GE Power releases Africa energy white paper
GE Power has released a Whitepaper on
Digitization of Energy Transmission &
Distribution in Africa which highlights the future of
smart energy in Sub-Saharan countries, its challenges and opportunities; discusses the role of smart
technology to transform grids and the way energy is generated, distributed,
traded, managed and stored.
It also underscores necessary steps to
grid modernization and 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 (www.GEGridSolutions.com) (NYSE:
GE) (www.GE.com) today 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.
About GE
GE (NYSE: GE) (www.GE.com) is the
world's Digital Industrial Company, transforming industry with software-defined
machines and solutions that are connected, responsive and predictive. GE is
organized around a global exchange of knowledge, the "GE Store,"
through which each business shares and accesses the same technology, markets,
structure and intellect. Each invention further fuels innovation and
application across our industrial sectors. With people, services, technology
and scale, GE delivers better outcomes for customers by speaking the language
of industry. www.GE.com
About GE Power
GE Power (www.GE.com/power) is a
world energy leader that provides technology, solutions and services across the
entire energy value chain from the point of generation to consumption. We are
transforming the electricity industry by uniting all the resources and scale of
the world’s first Digital Industrial company. Our customers operate in more
than 150 countries, and together we power more than a third of the world to
illuminate cities, build economies and connect the world. For more information,
visit the company's website at www.GE.com/power. Follow GE Power on Twitter
@GE_Power and on LinkedIn at GE Power.
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