By Eamonn Ryan
As renewable energy projects become larger and more sophisticated, developers face growing pressure to minimise commissioning risks while ensuring compliance with increasingly stringent grid requirements.
The value of integrated Factory Acceptance Testing.
Vectorpouch | Magnific.com
According to Herman Mare, general manager at ACTOM Smart Technologies, integrated design and testing are becoming essential tools for achieving these objectives.
The value of integrated Factory Acceptance Testing
One of the key advantages of ACTOM’s Secondary Plant Integration (SPI) approach is the ability to perform comprehensive Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) before equipment is dispatched to site.
Rather than testing components individually, ACTOM validates the entire system – including switchgear, protection systems, SCADA, communications and plant interfaces – as a fully integrated solution.
“This approach ensures that system logic is correct, communication paths are stable, plant signals map accurately into the SCADA system, and that Eskom-required data points are fully compliant,” says Mare.
Resolving issues during factory testing is significantly faster and more cost-effective than addressing them during site commissioning. By the time equipment arrives at the project location, the integrated system has already been proven, reducing commissioning risk and shortening the path to energisation.
Embedding compliance from day one
Grid code compliance remains one of the most critical – and often misunderstood – aspects of renewable energy project delivery. Misalignment with Eskom requirements can result in failed audits, repeated testing and costly delays to grid connection.
SPI addresses this challenge by incorporating Eskom logic, communication protocols and compliance requirements into the engineering process from the outset. “This proactive approach prevents last-minute redesigns and ensures a smoother approval process,” says Mare.
The advantage of a single accountable partner
For developers and EPC contractors, working with a single integration partner offers significant operational and commercial benefits. A single point of accountability eliminates uncertainty around responsibility and creates a more streamlined project environment. Benefits include:
- Faster decision-making.
- Improved communication between stakeholders.
- Reduced engineering duplication.
- Fewer commissioning disputes.
- Enhanced project predictability.
“With SPI, all engineering, testing and site services are delivered by one team that understands the full system. This creates a more predictable project environment and reduces the risk of unexpected delays,” says Mare.
Supporting South Africa’s renewable future
As South Africa continues expanding its renewable energy capacity, integrated solutions such as SPI will play an increasingly important role in maintaining project schedules and ensuring reliable grid connections.
“Renewable energy projects demand precision, co-ordination and compliance. Fragmented commissioned systems undermine all three. ACTOM’s SPI provides a unified, proven approach that aligns engineering, reduces risk and accelerates delivery from design through to energisation,” concludes Mare.
For the HVAC&R sector, where uninterrupted power supply and energy efficiency are critical to operational performance, integrated protection and control systems can provide an important foundation for reliable, compliant and future-ready energy infrastructure.
Source: Supplied by ACTOM Smart Technologies
