COMMERCIAL FEATURE SMA SOLAR TECHNOLOGY AG – UNDERSCORES COMMITMENT TO SOUTH AFRICA Local production of SMA central inverters has been launched in South Africa along with a second megawatt PV power plant equipped with SMA inverters LOCALISATION IMPORTANT INGREDIENT FOR EXPANSION ‘With an ambitious expansion target for photovoltaics and high solar irradiation, South Africa is a strategically important market for SMA. By beginning our local inverter production we have once again strengthened our position as the preferred partner for project developers, EPCs and financing banks The project was won by the Norwegian in this attractive emerging market,’ said Integrated Independent Power Producer, Thorsten Ronge, managing director of Scatec Solar, in the second round of SMA Solar Technology South Africa. the South African REIPPP Programme The flexible production facility for and implemented with inverters supplied central inverters at the SMA factory can by SMA. quickly be adapted Additionally, SMA developed indiv to meet variances in individually tailored SMA sup c demand. In addition communication plied to th e Linde PV powe s to a production line solutions for each r plant in the Northern and storage facilities of o the Kalkbult Cape Pro vince: • 43 Sun a the factory has a test and Linde power ny Centra l 850CP in • 258 lo p centre for central plants and will verters cally prod uced Sun String-Mo ny t inverters. take on the service nitors tha t compare analyse in a and maintenance and dividual st ring curre which ena CLEAN ENERGY of o both PV power nts, ble solar e nergy yield monitorin p FOR 20 000 plants. g • 22 Tra HOUSEHOLDS nsformer Compact for conne Stations S It is envisaged SMA INVERTERS ction to th e medium voltage gri M that the Linde MEET GRID CODE - d R PV power plant REQUIREMENTS S will initially provide SMA inverters meet t clean energy for 20 000 households. the conditions laid out in November 2012 by the Grid Connection Code for Renewable Power Plants. The grid connection regulations define the technical and design requirements to be met and implemented by all power plants in the renewable energy sector. Sunny Central CP XT inverters, along with their features, meet all terms prescribed by the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) for PV central inverters. ESI 40MW PV Linde project in Northern Cape Province, South Africa commissioned with SMA technology. Picture source: Scatec Solar 70 ▲ A fter the successful early commissioning of the Kalkbult PV power plant last year, the 40MW Linde project with technology from SMA Solar Technology AG (SMA), has now been completed. SMA also commissioned a factory for Sunny Central inverters in Cape Town, South Africa. With this, the company now also meets the local content requirements under South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPP). ABOUT THE COMPANY: The SMA Group generated sales of more than €930 million in 2013 and is the global market leader for solar inverters, a key component of all PV plants. SMA offers innovative key technologies for future power supply structures. The product range includes both inverters for grid-connected photovoltaic plants as well as off- grid and hybrid system technology. The product portfolio is supplemented by comprehensive services and operational management of utility- scale PV-plants. ESI AFRICA ISSUE 4 2014