LTM Energy has won the prestigious Association of Energy Engineers (AEE) Energy Project of the Year International Award 2021.

The award was given in recognition of LTM Energy’s 796 KWh solar farm based in the Northern Cape, where the company’s team designed and installed PV to drive an 8 x 55 kW pump system, transferring water over 2,8 km from the river to a holding dam, for irrigation.

The award recognising the outstanding accomplishments in energy for this project will be presented to the CEO of LTM Energy on 20 October 2021 in New Orleans, USA. The AEE presents these awards each year to individuals and organisations which have achieved national and international prominence in implementing the practices and principles of energy engineering and management. The AEE awards have been dubbed the “Oscars” of the energy sector and are therefore deemed the highest international accolade in the energy industry.

This recognition is the cherry on the cake for LTM Energy which won three international awards in 2020 and started the year by winning three local awards from the South African Energy Efficiency Confederation (SAEEC). SAEEC is the local chapter of AEE.

LTM Energy was honoured with these 2021 titles: Energy Service Company (Esco) of the Year; Commercial Energy Project of the Year; and Energy Professional of the Year.

Dhevan Pillay, LTM’s CEO, says, “I would like to thank the LTM Energy family, staff and fellow directors who have contributed towards these great achievements and for their support of the various environmental projects we have undertaken nationally. We are especially humbled and grateful to our valued clients for affording us the opportunity to partner with them on their environmental sustainability journey. It is indeed most rewarding that LTM Energy’s efforts to help secure a “greener” future for our country, have been recognised internationally”.

The esteemed AEE Awards Programme shines a light on the remarkable work being done in the energy sector by individuals and organisations. The event identifies those who exemplify the very best in their field.

LTM Energy’s award-winning energy project “Lighting up Africa”, together with the various case studies, demonstrated the significant potential of scalable energy savings in Africa which can help to reduce global carbon emissions.

Koppies, one of the largest potato farms in the country, resorted to an off-grid solar solution (just under 800 kW) with VSD driven pumps transferring water from river to dam for irrigation because disruptions of Eskom’s electricity supply incurred huge losses for the farm. The innovative design led to improved quality and reliability of supply.

The South African government has an objective to provide all South Africans with universal access to electricity, but it is becoming increasingly evident that this objective cannot be met through grid electrification alone. In addition, South Africa’s electricity supply is under pressure and there is growing demand to accelerate the installation of renewable energy sources.

LTM Energy supplied 7000 off-grid solar units for the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) to provide access to clean energy to rural communities which had not enjoyed the benefits of such before. These remote rural homes previously relied on candles, kerosene, wood, gas, etc., for their energy needs. LTM Energy executed the fastest roll-out in Africa: 1500 off-grid solar PV units in under a month.

Pieter Brand, the company’s Chief Operating Officer, says, “LTM Energy is always embarking on innovation and working together with other people in the industry. Sometimes we even work with our competitors because we truly believe that a “rising tide will lift all ships”. For that reason, we wish to encourage the people of our country to join us in this quest for a greener South Africa as we continue to rollout energy- and water-efficient projects.”

LTM Energy designed and implemented 39 containerised units using refurbished shipping containers to house 4 kW units in a hybrid configuration, with grid-based and diesel generator supply. Some of these designs were unique and used Tier 1 solar panels and Li-ion storage batteries where DC supply was considered as the best option to avoid losses.

LTM Energy has also developed proprietary software called “eSUMS” (Enhanced Smart Utility Management) which can measure any utility’s performance in real time, making proactive and reactive maintenance more practical.

“Achieving success in some of the largest award schemes in the world is a great endorsement of the ambitious and ethical way we like to do business, and acknowledges the hard work, talent and commitment of our team. We remain fully committed to environmental sustainability, as we believe our initiatives are an important investment in the future of our communities and country,” Pillay says.

LTM Energy will continue to make a positive impact on climate change demonstrating the importance of a holistic view in new developments while taking into consideration the importance of upskilling the local community, growing SMMEs and delivering commendable resource savings.

Contact LTM Energy, Tel 011 042 3027, SSO@LTMEnergy.co.za