Page 32 - Apmor 2018

energy cover feature

Balance of Plant Equipment

for Africa’s Renewable

Energy Sector

20,000 towers in North and South Americas,
Though the balance of plant Europe, Asia and Africa.
equipment African market has Bus bars for wind turbines
expanded in the past few years, it
needs to develop further to meet Stace’s renowned customized wind turbines
the growing power demand. This bus bars unique designs not only improves
is particularly relevant for new customer value while providing reliable
and emerging areas, like solar operations with minimum maintenance but
and wind power plants, where also minimizes the electrical losses while
these equipments have an impact reducing the total tower cost.
on generation costs. Normand
Lord, President & CEO of Saint- The wind turbine bus bars system is made of
Augustin Canada Electric Inc. two three phase assemblies, each made of
(Stace), a world-class supplier and three high conductivity aluminum alloy tubular
manufacturer of electrical balance conductors of 3 inches outside diameter, one
of plant since 1977, reveals that used for the rotor and the other used for
balance of plant equipment is the the stator. The conductors are covered by
arteries of the whole CPV or wind an insulation tubing rated 600 V giving a full
power plant and unless we take protection against electrical shock enclosed
by a formed grounded expanded metal sheet.
care of these regularly, we are Aluminum clamps specifically designed to
bound to have issues and costly withstand a momentary short-circuit of 120
down times.
kA Peak and a short-time short-circuit of 46
Based in St-Augustin, near kA for 1 second hold the electrical conductors,
Quebec City, Canada, Stace’s fully while fiberglass rings are installed to protect
Normand Lord, President & CEO of Stace integrated plant, which is ISO-9001 the insulation tubing between clamps and
ompetition in the African electric power certified, has been very active in conductors.
generation and distribution market the power generation, distribution and the
Cdemands that power plants operate electrical balance of plant market supplying
efficiently and generate the maximum amount all types of bus ducts and electrical equipment
of power for which they were designed to the worldwide utility market for the last 35 We offer field supervision and
consistently and safely, thus the need for a years. installation services for new or
flawless balance of plant equipment. Stace’s offerings include a wide variety of existing self-cooled or force-cooled
designs, from isolated phase MiniFlux bus bus duct, Normand emphasized,
ducts to smaller Min-I-Phase® bus ducts, by combining analysis, field testing
auxiliary equipment such as generator terminal along with years of experience and
The demand for comprehensive enclosures and high current, telescopic
electrical solutions in renewable disconnect switches, manufactured to Stace’s new computer aids, to not only
energy plant projects is increasing. Six Sigma quality assurance system, easy provide unique solutions where bus
Electrical balance of plant installation and meeting all applicable safety temperature exceeds the standard,
equipment are a way to bring all and ISO 9001 standards. but also provide ampacity studies
of these demands together and This experience, Normand articulates, has on existing equipment to help
supply one plan for the entire allowed us to supply the largest self-cooled bus clients make an informed decision
electrification of such projects. (28,800A) and design a bus bars specific to the for upgrading projects.
wind energy market. Our bus bars for wind
turbines have now been installed in more than

32 | AFRICAN POWER Mining & Oil Review Vol 21, Issue 20, 2017