Hitachi Energy, Sun Africa, and UGT Renewables Partner on Utility-Scale Solar Projects
Hitachi Energy, a global leader in technology that is working toward a sustainable energy future for everyone, announced that it signed a memorandum of understanding with Sun Africa and its sister company, UGT Renewables, to work together on utility-scale solar photovoltaic power generation projects that will speed up the energy transition and give people access to energy in emerging and developing markets around the world.
The partners are currently working on their first joint project, a 370-megawatt solar photovoltaic power plant spread across seven Angolan locations, the largest of its type in Sub-Saharan Africa. They are also negotiating multiple utility-scale projects with governments in Africa and Eurasia, totalling more than 12 gigatonnes of capacity.
Both parties agree to work on new initiatives at an early stage in the non-exclusive memorandum. They will collaborate with local and international stakeholders to create optimised, best-in-class, and well-integrated solar power solutions, allowing developing countries to take substantial strides toward universal and ecologically sustainable electrification.
“We are delighted to be working with Sun Africa and UGT Renewables to bring utility-scale emission-free energy projects to a growing number of countries in the world,” says Johan Soderstrom, Executive Vice President, Head of Regions, Europe, Middle East and Africa of Hitachi Energy. “The combination of their business model and our solutions help countries develop their economies, progress toward net zero, and provide their people with access to clean and reliable electricity.”
“Our first collaboration with Hitachi Energy in Angola was a huge success, both for ourselves and the Government of Angola on behalf of whom we developed the project,” says Adam Cortese, CEO of Sun Africa and UGT Renewables. “We have developed a relationship of trust with Hitachi Energy and an efficient and effective way of working that benefits all the stakeholders with whom we work.”
Hitachi Energy offers complete engineered solutions for optimised power collection packages and high-voltage grid connections. This ensures that the power from the solar arrays can be gathered and sent to the power grid safely and reliably.
Grid-eXpandTM grid connection solar solutions cover the entire electrification of large-scale photovoltaic facilities to generate significant value. They are engineered, constructed, and factory-tested before delivery, allowing for quick and easy on-site energisation while reducing site-based construction risks.
The scope also includes an advanced supervisory control and data collection system that keeps an eye on the grid connection and helps make the energy system more flexible, which is important for integrating renewables. In addition, advanced power consultancy studies will ensure grid code compliance and system-wide efficiency.
Hitachi Energy contributes to this collaboration's unique strengths. It is a major provider of grid connections and power quality solutions, specialised in the integration of renewables into the power grids and technical excellence, with a global footprint and strong local know-how.
Sun Africa and UGT Renewables will develop the projects, which will then be handed over to the designated operator for ongoing operation. The goal of this project is to reduce the amount of money spent on maintenance while also increasing the amount of money spent on research and development.
Source: Hitachi Energy
