SMEC’s power and energy capabilities were showcased at two regional events held over the last two months in sub-Saharan Africa.
In September SMEC South Africa participated in the Future Energy East Africa Conference at Nairobi’s Kenyatta International Conference Centre. The conference was attended by three SMEC delegates: Florence Wambugu, Section Manager Power and Energy; Khalid Salim Business Development Manager; and Nomonde Miningwa, Technologist Power and Energy.
The delegates also attended the GE Power Grid Automation Technical Seminar. “The seminar tackled topics of interests on grid automation protection, and concept, monitoring and diagnostics for digital substations. Workshop-based sessions were held which addressed technical queries and customer concerns”, reports Nomonde Miningwa.
The conference is the largest such regional event and provides a platform for public and private stakeholders to engage in discussions around the future of the East African energy sector. The conference was attended by over 1 800 visitors and boasted more than 80 exhibitors, including a well-attended German Pavilion. Future Energy East Africa has been running for 20 years and received visitors from 15+ countries including South Africa, DRC, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda, Mozambique, Tanzania, Ethiopia and Kenya.
Future Energy Africa provided a wide platform to unlock multi-disciplinary consulting opportunities for SMEC in the renewable and traditional power generation sectors.
The Association of Municipal Electricity Utilities held their 27th Convention at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from October 13 to 16. The conference was attended by SMEC South Africa’s Bjorn Smidt-Hart, Senior Engineer Power & Energy and Melissa Hill, Senior Project Manager Power & Energy. SMEC South Africa had a stand at the exhibition which ran parallel to the convention. Among the visitors to the stand were delegates from the Nelson Mandela Bay Metropolitan Municipality who showed interest in SMEC’s capabilities and 3D lighting models.
Bjorn Smidt-Hart, Senior Engineer in SMEC South Africa’s Power & Energy sector, presented a paper entitled “Public Lighting – Lighting the Way to Smart City Development”, which was well received and which slotted in perfectly with the convention’s theme this year of the 4th Industrial Revolution – Building the Power Utility of the Future, Today.
