By Greentech Lead Africa: AEG Power Solutions, the energy
technology and power electronics specialist, has constructed a manufacturing
facility for its utility-scale solar inverters and skytron combiner boxes for
its monitoring and control solutions. The factory, based in Montague Park in
Milnerton has a capacity to produce at least 200 MW per annum.
The plant will be officially inaugurated in September
2012, but has already started manufacturing the PV.500 Inverters and
1MW TKS Solar Containers. The company plans to ramp up to the PV.630 and PV.800
by the end of 2012.
In 2010, the South African government approved plans
calling for the development of 18 GW of renewable energy by 2030, of which
8,400 MW are allocated for solar. AEG Power Solutions has committed itself to
helping South Africa achieve their ambitious renewable energy aspirations
through the development of a solar inverter manufacturing facility in Cape
Town.
“Solar power markets are set to boom around the
world over the coming years with South Africa, and Africa in general, being
seen as a future powerhouse for the worldwide solar industry. With our long
heritage in providing high quality, robust and efficient power solutions
delivering power to the grid, we are extremely well placed strategically to
assist forward thinking governments in delivering on their promises,” said
Trevor de Vries, managing director of AEG Power Solutions, South Africa.
The group opened its first South African office in 2010,
expanding upon its truly global footprint with facilities already operational
in China, India, Germany, France and Spain. The new
South African facility will bring first-rate products to the African solar
market. Employees have been trained in Germany and are bringing premium
technical skills back to Africa to increase the level of expertise available to
their customers.
AEG Power Solutions will add substantial value to South
Africa’s business environment and generate further interest and international
investment in the emerging African solar power segment.
“With the new South African facility, AEG Power
Solutions will be able to deliver maximum efficiency with their world class
solutions specifically for local markets, customers and conditions. The ongoing
success of the factory in India proves the business case and AEG Power
Solutions is looking forward to achieving a similar kind of growth in
Africa”, said Horst Kayser, CEO of 3W Power and AEG Power Solutions group.
AEG Power Solutions unveils new central inverter Protect
PV.630
Recently, AEG Power Solutions added a new 630 kW central
inverter, Protect PV.630, to its product portfolio. The new inverter is the
next step in AEG PS’s offering of high-end utility-class inverters.
Introduction of the Protect PV.630 is the next milestone of the company’s
industrial inverters for multi-megawatt PV power plants, following on
from the success of Protect PV.250 and PV.500.