

    technologies. These acilities help balance

    power demands and supplies, by stabilizing

    network voltages and requencies, providingpower bridges to support short-term gaps,

    and sae shutdown and back-up needs.

    Eventually, our solutions are designed to

    enhance fexibility, increase energy securities

    and minimize environmental impacts.

    Examples o our recent installations

    worldwide include Switzerland, Sweden

    and the UK.

    Switzerlands largest battery energy

    storage project

    ABB recently commissioned the largestbattery energy storage project o its

    kind in Switzerland with EKZ, a leading

    distribution utility and one o the largest

    energy companies in Switzerland.

    To provide additiona l power to the grid

    on demand, we supplied and installed

    a battery energy storage solution usingLithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries that can

    provide one megawatt o power or a

    duration o 15 minutes.

    The storage acility is integrated with

    EKZs power distribution network and is

    being used to evaluate perormance in

    key areas such as balancing peak loads,

    intermittent power supply and the viability

    o the solution or grid optimization.

    Battery energy storage increases the

    role of renewables in SwedenFalbygdens Energi is a Swedish utility

    with a signiicant portion o wind power

    connected to the grid in the Swedish city

    o Falkping.

    ABB was selected to supply an

    innovative dynamic energy storage solution,

    or the utilitys power distribution network,

    to maximize the integration o renewables

    into the power chain. For this project, we

    utilized our battery energy storage expertise

    to store locally produced energy rom wind

    turbines to create a storage capacity o75 kilowatts (kW) in cycles o up to 60

    minutes. The stored energy will then be

    used to stabilize the grid and help balance

    peak loads during the day.

    Dynamic energy storage installation

    in the UK

    ABB recently worked with UK PowerNetworks, which supplies power to over

    eight million homes and businesses in

    the UK, to develop a dynamic energy

    storage solution. The installation enables

    renewable energy generated by local wind

    power plants to be ed into the power

    network when needed. It also ensures that

    some o the energy is kept in reserve to

    regulate power low to compensate or the

    intermittence o wind power and to support

    power quality in the event o a ault.

    To meet these needs, we implemented aturnkey DynaPeaQ solution, incorporating

    SVC Light, which included eight stacks

    o 13 Li-ion battery modules located in an

    11 kV grid.

    Together, these high-power density

    modules can store up to 200 kilowatt hours

    (kWh) o electrical energy.

    The installation provides dynamic voltage

    control in the distribution system and, at

    the same time, enables dynamic storage

    o surplus energy rom the wind power

    plant. This surplus energy is used to levelout peaks in grid loading to provide grid

    stability.

    For more information:

    www.abb.com/energyefficiency

    Global news

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    Shininga light on

    EURO 201260,000 ootball ans enjoyed ideal lightingconditions throughout the Group matchesand during the knockout stages withcentralized, intelligent lighting controls orlarge spaces

    As the 14th UEFA European

    Football Championship EURO2012, kicked o, all eyes were

    on Poland, one o the hosts o

    the event, where 16 teams were battling

    it out or the coveted trophy.

    On June 9, 2012, 30,000 ootball ans

    gathered beneath the lights controlled

    by ABBs i-bus KNX technology at the

    Arena Lviv stadium in the Ukraine while

    watching Germany play Portugal at Arena

    Lviv, a dedicated ootball stadium and one

    o eight around the world to host UEFAs

    Euro 2012.Although the stadium was reputed to

    be the smallest venue, rather than its size

    counting against it, proved to be an added

    attraction or ootball ans or an up close

    look at the action on the pitch. During the

    three Group B matches, in the evenings,ans and players alike, depended on optimal

    lighting throughout the stadium, creating

    bright moments o the ield. Our control

    system ensured that no one had to sit or

    play in the dark. It provided centralized

    control o lighting systems and, through its

    intelligent sotware provided energy-eicient

    lighting by optimizing the brightness o the

    stadium to suit the natural light conditions.

    On June 11, Sweden played Ukraine

    in the irst o the tournament matches

    at the Stadium, in Kiev. At this stadium60,000 ootball ans enjoyed ideal lighting

    conditions throughout the groups matches

    and during the knockout stages.

    One hundred i-bus KNX DALI gateways

    connected the lighting systems in the

    stadium rom the locker rooms to theVIP lounge and the KNX-based building

    control system helped rapidly control the

    brightness and light so that the ans got

    the best ootball experience.

    Many English and French ootball ans

    had already experienced optimal lighting

    at the airport o Donetsk, Ukraine, where

    our modern building system technologies

    controlled the lights, and guided ootball

    ans towards their group matches.

    ABB has been part o such big events in

    stadiums similar to those used in the EuroCup on earlier occasions, like the 2010

    World Cup. At this event we supplied dry-

    type transormers which served the Green

    Point stadium in Cape Town, which has

    Global news

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    Our technologies make us partners in major sports stadiums around the world

    a retractable roo and a seating capacity

    o 68,000. Similar transormers in the 500to 1000 kVA range have been installed

    in the Soccer City stadium, located in

    Soweto, Johannesburg. This stadium, with

    a seating capacity o around 100,000, was

    the ocal point o the tournament and was

    chosen as the venue or the opening and

    closing ceremonies and key matches o

    the tournament.

    For more information: www.abb.com/knx

    Maximum lexibility

    Oers saety and security or both people and property

    Energysaving with climate, shutter, heating and lighting control

    Quick and simple adaptation to individual needs and use o premises, such

    as sports stadiums

    Replaces separate control solutions typical o technology with a single,

    optimal, energyeicient system

    KNX: One system. One standard.Many interconnected unctions.

    Global news

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    Photovaltaic panelsDeNittis PV plant, Foggia Puglia, Italy

    Feature

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    Successul delivery o 14 photovoltaic power plants in Italy with

    a combined generating capacity o 100 MW in just 9 months

    Harnessing

    Italys solarpower potential

    2011 was a year o intense activity in

    the solar photovoltaic (PV) market.

    With new installations adding 29

    gigawatts (GW) o solar energy

    across the globe, the solar PV market

    marked a tremendous 58 percent year-on-

    year growth. Italy came to the oreront as

    the single largest solar market, or the irsttime overtaking Germany, the world leader

    in PV. As the engineering, procurement and

    construction (EPC) partner o 14 PV plants,

    ABB was ready to step up to the challenge

    when the window o opportunity appeared.

    We are proud o having taken part in this

    deining moment in Italys solar power

    industry especially as this is a success

    we can replicate elsewhere in the world.

    The challenge

    Setting up the 24 megawatt (MW)Canino PV power plant in Lazio was a test

    o our mettle in end-to-end project delivery.

    There were many layers o complexity in the

    execution o the project: hilly terrain, poor

    Turnkey solution design, engi-

    neering, supply, installation and

    commissioning Quick turnaround qualiies our

    customers or high eed-in tari

    Trusted engineering, procurement

    and construction (EPC) consortium

    partner

    Best-in-class substation monitor-

    ing and control system eiciently

    transers power rom plant to grid

    High optimization and low power

    losses push peak perormance

    ratio above customer expectations

    Electrical balance o plant (EBoP)solution

    ABB solar oerings Remote monitoring, operation,

    diagnostics and maintenance

    rom a dedicated control center ina remote location

    Full range o power and automa-

    tion equipment transormers,

    switchgear, inverters, protection

    devices, medium voltage cabi-

    nets, medium and high voltage

    cables, distributed control sys-

    tems and control sotware, low

    voltage systems, auxiliary systems

    (such as lighting and ventilation)

    Feature

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    soil condition, the magnitude o installation

    over a 95-hectare site and just as daunting,

    management o a 500-st rong workorce.

    Civil works, installation and commissioning

    were carried out simultaneously at dierent

    places on the site and the plant was

    delivered in just ive months.

    The Canino plant supplies 103,488

    modules, making it the largest lease nancingPV project ever undertaken in Italy. As a

    result o high optimization and substantially

    lower power losses, the site is operating at

    87 percent instead o the expected peak

    perormance ratio o 81.5 percent.

    In Foggia, three plants with a combined

    capacity o 39 MW were completed six

    weeks ahead o schedule. We were

    responsible or remote monitoring the

    plants rom a dedicated PV control center

    in Genoa, almost 400 miles distant. Also

    in Foggia, our plants in a 10-kilometerarea were set up three weeks ahead o

    time, despite delays caused by heavy

    winter rains. The multi-plant project has

    a combined capacity o 15 MW.

    The Helios ITA-3 parks with two 5 MW

    plants, in Brindisi and Mesagne were

    completed in under ten weeks, well ahead

    o schedule and under budget. Each plant

    comprises 22,500 polycrystalline modules

    mounted on single-axis trackers. Remote

    operation and maintenance are carried out

    via the control center in Genoa.In Sicily our company was the EPC

    contractor or Falck Renewables that

    operates solar, wind, biomass and waste-

    to-energy plants in Italy, UK, France and

    Spain. The three PV power plants at

    Spinasanta, Cardonita and Sugherotorto

    with a combined generating capacity o

    13.1 MW use almost 57,000 photovoltaic

    cells and a support structure at a tilt angle

    o 20 degrees.

    In Liguria we provided a turnkey solution

    or a large-scale roo-top PV plant. Located

    on the roo o a commercial building in

    the town o Cairo Montenotte, the plant

    incorporates 3,840 PV panels on ixed

    structures and provides 0.864 MW o

    electric power. This power is not used by

    the acility; instead it is transerred to a 15

    kilovolt (kV) distribution network.

    The success

    Our turnkey solutions reduce the cost

    and risk o constructing and operating

    photovoltaic power plants, consequently

    allowing or rapid deployment. It was a real

    challenge to meet the time constraints on

    the delivery o all 14 power plants. Even so,

    12 were completed ahead o schedule and

    a 24 MW plant was built and commissioned

    in ive months.

    There is good reason why we are second

    to none in speed and eiciency: or one,as leaders in power and automation, we

    draw on our vast manuacturing capacity

    or solutions. Both, procurement channels

    and supply chain processes are designed

    or speed and eiciency. Secondly, we

    meet pressing deadlines by successully

    collaborating with local subcontractors in

    Italy with a proven track record. Lastly, our

    EPC competence and electrical expertise

    come into play in managing and executing

    complex processes on site.

    In conclusion, we have a long andsuccessul track record as EPC partners.

    Over a period o 45 years we have

    successully completed 300 EPC projects

    worldwide in diverse industries power

    generation, oi l and gas and water, to name

    a ew. With our EPC center o excellence

    located in Genoa we were perectly

    positioned to execute turnkey projects

    or the local Italian market.

    For more information: www.abb.com/solar

    ABB has long been at the ore ront o

    the solar power industry.

    In the 1980s ABB developed the plant

    automation platorm or the worlds

    frst concentrating solar power (CSP)

    test acility in Spain, and is now a

    leading supplier o turnkey CSP plantsbased on the uniquely cost-eective

    technology o its partner, Novatec Solar.

    In 2010 we delivered comprehensive

    Did you know?solutions or the worlds irst

    integrated solar and combined cycle

    power plants in Algeria, Egypt and

    the United States.

    And, in PV power plants we have an

    extensive reerence list o solutions

    that not only covers the length andbreadth o Italy, but much o the

    northern Mediterranean as well.

    Over a period o 45 yearswe have successullycompleted 300 EPCprojects worldwide indiverse industries.

    A trusted partner for turnkey solar PV plants

    Feature

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    In ocus

    Completing the irst South Arican

    solar power plant in record time,

    ABB has surpassed industry

    expectations. The greenield

    photovoltaic (PV) power plant, based

    adjacent to the Lethabo power station

    in Gauteng, was completed in just 75

    days and will provide power or the plantsadministration buildings, while reducing

    the acilitys auxiliary power consumption.

    Th e Le th abo proj ec t, wh ich was

    commissioned by Eskom, South

    Ar icas national util ity, was inaugurated

    in November 2011 by national Public

    Enterprises Minister, Malusi Gigaba. ABB

    was tasked with pioneering a single axis

    tracking solar PV system with a peaking

    capacity o 575 kilowatts (kW) and an

    annual production potential o 12.5 million

    kilowatt hours (kWh).Similarly, ABB also won the Eskom

    PV contract or installing a ixed-tilt solar

    PV power plant at the Kendal station, in

    Mpumalanga, with a 620 kW capacity and

    an annual production potential o 11.4

    million kWh. This project was successully

    launched on November 25, 2011.

    Both PV projects orm part o a pilot

    scheme aimed at eventually reducing

    Eskoms carbon ootprint. To optimize

    product iv i ty , h igh-e ic iency ABB

    monocrystalline PV panels were selectedbecause o their uniquely eicient concept

    or PV power plants. The approach

    combined high levels o customization, rapid

    turnkey delivery and system optimization

    technologies that enable the plants to

    generate around 20 percent more energy

    than alternative designs.

    The PV plants are des igned to operate

    independently to produce electrical power

    or use by the existing power stations and

    will be capable o remote operation and

    monitoring.The technologies, several o which are

    patented by us, include a programmable

    logic controller (PLC) that increases tracker

    accuracy and an automatic switching

    The world-class technology will give ABB in

    South Arica the opportunity to transer skills

    in solar technology, urther complementing

    and enhancing local capabilities in engineering

    and project management."

    Goetz-Dietrich Wol

    Manager of Power Generation business in

    South Africa

    The inaugural ceremony at the Lethabo solar PV plant in November 2011

    Lethabo plant goeson streamABB builds irst South Arican solar power plant in record time as part o a pilot

    scheme to reduce the national utility's carbon ootprint

    system that optimizes the number o panels

    connected to each inverter enabling the

    plant to harness more energy at all times,

    even during periods o poor light like dawn,

    dusk and cloudy weather.

    ABBs tu rnkey sol ut ion in cl uded

    the design, engineering, erection, grid

    connection and commissioning o the

    groundbreaking solar plants. The electrical,control and automation equipment as well

    as the optimization technologies to be

    deployed were also manuactured by us.

    Rapid delivery was acilitated by our

    well-proven concept o pre-assembled,

    actory-tested electrical balance o plant

    modules, and by our expertise in project

    execution, which, in the case o Lethabo

    and Kendal, have cut weeks o the

    conventional delivery time to enable the

    plants to be ully operational in record time.

    For more information: www.abb.com/solar

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    In ocus

    Complementing uel generation with solar energy or higher output and lower uel

    consumption and CO2 emissions

    Going green with hybridpower plants

    Worlds first solar hybrid coal-fired power station of ABB in Liddell, Australia

    At present, ossil uels dominate the

    electricity generation landscape

    o the Middle East where, both

    the costs o inland uel-burning

    and the environmental impact o CO2

    emissions have raised concerns.

    ABBs integrated solar combined cycle

    (ISCC) addresses this issue by employing

    the regions abundant solar irradiance intohighly eicient, reliable and environmentally-

    riendly hybrid power plants. The concept

    combines conventional ossil uel-powered

    steam turbines and a solar thermal steam

    generator to provide reliable and clean

    power.

    Unlike classic, open-cycle, gas-ired

    power plants, releasing high temperature

    lue gasses directly into the atmosphere,

    ABBs combined cycle solution makes

    use o this residual thermal energy, by

    producing steam in a heat recovery steamgenerator (HRSG). In parallel to this heat

    recovery generated steam, ABB Novatecs

    Fresnel-based solar boilers produce a

    second stream o superheated steam.

    Due to the high solar thermal steam

    parameters achieved in the solar boilers,

    the two streams can operate independently,

    resulting in high lexibility.

    Increased energy efficiency decreased

    emissions

    This solar-augmentat ion process resultsin an increase o output power o the

    otherwise low-eiciency, ossil uel-ired

    power plants. In addition, it results in a

    signiicant reduction in uel consumption

    and CO2

    emissions. This hybrid approach

    with the integration o solar power helps

    mitigate the eects o the luctuant nature

    o solar irradiation. By modulating the uel

    input o the plant, these luctuations can

    be compensated, resulting in a permanent

    coverage o the grids power needs.

    ABB Novatecs power plant in Liddell,Austra lia , is the wor lds irst integration

    o solar thermal technology with a

    traditional coal-ired power station. The

    project commenced in early 2011 and

    was completed in January 2012. The 9.3

    megawatt (MW) power station consists

    o our rows o linear Fresnel relectors,

    covering an area o 18,000 square meters,

    almost the size o three ootball ields.

    Enhanced oil recovery

    Apart rom utility electricity generation,the idea o complementing uel generation

    with solar energy can be particularly

    useul or reducing the uel consumption

    o energy-intensive industries. For the

    major oil producers in the Gul Cooperation

    Council (GCC), the solar-based enhanced

    oil recovery (EOR) displays the potential

    o signiicantly increasing the amount o

    extracted crude oil, while lowering the uel

    costs. By injecting solar generated steam

    into the oil beds and heating them, the

    viscosity o the heavy crude oil can bereduced and acilitate its pumping to the

    surace. Already technologically proven,

    the concept can increase the amount o

    extractable oil rom aging wells by upto

    60 percent. The on-site inrastructure,

    together with the pre-existing operating

    licenses, urther enhance our high-eicient,

    clean electricity generation concept into a

    proitable turnkey solution.

    ABB innovation and development o

    hybrid power plants provide a more energy-

    eicient option or electricity generation inthe Middle East, which relies heavily on

    ossil uels. In addition, the EOR method

    can increase the amount o oil extracted

    by using solar generated steam both

    technologies are a vital step orward to

    lowering the environmental impact o CO2

    emissions, which is an increasingly pressing

    issue, both in the Middle East and around

    the world.

    For more information: www.abb.com/solar

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    In ocus

    The Kingdom o Saudi Arabia is

    likely to spearhead the regions

    emerg ing t rend towards

    adoption o alternative and

    renewable sources o energy. In 2010,

    the Government o KSA established theSaudi Energy Eiciency Board (SEEC),

    as energy eiciency was identiied as a

    national priority. One o the objectives

    o the SEEC was to propose a national

    energy eiciency plan in order to rationalize

    energy usage in the country. Thus, KSA's

    irst grid-connected solar power plant

    was inaugurated in 2011. The Kingdom o

    Saudi Arabia is entering into a new era o

    producing electricity through solar energy

    in the country. Saudi Arabia launched its

    irst solar power plant on Farasan Islandin June last year. This marked a signi icant

    step in the government's eorts to produce

    clean energy.

    Solar key to a bright future

    Saudi Arabia has set an ambitious target

    o installing more than 40 gigawatts (GW)

    o solar power capacity by 2032, o which,

    60 percent would come rom concentrated

    solar power (CSP) and remaining rom

    photovoltaics (PV). Concentrating solar

    power technology is being looked at asa pathbreaking initiative by the country

    as it will need to install much more CSP

    capacity than any other country has ever

    done, while continuing to develop other

    sources to achieve its overall renewable

    energy target. The CSP target could be

    responsible or the generation o 75 to

    110 terawatt hours (TWh) o electricity per

    annum once it starts operations.

    According to research report , 'GCCRenewable Energy Sector Analysis,'

    solar holds the key to renewable energy

    development in the Gul Cooperation

    Council (GCC) region as it is the single

    most abundant renewable source o energy

    available there. Huge investments and

    research studies are happening in eorts

    to tap the solar energy in the region as

    part o the renewable energy development.

    Almost 85 to 90 percent o the money being

    spent on renewable energy development

    is being put in solar energy. The researchreport documents all the initiatives being

    taken in the individual countries to help

    boost their power production rom solar

    energy. The uture o solar power in the

    GCC region, according to the report, is as

    bright as sunshine.

    Saudi Arabia is one o the top ranked

    nations with respect to residential

    consumption o electricity. Almost hal o

    its power consumption is accounted or

    by residents.The key drivers or a strong

    initiative towards renewable energy is thegrowing understanding and acceptance

    by the public and private sector o the

    beneits o using solar power.

    The government has been pushing or

    Novatec Solar technology holds the key to renewable energy development

    renewable energy as an alternative source

    to meet the growing domestic demand.

    About 20 percent o the countrys electric ity

    is produced currently by utilizing exhaust

    gases old power plants and through solar

    energy projects.

    ABB as preferred partner

    We have been working closely with the

    public utilities, Saudi Aramco, the worlds

    largest oil producer, and the KA-CARE,

    the Saudi government body responsible to

    drive renewable energy. We are committed

    to be a strong industry partner and play a

    leading strategic role in order to achieve

    the Kingdom's ambitions to transorm

    its energy system into a sustainable and

    eicient generation park. Localization,knowledge transer, R&D eorts, education

    are just some keywords which explain what

    partnership means or us.

    For more information: www.abb.com/solar

    Transorming energy systemsSaudi Arabia enters a new solar era as renewable energy options hold the promiseo sustainable and eicient generation o electricity

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    In ocus

    Inrastructure conglomerate, Adani

    Group, commissioned a 40-megawatt

    (MW) solar power plant in Bitta in

    Gujarat's Bhuj district in December

    2011. The plant marks Adani Groups

    oray into the renewable energy sector

    and was commissioned in a record time

    o ive months. Over our lakh thin ilmphotovoltaic (PV) modules are mounted

    on approximately 21,700 mounting

    structures to generate 40 megawatts

    o electricity. The Group envisions

    setting up an even bigger 100 MW solar

    power plant in the uture, as a urther

    commitment towards clean and green

    energy. Currently, the power generated

    rom this solar plant is connected to

    Netra substation in the same district.

    For ABB, this was one o the biggest

    solar substation orders in India. Thescope included supply, erection and

    commissioning o a 66 kilovolt (kV)

    switchyard with two 66/11 kV, 25/31.5

    megavolt amperes (MVA) power

    transormers, 11 kV medium voltage

    indoor switchgear, 10 two-way ring main

    units (RMU) and 18 three-way RMUs.

    Dhinesh D, Project Manager or the

    Power Systems business, ABB in India

    said, Meeting the rigorous parameters

    set by the customer, within the short

    time rame speciied, proved to be atremendous challenge. Despite this, we

    were able to deliver all products, rom

    transormers to RMUs, on time. The solid

    support o our supply chain and divisions

    and the overall coordination o eort

    was critical to the successul execution

    o this project.We are also executing

    765 kV projects or Adani Group in other

    locations; in Tiroda, Koradi and Akola.

    The Groups entry into the solar

    space was greatly acilitated by

    Gujarat Governments policies and thepreerential tari regime established to

    encourage participation o developers

    in this priority area. This state-speciic

    initiative has set an example at the

    Powering one o Indiaslargest solar plants

    Adani 's 40 MW solar plant in Bitta

    40 MW grid-connected solar power plant in Gujarat commissioned in just ivemonths or Adani Group, who made a paradigm shit rom thermal to solar powergeneration

    national level. Gujarats solar capacity

    today corresponds to two-thirds o the

    installed capacity o the entire nation.

    For more information: www.abb.com/solar

    We are partners in diverse

    photovoltaic solar plant projects

    across Gujarat, varying in scale

    rom 1 to 40 MW, and in location

    rom desert to inland waterways.

    In Chandrasan, we supplied the

    compact substation and ring main

    unit or SunEdisons 1 MW canal-

    top solar power plant that coversa one-kilometer stretch o the

    Narmada Canal.

    Did you know? In Surendranagar we supplied two

    PVS 800, 500 kW solar inverters

    and one 1,250 kVA solar compact

    substation or Rajesh Power

    Services Private Limiteds 1 MW

    plant, commissioned ahead o

    schedule.

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    In ocus

    Cahora Bassa Dam, Mozambique

    Clean power rom Mozambique

    Asmall but ast growing eco-

    nomy, Mozambique in south-

    east Arica is poised to

    become the largest exporter

    o coal, and with hydro power and more

    recently, the discovery o two enormous

    gas ields in Mozambique waters, a

    major energy exporter.

    The Cahora Bassa hydro plant on

    the Zambezi river produces 2,075

    megawatts (MW), most o which is

    exported to neighboring South Aricavia a 1,400 kilometer (km) high voltage

    direct current (HVDC) transmission line.

    Jointly owned by Hidroelctrica de

    Cahora Bassa in Mozambique and

    Eskom, South Aricas public utility, the

    HVDC transmission system comprises

    two parallel lines stretching rom the

    Songo converter station in Mozambique

    to the Apollo station near Johannesburg.

    First installed in the late 1970s, the

    Songo-Apollo link was largely destroyed

    during 25 years o civil war. Finally, arestoration project repaired or replaced

    nearly all the 4,200 transmission line

    towers, bringing the system back online

    in 1998.

    In 2006, Eskom contracted ABB to

    upgrade the Apollo converter stations

    capacity rom 1,920 MW to 2,500 MW,

    and also lay the groundwork or a uture

    upgrade to 3,960 MW. Now ABB is

    modernizing Apollos sister station in

    Mozambique.

    The capacity at Songo station

    remains the same, but it will get new

    converter transormers, smoothing

    reactors, arresters and measuring

    equipment. The DC equipment will becommissioned in the second hal o

    2013 and the transormers a year later.

    As with the Apo llo upgrade, this project

    will enhance availability and reliability,

    ensuring a steady low o power rom

    Cahora Bassa.

    The two gigawatts o clean, reliable

    hydropower supplied by Mozambique

    is critical to South Arica, beset

    with recurring power shortages. For

    Mozambique, the energy exports

    represent an important source oincome. The Cahora Bassa plant is

    already one o the largest generation

    acilities in the South Arican power

    Songo-Apollo HVDC link to transmit 2 gigawatts power rom the hydro plant onthe Zambezi river to neighboring South Arica

    pool, and the HVDC transmission linelinking it to the South Arican market

    will provide an eicient highway or the

    plants output or years to come.

    Demand or clean energy is increasing

    rapidly and inrastructure projects like

    Songo will play a vital role in the Arican

    continents economic success story.

    For more information:

    www.abb.com/energyefficiency

    HVDC transformer at Songo

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    Renewable Energy World, New Delhi

    SOLARCON, Bangalore

    Automation solut ions for buildings

    With the worlds ocus irmly on the need

    or increasing the proportion o renewables

    in the energy mix, ABB shared its porto lio

    o solar energy solutions at Renewable

    Energy World 2012 exposition in New Delhi

    and SOLARCON in Bangalore.

    The intensive preparation that went

    into displaying our solar portolio and the

    in-depth discussions that ollowed with

    various clients and visitors really paid o.The renewables industry is going through

    a consolidation phase in India and the

    demand and opportunities or extending

    power inrastructure have resulted in an

    open, proessional and speciic exchange

    o inormation.

    Subir Pal, Country Manager, Industry

    Segment Initiative (ISI)

    Events

    Hotel Show, DubaiIncreasing energy eiciency in hotelsRising energy demands and energy costs

    world over have brought more and more

    people around to the view that energy

    eiciency is the alternative uel. At The Hotel

    Show in Dubai, UAE, ABB showcased thei-bus KNX technology which encourages

    eicient energy usage. Meanwhile, the

    thrice-nominated KNX team rom ABB in

    Egypt walked away with the 2012 KNX

    Award at the Light and Bui lding Fair in

    Frankurt, Germany.

    The hotel industry has started to ocus

    more on automated solutions that provide

    greater energy eiciency, convenience and

    ease o use. Buildings with our technology

    are easier to manage and control, it allows

    an everyday working or living environmentto be easily adapted to the individuals

    needs while saving energy.

    Tarek Zakaria, regional manager or

    KNX building technology, Middle East and

    Arica

    Solarcon, Bangalore and Renewable Energy World, New Delhi

    Capturing the power o the sun

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    Aquatech, New DelhiManaging a precious resourceConservation is the most environmentally

    sound way o reducing demand or water

    that is a ast depleting resource all over

    the globe. ABB shared its contributions

    to sustainable resource management atAquatech, the largest international water

    show in India.

    We rolled out our complete package

    o solutions or instrumentation, control

    and electrical (ICE) on a LCD screen,

    rom motors, switchgear and automation,

    through desalination, water supply, sewage

    treatment and eluent treatment plants to

    lit irrigation, canal automation and non-

    revenue water. We got great mileage

    rom Aquatech, closing two orders or

    instrumentation on the spot. Ravindra Akki, Country Water ISI,

    Manager, India

    Events

    Forthcoming events in the region

    Central Arica and Egypt

    IndiaSouthern Gul andPakistan

    Let ABB present convincing evidence on

    how we can increase asset perormance

    by 6%.

    Ask or proo on how we can achieve

    the extra output and we will show you how

    we can lower cost and add more value

    to your business by ocusing on the real

    issues you are grappling with today: Extend asset lie and reduce operational

    expenditure

    Reduce emissions and energy

    consumption

    Make optimal use o assets and take

    quick decisions

    Stabilize power input and improve power

    quality

    Saer operations

    Vis it us at Adipec 2012, November 11-14,

    Abu Dhabi National Exhibi tion Center(ADNEC), Abu Dhabi, UAE.

    Get to know the latest technology trends

    at Middle East Power Systems Conerence

    MEPCON 12 rom December 23-25. The

    15 th international conerence at Alexandria

    in Egypt will explore power systems in

    depth, rom smart grids and power

    electronics to FACTS and HVDC

    transmission systems.

    Visi t us at ELASIA 2013, the international

    exhibition on power, electrical and lighting

    rom January 4-6, 2013, at BIEC, Bangalore,

    where you can see the very latest low

    voltage product oerings rom ABB.

    Vis it us at Seatrade Midd le East Marit ime,

    November 27-29, 2012, Dubai World Trade

    Center UAE, Stand M1.

    And ind out more on increased uptime on

    turbochargers and reduced operation cost.

    Mepcon12

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    Solar integration and export

    We support our customers right

    rom selecting the optimal

    generation solutions through

    to enabling the reliable

    and proitable employment o their solar

    power. This translates to developing and

    embedding dedicated solutions or grid

    integration and commercialization o solar

    electricity. There are a range o solutions

    available such as: micro-grid approaches

    or distributed generation, dedicated energy

    high voltage direct current transmission

    that has built the highway that makes this

    export possible, technically reliable and

    economically easible. Through HVDC

    transmission, large amounts o power can

    be sent over long distances, with both,

    low capital expenditures and signifcantly

    decreased resistive and capacitive losses.

    ABBs HVDC Light, specical ly designed or

    underground or underwater transmission,

    is the ideal candidate or exporting ME

    solar energy undersea. Together with theother 11 industry ounders o the Desertec

    Solar Initiative, we are ocusing on the

    easibility, fnancing and construction o

    the interconnection plan.

    The solar plants to be built in North Arica

    need to be interconnected, but most o all,

    the power needs to be transmitted over to

    Europe through HVDC as it is across the

    sea.

    Smart energy management

    The gradual shit rom a centralized

    power low, to a multi-actor energy market,

    calls or a strategic employment o the

    generated power. Our dedicated toolsenable customers to both optimally operate

    their plants and proitably participate in the

    energy market. By employing Intelligent

    Solar Inormation Systems (ISIS), the solar

    plant owner can easily perorm a real-time

    remote monitoring and operation o his

    installation via Internet Explorer.

    Ded ica ted demand/ response

    management tools ac i l i tate the

    coordination between the solar plant,

    other generator types and the loads

    existing in the grid and thus enablethe strategic operation o the plant. Tools

    such as Ventyx Virtual Power Plant, enable

    both the utility to incentivize the selling

    o c lean so la r energy and the

    environmentally conscious users to

    choose it.

    For more information: www.abb.com/solar

    Dedicated solutions for grid integration and commercialization of solar power

    management tools and high voltage direct

    current (HVDC) transmission lines or

    enabling the export o the Middle Easts

    solar power.

    Micro-grids integrate solar power

    Depending on the penetration level

    share o the total instantaneous power in the

    grid the reliable integration o electricity

    originating rom intermittent sources such

    as solar irradiation requires precise pre-

    processing steps, voltage and requencyregulation and control. ABB PowerCorp

    manages to ully integrate solar power into

    the existing grid, by employing SMART

    GRID control and automation techniques

    (Distributed Power Control and Dispatch

    Systems), as well as an innovative, ast

    and highly charged/discharged eicient

    lywheel storage or grid stabilization.

    HVDC the highway for solar export

    Favorable trends around solar generation

    in the Middle East and North Arica (MENA)

    region have brought the vision o exporting

    solar electrici ty, considerably closer to reality.

    It is ABBs groundbreaking discovery o

    Dedicated solutions or integrating solar power in the utility grid and trans-continental transmission via HVDC enable our customers to optimize operationsand boost proitability

    For a better world

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    We are committed to providing

    the most eicient, reliable

    and competit ive solar

    solutions or high direct

    normal irradiation (DNI) regions between

    1,800-2,500 kWh/m2/year and hot climatessuch as the Middle East. To support this,

    ABB has established strategic partnerships

    with the provider o the best perorming

    concentrated solar power (CSP) solution:

    Novatec Solar.

    ABB Novatecs CSP solution

    In March 2011, ABB acquired 35 percent

    o Novatec Solars shares and integrated

    their innovative Fresnel Linear Collector

    technology into the company's power

    generation portolio, making ABB a turnkeysupplier o highly eicient and cost-eective

    CSP power plants. Linear Fresnel relectors

    use long, thin segments o lat mirrors to

    ocus sunlight onto a ixed absorber located

    at a common ocal point o the relectors.

    These mirrors are capable o concentrating

    the suns energy to approximately 30 times

    its normal intensity. Novatec Solar is the

    pioneer developer o the irst commercial

    CSP Plant called Puerto Errado in Murcia,

    Spain, operating since 2009 at a power

    plant eiciency o 38 percent.Employing the Fresnel relector principle,

    ABB Nova tecs CSP plan ts achieve

    perormances appreciably higher than the

    traditional parabolic trough plants. Super

    thin, lat and light panels are used which are

    not only inexpensive to manuacture, but

    also easy to transport, install and maintain.

    The secondary re lector contributes to

    the superheating o steam up to 500

    degrees centigrade, which translates intoa signiicant eiciency gain, especially

    in regions with high environmental

    temperatures.

    Solar steam and its range of applications

    Besides CSP plants or power

    generation, there are other ways o using

    process steam generated directly in

    Novatecs Linear Fresnel Collectors. ABB

    Novatecs solar boiler can successully be

    employed or retroitting low-eiciency gas-

    ired plants, a predominant component othe current Middle Eastern energy mix.

    The CSP augmentation employed in the

    integrated solar combined cycles (ISCC)

    power plants is based on heat recovery and

    steam superheating in Fresnel boilers. The

    integrated solar combined cycle concept

    is a hybrid power plant. It is a conventional

    gas turbine combined cycle and a solar

    thermal steam generator that provides

    reliable and clean power. Due to the high

    solar thermal steam parameters achieved

    in Novatecs Fresnel-based solar boilersABB's ISCC cycle provides high solar

    shares at very low cost.

    Another clever way o us ing so lar

    generated steam is or oil recovery

    Highly efficient and cost-effective CSP power plants

    purposes, the so-called Enhanced Oil

    Recovery. According to a recent report

    by SBI, conventional oil recovery methods

    are only able to extract about 10-30

    percent o the potential oil rom any given

    reservoir, leaving nearly 70-90 percent othe reservoirs oil in the ground source.

    Injecting solar steam into the oil ields,

    heats the reservoir, reducing the viscosity

    o the untapped heavy crude oil and

    acilitating its pumping. EOR technologies

    can increase the quantity o extractable

    oil rom aging wells up to 60 percent.

    (Source: US Department o Energy http://

    www.ossil.energy.gov/programs/oilgas/

    eor/index.html)

    Further applications which are o great

    interest and ocus in the Middle Eastare solar cooling and solar desalination

    where ABB's long experience enables the

    design o all components in a way to reach

    economical optimum regarding output and

    eiciency.

    For more information: www.abb.com/solar

    Leading through innovationApplying a range o eicient and reliable solutions suitableor harsh desert climates, rom concentrated solar power to solar steam

    For a better world

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    Spurring Africas growth

    A

    rica has an abundance o natural

    resources and many Arican

    countries are counted among

    the astest growing economiesin the world. So, on the one hand the

    continent continues to grow exponentially,

    while on the other, the World Bank has

    estimated that more than 500 million

    Ar icans are l iving without electricity. It is

    estimated that by 2015 Arica will produce

    20 percent o global oil and by 2040 the

    Arican population may exceed that o India

    or China. With growing economies and

    booming populations, providing reliable

    electricity is becoming a huge challenge.

    Transmission and distribution gr ids inmany parts o Arica are operating close

    to capacity, and although new grids are

    being built rapidly, many Aricans still have

    no access to electricity.

    A lucrat ive marketplace, Ar ica has

    been identiied by ABB as a key growth

    market. With our industry expertise and

    comprehensive environmentally-consciousportolio, we are currently operational in

    more than 15 countries on the Arican

    continent: namely Algeria, Angola,

    Botswana, Cte dIvoire, Democratic

    Republic o Congo, Cameroon, Egypt,

    Ghana, Ivory Coast, Democratic Republic

    o Congo, Kenya, Mauritius, South Arica,

    Uganda, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

    To accomm odate th e grow th on

    the Arican continent, South Arica and

    Egypt have been identiied as centers o

    excellence in an initiative called the FocusArica Re-wire strategy. The two countries

    will continue to drive sales in Arica by

    recruiting and training additional sales

    engineers who will be active in the market

    Custom-made solar solutions expand local engineeringcapabilities, beneitting both, the people and the environment othe Arican continent

    Glimpses o ABB

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    Johannesburg the commercial hub of South

    Africa

    with existing customers while developing

    and extending our customer base.

    As a center o excel lence, South Ar ica

    provides support to Angola, Congo,Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique. These

    countries orm part o the sub-Saharan

    region. Predictions in the World Banks

    latest Global Economic Prospects report

    indicate that the sub-Saharan Arican region

    is expected to record a 5.3 percent growth

    in 2013 as global irms and domestic

    demands remain robust. Despite a slower

    projected growth, developing countries

    are expected to account or more than

    hal o the global growth rom 2012 to

    2014. Huge investments in inrastructureare an integral part o the springboard or

    economic growth or both South Arica

    and or the whole southern Arican region.

    The re liable supply o e lect ric ity, thereore,

    remains a pressing issue on the continent.

    While globally coal remains the main

    source or the production o electricity (40

    percent), with natural gas accounting or

    more than 20 percent, almost hal o the

    electricity-producing countries o the world

    have an emission actor o below 500 g

    CO2 / kWh in 2009. However, Arica, withits large share o coal in the power mix,

    continues to be a very high CO2

    emission

    producer, presenting both challenges and

    opportunities or the introduction o greater

    levels o energy eiciency through the

    deployment o alternative and renewable

    sources.

    Through energy eiciency, companies and countries can improve their

    sustainability signiicantly, allowing them

    to ocus their eort on other important

    elements such as sta and ski l ls

    development.

    Globally, the energy eiciency o thermal

    power plants alone has improved by three

    percentage points since 1990. However,

    strong disparities still exist between

    developed countries and the developing

    world, where eiciency is low, mainly due

    to aging plants and the large share o coalin thermal generation. Arica in particular

    needs to be smart and orward thinking with

    its technology and automation investments.

    With its recognized expertise in power

    grid eiciency improvements, ABB has

    worked with many power companies and

    authorities around the world to reduce the

    rate o transmission and distribution losses.

    However, most o these improvements were

    eected in developed countries, mainly

    through the use o low-loss conductors

    and transormers, the standardization andupgrading o transmission and distribution

    voltages, and reactive power control. It is

    now our aim to play an even bigger part

    in driving the ast-track developmental

    agenda or Arica, particularly south o

    the Sahara by strategically deploying the

    most suitable o our many innovations.

    ABB recent ly launched a new conceptor turnkey concentrating solar power

    (CSP) plants based on a low-cost, highly

    eicient and highly scalable technology

    that uses considerably less material, land

    and water than any other CSP technology.

    The ABB-Novatec Solar concept can be

    used to generate energy in a wide range

    o applications including stand-alone or

    hybrid power plants, as uel-savers in

    existing power plants, in desalination and

    district cooling plants, and in industrial

    processes that require steam. This is aine example o a solution ideally suited to

    the Arican continents requirements.

    Expanding local engineering capabilities

    and working with customers to develop

    custom-made solutions that will beneit

    the people and the environment while

    making the business more sustainable

    is ABBs key objective or Arica. It has

    the technology, the expertise and the

    experience to leverage its ootprint with

    production in all ive divisions.

    One o sub-Saharas most recent winsis the ive-year Full Service contract with

    Namibia Custom Smelters (NCS). ABB

    will manage all maintenance to improve

    productivity and equipment reliability at the

    Glimpses o ABB

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    copper smelting and converting plant in

    Tsumeb, some 425 kilometers north o the

    capital, Windhoek. We will also provide

    process optimization, energy consulting

    and equipment lie cycle services, mainly

    through the retained maintenance sta and

    management who will be urther trained

    to meet our perormance standards.The plant houses two pr imary smelt ing

    urnaces and three converters. It has an

    annual production capacity o 200,000 tons

    o copper concentrate rom the treatment

    o complex copper concentrates containing

    gold, silver and arsenic. The smelter is one

    o only a ew in the world which is able to

    treat arsenic-bearing copper concentrates.

    Another exci ting project is the Rand

    Water project in South Arica. This project

    includes the supply, delivery, installation and

    cold commissioning o 78 switchgear panelsto our Rand Water sites namely, Amazimtoti,

    Vereeniging, Lethabo and Palmiet. Rand

    Water is an organ o state, reporting to the

    Department o Water and Environmental

    A ai rs. Thei r di str ibu ti on ne tw ork

    includes over 3,056 kilometers o large

    diameter pipeline, eeding 58 strategically

    located service reservoirs. Its customers

    include metropolitan municipalities, local

    municipalities, mines and industries and

    it supplies, on average, 3,653 million

    liters o water to these customers daily. Inorder to ensure continuity o supply, Rand

    Water invests huge resources to expand,

    upgrade and maintain its inrastructure.

    An important aspect o this inrastructure

    development program involves the security

    and quality supply o its electrical energy

    to the various treatment, pumping and

    distribution stations. In order to achieve the

    sae and reliable supply o electrical energy,

    they have embarked on a medium voltage

    switchgear replacement project which spans

    across the various areas o its operation.ABB in South Arica was awarded phase

    one o the switchgear replacement project

    in February 2012 at a value o R21.5 million.

    Our superior technology and compliance

    to the IEC 62271 standard, coupled with

    extensive experience and credibility in the

    water industry, were some o the key actors

    in winning us this order. The estimated

    date o completion or phase one is June

    2013, and once complete, it will assist in

    enabling Rand Water to continue to supply

    high quality potable water to the Gautengregion.

    A pioneer project in the region involves

    a 2 x 300 megawatt (MW) interconnection

    between a converter station in the Caprivi

    strip in Namibia, close to the border o

    Zambia, and another converter station,

    about 300 kilometers north o Windhoek.

    Known as the Caprivi Link Interconnector,

    the project spans over a distance o 950

    kilometers, with AC voltages o 320 kilovolt

    (kV) and 400 kV on the two ends o a

    bipolar 350 kV DC overhead line. This isthe frst HVDC Light project to be built

    with overhead lines. ABB was responsible

    or system engineering including design,

    supply and installation o the two converter

    Enhancing local engineering capability

    stations and earth electrodes. This is the

    rst time that this technology will be used or

    overhead transmission lines. The Caprivi Link

    Interconnector will increase grid reliability

    and enable the establishment o power

    trading in the southern Arican region.

    The Ar ican continent cer tainly has

    established itsel as the worlds currentocus or business growth opportunities

    and ABB is poised to leverage those

    opportunities, while contributing in a signicant

    way to the sustainable development o a

    great continent.

    For more information: www.abb.co.za

    Glimpses o ABB

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    ABB has been in the energy business or120 years. Using energy more eicientlywill not only contribute the lions share oemissions reductions needed, it is arguablythe most sustainable and cheapest way toreduce emissions and address global energysecurity. Energy-eicient systems can pay

    or themselves in energy saving, sometimeswithin months, and urther reduce operationand maintenance costs in the long term. Plugin to the next issue o Contact to understandhow we help our customers squeeze the mostvalue rom each unit o energy they use.

    Preview 3|12

    Energy Efciency doing more whilelowering costs and

    emissions

    Executive editor:Karen Wilds

    Editor-in-chief:Sanaj Natarajan

    Production team:

    Ali Kelani , Ani ta Ramkumar, Arnab Sarkar

    Claire Hill, Devaashish S. Savant, Erika Velazquez,

    Giridhar Sharma, Ivor Vidjen, Michael Wachter,

    Natasha Mathebula, Peter Stierli, Rakesh Shastri,

    Rubi Rakha, Sanaj Natarajan, Tamara Chetty

    Tuija Elomaa-Maenpaa, Wendy Joseph

    Contact is published in English or circulation

    among ABB customers and stakeholders with

    an interest in ABB oerings, products and

    technologies.

    Partial reprints or reproductions are permitted

    subject to ull acknowledgement. Complete

    reprints require the publishers written consent.

    Publisher and copyright 2012

    ABB Asea Brown Boveri Ltd.

    DisclaimerThe inormation conta ined herein relec ts the

    views o the authors and is or inormational

    purposes only. Readers should not act upon the

    inormation contained herein without seeking

    proessional advice. We make publications

    available with the understanding that the authors

    are not rendering technical or other proessional

    advice or opinions on speciic acts or matters

    and assume no liability whatsoever in connection

    with their use.

    The companies o the ABB Group do not make

    any warranty or guarantee, or promise, expressed

    or implied, concerning the content or accuracy o

    the views expressed herein.

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    Connect renewable power to the grid?

    Naturally.

    Electricity generated by water, sun and wind is most abundant in remote areaslike mountains, deserts or far out at sea. ABBs leading power and automationtechnologies help renewable power reach about 70 million people by integratingit into electrical grids, sometimes over vast distances. Our effort to harnessrenewable energy is making power networks smarter, and helping to protect theenvironment and fight climate change. www.abb.com/betterworld