https://newsletter.en.creamermedia.com
Africa|Automation|Building|Business|Coal|Energy|Eskom|Export|generation|Industrial|Infrastructure|Nuclear|Power|Renewable Energy|Renewable-Energy|Resources|Service|Services|Solar|Storage|System|Systems|Equipment|Infrastructure|Operations
Africa|Automation|Building|Business|Coal|Energy|Eskom|Export|generation|Industrial|Infrastructure|Nuclear|Power|Renewable Energy|Renewable-Energy|Resources|Service|Services|Solar|Storage|System|Systems|Equipment|Infrastructure|Operations
africa|automation|building|business|coal|energy|eskom|export|generation|industrial|infrastructure|nuclear|power|renewable-energy|renewable-energy-company|resources|service|services|solar|storage|system|systems|equipment|infrastructure|operations

Korea electricity utility offers knowledge and equipment to SA

20th September 2019

By: Schalk Burger

Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

     

Font size: - +

National utility Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) stands ready to provide electricity and equipment services in South Africa as part of its goal to grow its export business, Kepco small and medium-sized enterprise and startup VP Hwang Kwang-Soo says.

The utility has experience in managing a diverse mixture of power sources, while maintaining a stable grid.

The 121-year-old utility has been rated as one of top 100 utilities by Forbes magazine, and has maintained a top-ten power quality rating over three consecutive years in World Bank ratings, Hwang says.

Korea’s energy mix includes nuclear, coal, wind and solar energy, as well as energy storage, and Kepco provides power for 74.2% of its economy and industries.

It advocates the need for a diverse energy mix to power South Africa’s economy, as a good mix of power sources provides stability, while allowing renewable-energy sources and storage to be added when needed.

The utility is also transforming and digitalising its operations, similar to what traditional utilities and State-owned power utility Eskom are doing. It is building a Big Data-based energy platform to transform its energy business by acting as a platform provider for the entire energy industry.

The utility will use new technologies, such as energy storage, to foster its future growth and stabilise the power supply as it increasingly includes renewable-energy sources. Korea is planning to develop offshore wind generation capacity, as well as a biomass plant.

Kepco is also contributing to efforts to make Korean cities smarter, and is building an intelligent power grid platform leveraging automation to provide services. It aims to deploy advanced metering infrastructure by 2020, which will include mandatory energy saving mechanisms and building energy management systems, as well as allowing for independent service providers, and provide real-time-use information and billing to customers.

Kepco can provide key inputs into the development of smart grids and microgrids. It extensively uses energy storage plants in island microgrids that also typically integrate renewable-energy sources, says Hwang.

The South African government’s objective is to rely on various energy sources as part of an energy mix, confirms South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) acting deputy director-general, Mokgadi Modise, adding that South Africa can leverage the wealth of experience Kepco has to enhance the South African energy system.

Korea ambassador to South Africa Park Jong-Dae highlights the importance of power for economic growth, industries and for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. He urges that the momentum to address the challenges with the local energy supply and to attract investment be sustained.

Additionally, he highlights the Africa Free Trade Area agreement as a very encouraging development during a time of trade wars and tendencies toward protectionism. He adds that South African trade with Korea was limited and could be expanded.

Modise says the DMRE, as part of its engagements with Korea, will ensure that the local business sector is well represented.

Additionally, South Africa is intent on tapping into its natural resources in its energy mix, and stands ready to work with Korea and to craft business opportunities between the nations, she says.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

Comments

Projects

Latest News

Zambia suffers nationwide power outage, State utility Zesco says
Zambia suffers nationwide power outage, State utility Zesco says
Updated 1 hour 47 minutes ago By: Reuters

Showroom

Universal Storage Systems (SA)
Universal Storage Systems (SA)

South African leader in Steel -Racking, -Shelving, and -Mezzanine flooring. Universal has innovated an approach which encompasses conceptualising,...

VISIT SHOWROOM 
John Ratcliffe
John Ratcliffe

At John Ratcliffe, we are aftermarket specialists for heavy-duty on and off-road vehicles. We engineer and retrofit advanced safety systems, engine...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Magazine round up | 22 November 2024
Magazine round up | 22 November 2024
22nd November 2024

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.091 0.185s - 198pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now