Connected and efficient buildings and data centres increasingly rely on a state-of-the-art physical layer infrastructure to support growing bandwidth needs over copper, fibre and wireless technologies. When it comes to optical fibre transmission, singlemode fibre often gets the headlines with high-speed transmission records over long distances; however, multimode fibre is the workhorse media of local area network (LAN) backbones and storage area networks (SAN) in buildings and data centres.

The reason is because multimode fibre offers the lowest cost means of transporting high data rates for the distances aligned with the needs of these environments. We can expect multimode fibre’s dominance in buildings and data centres to continue because of recent developments in multimode technology and international standardisation that will extend the value proposition offered by multimode fibre for today’s and tomorrow’s networks.

Since its original inclusion in the international cabling standard ISO/IEC 11801, multimode fibre has evolved from supporting multimegabit per second transmission using light emitting diode (LED) light sources to being optimised for multigigabit transmission using 850 nanometre (nm) vertical cavity surface emitting lasers (VCSELs). With the introduction of laser optimised multimode fibre in the late 1990s, a significant update to the ISO/IEC 11801 standard included the addition of cabled optical multimode (OM) fibre categories — OM1, OM2 and OM3.

OM1 and OM2 were defined for legacy LED optimised fibres. OM3 was defined for multimode fibre optimised for laser transmission at 850 nm. A few years later, an OM4 category was added, to recognise multimode fibre with more than double the effective bandwidth at 850 nm, supporting extended distances for gigabit and multigigabit applications.

Another significant update to the multimode fibre categories is currently underway with the development of the third edition of ISO/IEC 11801 (expected for publication next year). Due to the success and prevalence of 850 nm VCSELs in today’s networks, the third edition will ‘grandfather in’ the LED optimised OM1 and OM2 fibre categories. They may only be used for changes and additions to existing installations. As a result, OM3 will be the minimum requirement for new installations.

Today, OM3 and OM4 fibres are increasingly being used in parallel fibre infrastructures using MPO connectors. They support speeds up to 100 gigabit per second (Gbps) using multiple parallel VCSELs with standards in development to support up to 400 Gbps using parallel technology.

The most significant optical fibre development in the third edition of ISO/IEC 11801 is the recent addition of a wideband multimode fibre (WBMMF) category allowing simultaneous transmission of at least four different wavelengths over each fibre, expanding per-fibre capacity with support for short wave division multiplexing (SWDM). The new WBMMF category will be included in the standard’s final draft to be circulated shortly. The naming of the new WBMMF category will be selected by national votes. The choices proposed are OM4W, OM5 and OM5W.

Regardless of the name selected, one thing is clear: WBMMF is set to widen the applications horizon for multimode fibre in connected and efficient buildings and data centres worldwide.

*Matias Peluffo is Vice President, Intelligent Buildings, Asia Pacific. He has overall responsibility for CommScope’s strategy to deliver breakthrough innovations and customer value in the building segment with a broad range of solutions. He has more than 25 years’ experience in the telecommunications industry. He plays a leading role in CommScope’s contribution to the international organisations that develop standards for cabling systems and contributes to the strategic direction and establishment of industry governing standards.

NZ-based multi-utility contractor Northpower has clocked up first — an engineering and technology collaboration with Schneider Electric to design and construct the first prefabricated portable data centre of its kind in the Asia–Pacific region.

The 6 m data centre, officially unveiled at Northpower’s Whangarei headquarters on 26 April, was designed to significantly increase availability and redundancy of internal IT systems.

Innovative solutions such as this are proving to be game changers for industries throughout the region looking for cost-effective solutions for secure portable data centres. Compared to traditional data centre designs, the new concept was hundreds of thousands of dollars cheaper and, using the template created with Northpower, Schneider Electric has already been commissioned to construct a similar design in Australia.

Northpower Chair Nikki Davies-Colley says the data centre is a superb addition to the Northpower business due to energy efficiency, greater security and lower operational costs.

“The complexity of this design and build created numerous challenges but the success of the project meant that when the container landed at Northpower’s Whangarei head office, it was plugged in and instantly operational,” said Davies-Colley.

“The facility also has provision for the future requirements of Ultra-Fast Broadband points of presence and could expand into co-location services for resellers (eg, other companies storing their servers in the data centre).”

Schneider Electric NZ Country President Ray Dunn said the prefabricated portable data centre has set a benchmark for the future and generated widespread industry interest for other entities seeking such solutions.

“We are proud to have collaborated with such a forward-thinking New Zealand company. Northpower’s challenge was testament to their growth and a changing business environment, which is increasingly dependent on IT convergence and data,” said Dunn,

This is the first prefabricated SmartShelter container in the Asia–Pacific region and was in planning for 12 months. The build time required a quick turnaround — it took only eight weeks to deploy. 

The compact design allows for medium server density and the container features fire suppression, LED lighting for health and safety, and enhanced security through biometric entry. 

The end result represents significant cost savings through a reduced building footprint, as well as reduced impact on the environment. The commonly used IT measure — power usage effectiveness (PUE) — is substantially lower in this installation (at around 1.3) than in typical data centre applications.  

The centre incorporates energy management and is monitored with StruxureWare software. 

A family of laser level products from Fluke Australia provides precise reference points while surviving rough handling on the job. The range of professional-grade precision tools is designed to survive a 1 m drop and keep working. All models feature a fast settling, self-levelling gimbal that quickly delivers reference points, expediting electrical and HVAC layouts.

The Fluke-3PR (red laser) and Fluke-3PG (green laser) Point Laser Levels are self-levelling three-point laser levels for fast layout of reference points. Accurate to 6 mm at 30 m, it includes a floor stand for fast, easy overhang and centerline measurements. The green laser is up to three times brighter for improved visibility in outdoor and long range applications; 

The Fluke-180LR and Fluke-180LG Line Laser Levels are self-levelling, horizontal and vertical crossline laser levels for rapid, accurate (3 mm at 10 m) levelling and layout.

The Fluke-LDR and Fluke-LDG Laser Line Detectors are suitable for use in high ambient light settings with visual and audible indicators for ease of use. The detectors are compatible with Fluke-180LR (Fluke-LDR) or Fluke-180LG (Fluke-LDG) models and include a mounting bracket for quick, steady positioning.

The Fluke-180LR System and Fluke-180LG Systems are comprehensive, self-levelling horizontal and vertical crossline laser level systems that include a laser line detector and detector bracket for use in high ambient light settings.

All models include magnetic wall brackets for easy, stable mounting.

The Clean Energy Council (CEC) has announced the finalists for the Solar Design and Installation Awards.

CEC Accreditation Manager Sandy Atkins said the high-calibre field of entries this year had made it difficult for the award judges.

“As always, it is inspiring to see such remarkable projects spanning an interesting range of installations. These awards are really about highlighting the work of individual installers and the amazing solutions they find to address daily challenges,” Atkins said.

“As the solar industry continues to evolve, there are always solar installers who are helping to redefine the industry’s idea of best practice through the diligent and innovative way they approach their work.

“The Clean Energy Council would like to thank everyone who took the time to submit an entry to the Solar Design and Installation Awards this year, and we wish the finalists luck when the winners are announced at the ATRAA Dinner in Melbourne next month,” he said.

Award finalists were named across four categories: Grid-Connect 15 kW–100 kW, Grid-Connect over 100 kW, Stand-Alone Power and Battery Back-Up. The entries were independently judged by a panel of solar industry experts.

The winners of the CEC Solar Design and Installation Awards will be announced at the ATRAA Dinner on Tuesday, 4 October, a feature event of the All-Energy Australia Exhibition and Conference in Melbourne.

All-Energy Australia is being held in partnership with the CEC and runs from 4–5 October. Entry to the main conference and exhibition is free, and tickets to the ATRAA Dinner are available for purchase.

The full list of finalists is as follows:

Stand-alone Power

• Tomislav Dretvic, Angus Quirk and Jonathan Pye, Smart Commercial Solar, for an installation at the Nyngan Waste Depot
• Marcus Edwards, Ed’s Marine Electrical, for a 2.5 kW installation for a remote community in North East Arnhem Land
• David Feeney for an installation of solar flowers at Europa Studio Australia

Grid-Connect 15 kW–100 kW

• Peter Baker, Eco Power & Lighting, for an 84.24 kW installation for a fruit store designed as a large cool room at Arnold’s Fruit Market
• Peter Harrison, Tintagel Systems, for a 33.28 kW installation at Goolabri Country Resort
• Graham McMullen, Energy Action, for a 99.91 kW installation at the 18-storey commercial building Collins Square at Docklands

Grid-Connect over 100 kW

• Tamun Davidson and Karl Tunnicliffe, CPS National, for a 1.8 MW installation at Ayers Rock Resort, Yulara
• Dimitar Iliev and Jeff Hoare, GEM Energy, for a 517 kW system at Dobson Spring and Suspension that addresses a highly fluctuating load
• Jeremy Tranter and Paul Jones, Tranter Engineering/CSA Engineering, for a 636 kW solar car park roof at The Pines shopping centre

Battery Back-Up

• David Feeney and Stefan Koefler, Unlimited Energy, for a 20 kW residential system
• DimitarIliev and Kurt Elvery, GEM Energy, for a 194 kW solar system with 252 kWh of storage at the Bundaberg Christian College
• Peter Libretto, Enertech Solar, for a 37 kW residential system optimised to time of use
• Wilson Yuan and Hamed Ghate, Water Stone Energy, for a 7.5 kW combined solar and wind system

Global renewable energy developer DP Energy has appointed Catherine Way Business Development Manager, DP Energy Australia. Way has played a formative role in the development of renewable energy advances in South Australia within industry, government and the not-for-profit sectors. She worked within the mining sector for resource giant BHP Billiton in a project development role with responsibility for energy and greenhouse gas management for the Olympic Dam Expansion project.

Prior to joining DP Energy in September 2016, she championed the renewable energy industry on behalf of the South Australian Government through RenewablesSA. Her work with industry, policy development and legislative reform has supported an uptake of nearly 50% of electricity from renewable sources in the state.

With Masters degrees in both Environmental Management and Business Administration, and qualifications in leadership, Way works for outcomes that reflect a strong balance between the economic imperative and environmental and social sustainability.

“Catherine’s appointment represents further evidence of our commitment to establish a long-term presence in each of the key, global jurisdictions in which we operate. Simply put — it makes good business sense. We deliver renewable energy projects which are sustainable and environmentally benign; Catherine’s skill set will enhance our ability to accelerate our plans to do that in Australia. We are delighted to welcome her to the DP Energy global team,” explained DP Energy CEO Simon De Pietro.

“I’m excited to be returning to the private sector after nearly seven years working with the South Australian Government’s innovation and support agency for the renewable energy industry, RenewablesSA,” said Way.

“For me this opportunity cements my lifelong career goal of working towards a more sustainable and low carbon future.

“I feel fortunate indeed to be working with DP Energy, a company that epitomises the most sought after attributes of contemporary businesses. They are innovative, agile and forward looking and, being an international company, bring with them a global perspective on best practice in the fields of environmental stewardship, community engagement and commercial reality,” she said.

DP Energy received Development Approval from the South Australian Government for the hybrid (wind and PV solar) Port Augusta Renewable Energy Park in early August. Once fully commissioned it will generate approximately 1000 gigawatt hours (GWh) of clean renewable energy directly into the national electricity grid per year, enough to power about 200,000 homes and save 470,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions each year. Located near the former Northern Power Station, the project will create much-needed employment in the energy sector for the Port Augusta region.

The Tektronix TBS2000 is a next-generation basic oscilloscope that features a large display for easy signal visualisation and a comprehensive set of automatic waveform measurements that are coupled with graphical explanations to help engineers better understand their measurements.

It is available in a variety of models offering 70 or 100 MHz bandwidth or with two or four channels. The scope also offers a 9″ WVGA display, which can display 15 horizontal (time) divisions that allow users to view 50% more signal than any other scope in its category. A 20 Mpoint record length with single-knob pan and zoom allows users to capture long-time-duration signals and provides easy navigation to help users locate important details.

It offers support for the Tektronix VPI probe interface and the ‘Help Everywhere’ context-sensitive configurable help utility provides on-screen tips for important settings. The unit’s Wi-Fi dongle support provides wireless connectivity, enabling engineers to take advantage of the instrument’s LXI-compliant interface to conveniently control the oscilloscope remotely.

The Polish city of Krakow has a new US$250 million waste-to-power plant thanks to Korean engineering company POSCO E&C.

The facility is the largest daily waste incinerating plant in Poland, capable of processing 220,000 tonnes of household waste annually using eco-friendly methods. By using the heat from the incineration process, the plant produces 11 MWh of electricity and supplies 35 MWh of district heating. In addition, the ash by-product is used as material for road construction.

The project took three-and-a-half years to complete, including trial operations over a seven-month period. The plant was awarded the SARP Award of the Year 2015 by the Association of Polish Architects, in recognition of its design, and it was also among the top 10 public investment projects for 2016.

Poland has strict environmental standards in place, overseen by the Department of Labor and Regional Environmental Protection Agency. The first deputy mayor of Krakow, Tadeusz Tzmiel, hailed the project a success in terms of adherence to the strict standards.

“I am deeply impressed by POSCO E&C’s technology and its ability to implement such strict management of the site. Also, I really appreciate the cutting-edge facility that will be responsible for protecting our environment,” Tzmiel said.

Completion of the facility delivers benefit on two levels; allowing Krakow to meet the stringent EU standards imposed around acceptable levels of landfill and enabling Green Energy Certification from the Polish government for the power generated by the plant.

A US wind-power company, SheerWind, has signed a licensing agreement with Mark Luke Wind Energy that will allow its INVELOX wind-power generating systems to be marketed and deployed locally in South Dakota.

SheerWind's technology is a cost-effective, high-performance alternative to conventional wind technology and is delivered through the capture, concentration, acceleration and harvest of wind power via a funnel system called INVELOX (for INcreased VELocity).

The multi-patented INVELOX technology turns traditional wind power systems upside down by using a funnel to collect the wind, channelling that wind to increase its speed and then delivering it efficiently to multiple turbines safely housed at ground level.

This allows the energy to be produced from low wind speeds of 2 metres per second in locations close to the end user — even on rooftops in urban areas — and eliminates the need for complex power and grid systems. Shrinking the size of the turbine blades, eliminating complexities and harvesting at ground level all equate to cost savings and environmental safety.

As the fifth-windiest US state, South Dakota is one of the top 10 fastest-growing wind energy producers in the US, with over 550 giant turbines already dotting the farmland. INVELOX allows wind power generation in urban areas close to end user with no hazardous low-frequency noise or flicker.

"We are ready to make South Dakota a leader for wind power generation in this country. Integrating INVELOX into buildings is a solution that makes our business stand out," said Mark Luke, the CEO of Mark Luke Companies.

"We are excited to provide a needed solution for renewables while providing new opportunities for local communities," he said.

"We are thrilled to have our neighbor South Dakota as the first SheerWind HUB in the United States. Mark and his team are visionaries that get things done," said Steve Faber, chief sales officer of SheerWind.

"We look forward to working with them to strategically install INVELOX systems and begin to change the landscape of renewable energy in the US," he said.

Image supplied by SheerWind Inc.

Schneider Electric has launched ‘Light It Up’, a program to bring electricity access to rural communities across Asia Pacific. The company believes access to energy is a basic human right, and it is committed to put safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable energy within reach of a great many households.

From mid-September to early November this year, employees will distribute more than 1800 units of the Mobiya solar lamps to rural communities in 12 countries across the region.

Economic and social development is largely driven by access to energy. However, around 1.3 billion people on this planet still lack access to modern energy today, while another one billion people have access to only unreliable electricity networks. In countries including Myanmar and Cambodia, the rural electrification rate can be as low as 18%.

In the past six years, Schneider Electric has contributed to providing 5 million people with access to energy and the goal is to reach 50 million people within the next 10 years.

“I am happy that this project brings many parties together who want to contribute meaningfully in helping remote communities gain access to safe, reliable, efficient and sustainable energy,” said Damien Dhellemmes, senior VP of Global Supply Chain, East Asia, Japan & Pacific.

“With the Light It Up program, we look forward to sharing our innovation at every level in energy with the rural and remote communities in this region,” said Dhellemmes.

The Altai Super Wi-Fi Underground Communication System (UCS) from Powertec Telecommunications is a portable, IP-rated, bespoke solution which generates a closed loop IP network above and below ground, allowing staff to take advantage of voice and data applications. The UCS provides operators and customers the ability to achieve voice and data underground connectivity, and at the same time reduce business costs, increase productivity and improve staff safety.

Each Wi-Fi UCS uses job-specific configuration and comes in pre-packaged high-impact pelican cases. The UCS is portable, scalable, and easy to deploy across a range of below-ground operations across mining, energy, water, gas, high-rise building, marine and more.

The Electrical Trades Union (ETU) warns that axing more than 2600 frontline power workers since 2012 has left NSW at risk of falling victim to similar chaos to that experienced in South Australia during the past 24 hours.

The union said cuts overseen by the state and federal governments over the past four years had drastically reduced the number of skilled workers available to respond to major incidents, natural disasters and wild weather, leaving the public at risk of lengthy power outages.

ETU Assistant Secretary Dave McKinley said the number of frontline power workers across NSW had shrunk by a quarter since 2012, leaving the state increasingly vulnerable to the kind of extreme weather event that struck South Australia.

“What has occurred in South Australia in the past 24 hours could easily happen in NSW,” McKinley said.

“While it is impossible to prevent network damage caused by wild winds and extreme weather, the ability to restore power for consumers is dependent on having the skilled workers available to respond.

“In NSW, we have seen more than a quarter of the entire workforce slashed in the last four years, including 1385 workers at Ausgrid, 446 from Endeavour Energy and 800 from Essential Energy.

“When the next disaster inevitably hits, this loss of skilled workers will have a devastating effect on response times and the speed at which power can be reconnected, particularly in the event of a statewide natural disaster.

“The situation had been exacerbated by the NSW Government’s decision to respond to a recent ruling by the federal government’s energy regulator by further slashing the number of frontline power workers.

“The people of NSW have been hung out to dry by the NSW Government, with these massive cuts inevitably going to lead to major disruptions when future disasters strike,” he said.

McKinley said the union was urging NSW power companies to send immediate assistance to South Australia, in the form of workers and specialist equipment.

“Right now, our focus needs to be on helping the people of South Australia by diverting all available resources and skilled labour to assist with restoring electricity services,” he said.

“The union is calling on the NSW distribution and transmission network companies to provide urgent assistance to our neighbours in their time of need.

“We are also urging them to take a good hard look at the resources they have available moving forward so they can ensure they have the skilled workers and specialist equipment needed to respond to similar events when they occur in NSW,” he said.

Lyon Solar will build a 100 MW/100 MWh in South Australia to improve the state’s energy security, according to a recent announcement. At 4000 m², the battery is one of the world’s largest and will be connected to the company’s Kingfisher solar storage project.

A second project, slated for Lakeland in Queensland, will incorporate 80 MWh Solar PV and a minimum 20 MW/20 MWh battery storage module.

The two projects will tackle the number one issue facing the local energy sector — how to integrate more renewable energy without destabilising the existing electricity network, according to David Green, partner at Lyon.

“Battery storage really is the missing piece of the puzzle in Australia’s clean energy future, and for that matter anywhere seeking to incorporate large amounts of renewables into the energy mix. These projects will complete the picture.

“Ultimately, with this breakthrough there is no limit to the amount of renewable projects that can be connected to the electricity grid in Australia or anywhere else in the future,” said Green.

Green said that while Lyon strongly supports governments’ ambitious targets for renewables, the connection of renewables to the grid without batteries to manage their intermittent energy flows has the potential to create problems for the national electricity grid.

“This challenge is increasingly being recognised offshore as governments mandate that future large-scale renewable projects must include batteries, and in some cases, have retrospectively required batteries be integrated with all existing renewable projects,” he said.

The battery storage facility in South Australia will be one of the world’s largest and be connected to Lyon’s Kingfisher Solar project. Green said the company had decided to increase the size of the battery from 20 MWh to 100 MWh to help address the issues confronting the electricity network in South Australia.

“For large-scale solar projects to play an important role in the future of the South Australian economy, we have to deal with the intermittent power that renewable generation produces. We have to translate solar into the secure and reliable source of power 24 hours a day, 7 days a week that it can be and batteries allow us to do that.

“A 20 MW battery would achieve that at Kingfisher for Roxby Downs, but at 100 MW it will not only service that industrial centre, but improve energy security across the state’s electricity network.

“At times of need, the battery could ensure the entire state does not face outages; if the interconnector between Victoria and South Australia fails, the battery will instantaneously compensate,” Green said.

Stage One of the Kingfisher project is a 20 MW solar PV plus minimum 2 MW battery storage and will be commercially operational by late 2017. Stage Two will include 100 MW solar PV plus minimum 100 MW battery and will be developed concurrently.

The Lakeland Solar + Battery storage project in Queensland will also be commercially operational by the end of 2017, with the speed of deployment made possible by the lessons learned through Lyon’s original battery and storage development at Cook.

“While we have sold the original Solar + Battery project in Cook, we’ve taken the lessons we learnt through the three years in developing that project and are deploying this proven technology at a much larger scale through the Kingfisher project in South Australia and the Lakeland project in far north Queensland.

“Between the two projects there will be 120 MW of battery storage added to the national electricity grid. We plan to more than double that in the following year with battery projects currently in our pipeline that are yet to be announced,” Green said.

Equity has been raised for both projects and Lyon’s equity partners will be announced in September. Both projects will be fully equity funded allowing construction to start on both projects in early 2017.

Reflecting on the economic opportunity of Solar + Battery, Green said because Australia would be leading the world in the development of this type of project, there was a huge opportunity for a modern, high-tech battery manufacturing and services hub to emerge.

“We expect there to be huge competition for the location of a battery manufacturing hub in Australia.

“We are using battery systems developed by AES, which are the world’s most experienced energy storage providers. They will deliver the units to Australia, but the batteries will need to be assembled locally, which will deliver jobs and new knowledge and expertise to Australia.

“And the economic opportunity is much wider than manufacturing, with the establishment of a battery hub in at least one state in Australia to be required. That could include remote servicing capability for other battery projects overseas among other sub-industries — we are working through the numerous opportunities to ensure skills and jobs growth in Australia for this growing market.”

Green said Lyon Solar had conceived, designed and developed the Solar + Battery technology configuration in Australia not only to address power security issues but as a new way to avoid costly network upgrades on the fringe of the national grid and off-grid.

“Providing reliable electricity to areas on the fringe of the electricity grid has traditionally meant massive capital investment in extremely long network lines, which is inefficient because of the huge energy loss and loss of energy quality that occurs when transporting electricity across those distances,” he said.

And some off-grid facilities have significant and expensive network infrastructure, supporting numerous mine sites and smaller townships.

“Solar + Battery provides a reliable, secure and less costly alternative to network upgrades, while providing better outcomes for energy users seeking to manage their emissions footprint. For regulators and network owners it solves their network constraints while enhancing reliability and security of supply,” said Green.

Cables, energy chains and linear bearings from igus feature added intelligence and networking to enable Industry 4.0. During ongoing operation, they detect the degree of wear and emit an alarm as soon as repair or replacement is necessary.

Users can increase plant availability, minimise downtime and reduce costs through condition monitoring and predictive maintenance as igus is able to predict the service life of its motion plastics.

The plastics are self-lubricating and maintenance free, as well as lighter, hard wearing and more energy efficient than traditional materials. They offer a long service life and can be used wherever preventive maintenance is required.

The isense products include diverse sensors and monitoring modules, while networking with the igus Communication Module (iCOM) enables direct integration with the user’s IT infrastructure or the igus data cloud. Data can also be optionally shared with the igus data centre, opening up possibilities for customer service life calculation and optimisation of business processes.

The Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) has congratulated the Australian Renewable Energy Agency (ARENA) on the conclusion of its large-scale solar funding round, which will support the development of an additional 480 MW of large-scale solar in Australia.

ARENA announced that 12 projects had successfully bid for a total of $92 million in funding support through its large-scale solar program. While large-scale solar grant applicants had typically sought grants for up to 50% of project costs some four years ago, ARENA grant requirements in this funding round have fallen to around 10% of the project value, highlighting the increasing cost competitiveness and economic viability of large-scale solar PV technologies.

CEFC CEO Oliver Yates said this outcome was a significant milestone in Australia’s growing large-scale solar industry, with the results of the ARENA funding round providing a clear demonstration of the increasing cost competitiveness of the sector.

“We are seeing positive signs of large-scale solar gaining cost parity and even trending below the costs of other forms of new-build energy generation, with some proposals having a projected levelised cost of energy below $100 per megawatt hour,” Yates said.

“With trend figures from Bloomberg New Energy Finance suggesting the cost of new-build black coal generation is sitting at around $130 per megawatt hour, we can have confidence that solar generation costs will continue to fall, making large-scale solar an increasingly important contributor to Australia’s future energy mix,” he said.

Yates confirmed the CEFC was working on the provision of debt finance to the successful ARENA grant recipients, as well as project proponents who had either not achieved an ARENA grant or not applied for one.

“With projects in ARENA’s funding round requiring grants of an average of around 10%, it is clear that solar is making rapid progress as a maturing technology and becoming competitive with other forms of energy generation.

“We see strong potential for future funding gaps to be met through tailored financing mechanisms such as those developed by the CEFC. We are looking forward to working with project proponents and other lenders to provide cost-competitive finance to accelerate the construction of large-scale solar in Australia.

“The CEFC’s role is essential to maintaining the momentum of solar within the mix of Australia’s transitioning energy sector and, in turn, to the achievement of the Renewable Energy Target,” he said.

NKT Cables is acquiring ABB’s global high-voltage cable system business with a total enterprise value of €836 million (US$934 million). The business is part of ABB’s Power Grids division, which is currently undergoing a strategic review.

High-voltage cables are key components in sustainable energy networks, used for transmitting large amounts of electricity over long distances.

NKT Cables designs, manufactures and supplies power cables for low-, medium- and high-voltage solutions mainly in the alternating current (AC) area.It has major production facilities in Europe and China, as well as sales offices around the world, and employs around 3200 people. In 2015, revenue was €1.2 billion.

“We are combining two strong cable portfolios rooted in a shared Nordic heritage that will be more competitive on a larger scale under NKT Cables’ ownership, while maintaining access to supply through a long-term strategic partnership,” said ABB CEO Ulrich Spiesshofer.

“The combination of our niche cable system business with the strength of NKT Cables demonstrates our commitment to active portfolio management, a key element of our Next Level strategy,” he said.

ABB’s high-voltage cable technology and manufacturing, as well as its service footprint, is highly complementary with NKT Cables’ activities, making the combined business suited to serve the rising global demand for long-distance power transmission cable systems.The combined operational scale and reach of the two businesses is expected to lead to even better service for global customers.

“ABB’s high-voltage cable business will add considerable strength to our portfolio and bring us a world-class manufacturing operation. We will leverage the technology, domain competence and highly skilled workforce to grow this business,” said Michael Hedegaard Lyng, president and CEO of NKT Cables.

 “We look forward to ramping up our long-term partnership that will serve future projects all around the world,” he said.

ABB’s cable system business offers turnkey solutions including design, engineering, supply, installation, commissioning and service. It had adjusted standalone revenues of US$524 million in 2015, employs around 900 people and has state-of-the art manufacturing and R&D capabilities for high-voltage submarine and underground cables in Karlskrona, Sweden. The transfer of assets also includes a new, cutting-edge cable-laying vessel, currently under construction.

“As part of the strategic partnership, ABB and NKT Cables will work together on future projects to access market opportunities in areas like subsea interconnections and direct current (DC) transmission links”, said Claudio Facchin, president of ABB’s Power Grids division.

The transaction is anticipated to close in Q1 2017, subject to regulatory clearances and fulfilment of the closing conditions.

The Anritsu Network MT1000A Master Pro multifunction tester has a tri-wavelength OTDR module that provides field engineers and technicians with a comprehensive test tool to verify fibre lines in core, metro and mobile networks. The module supports high dynamic range at all wavelengths, including 1625 nm, which allows the product to conduct ‘extra sensitive’ tests to ensure the performance of today’s high-bandwidth networks.

The product can achieve dynamic range of up to 46 dB required for long transit links. The module also features a fibre visualiser, a fault location function that simplifies the entire testing process. It automatically selects the testing parameters to ensure the proper set-up and provides a simple, graphical summary of the fibre under test within seconds. It also has individualised pass/fail analysis to simplify fibre-optic testing.

Suitable for installation and maintenance of fibre networks, the product has specialised functions to make field testing more efficient. A construction OTDR mode provides an automated method of testing numerous fibres at multiple wavelengths during cable installation. A single set-up screen initiates a testing wizard, ensuring all fibres are tested and results stored using consistent file naming. Additionally, a bidirectional measurement function has been added for accurate and simple event loss analysis.

The compact, battery-powered and easy-to-use product provides a variety of testing capabilities in a rugged, field-portable package. A lightweight instrument, it simplifies the task of collecting and interpreting data with a GUI and clear summaries, allowing users of any skill level to operate the instrument to its full potential. The product is field upgradeable and can be configured with an array of OTDR modules and transport testing functions, including RFC2544/6349, Y.1564, OTN and CPRI/OBSAI, to address current core, metro and mobile backhaul network needs, as well as the flexibility to expand to support future technologies.

Pentair Schroff Interscale C cases feature an interlocking tabbed construction that provides integrated EMC protection and secures with only two screws.

The product has integrated heat sinks and is compatible with the company’s flexible heat conductors for good conduction cooling performance.

The product is available in standard or custom, with support from prototype through production.

For more information: http://schroff.pentair.com.

ABB DC switch-disconnectors for 16–32 amperes have various DC voltage ratings with the same footprint area. The switches are specifically designed for DC use.

Despite its compact size, the product’s insulation voltage ratings are good. Due to its modular design the rated operational voltage can be scaled according to user needs, all the way up to 1000 V. This ensures safe and reliable PV systems at a wide voltage range.

The product has rising PV system voltages. It meets the standard thermal requirements even in elevated temperatures and is suitable for warm locations. Low resistive losses minimise the waste of energy, which helps in maximising total energy efficiency of the PV system.

The application is cool and energy efficient. It has simple installation, with the DC-rated switch-disconnectors suitable for screw or DIN rail mounting. Tunnel terminals capture fine stranded wires and they are wide enough to allow wires up to 16 mm². It has short-circuit bars as standard.

For more information: http://www.abb.com/lowvoltage.

The Hawke International PL511 increased safety enclosure is designed to reduce purchase cost and installation time.

Installing and wiring a small enclosure can be a tedious task, with installation space often at a premium the process can be slow and hard work. Problems with installation are often exacerbated in cold offshore environments where dexterity is inhibited.

Given that small enclosures are used for the most common electrical distribution applications, this is a problem that affects many installers throughout the Ex industry.

The product’s dropped lid body design slices through the enclosure wall, exposing the terminals and providing easy access for wiring. This increased access also allows for terminations to be fully visually inspected.

Moulded from the latest in glass-reinforced plastic material, the product provides an economical alternative to traditional glass-reinforced polyester enclosures, reducing weight and cost while maintaining the material strength characteristics required for harsh and hazardous locations.

The enclosure comes in a standard configuration which includes 6 x 4 mm cross-connected terminals (in pairs) with 2 x earth terminals and 4 x M20mm entries as standard. This configuration should suit most small enclosure applications.

The Megger CSU600AT is a high-current 600 A supply unit, designed for current tests on low-voltage circuit breakers and overcurrent devices, as well as the primary testing of protective relays. The unit is available for rent from TechRentals.

The product is suitable for performance and turn-ratio testing of current transformers, and for commissioning tests that require variable currents. This compact current source provides a convenient high-current supply for applications found in high-voltage substations and other industrial environments.

Features include 600 A ±0.5%, built-in timer, analog ammeter and a current supply of 100 A at 9.0 V 1 h, 600 A at 6.5 V 30 s.