RG: We have seen an increased focus on remote monitoring in
the heavy equipment sector; is this a focus area in the field of
power generation as well?
KG: Remote monitoring, as a concept, is not new. The problem has
always been about coverage. So say you need to monitor an engine
or a generator on site somewhere, you would need to have GPRS
or GSM as well as a SIM card, and even then, some remote areas
have no signal so you would be stuck — that was the big constraint
in terms of remote monitoring. However, now we have cloud-
based technology, which is what Cummins is using for our remote
monitoring. It allows a plant manager, for example, to use their
smartphone to check up on how their equipment is operating. This
allows the relevant people to access this information 24/7, without
having to be on site, which is a significant advantage.
This monitoring technology is also predictive, and so it allows us
to schedule servicing and preventive maintenance at a time of our
choosing, rather than waiting for something to go wrong. So we can
switch the engine off and overhaul it with minimum impact on daily
operations. Backup power is only as good as its maintenance — you
can start up a generator 10 times a month, which we do, but the
eleventh time, when you need it to work, it could fail, and that is why
predictive maintenance is so important.
RG: Are you actually running this technology on any of your
equipment or at any of your projects?
KG: Internationally, yes we are. The technology is tested, and we
are currently looking at running pilots in Africa to show customers
what it can do. We are actually shipping this equipment to South
Africa at the moment, and engaging with five customers to install
pilot sets at various projects in Africa.
RG: There has been a big move in some sectors away from diesel
power — diesel-driven machines and generators — primarily for
environmental reasons. Is that happening in South Africa and
Africa yet, or is it still a way off?
KG: Honestly, I think we are a long way off from eradicating diesel
and coal in Africa. I’m not saying it’s never going to happen, but
what do you replace it with? To me, the answer lies in hybrids: a
combination of solar and diesel. You have a lot of cloud cover
in many parts of Africa, so solar on its own, even in the daylight
hours, cannot reliably run a base load.
In terms of other alternative power options, solar’s definitely got
the lead on wind — if the wind doesn’t blow you have nothing,
whereas the sun always shines, it’s just a question of how bright it is.
There are maybe 50 places in the world where you could run a wind
base load and not spend time sitting around waiting for the wind to
blow. So to me the answer is, at least for the foreseeable future, we
won’t be doing away with diesel in Africa in a hurry. When you look
at base load, nothing beats a diesel generator; it’s reliable, proven
tec hnology.
RG: A lot of this sort of change is driven by legislation. Diesel is
easy, we have been using it for a long time, and it's energy-dense.
Do you think we are going to see legislation that forces the move
away from diesel any time soon?
KG: The number of remote sites in Africa means that diesel is still
going to be around for a while. And while I do think the legislation
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