THOUGHT LEADERSHIP ARTICLE
Accelerating the transition towards a lower-carbon future By Sabine Dall’Omo – Siemens CEO for Southern and Eastern Africa
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commitment to be carbon neutral by 2030.
he world is pursuing a green economy agenda; one which promotes the transition to economies that are low carbon, resource efficient, sustainable and socially inclusive. These economies can reduce and possibly eradicate activities that harm human and environmental health. In the South African context, the green economy is viewed as a sustainable development goal focused on addressing the interdependence between economic growth, social protection, and the natural ecosystem. South Africa’s approach is to ensure that the green economy programmes are practical and implementable through existing best programmes, initiatives, processes and indigenous knowledge in key sectors; and that collaborations between governments, the private sector and civil society will play a crucial role towards the achievement of this goal. A key partnership worth mentioning is one between South Africa, the US and European Union at the COP 26 UN Climate Change Conference, hosted in Glasgow, Scotland late last year. These developed nations pledged to support South Africa’s climate action goals by helping finance the move from its heavy reliance on coal to cleaner and renewable energy sources. This green funding is aimed at establishing renewable energy sources in the country, repurposing coal power stations, investing in new sustainable energy sectors including green hydrogen and electric vehicles, and making the country’s economy less reliant on fossil fuels. The transition towards realizing a green economy in South Africa requires strategic planning, improved governance and the development and translation of policies into actions, for various industries including transport, water, waste, agriculture, and energy. South Africa still has a great deal to prioritize in order to achieve the green economy status. A major challenge the country continues to grapple is the ongoing power supply shortage
We have taken leadership towards decarbonization, also helping our customers meet their individual decarbonization goals. It is our firm belief that companies play a pioneering role in the fight against climate change. Our goal is clear: All Siemens production facilities and buildings worldwide are to achieve a net zero-carbon footprint by 2030. This program not only benefits humanity and the environment, but also comes with sustainable economic advantages for our company.
Sabine Dall’Omo, Siemens CEO for Southern and Eastern Africa which results in power-cuts that ultimately affect daily life and business continuity. Alternative, more sustainable ways to generate power have become urgent. Grid edge technologies are crucial to support the energy transition. The grid edge is where the grid meets the end consumer, but it is also where smart technologies are introduced to guide energy flows and balance supply with the demands of buildings, industry and private consumers. These technologies not only include local consumption and production systems, but also the smart meters, energy management systems and battery storage. They are the systems that provide the data and analytics to enable Electric Vehicles, heat pumps, solar panels, building controls and smart appliances to be fully integrated into a more sustainable energy matrix. These innovations create new ways to increase the resilience of people, communities and the system itself without increasing greenhouse gas emissions. Companies, like Siemens are leading the way towards carbon neutrality. Siemens has a firm
At our headquarters in Midrand – South Africa, we’ve implemented a Distributed Energy System (DES) that utilizes about 50% less energy from the national grid. The project provides a showcase on a proven Siemens solution that will help save energy, cut costs, lower carbon emissions and ensure uninterrupted power. Everything from installation to operating costs has been tracked to present a realistic case study for the South African context. This DES solution installed at our office park serves as an active example of our belief in the solution and the sustained benefits it creates. The system can be replicated and adapted to provide reliable and more efficient power to businesses, office parks, manufacturing plants, institutions and even small communities that do not have access to the national grid. While South Africa’s energy sector is still highly dependent on fossil fuels for the generation of power, the goal of a green economy for the country is not far-fetched. With the collaboration of the right stakeholders and industry experts, a low-carbon future where even consumers and customers can take responsibility for their energy future can be achieved. Grid edge solutions are therefore accelerating the transition towards a lowercarbon future and transforming today’s energy landscape to create a more caring environment.
FINANCIAL MAIL ESSENTIALS • GREEN ECONOMY 2022
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