South Africa’s crippling electricity problems, which leave the country without power for many hours a day, are causing grave difficulties for businesses and households.
“The inability of the country’s primary electricity supplier to meet demand, has called for the private sector to step up and provide solutions that help keep businesses, educational facilities, hospitals, farms and homes running, even in the event of power outages and load shedding,” says Ryan Robertson, Vert Energy’s Sales and Marketing Director. “Through our specialist divisions – Electric Power Generation (EPG), Industrial Power Products and Energy on Call – Vert makes sure all sectors are able to keep their power on.
“The main focus of our business is on electric power generation, by delivering solutions to marine and land-based applications. Our range of products are used in diesel, petrol, gas, steam, hydro and PV-hybrid applications. One of the strongest drivers in our product selection has been to opt for environmentally-conscious class rated products that optimise fuel consumption, reduce emissions and boost energy savings across our diesel and petrol engine ranges.
“Our team of service engineers and product specialists offer a dependable technical advisory service when product selection is required and a skilled engineering support service to ensure a seamless power generation experience from purchase to commissioning, thus ensuring every system performs to exact sites requirements. Vert Energy’s maintenance and repair service to customers throughout Africa ensures all systems operate at peak performance for an extended service life. Our qualified and experienced technicians travel throughout Southern Africa and the rest of Africa to service small and large generators. The team has recently completed projects in Rwanda and Madagascar.
“By working closely with market-leading partners, we are able to meet our customers’ exact electro-mechanical requirements and as our company adapts to constantly changing demand, we strive to create a brighter, greener future for our team, our customers and our suppliers.”
Vert Energy has expanded its operation significantly since its inception in 2011 and has recently moved to larger premises in Westlake View, Modderfontein.
The new 4 500 m² bespoke facility has been designed with specialised material handling facilities, additional workshops and mezzanine parts stores to optimise service capabilities of the company. The rationale for the expansion is to continue providing high levels of operating efficiencies and service delivery throughout the African continent, in line with continued growth of the business.
Vert Energy’s range of quality branded products includes AGG and Yanmar engines, Leroy Somer EPG, NSM 2 pole alternators for portable products, DEIF power management controllers, lighting towers and load banks.
The first half of 2023 has seen further product launches within the portfolio of AGG diesel engines, offering a range that extends from 16 kW to 800 kW. The company also introduced the AS25000 series of diesel engines to the market in February this year. These engines deliver optimised power, from 500 kW to 800 kW and feature Tier3 Emission compliance as a standard. The delivery of a Tier3 engine is a first, where most other products in this power band are sold as a non-regulated emission engines, with an additional charge for emission optimised engines.
Although South African legislation does not enforce these standards as strictly as other countries in Europe and Asia, Vert Energy has pursued this strategy in line with its environmentally-conscious approach. The company has received positive feedback from OEM’s and end users who use AS25000 engines in applications like mining, retail, industrial and water treatment facilities, achieving results of excellent load acceptance and fuel efficiency.
Vert Energy has also launched its own range of Vert Industrial Power Products. The extensive range of power products – available in both diesel and petrol options – offers the maximum permissible power output, ensuring optimum performance and efficient fuel consumption.
Vert Energy’s petrol engines, which conform to Stage V emission regulations, are available in 6 HP (4.5 kW) units to 35 HP (26 kW) and are used mainly in construction equipment and power generation applications.
Portable pump sets include 2” (50 mm) and 3” (80 mm) dewatering pumps, powered by 6 HP (4.5 kW) petrol engines; 3” (80 mm) and 4’’(100 mm) trash pumps, powered by either Vert petrol engines or Yanmar diesel engines, and 2” (50mm) Polypropylene chemical pumps, powered by Vert 6 HP (4.5 kW) petrol engines. The main applications for these pumps are in construction, the hire sector and in agriculture.
Vert Energy’s portable power products also include 6.5 kVA and 15.0 kVA (Single and Three Phase) electric start portable generators, used largely in domestic and leisure sectors.
According to Vert Energy, the short-term outlook for power generation in Southern Africa indicates an inherent need for alternative power supply. Whilst load shedding is currently at reduced levels, this represents the ideal window to implement alternative storage and generation capacity to reduce impact on business and infrastructure, should an increase in load reduction stages be implemented in the coming months.