COMMENT
FEATURES: Control systems + automation Energy management + energy efficiency Safety of plant, equipment + people
Getting to grips with a crisis E very now and again it seems to become quite evident that we live in a mad world, doesn’t it?
Point-level measurement: Proven technology for energy applications
problem at all. The problem was the decline in the energy availability factor, implying that, over the years, less and less energy was available to drive the economy. Even as we built new power stations (which were delayed by a significant period), the increase in generation capacity was obliterated by the decline in the energy availability factor. Sad. This trend seems to have been reversed. It was, however, an absolute crisis. And this was a crisis that saw some remarkable things happen. Industry, and even private individuals, took the opportunity – driven by necessity – to install their own energy sources. There was too a relaxation in the policy environment to make this possible. Remarkable what a crisis can do – and it does leave one wondering if there may have been a less disruptive method of driving users towards ‘cleaner’ off grid technologies. I am certain that, had the utility continued providing the energy needs of the country, we would never have seen the incredible growth in solar and wind technologies that we have seen. The progress has been spectacular. There is a catch – with so much of the load now off grid, who will continue to fund the utility? And, no matter what, will it remain a sustainable entity? Maybe that will present another crisis? Never waste a crisis.
In the energy sector, point level measurement plays a critical role in plant safety and equipment protection. Continuous measurement provides process visibility, and point level detection
Geopolitics rears its head and seems to have ripple effects no matter where one looks. This also does suggest that power is such a rare gift for any nation or any person that it really needs to be entrusted to those who appreciate the fact. To some extent, here, at the southernmost tip of a continent, we sit and watch what goes on. To some extent we feel out of control. We do face an international crisis – and it is possible that, as a nation, we have not quite come to grips with that. My mind immediately reverts to the old saying: never waste a crisis. This is an often- used phrase (or variations of it) and it has been variously attributed, but I understand it generally to be ascribed to Winston Churchill who clearly did face a crisis or two. I will not comment on what we should do as a country to capitalise on the emerging crisis, save to say we really do need to try a bit harder. What I would like to do is reflect on our capacity to deal with our own (generally self- inflicted) crises – and the obvious one relates to energy. We faced a bulk energy crisis, and we have emerged on the other side of it in a better position – although I recognise quite a few counter-views that do have merit. But think about this: the national utility has made significant improvements in the Energy Availability Factor – getting it to 69% by the end of last year. This is, of course, still way below the levels of the early part of this century. There was once a narrative that the trouble the utility faced was the need to deliver more energy than in the past – but that was not the
delivers decisive action. (Read more on page 3.)
Editor: Leigh Darroll Design & Layout: Katlego Montsho Circulation: Karen Smith Technical Editorial Consultant: Ian Jandrell
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Ian Jandrell PrEng IntPE(SA), BSc(Eng) GDE PhD, FSAAE FSAIEE SMIEEE
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