Friday, July 30, 2010
Thursday, July 29, 2010
News Snippets
SOLAR ENERGY
Morocco invites bids for phase one of solar scheme - ENGINEERING NEWS
DoE moves to assess SWH appetite ahead of big roll-out - ENGINEERING NEWS
GREEN BUILDING
Green building convention to have strong maintenance focus - ENGINEERING NEWS
CLIMATE POLICY
Coal miners should get involved in drafting of climate policy - ENGINEERING NEWS
WIND ENERGY
6 000 MW of wind power ‘ready to be commissioned’ – Sawea - ENGINEERING NEWS
Wind-energy developer pressing ahead with five SA projects - ENGINEERING NEWS
RENEWABLE ENERGY INVESTMENT
SA fares well against peers in investment climate study – Davies - ENGINEERING NEWS
Yearly green investments of $440bn needed to meet climate target - ENGINEERING NEWS
$1m REMT grant available for renewable projects - ENGINEERING NEWS
Morocco invites bids for phase one of solar scheme - ENGINEERING NEWS
DoE moves to assess SWH appetite ahead of big roll-out - ENGINEERING NEWS
GREEN BUILDING
Green building convention to have strong maintenance focus - ENGINEERING NEWS
CLIMATE POLICY
Coal miners should get involved in drafting of climate policy - ENGINEERING NEWS
WIND ENERGY
6 000 MW of wind power ‘ready to be commissioned’ – Sawea - ENGINEERING NEWS
Wind-energy developer pressing ahead with five SA projects - ENGINEERING NEWS
RENEWABLE ENERGY INVESTMENT
SA fares well against peers in investment climate study – Davies - ENGINEERING NEWS
Yearly green investments of $440bn needed to meet climate target - ENGINEERING NEWS
$1m REMT grant available for renewable projects - ENGINEERING NEWS
Friday, July 23, 2010
Waste From Mines - A call for urgent Action
This Engineering News article informs us "Millions of litres of highly acidic mine water is rising up under Johannesburg and, if left unchecked, could spill out into its streets some 18 months from now, Parliament's water affairs portfolio committee heard on Wednesday.
The acid water is currently about 600 metres below the city's surface, but is rising at a rate of between 0,6 and 0,9 metres a day, water affairs deputy director water quality management Marius Keet told MPs.
"[It] can have catastrophic consequences for the Johannesburg central business district if not stopped in time. A new pumping station and upgrades to the high-density sludge treatment works are urgently required to stop disaster," he warned."
The acid water is currently about 600 metres below the city's surface, but is rising at a rate of between 0,6 and 0,9 metres a day, water affairs deputy director water quality management Marius Keet told MPs.
"[It] can have catastrophic consequences for the Johannesburg central business district if not stopped in time. A new pumping station and upgrades to the high-density sludge treatment works are urgently required to stop disaster," he warned."
SA to spend R14,5bn on integrated transport networks
This Engineering News article indicates that "In excess of R14,5-billion would be spent on the development of integrated rapid public transport networks (IRPTNs) in South Africa over a three-year period"
SA's wind and carbon-capture atlases to be published in August
This Engineering News article informs us "that South Africa would in August release a comprehensive ‘wind atlas', as well as a ‘carbon dioxide (CO2) geological storage atlas'."
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
News Snippets
Private investors make $200m available for clean energy projects - Engineering News
Best-in-class design used to prove green houses can also be affordable - Engineering News
Growing awareness supports green building in SA - Engineering News
SA business should investigate carbon tax implications - Engineering News
Carbon tax on cars and pick-ups to earn govt R450m/y - Engineering News
Reduce carbon by making it dear, energy economist argues - Engineering News
Menlyn Maine breaks ground for new ‘green-city’ precinct - Engineering News
Regulatory certainty needed to spur renewable energy investment - Engineering News
IDC plans to inject R11,7bn into green industries by 2015 - Engineering News
Group Five studies Kalahari concentrated solar power project - Engineering News
Best-in-class design used to prove green houses can also be affordable - Engineering News
Growing awareness supports green building in SA - Engineering News
SA business should investigate carbon tax implications - Engineering News
Carbon tax on cars and pick-ups to earn govt R450m/y - Engineering News
Reduce carbon by making it dear, energy economist argues - Engineering News
Menlyn Maine breaks ground for new ‘green-city’ precinct - Engineering News
Regulatory certainty needed to spur renewable energy investment - Engineering News
IDC plans to inject R11,7bn into green industries by 2015 - Engineering News
Group Five studies Kalahari concentrated solar power project - Engineering News
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
News Snippets
CARBON FOOTPRINT
Nedbank invests R14m to achieve carbon neutrality - Engineering News
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Siemens says Desertec technology elements already in place - Engineering News
COMPACT FLOURESCENT LAMPS (CFLs)
Eskom suspends door-to-door CFL roll out - Engineering News
BIO-ENERGY & FUEL
EU, Brazil, Mozambique to sign bioenergy pact - Engineering News
Nedbank invests R14m to achieve carbon neutrality - Engineering News
RENEWABLE ENERGY
Siemens says Desertec technology elements already in place - Engineering News
COMPACT FLOURESCENT LAMPS (CFLs)
Eskom suspends door-to-door CFL roll out - Engineering News
BIO-ENERGY & FUEL
EU, Brazil, Mozambique to sign bioenergy pact - Engineering News
Heat Pumps and Solar Water Geysers
Read this interesting article on Carte Blanche which compares the two options for heating ones water.
Revised energy-efficiency strategy to go before Cabinet by year-end
This Engineering News article informs us that "The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (Unido) has initiated a "comprehensive" review of South Africa's National Energy Efficiency Strategy, which sets a target for energy-efficiency improvement of 12% by 2015.
The review is an output of the Industrial Energy Efficiency project, which is an initiative in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Energy (DoE), and other relevant parties."
The review is an output of the Industrial Energy Efficiency project, which is an initiative in collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Energy (DoE), and other relevant parties."
Four SA cities earmarked for big Africa green city review
This Engineering News article informs us that "German technology giant Siemens has commissioned the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU) to compile an ‘African Green City Index' by the beginning of 2011, ranking the greenest cities in 12 African countries, including four South African cities."
Friday, July 9, 2010
Solar-powered plane lands safely after 26-hour flight
"An experimental solar-powered aircraft launched on Wednesday has landed safely in Switzerland after successfully flying through the night." Read more here, on BBC News.
News Snippets
ENERGY & ENERGY EFFICIENCY
Renewables scale-up core to Zille's sustainability road map - Engineering News
New energy-efficiency hub on cards for SA - Engineering News
UK Climate Change Minister, tells about the Coalition's plans to give Britain its own supply of clean energy. - Telegraph.co.uk.
GREEN BUILDING
MTN seeks US Green Building Council certification for Fairlands office - Engineering News
CARS
Honda to launch two hybrid vehicles in SA this year - Engineering News
DeZir electric concept car hints at fresh direction at Renault - Engineering News
BIOFUELS
Biofuels technology firm seeks partners for cellulosic ethanol plants - Engineering News
Renewables scale-up core to Zille's sustainability road map - Engineering News
New energy-efficiency hub on cards for SA - Engineering News
UK Climate Change Minister, tells about the Coalition's plans to give Britain its own supply of clean energy. - Telegraph.co.uk.
GREEN BUILDING
MTN seeks US Green Building Council certification for Fairlands office - Engineering News
CARS
Honda to launch two hybrid vehicles in SA this year - Engineering News
DeZir electric concept car hints at fresh direction at Renault - Engineering News
BIOFUELS
Biofuels technology firm seeks partners for cellulosic ethanol plants - Engineering News
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Biofuels technology firm seeks partners for cellulosic ethanol plants
This Engineering News article tells: "Cellulosic ethanol can be used in the production of second-generation biofuels from non-food lignocellulosic plant material sources, including wood and agricultural residue such as sugarcane bagasse.
The company was hoping to establish a commercial plant using this technology by 2014."
The company was hoping to establish a commercial plant using this technology by 2014."
Buying a Solar Water Geyser - What to look out for
This Engineering News article suggests that consumers should do their homework before purchasing and installing a solar water geyser and also gives some helpful pointers in this regard.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Wind Measurement Masts
Check out the two 2x 60m wind measurement towers recently erected in the Cape. We heard from Frank of Emergent Energy who informed us that the masts were erected for the purpose of measuring long term wind patterns with the view to build a wind farm. The two masts are 60m high, with 6 anemometers and 2 wind vanes on each tower, with remote data logging and monitoring.
Thursday, July 1, 2010
More News Snippets
World Cup's solar sponsor backs African training-centre roll-out - Engineering News.
Limited finance seen hurting African energy projects - Engineering News.
EU climate commissioner wants action on project financing pledges - Engineering News.
Limited finance seen hurting African energy projects - Engineering News.
EU climate commissioner wants action on project financing pledges - Engineering News.
Two Diesel Fuelled Power Stations Planned for KZN & Eastern Cape
Read more here, on Engineering News.
Latest on Mozambiques Energy Plans
"Mozambique's top energy priority is to develop hydro-electricity projects, and will then focus on gas, wind and solar power, its energy minister said on Tuesday." Read more here, on Engineering News.
Govt offers Hartebeespoort water assurances as lobby prepares to sue
More here, on Engineering News.
SA's Energy Future - Food for Thought
Check out this Business Day article: "The myth that we have a choice between coal and nuclear for baseload must be challenged. The chairman of the US Federal Energy Regulatory Commission, Joe Wellinghoff, has said baseload capacity will become an anachronism. Inflexible plants are an impediment — costly and wasteful. If you have the ability to ramp up and down plants and shape the system, then the old concept of baseload becomes redundant. “You don’t need fossil fuel or nuclear plants that run all the time, we may not need any (more) ever,”"
In the meanwhile, Legalbrief informs us "Climate justice lobby group, 350.org South Africa, has filed a formal request in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act for information about a 'secretive' panel of experts finalising a 30-year SA energy plan behind closed doors."
Here is another short article on the subject of energy which our Chairman recently wrote to the Cape Times and Cape Community Papers:
"Very few people understand what 100 billion Rand is. It's similar to 100 Gigabytes of computer storage except that its money; 100,000 Million Rand. This gives us 5 Giga-Watts or 5,000,000,000 Watts of energy for electricity generation. If this power station is built in Mpumalanga to supply energy to Cape Town, possibly as much as 10% of this energy is lost on the transmission lines and 65% of the energy in the coal is lost in the whole process. This is why Eskom has and is considering nuclear in the Western Cape. There are also losses in the nuclear process.
But let's look at what else we South Africans can do with 100 Billion Rand.
100 billion Rand is equal to 10 million R10,000 solar water heaters. It takes 8 years to build a 5 GW Coal power station. Assuming 200 working days a year, South Africa could install at least 6,250 solar water heaters per working day. Assuming a team of 3 people to do an installation plus sales people plus electricians plus inspectors plus factories, managers, etc, we are looking at possibly 30,000 to 50,000 people employed in this industry. More employment. Less unemployment. More taxes. Fewer social welfare cheques. A perfect scenario for unskilled labour which South Africa has an abundance of.
Once a factory is making solar water heaters, it's not much more difficult to make solar chillers, ie air conditioners that work off the sun's energy.
A coal power station needs 8,000 people to build it and 1,000 people to run it plus huge resources in terms of road, rail, mines, electricity, etc to supply it. The sun runs itself, but obviously people will be needed to maintain solar water heating systems. Up to 40% of the energy a power station makes is used to supply it with fuel!
10 million solar water heaters would actually provide 20 GW of energy. Looking at this another way, Eskom would need to build 4 5GW coal power stations to provide the energy to run 10 million electrically powered water heaters (geysers). Or looking at this another way, by using solar energy to heat and cool water directly we only need a 1/4 of the money needed for the fossil fueled power station, and much less than a 1/4 if the power source is nuclear.
So let's look at the renewable energy alternatives and not just the fossil fueled alternatives South Africa is currently considering."
In the meanwhile, Legalbrief informs us "Climate justice lobby group, 350.org South Africa, has filed a formal request in terms of the Promotion of Access to Information Act for information about a 'secretive' panel of experts finalising a 30-year SA energy plan behind closed doors."
Here is another short article on the subject of energy which our Chairman recently wrote to the Cape Times and Cape Community Papers:
"Very few people understand what 100 billion Rand is. It's similar to 100 Gigabytes of computer storage except that its money; 100,000 Million Rand. This gives us 5 Giga-Watts or 5,000,000,000 Watts of energy for electricity generation. If this power station is built in Mpumalanga to supply energy to Cape Town, possibly as much as 10% of this energy is lost on the transmission lines and 65% of the energy in the coal is lost in the whole process. This is why Eskom has and is considering nuclear in the Western Cape. There are also losses in the nuclear process.
But let's look at what else we South Africans can do with 100 Billion Rand.
100 billion Rand is equal to 10 million R10,000 solar water heaters. It takes 8 years to build a 5 GW Coal power station. Assuming 200 working days a year, South Africa could install at least 6,250 solar water heaters per working day. Assuming a team of 3 people to do an installation plus sales people plus electricians plus inspectors plus factories, managers, etc, we are looking at possibly 30,000 to 50,000 people employed in this industry. More employment. Less unemployment. More taxes. Fewer social welfare cheques. A perfect scenario for unskilled labour which South Africa has an abundance of.
Once a factory is making solar water heaters, it's not much more difficult to make solar chillers, ie air conditioners that work off the sun's energy.
A coal power station needs 8,000 people to build it and 1,000 people to run it plus huge resources in terms of road, rail, mines, electricity, etc to supply it. The sun runs itself, but obviously people will be needed to maintain solar water heating systems. Up to 40% of the energy a power station makes is used to supply it with fuel!
10 million solar water heaters would actually provide 20 GW of energy. Looking at this another way, Eskom would need to build 4 5GW coal power stations to provide the energy to run 10 million electrically powered water heaters (geysers). Or looking at this another way, by using solar energy to heat and cool water directly we only need a 1/4 of the money needed for the fossil fueled power station, and much less than a 1/4 if the power source is nuclear.
So let's look at the renewable energy alternatives and not just the fossil fueled alternatives South Africa is currently considering."
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