Water a key focus at African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa in Cape Town in May

A Cape Town bottling plant has managed to reduce its waste water by over 60%, saving more than 90 million litres of municipal water since January 2017.

The Epping-based The Beverage Company produces over 1.5 million bottles of carbonated soft drinks per week and uses on average 30 000 litres of water per hour. According to the plant manager David Putterill, last year’s looming Day Zero for water supply in Cape Town had less impact on the business “due to the various actions we took in advance of the crisis. In mid-2016 we started various projects to save water and these are on-going. In the last year we have sustained our water saving so that even though the water restrictions have been partially lifted, we keep the same focus on saving water.”

World Water Day, a UN initiative, is celebrated on 22 March every year and focuses on the importance of water and this year’s theme is ‘Leaving no one behind’, adapting the central promise of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development that as sustainable development progresses, everyone must benefit.

Water conference in May
Water also remains one of the key topics and discussion points at the annual African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa in Cape Town, where from 14-16 May, the conference will bring together experts from public and private sectors to support municipalities as they become more responsive and efficient in their water practices.

Part of this knowledge exchange are the technical site visits taking place on 17 May, including at The Beverage Company bottling plant. “Delegates will see the bottling plant and the water saving projects that were implemented that helped us reduce our waste water and saving million of litres of municipal water” says The Beverage Company’s David Putterill. “They will also see our alternative water supply project that we have initiated to reduce our dependence on the municipal water supply by installing our own boreholes and reverse osmosis plant.”

He adds: “it has been fascinating to see what can be achieved when a team applies their mind to a particular goal. It has also been a huge learning curve for all concerned, learning about water treatment, alternative water sources, geohydrology and many other topics.” 

See David Putterill’s full interview here and click here for a video of The Beverage Company facilities and their exciting water savings initiatives.  

More water experts and speakers at African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa include:

- “The greatest challenge facing global water security is global transformation. The world is changing as we look on and this is happening at a very fast pace and impacting heavily on available natural resources, including fresh water.”
- Paul Yillia, Guest Research Scholar (Water Programme), International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis, Austria, winner of 2018 African Utility Week Industry Award for Outstanding Contribution Award for Water and chairperson of African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa’s water conference.

- “We have made a real and profound difference intercepting Day Zero, by helping the City of Cape Town fast track the use of intelligent water infrastructure“
- Shannon Vermaak, marketing manager for Utility Systems, platinum sponsors at the upcoming African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa. Click here for the full interview.

- “Utilities and municipalities need to operate more as a business. As the sector transforms, they can either be a hurdle or a catalyst for the private sector and the country as a whole” 
- Dhasi Naidoo, Chief Strategy Officer, Ontec, South Africa and speaker in the water conference.

- “Climate change impacts are imminent; however, most key institutions are not fully prepared to deal with such impacts”
- Sicelo N. Mashwama, Environment, Health & Safety Manager at Swaziland Water Services Corporation and Advisory Board member of African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa.Click here for the full interview.

- “Cape Town is a good example that Africa has started to face the effects of climate change by investigating alternative water resources and minimizing the loss of non-revenue water and general water use.”
- Jan Kürstein, Hydrogeologist and Senior Consultant Water and Natural Resources at Rambøll in Denmark, even advisory board member and speaker. Click here for the full interview.

Session topics at African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa’s water conference include: 

- Tackling the escalating drought threat: Embarking on climate change resilience
- Managing water conservation resources in light of the on-going drought
- Water technology innovation platform in Africa
- Demonstrating, applying and commercialising the required technology
- Water metering and monitoring
- Water treatment advancements
- Water sector funding and incentives
- Meeting municipal demand

The 19th edition of this flagship conference and exhibition is expected to attract more than 10 000 water and energy professionals this year.

International pavilions
Apart from the official U.S. country pavilion at African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa showcasing specialised technology and services for the utility, metering, renewable and water industries, country pavilions from Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India and Poland have also already confirmed their presence at the 3-day event in May.

Industry support
A multi-award-winning conference and exhibition, African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa has already secured the support from industry stalwarts including Conlog, Dromex, Landis+Gyr, Sumitomo and Utility Systems as platinum sponsors and Aberdare, ADC Energy, Sulzer and Toshiba as gold sponsors.

African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa is the flagship energy event organised by Spintelligent, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the energy, infrastructure, mining and agriculture sectors. Other well-known events by Spintelligent include Future Energy East Africa, Future Energy Nigeria, the Utility CEO Forums, Agritech Expo Zambia, Nigeria Mining Week and DRC Mining Week. Spintelligent is part of the UK-based Clarion Events Group and African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa form part of Clarion Energy, which runs over 40 events that cover the oil, gas, power and energy sectors, making it one of Clarion Events’ largest portfolios.

Dates for African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa:
Conference and expo: 14-16 May 2019
Site visits: 17 May 2019
Location: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa
Website: http://www.african-utility-week.com  
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfricaUtilities    #AUW2019   
Linkedin: African Utility Week

Contact:
Senior communications manager:  Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone:  +27 21 700 3558
Mobile:  +27 82 562 7844
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

“Our mission is to deliver authentic African content”

The organisers of African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa, have announced that they have entered into a media partnership with African News Agency (ANA), a continent-wide multimedia content dissemination platform in the run-up to the event that is taking place from 14-16 May in Cape Town. ANA will also have a presence on the expo floor.

The South African Minister of Energy, Honourable Jeff Radebe, is heading up a stellar line up of expert speakers and will once again deliver the opening ministerial address on 14 May. The 19th edition of this leading conference and exhibition is expected to attract more than 10 000 energy and water professionals this year.

“We’re excited to partner with African News Agency” says African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa event director Evan Schiff, “over the last couple of years ANA has been able to fill a real need in the market for the effective distribution of news, particularly across Africa.”

“For ANA, African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa is the perfect strategic forum to meet leading global and African professionals in the energy and water sectors” says ANA CEO Grant Fredericks. He adds: “our mission is to deliver authentic African content, in the form of locally produced stories, images, videos and valuable data, to the world and this event has proven to have been a consistent source of great news content and expert interviews over the years. Our strategic media partnerships across the African continent guarantee that we share and produce ground-breaking content on the hour, by the hour. We look forward to provide many of the African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa sponsors, exhibitors and speakers with our services onsite.” 

International pavilions
Apart from the official U.S. country pavilion at African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa showcasing specialised technology and services for the utility, metering, renewable and water industries, country pavilions from Brazil, Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India and Poland have also already confirmed their presence at the 3-day event in May.

Industry support
A multi-award-winning conference and exhibition, African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa has already secured early support from industry stalwarts including Conlog, Dromex, Landis+Gyr, Sumitomo and Utility Systems as platinum sponsors and Aberdare, ADC Energy, Sulzer and Toshiba as gold sponsors.

African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa is the flagship energy event organised by Spintelligent, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the energy, infrastructure, mining and agriculture sectors. Other well-known events by Spintelligent include Future Energy East Africa, Future Energy Nigeria, the Utility CEO Forums, Agritech Expo Zambia, Nigeria Mining Week and DRC Mining Week.

Spintelligent is part of the UK-based Clarion Events Group and African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa form part of Clarion Energy, which runs over 40 events that cover the oil, gas, power and energy sectors, making it one of Clarion Events’ largest portfolios.

Dates for African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa:
Conference and expo: 14-16 May 2019
Site visits: 17 May 2019
Location: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa

Website: http://www.african-utility-week.com  
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfricaUtilities    #AUW2019   
Linkedin: African Utility Week

Contact:
Senior communications manager:  Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone:  +27 21 700 3558
Mobile:  +27 82 562 7844
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa to feature unique case study in May

About a third of the food produced in South Africa gets wasted and 90% of this waste lands up in landfills. Growthpoint Properties have embarked on an exciting partnership with the Dutch green technology provider Waste Transformers by installing an on-site, anaerobic digester at its N1 City Mall property in Cape Town which uses organic waste to produce green electricity, hot water and fertiliser.

“Landfills produce methane gas which is worse for the environment than CO² emissions” says Gavin Jones, Growthpoint Properties’ Regional Retail Asset Manager for the Western Cape, “and the South African government is aiming to reduce at least half of that food wastage. The intention of this waste-to-power installation at N1 City with Waste Transformers is to look towards future regulation, particularly in the Western Cape, that will limit the removal of organic waste from operating buildings to landfill sites. Cape Town has announced that they want a 100% reduction of organic waste to landfills by the year 2027. And Growthpoint is trying to reach that target by 2020 while Cape Town is hoping to reach a target of 30% by that time.”

Check out the video here.

Modulated structure functions like a stomach
The Waste Transformers unit is a modulated structure comprising four large containers that are run by a number of processes and occupies about six or seven parking bays onsite at the N1 City mall.

“Within our shopping centre environment,” says Growthpoint Properties’ Gavin Jones, “we collect organic waste material from restaurants and from food supermarket operators in separate bins and separate it from the recycled goods. We then process it in the first stage of the machine, which is the macerator which chops up the organic waste matter into a usable size. A grey water mix is added and this mixture is then pumped into the anaerobic digester.  With added enzymes, this digester pretty much functions like a stomach which produces methane gas as well as a by-product of hot water.“

The hot water is used to clean the plant and the waste area. The methane gas is harvested, filtered and housed in the gas component of the installation. This gas is then used to run an electric generator which then places electricity back into the shopping centre.

Gavin continues: “the last product of the system is a liquid fertiliser and is distributed for landscaping at all of our properties in our portfolio in the area, and to a large number of non-profits and hospitals as well as to Parow Golf Course. We have an end goal in mind to begin a micro enterprise to sell this fertiliser into the market.”

“Currently the capacity of this Waste Transformers installation is about 6 kVA per day, which provides electricity to between 10 and 11 small line shops in the mall, which compared to what the mall normally uses, is still a very small supply. What’s exciting about this unit is that the generator runs the system by itself, so it is a self-sustained modulated system, it does not require an external power source for it to run. The main benefit of the system remains in the production of fertiliser, which is a sellable product which we can use in our own property portfolio and for external supply.”

African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa
During the Future Cities conference track at African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa in Cape Town in May, a case study will be presented on South Africa's first Waste Transformer at the N1 City Mall in Cape Town and will be followed by a discussion on how waste-to-energy plants can be made more competitive.The 19th edition of this leading conference and exhibition is expected to attract more than 10 000 energy and water professionals this year.

African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa is the flagship energy event organised by Spintelligent, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the energy, infrastructure, mining and agriculture sectors. Other well-known events by Spintelligent include Future Energy East Africa, Future Energy Nigeria, the Utility CEO Forums, Agritech Expo Zambia, Nigeria Mining Week and DRC Mining Week. Spintelligent is part of the UK-based Clarion Events Group and African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa form part of Clarion Energy, which runs over 40 events that cover the oil, gas, power and energy sectors, making it one of Clarion Events’ largest portfolios.

Dates for African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa:
Conference and expo: 14-16 May 2019
Site visits: 17 May 2019
Location: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa

Website: http://www.african-utility-week.com  
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfricaUtilities    #AUW2019   
Linkedin: African Utility Week

Contact:
Senior communications manager:  Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone:  +27 21 700 3558
Mobile:  +27 82 562 7844
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Mother City to welcome back 10 000+ energy and water professionals

The organisers of African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa, have announced that they have entered into a media partnership with the global news organisation and broadcaster CNN in the run-up to the event that is taking place from 14-16 May in Cape Town. The South African Minister of Energy, Honourable Jeff Radebe, is heading up a stellar line up of expert speakers and will once again deliver the opening ministerial address on 14 May. The 19th edition of this leading conference and exhibition is expected to attract more than 10 000 energy and water professionals this year.  

International pavilions
Apart from the official U.S. country pavilion at African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa showcasing specialised technology and services for the utility, metering, renewable and water industries, country pavilions from Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India and Poland have also already confirmed their presence at the 3-day event in May.

Industry support
A multi-award-winning conference and exhibition, African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa has already secured early support from industry stalwarts including Conlog, Dromex, Landis+Gyr, Sumitomo and Utility Systems as platinum sponsors and Aberdare, ADC Energy, Sulzer and Toshiba as gold sponsors.

African Utility Weekand the co-located POWERGEN Africa is the flagship energy event organised by Spintelligent, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the energy, infrastructure, mining and agriculture sectors. Other well-known events by Spintelligent include Future Energy East Africa, Future Energy Nigeria, the Utility CEO Forums, Agritech Expo Zambia, Nigeria Mining Week and DRC Mining Week. Spintelligent is part of the UK-based Clarion Events Group and African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa form part of Clarion Energy, which runs over 40 events that cover the oil, gas, power and energy sectors, making it one of Clarion Events’ largest portfolios.

Dates for African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa:
Conference and expo: 14-16 May 2019
Site visits: 17 May 2019
Location: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa
Website: http://www.african-utility-week.com  
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfricaUtilities    #AUW2019   
Linkedin: African Power Forum

Contact:
Senior communications manager:  Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone:  +27 21 700 3558
Mobile:  +27 82 562 7844
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Mother City to welcome back 10 000+ energy and water professionals

Addressing the current landscape of water and energy projects all over the subcontinent, African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa, in collaboration with the Department of Energy, is proud to announce the confirmation of the South African Minister of Energy, Honourable Jeff Radebe, who will form part of the stellar line up at the opening Ministry address on 14 May at the CTICC in Cape Town. The minister also opened this flagship industry gathering last year.

The new co-location of POWERGEN Africa at the 19th edition of the event from 14-16 May will add an expanded focus on generation, including renewables, off grid, fossil fuels and nuclear, while still concentrating on transmission, distribution, metering, new technologies including storage, mini grids, micro grids, IOT and ICT systems, as well as water.

Along with multiple side events and numerous networking functions the event boasts a five track strategic conference with over 300 expert speakers. An extensive Knowledge Hub programme that is CPD accredited and free to attend, offers hands-on presentations taking place in defined spaces on the exhibition floor. These discuss practical, day-to-day technical topics, best practices and product solutions that businesses, large power users and utilities can implement in their daily operations.

Other keynote speakers confirmed so far are:

• Dr Mark Swilling, Programme Coordinator of the Sustainable Development Programme in the School of Public Leadership; the Academic Director of the Sustainability Institute; and the Co-Director of the Stellenbosch Centre for Complex Systems in Transition.
• Prof Anton Eberhard, who the directs Managing Infrastructure Investment Reform Regulation In Africa (MIRA) at the Graduate School of Business at the University of Cape Town. He is also chairing a team appointed by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to advise on turning Eskom around and restructuring the power sector.

Following the keynote session, conference delegates will break into five programme tracks. The programme for 2019 follows the industry trend of connecting the full value chain, so content is not siloed by industry and reflects the many disciplines required for a modern, smart power industry:

• The Future Cities conference will look at Africa’s current urban living challenges and ask what is needed for the cities of tomorrow and who will be leading the way?
• Learn about the finance and investment trends and forecasts for Africa’s power infrastructure in the Power Strategy Development conference, tailored to utilities and companies with an interest in finance and investment as well as generation options.
• The Smart Energy conference will combine metering-based topics with the latest smart grid solutions to equip the sectors leaders and innovators.
• Energy Revolution Africa provides a dynamic meeting place for solution providers, consultants, renewable energy producers and the African and global energy minds to develop alternative solutions towards the acceleration of Africa’s sustainable electrification.
• The Water conference will bring together experts from public and private sectors to support municipalities as they become more responsive and efficient in their practices.

International pavilions
Apart from the official U.S. country pavilion at African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa showcasing specialised technology and services for the utility, metering, renewable and water industries, country pavilions from Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India and Poland have also already confirmed their presence at the 3-day event in May.

Industry support
A multi-award-winning conference and exhibition, African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa has already secured early support from industry stalwarts including Conlog, Dromex, Landis+Gyr, Sumitomo and Utility Systems as platinum sponsors and Aberdare and Sulzer as gold sponsors. The sixth edition of the annual African Power, Energy & Water Industry Awards also returns to celebrate pioneering utilities, projects and people in the energy and water industry on the continent during 2018/2019.

CEO Forum
The Utility CEO Forum an exclusive gathering of regional utility CEOs within the power and energy sector providing a unique, safe space for discussion and debate of the modern day challenges in running African utilities in a fast developing market with high political expectations and low returns within aging or no infrastructure. Confirmed industry expert and technology partners for this strategic gathering are Conlog, Eaton, Nyamezela, Ontec, Oracle and Steinmüller.

African Utility Week and the co-located POWERGEN Africa is the flagship energy event organised by Spintelligent, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the energy, infrastructure, mining and agriculture sectors. Other well-known events by Spintelligent include Future Energy East Africa, Future Energy Nigeria, the Utility CEO Forums, Agritech Expo Zambia, Nigeria Mining Week and DRC Mining Week. Spintelligent is part of the UK-based Clarion Events Group and African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa form part of Clarion Energy, which runs over 40 events that cover the oil, gas, power and energy sectors, making it one of Clarion Events’ largest portfolios.

Dates for African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa:
Conference and expo: 14-16 May 2019 
Site visits: 17 May 2019 
Location: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa

Website: http://www.african-utility-week.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfricaUtilities    #AUW2019
Linkedin: African Utility Week

Contact:
Senior communications manager:  Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone:  +27 21 700 3558
Mobile:  +27 82 562 7844
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Mother City to welcome back 10 000+ energy and water professionals

The power and water industries on the continent have responded with enthusiasm to the latest call for nominations for the sixth edition of the annual African Power, Energy & Water Industry Awards that returns to Cape Town on 15 May 2019. During the gala evening pioneering utilities, projects and people in the energy and water industries on the continent will once again be celebrated for their achievements during 2018/2019. Previously known as the African Utility Week Industry Awards, the new branding reflects the recent co-location of the POWERGEN Africa exhibition with African Utility Week.

“Our awards have been extremely popular and prestigious right from the start” says African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa’s event director Evan Schiff, adding: “we love how competitive the power and water industries are as this stimulates innovation, entrepreneurship and progress, all needed to improve power and water services for all Africans. We look forward to honouring the continent’s leading people and projects, from the Lifetime Achievement Award and Young Leader Award, to the Power Service Provider of the Year and the top Renewable Energy Projects in small and larger scales.” 

Power and water professionals can nominate themselves or a colleague, project or organisation by completing the nomination form on the African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa website or by clicking this link.

The categories for the African Power, Energy & Water Industry Awards 2019 are as follows: 

INDIVIDUAL AWARDS:

• Lifetime Achievement Award
Sponsored by: Siemens
The Lifetime Achievement Award is presented to an individual for prolonged and consistent achievements who has made a significant contribution to the development and future of the energy or water industries during his or her entire career rather than or in addition to a single contribution.    

The nominee can be from a utility, public or private company and should be someone who has helped to achieve strategic advancement of the sectors by proactively sharing knowledge, encouraging the adoption of new technologies or establishing exemplary financial governance practices. This individual is well recognised across the globe for their influence and insight into the energy or water sectors in Africa.  

• Outstanding Contribution Award: Power
This award celebrates the accomplishments of an individual in a senior position from a utility, public or private company who has displayed passion and commitment to the power industry, while also demonstrating leadership, vision and success. 

• Outstanding Contribution Award: Water
This award celebrates the accomplishments of an individual in a senior position from a utility, public or private company who has displayed passion and commitment to the water industry while also demonstrating leadership, vision and success. 

• Outstanding Contribution Award: Young Leader
This award recognises a person under the age of 35 from a public or private company who has made an outstanding contribution to the energy or water sectors. This young professional has had commendable career achievements to date and is already playing a leading role in their sector.  

ORGANISATIONAL AWARDS:
• Power Service Provider of the Year
This award recognises a power service provider (such as a utility) in Africa that has excelled in any one or more of the following fields: Service delivery, project roll-out, technology roll-out, revenue protection measures, loss reduction, grid integration and new energy sources, including company contribution to sector growth, demonstrated expenditure reduction, increased capacity to deliver services and revenue collection, completion of infrastructure development or sustainable maintenance projects. 

• Water Service Provider of the Year
Sponsored by: SBS Tanks
This award recognises a water service provider (such as a utility or municipality) in Africa that excels in any one or more of the following: Service delivery, project roll-out, technology roll-out, revenue protection measures, loss reduction, water quality and sanitation solutions, including company contribution to sector growth, demonstrated expenditure reduction, increased capacity to deliver services and revenue collection, completion of infrastructure development or sustainable maintenance projects. 

• Grid-Tied Renewable Energy Project (10MW +)
Sponsored by: Aberdare Cables
This award is for a project completed by an African utility, off-grid producer, IPP, government or investor between March 2018 and February 2019.  

• Small-Scale Sustainable Energy Project (under 5MW)
This award is for a sustainable energy project providing electricity for either a commercial or rural electrification setting that was connected between March 2018 and February 2019.  

Conference and expo The new co-location of POWERGEN Africa in 2019 will add an expanded focus on generation, including renewables, off grid, fossil fuels and nuclear, while still concentrating on transmission, distribution, metering, new technologies including storage, mini grids, micro grids, IOT and ICT systems, as well as water.

Along with multiple side events and numerous networking functions African Utility Week boasts a five track strategic conference with over 300 expert speakers. An extensive Knowledge Hub programme that is CPD accredited and free to attend, offers hands-on presentations taking place in defined spaces on the exhibition floor. These discuss practical, day-to-day technical topics, best practices and product solutions that businesses, large power users and utilities can implement in their daily operations.

International pavilions
Apart from the official U.S. country pavilion at African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa showcasing specialised technology and services for the utility, metering, renewable and water industries, country pavilions from Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India and Poland have also already confirmed their presence at the 3-day event in May.

African Utility Week and the co-located POWERGEN Africa is the flagship energy event organised by Spintelligent, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the energy, infrastructure, mining, real estate and agriculture sectors. Other well-known events by Spintelligent include Future Energy East Africa, Future Energy Nigeria, the Utility CEO Forums, Agritech Expo Zambia, Nigeria Mining Week and DRC Mining Week. Spintelligent is part of the UK-based Clarion Events Group and African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa form part of Clarion Energy, which runs over 40 events that cover the oil, gas, power and energy sectors, making it one of Clarion Events’ largest portfolios.

Dates for African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa:
Conference and expo: 14-16 May 2019
Awards: 15 May 2019, 19:00 – 23:00
Site visits: 17 May 2019
Location: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa

Website: http://www.african-utility-week.com 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfricaUtilities    #AUW2019  
Linkedin: African Utility Week

Contact:
Senior communications manager:  Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone:  +27 21 700 3558
Mobile:  +27 82 562 7844
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Mother City to welcome back 10 000+ energy and water professionals

“The African Utility Week conference has a longstanding reputation of producing innovative, topical and high-level content, discussion and engagement” says event director Evan Schiff, adding: “the 19th edition of the event from 14-16 May in Cape Town this year will, once again, not disappoint.”

The new co-location of POWERGEN Africa in 2019 will add an expanded focus on generation, including renewables, off grid, fossil fuels and nuclear, while still concentrating on transmission, distribution, metering, new technologies including storage, mini grids, micro grids, IOT and ICT systems, as well as water.

Along with multiple side events and numerous networking functions the event boasts a five track strategic conference with over 300 expert speakers. An extensive Knowledge Hub programme that is CPD accredited and free to attend, offers hands-on presentations taking place in defined spaces on the exhibition floor. These discuss practical, day-to-day technical topics, best practices and product solutions that businesses, large power users and utilities can implement in their daily operations

.Keynote speakers confirmed so far are:

- Dr Mark Swilling, Programme Coordinator of the Sustainable Development Programme in the School of Public Leadership; the Academic Director of the Sustainability Institute; and the Co-Director of the Stellenbosch Centre for Complex Systems in Transition.

- Prof Anton Eberhard, who the directs Managing Infrastructure Investment Reform Regulation In Africa (MIRA) at the Graduate School of Business at the University of Cape Town. He is also chairing a team appointed by South African President Cyril Ramaphosa to advise on turning Eskom around and restructuring the power sector.

African Utility Week connects experts from the entire power, energy and water value chain, including:

·         BEHAVIOUR TRANSFORMATION: “We are inspired to ensure quality utilities are provided to Africa to give the individual the opportunity to independently manage their use of power and water, ensuring a sustainable future.”
- Jodie Sherwin Hill, Executive Director, Jomat Investments Pty (Ltd), and African Utility Week Advisory Board member.

·         WATER: “We need for water sectorial practitioners to join hands and force Governments to put the sector in the position where it rightly belongs and that is at the front of all sectors. This would allow the sector to enjoy priority in terms of investments, which was required yesteryear across Africa.”
- Gift Sageme, CEO at Malawi’s Central Region Water Board in Malawi and AUW Advisory Board member.

·         HYDROPOWER: “We are contracted by New Africa Power (Mauritius) to develop a 5 project 70MW portfolio of hydro power plants in Zambia. These projects are prepared for qualification under the KfW (German) GETFiT programme. This is a significant step for us and it is exciting to have been able to move beyond South Africa, take a step up in scale and to drive the innovation around our third generation of hydro IPPs.”
- Anton-Louis Olivier, MD, REH, African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa Advisory Board member and previous winner of an AUW Industry Award for the top Small-Scale Sustainable Energy Project (under 5MW).

·         MINI GRIDS: “We have a very exciting project called ViDA (Village Data Analytics) around using satellites to streamline and optimise much of the mini-grid development cycle.”
- Dr Sam Duby, Africa Director, TFE Consulting and panellist at the upcoming African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa in the Energy Revolution Africa session on “Driving demand and facilitate access to financing in rural areas”.

·         SMART ENERGY AND WATER: “We are presently implementing a pilot smart electric water heating project on our CSIR campus in Pretoria, assessing the potential energy savings and benefits in creating a flexible load utilising the considerable energy storage inherent with hot cylinder water heating.”
- Dr Clinton Carter-Brown, Head: Energy Centre, CSIR and AUW Advisory Board member.

·         WATER: “Cape Town is a good example that Africa has started to face the effects of climate change by investigating alternative water resources and minimizing the loss of non-revenue water and general water use.”
- Jan Kürstein, Hydrogeologist and Senior Consultant Water and Natural Resources at Rambøll in Denmark and speaker at the upcoming African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa in Cape Town in May.

·         TECHNOLOGY: “At Dromex we see African Utility Week as a point of unity for the African energy sector and an invaluable connection point for innovation and technology within the industry”
- Stel Stylianou, CEO of Dromex, platinum sponsors.

International pavilions
Apart from the official U.S. country pavilion at African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa showcasing specialised technology and services for the utility, metering, renewable and water industries, country pavilions from Canada, China, Denmark, France, Germany, India and Poland have also already confirmed their presence at the 3-day event in May.

Industry support
A multi-award-winning conference and exhibition, African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa has already secured early support from industry stalwarts including Conlog, Dromex, Landis+Gyr, Sumitomo and Utility Systems as platinum sponsors and Aberdare and Sulzer as gold sponsors.

The sixth edition of the annual African Power, Energy & Water Industry Awards also returns to celebrate pioneering utilities, projects and people in the energy and water industry on the continent during 2018/2019.

CEO Forum
The Utility CEO Forum is an exclusive, by invitation only, gathering of regional utility CEOs within the power and energy sector providing a unique, safe space for discussion and debate the modern day challenges of their roles in running African utilities in a fast developing market with high political expectations and low returns within aging or no infrastructure. Confirmed industry expert and technology partners for this strategic gathering are Conlog, Eaton, Nyamezela, Ontec, Oracle and Steinmüller.

African Utility Week and the co-located POWERGEN Africa is the flagship energy event organised by Spintelligent, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the energy, infrastructure, mining, real estate and agriculture sectors. Other well-known events by Spintelligent include Future Energy East Africa, Future Energy Nigeria, the Utility CEO Forums, Agritech Expo Zambia, Nigeria Mining Week and DRC Mining Week. Spintelligent is part of the UK-based Clarion Events Group and African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa form part of Clarion Energy, which runs over 40 events that cover the oil, gas, power and energy sectors, making it one of Clarion Events’ largest portfolios.

Dates for African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa:
Conference and expo: 14-16 May 2019
Site visits: 17 May 2019
Location: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa

Website: http://www.african-utility-week.com 
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfricaUtilities    #AUW2019  
Linkedin: African Utility Week

Contact:
Senior communications manager:  Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone:  +27 21 700 3558
Mobile:  +27 82 562 7844
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

Mother City to welcome back 10 000+ energy and water professionals

The 19th edition of the multi-award-winning African Utility Week conference and exhibition in Cape Town has obtained official U.S. Trade Fair Certification from the U.S. Department of Commerce, paving the way for a greater American participation at the event in Cape Town from 14-16 May next year. Along with the recently acquired, co-located event POWERGEN Africa, the event gathers the largest group of power, energy and water professionals in the African market.

“We are delighted to announce that U.S. Trade Certification has been granted, with the United States officially endorsing the event. We are looking forward to working with the U.S. Commercial Service over the next few months to facilitate U.S. participation at the event” says Edgar Baron, International Sales and Business Development Manager for Spintelligent, the organisers of African Utility Week.

He adds: “U.S. exhibitors will be able to connect with 10 000+ attendees from over 80 countries over the 3-day exhibition and conference and generate leads and qualified business enquiries showcasing their innovative solutions and build partnerships at the leading power, energy and water expo in Africa.”

The U.S. Commercial Service/ITA team will be providing export assistance to U.S. exhibitors. B2B matchmaking meetings with utilities, energy providers and Government officials will be available to U.S. exhibitors.

Apart from the official U.S. country pavilion at African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa showcasing specialised technology and services for the utility, metering, renewable and water industries, country pavilions from Germany, India, Denmark, France and Canada have already confirmed their presence at the 3-day event in May 2019 at the CTICC in Cape Town. At least four more country pavilions are expected on the exhibition floor.

Industry support
A multi-award-winning conference and exhibition, African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa has already secured early support from industry stalwarts including Conlog, Dromex, Landis+Gyr, Sumitomo and Utility Systems as platinum sponsors and Aberdare and Sulzer as gold sponsors.

Along with multiple side events and numerous networking functions the event also boasts a five track conference with over 300 expert speakers, focusing on industry disciplines such as: thermal generation, water, renewables, revenue cycle management and metering, transmission and distribution as well as project finance and investment.

The African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa expo offers an extensive Knowledge Hub programme that is CPD accredited, free to attend, and offers hands-on presentations that take place in defined spaces on the exhibition floor. They discuss practical, day-to-day technical topics, best practices and product solutions that businesses, large power users and utilities can implement in their daily operations.

African Utility Week and the co-located POWERGEN Africa is the flagship energy event organised by Spintelligent, a multi-award-winning Cape Town-based exhibition and conference producer across the continent in the energy, infrastructure, mining, real estate and agriculture sectors. Other well-known events by Spintelligent include Future Energy East Africa, Future Energy Nigeria, the Utility CEO Forums, Agritech Expo Zambia, Nigeria Mining Week and DRC Mining Week. Spintelligent is part of the UK-based Clarion Events Group and African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa form part of Clarion Energy, which runs over 40 events that cover the oil, gas, power and energy sectors, making it one of Clarion Events’ largest portfolios.

Dates for African Utility Week and POWERGEN Africa:
Conference and expo: 14-16 May 2019
Site visits: 17 May 2019
Location: CTICC, Cape Town, South Africa

Website: http://www.african-utility-week.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AfricaUtilities #AUW2019
Linkedin: African Utility Week

Contact:
Senior communications manager: Annemarie Roodbol
Telephone: +27 21 700 3558
Mobile: +27 82 562 7844
Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

“Can utilities remain relevant, effective and lead the African energy revolution?”

A brand new study into the future of African power utilities and the challenges they face has highlighted four possible scenarios of what the continent’s energy sector will look like by the year 2030. In the whitepaper, titled: “The Future of Energy and Power Utilities in Africa”, utilities are envisioned to either become “The Lions of Africa”, “Hungry Hyenas”, “An Elephant Herd” or “White Elephants”, with each scenario having  different consequences for both the African energy industry at large as well as the consumer.

The research project was conducted by the Gordon Institute of Business Science (GIBS) at the University of Pretoria, in collaboration with Clarion Energy, organisers of flagship energy events such as African Utility Week, Future Energy East Africa, Future Energy Nigeria and the Utility CEO Forum series - meetings and events that share ideas, encourage networking and facilitate business partnerships across the continent.

Can utilities remain relevant?
“The future of power and energy in Africa is at a significant junction” says Natalie Bacon, programme director at African Utility Week, “and African states and the power stakeholders operating within this sector realise that the impact of providing universal access to affordable energy will not only lead to accelerated economic development but significant social improvements. Yet, to achieve universal access executives have many strategic decisions ahead of them.”

She explains: “hitherto business as usual for utilities has meant bulk energy production and distribution through coal-fired power plans, centralised grids and public sector monopolies. However, this is quickly coming under threat from new models of energy production and distribution. The four scenarios outlined by the study will help utilities and the wider industry visualise what African utilities could look like in 2030 and try to answer the important question of how utilities can remain relevant, effective and lead the African energy revolution”.

Honest reflection of sector in flux
Natalie Bacon adds: “we are very pleased with the completed GIBS Scenario Whitepaper which, even for a lay person, is easy to read and contains a treasure trove of background information, telling figures and statistics and country profiles. It provides an honest reflection of a sector in flux, detailing its current challenges and opportunities. “The Future of Energy and Power Utilities in Africa” will no doubt contribute to the on-going dialogue, knowledge sharing, challenging of the status quo and peer-to-peer interaction in the energy sector that we are continually striving to facilitate at our events.”

Four scenarios of future of utilities

Short summaries of each of the four scenarios identified in the study are:

SCENARIO 1: THE LIONS OF AFRICA
In 2030 African utilities have become a pride of agile lions, hunting for new opportunities in collaboration with business and community partners.

SCENARIO 2: HUNGRY HYENAS
In 2030 African utilities have become a pack of hungry hyenas, scavenging for short-term returns and manipulating the interests of their business and community stakeholders.

SCENARIO 3: ELEPHANT HERD
In 2030 African utilities have become a herd of African elephants, dominating the energy landscape in Africa with bold investments funded from abroad. Businesses and communities have little choice but to pay a premium to cover the rising cost of sovereign debt that accompanied the rapid expansion of bulk energy infrastructure between 2020 and 2040.

SCENARIO 4: WHITE ELEPHANTS
In 2030 African utilities have become a herd of white elephants, struggling for survival and relevance on a vibrant African continent.

Major uncertainties in sector
The research revealed that there are four major uncertainties that form the backdrop for the alternative future scenarios for African utilities and will determine their trajectory in a changing energy landscape:

- Fiscal stability and viability of alternative models: Will the precarious fiscal position of utilities be resolved in ways that produce long term sustainability and will viable alternative funding models be created in this process?

- Governance and regulatory readiness: Will the low quality of governance in the sector be improved and will this coincide with an appropriate regulatory response that is enabling and facilitating of new opportunities in the sector?

- Partnership and collaboration across social partners: Will the private sector and social actors such as communities consider partnership with utilities as an attractive prospect or will they seek to take advantage of new avenues for energy provision in isolation?

- Climate change: A wildcard / shock scenario: Will climate change and the effects thereof, such as extreme weather, persist, desist or accelerate, and what will be the effects? 

Some of the major current trends in the sector that were identified include: 

--Production and infrastructure: The private sector leads, as affordable renewable alternatives go mainstream due to power-purchase agreements.

--End users:New producers, led by smart urban developments, provide power directly to consumers and by that threaten state-monopoly in the sector.

--Key technological advances: Big Data and the resultant AIR (Artificial Intelligence Research) capabilities for smart and responsible management and policy.

--Macro environment: The shift from dictatorship and pseudo-democratic one-party states to technocratic authoritarianism. 

--Labour relations: Major labour movement backlash as renewable energy and alternatives, both in terms of production as well as management and distribution, to state-ownership, undermine job security in the mining sector in particular. 

--Financing and revenue: Non-payment by government users, municipalities and state-owned companies severely undermine state producers, placing pressure on the fiscus and leading to a public outcry. 

17 utility CEOs contribute
As part of the research done for the Scenario Whitepaper, the authors directly engaged with 17 CEOs of African utilities during the recent African Utility Week and CEO Forum in Cape Town in May, including:

* Botswana Power Corporation
* Burkina Faso, Société Nationale d’Electricité du Burkina Faso (SONABEL)
* Ghana, GridCo
* Malawi Electricity Generation Company
* Namibia, Erongo RED
* Nigeria, Abuja Electricity Distribution Company
* Nigeria, EKO - Electricity Distribution Company
* South Africa and Uganda, Eskom Enterprises
* South Sudan Electricity Corporation
* Uganda Electricity Transmission Company Limited
* Zimbabwe Electricity Transmission and Distribution Company 

The Scenarios Whitepaper: “The Future of Energy and Power Utilities in Africa” is free to download from the African Utility Week website or click here: http://info.spintelligent.com/scenarioreport. 

Upcoming energy events by Clarion Energy:

Future Energy East Africa, Nairobi, Kenya: 12-13 September 2018
http://www.future-energy-eastafrica.com/ 

Utility CEO Forum East Africa, Nairobi, Kenya: 12-13 September 2018
http://www.utility-ceo-forum.com/eastafrica

Future Energy Nigeria, Lagos, Nigeria: 13-14 November 2018
http://www.future-energy-nigeria.com/

Utility CEO Nigeria, Lagos, Nigeria: 13-14 November 2018
http://www.utility-ceo-forum.com/westafrica 

Utility CEO Forum: West Africa: Dakar, Senegal: 4-5 December 2018
http://www.utility-ceo-forum.com/westafrica 

African Utility Week, Cape Town, South Africa: 14-16 May 2019
https://www.african-utility-week.com/ 

Utility CEO Forum: Africa, Cape Town, South Africa: 14-16 May 2019
http://www.utility-ceo-forum.com/africa 

Utility CEO Forum: Central Africa, Cameroon: July 2019
http://www.utility-ceo-forum.com/centralafrica 

Spintelligent, Clarion Energy These flagship energy events are organised by Spintelligent, a multi-award winning, leading Cape Town-based trade exhibition and conference organiser, which is part of Clarion Energy and Clarion Events Ltd. Other well-known events by Spintelligent are Agritech Expo Zambia, Farm-Tech Expo Kenya, Property Buyer Show, DRC Mining Week, Nigeria Mining Week and Kenya Mining Forum.

Contact:
Senior communications manager:  Annemarie Roodbol
Mobile:  +27 82 562 7844
Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Web: http://www.spintelligent.com  

Harvesting icebergs and learning from forests on how to run a city were offered as solutions to Cape Town’s water woes on Wednesday at a power and water utility conference underway in Cape Town.

Salvage expert Nick Sloane addressed delegates at the African Utility Week conference during a keynote session on Wednesday where solutions from nature were explored to address increasing energy and water constraints.

“It sounds like a crazy idea but if we break it down, it is not so crazy after all,” Sloane started his address. His address followed director of water and sanitation in the City of Cape Town Peter Flower’s presentation on Tuesday on the water crisis in the city. Flower told delegates the city still needs to reduce consumption to 450 million litres of water per day to keep Day Zero at bay. With the current usage at 500 million litres per day, the situation remains dire despite measures employed by the city to reduce consumption.

According to Captain Sloane the answer may just be in “mother nature’s icebergs” – a total of 140 000 icebergs to be specific - drifting in the southern oceans and melting. Harvesting icebergs, he said, can help provide at least 20% of Cape Town’s water needs.He told delegates icebergs break off in Antarctica and hold some of the purest quality water that is between 15 000 and 20 000 years old. “About 2000 million tons of ice are breaking off every year,” he said.

The idea is to use the current system to guide these icebergs towards the Cape. “So, they are coming our way, we just need to know how to deal with it.” Sloane said the iceberg can be captured in the area round Gough island and will ultimately have to be guided and moored about 40 km offshore from St Helena island to be harvested. He said they will then have to “create a saucer to capture the melting water that can deliver up to 60 million litres per day”. With milling this volume can increase to 150 million litres a day that is then pumped into tankers and ferried to land where it will be treated before it goes into the water system. “So, with 4 to 6 of these tankers 150 million litres can harvested per day for one year.”

According to Sloane this is something that can be viable. “Can it be achieved? Well we are looking into it.

”Director of BiomimicrySA Claire Janisch also shared case studies on how nature’s “wisdom can be copied” to help with the increasing pressure on and challenges with natural resources.

“Solutions to our problems already exist in nature,” she said. “We can improve our physical world by following nature’s example. One such an example is emulating the humpback whale’s attack manoeuvre in wind turbines to increase efficiency and learning about desalination through the example of the mangrove trees that use sea water to survive.

Janisch also told delegates humankind can learn from termites on how to design buildings with efficient energy use for air-conditioning. She referred to the Eastgate building in Harare that is built on the model of termite nests that mimic the self cooling nature of these nests.

Contact:Senior communications manager:  Annemarie RoodbolTelephone:  +27 21 700 3558Mobile:  +27 82 562 7844Email:  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.