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The future of power is smart

By Tracy Burrows, ITWeb contributor.
Johannesburg, 25 Oct 2012

Smart Energy Executive Forum

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Smarter systems for management of power use will allow dramatic savings, control and will even enable consumers to generate their own power and sell it back into the grid in future, says T-Systems SA.

T-Systems, based in Germany, is initiating a series of programmes within T-Systems SA aimed at increasing awareness of energy issues and boosting research into technologies that allow for smarter energy management.

Len de Goede, VP of sales at T-Systems SA, says the company is in the process of establishing a smart energy lab in SA and is also considering the creation of a global competency centre for energy in the country.

De Goede says companies in SA have been slow to adopt smarter energy technologies. They need to take it more seriously. There is a limited amount of coal in the world, and there is global competition for limited resources, he says.

T-Systems, internationally, has long adopted greener practices and invested heavily in research and development of technologies for more efficient energy consumption. Smart energy management and green practices are now part of the local division's strategy too.

De Goede says plans are quite far advanced for the smart energy lab, to be situated at the company's offices in Midrand. This lab will test and develop smart energy technologies applicable to the South African environment.

These technologies, he says, could include smart metering products that allow suppliers and consumers to measure and control energy consumption. Smart metering tools would allow suppliers to set alerts for anomalies such as unauthorised power use or spikes in consumption.

They would also enable consumers to track and manage their own consumption, and pay for services more easily. For example, a consumer with a pre-paid meter may have to travel a long distance to buy a voucher for more electricity, says de Goede. With a smart system in place, the consumer could simply make use of a mobile phone token to buy electricity.

Alternative energy and smart grids such as these are definitely the way of the future, he says.

In addition to creating a research and testing facility, the company hopes to establish a global energy competency centre locally, where top skills from Germany could pass on skills and best practice information to local professionals. T-Systems has developed technologies to enable smart metering with some solutions, designed specifically for the South African market, enabling meter reading services and remote meter management, as well as well as home management and consumption efficiency solutions.

"With energy as one of our strategic areas, we have pooled international skills and built up extensive utility specific knowledge about smart energy (water, gas and electricity) over the last few years," he says.

"Smart metering solutions are a key focus of the T-Systems innovation drive and we consider ourselves key enablers in this domain. T-Systems, in partnership with select service providers, have developed a product set to address regulatory and utility specific requirements and pain points."

De Goede feels that while government and large enterprises are taking the initiative to manage power resources better; there is a need for more support, awareness and empowerment tools in the private sector and among consumers.

Smarter energy management is not only an environmental issue, he points out. There is a very clear business case for smarter energy use. Substantial savings can be derived from the efficient management of power.

In line with its plan to heighten awareness around the issue, T-Systems will host a Smart Energy Executive Forum for local businesses on 6 November in Rosebank. For more information about this event, click here.

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