SANEDI Insights March 2020

INSIGHTS 2019 / 2020 ENERGY FOR LIFE E N E R G Y E F FINNOVATION ICIENCY

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SANEDI – INNOVATION FOR LIFE

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ENERGY EFFICIENCY

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RENEWABLE ENERGY

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CLEANER MOBILITY

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CLEANER FOSSIL FUELS

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WORKING FOR ENERGY

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CENTRE FOR ENERGY SYSTEMS ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH

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SMART CITIES

SANEDI – INNOVATION FOR LIFE Mission

To use applied energy research and resource efficiency to develop innovative and integrated solutions that will catalyse growth and prosperity in Africa.

Mandate

To direct, monitor and conduct energy research and development, promote energy research and technology innovation, and undertake measures to promote energy efficiency throughout the economy.

We have two core programmes: Energy Efficiency and Applied energy research, development and innovation, which includes six sub-programmes: • Renewable energy • Cleaner fossil fuels • Data and knowledge management • Cleaner mobility • Smart grids • Working for energy “SANEDI’s energy development agenda, in line with the South African Government’s pursuit of eradicating

E N E R GY I N N OVAT I O N F O R L I F E

poverty, is a key part of our country’s energy journey. Its portfolio of initiatives is closely attuned to technological advancements, declining technology costs and continued innovation in the energy sector. These can enable South Africa to take full advantage of our energy resources and the associated infrastructure development as a vehicle for economic growth, industrialisation, poverty alleviation, education, employment creation and sustainable development.

To this end, successful collaboration between SANEDI and industry has allowed us to drive several research, development and pilot projects that will contribute to the National energy objectives. In this regard, the Institute has collaborated, facilitated and supported a number of National and Provincial departments to understand possible mitigation actions that would lead to a more efficient and swift deployment of Renewable Energy in the country, as well as sustainable and responsible use of our coal resources.” Dr Thembakazi Mali, SANEDI Interim CEO, Annual Report, 2018/19 Welcome to SANEDI Insights 2020

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ENERGY EFFICIENCY

But SANEDI adds a note of caution. While IRP 2019 has set realistic and achievable targets and offers a comprehensive framework for renewable energy technologies, the plan underestimates the importance of energy efficiency.

According to SANEDI, first to be considered should be what can be saved, followed by what must be generated.

The rising costs of electricity and various other incentives has encouraged organisations and individuals to become more energy-efficient. Unfortunately the new IRP has not taken this into account.

Technologies that allow for energy efficiency and the effect of energy efficiency on the country’s efforts to become less coal-dependent, as well as smart technology, which can provide real-time linkage between demand, should have been included in IRP 2019.

SANEDI: IRP 2019

LACKS FOCUS ON EFFICIENCY Government’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2019 – 2030 introduced in October 2019 sets out nine policy interventions to ensure the security of the country’s energy supply, with a prominent focus on renewable energy, which was welcomed

by SANEDI.

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As an energy-intensive country, much of South Africa’s industrial production designs were developed inefficiently due to the very low cost of electricity.

With the recent sustained tariff increases, the financial viability of these operations has been called into question resulting in some businesses closing. Eskom annual sales 208 TWh (2019) reflect a sustained year-on-year decline, which can be attributed to the increased tariff effects, as well as the impact of the energy efficiency drive. If energy efficiency is given due attention, it could potentially avoid the need to build additional capacity – which will always be the cheaper option.

SANEDI believes the country will organically start moving off the grid to overcome current energy provision challenges and already businesses that can afford to move, have started the transition. These organisations are some of the most significant users and paying customers of electricity which means in the future, power will be supplied to a sector of the economy that might not be able to afford it.

As the landscape changes organically, government will be forced to follow and could miss an opportunity to put policies, regulations and incentives in place to support and benefit from this change.

SANEDI does recognise IRP 2019 as a positive indicator for the energy security of supply and the renewable sector. The report states that wind, solar PV, distributed and/or co-generation as well as landfill gas and storage, present an opportunity to diversify the electricity mix, to possibly lead towards distributed generation and offgrid electricity. Renewable technologies also present potential to develop new industries and lead to skills and job creation as well as localisation across the value chain.

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12L

ENERGY SAVING TAX INCENTIVE EXTENDED TO 2022

A highlight in 2019 was the announcement by government of an extension of the energy efficiency savings tax incentive (Section 12L) for businesses, through to end 2022. SANEDI, which is responsible for implementing and overseeing the application process for Section 12L, welcomed the extension and renewed its call to industry to take full advantage of it.

Section 12L was promulgated in 2013 and was due to end in January 2020, but will now continue through to 31 December 2022, giving businesses a larger window of opportunity to save energy and reap multiple benefits, including reduced energy bills, rebates on tax returns, assisting to reduce demand on South Africa’s scarce energy resources, and improving their carbon footprint.

The announcement was made by Minister of Finance, Tito Mboweni, in his Budget Vote Speech to Parliament in February 2019, at a time of real need to reduce energy consumption nationally.

The energy efficiency savings allow for a tax deduction of 95c/kWh saved on energy consumption across all energy carriers, including gas, coal, liquid fuels or any energy carrier (excluding renewable energy). In this way customers can save up to 30% on their energy bill and also receive a rebate on their tax return to bolster the appeal.

The 12L tax incentive’s objective is to encourage energy saving in a constrained capacity environment and to assist in meeting the country’s commitments set out in various international agreements to reduce carbon emissions over the next few years.

Many local businesses, including several South African blue-chip companies, have benefited over the six years since the incentive was introduced. The initial 200 applications received were expected to double in response to the three-year extension on the incentive period.

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energy savings To claim the deduction, measurements must be kWh equivalent. The verified and measured energy efficiency saving must be over a period of 12 consecutive months, known as the implementation/ assessment period, which is compared with the prior 12 months of baseline measurement. The baseline measurement and savings are verified and measured by a South African National Accreditation Systems (SANAS) accredited Measurement and Verification (M&V) Body, which assigns an M&V professional to the project.

To apply for the incentive, a company appoints an accredited (M&V) professional to do an assessment of its business, regardless of whether it is a plant, a hotel or normal office premises. (Residential households are excluded from applying for this incentive). The assessor submits all the information to SANEDI and from there it proceeds with an evaluation to ascertain whether the claim is in line with the appropriate regulations and standards, and can be approved.

SARS action

SARS has updated the section on qualifying activities in its Interpretation Notes to include activities generating energy from combined heat and power, as well as any activity that results in energy efficiency savings, on condition all other requirements are met and limitations do not apply.

National Treasury also announced that it will review the design and administration of the energy efficiency savings tax incentive to make it even easier for smaller businesses to access.

A calculator on SANEDI’s website allows companies to check the feasibility of applying for the incentive and gives an indication of what benefits can be expected.

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PLATFORM FOR INDUSTRY IDEAS

SANEDI has established a platform for stakeholders to discuss the often-controversial energy issues in South Africa, and to exchange news and research around new energy innovations and technologies with the aim to grow and sustain the economy.

SANEDI has a critical role to play in ensuring that South Africa will have the necessary information and planning support regarding emerging technologies, innovative practices, alternate energy solutions, advanced infrastructure, and energy data to plan for a sustainable and secure energy future that will also satisfy the country’s economic, social and environmental needs. The Institute is ideally positioned to lead the debate on energy and educate on the various energy options available.

The first SANEDI Energy forum was themed, ‘Navigating SA mining’s energy transition together’. The forum recognised that the rapid advance of the Fourth Industrial Revolution means that industry and associated stakeholders need to move with speed to intensify the deployment of smart grids.

ENERGY EFFICIENCY

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ENERGY’S DECADE OF REFORM AND GROWTH The National Energy Act was promulgated in November 2008 enabling the mandatory provision of energy data by suppliers.

In its 2009 Digest of South African Energy Statistics, the Department of Energy released data on the energy sector which indicated that renewable energy had contributed approximately 8% of South Africa’s primary energy supply in 2006, mostly centred on the concept of biomass fuel.

A decade of intensive research and development by SANEDI and other key players in the renewables energy sector has seen massive change.

The use of wind, solar and other renewable resources has grown and today the sight of windmills or solar panels is no longer a point of interest, so ingrained has it become in the minds of the public.

REIPPP gains

The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) programme began in 2011. Its purpose was to contribute to the alleviation of the electrical energy shortfall in South Africa, contribute towards socio-economic and environmentally sustainable growth, and to start and stimulate the renewable energy industry in South Africa. Technologies that were considered as qualifying for selection under the programme included onshore wind, concentrated solar thermal, solar photovoltaic (PV), biomass solid, biogas, landfill gas and small hydro schemes.

By 2014, 2 127.66 MW of bids had been received, predominantly in the PV and wind sectors, and of these, 28 bids were accepted. By

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May 2019, 102 Independent Power Producer projects had arisen from four bidding round windows, with the procurement of 6 422 MW of renewable energy, out of which 3 876 MW have come online. The REIPPP programme’s contribution to the environment reduced South Africa’s carbon emissions by about 33.2 million tons of carbon dioxide and saved 39.2 million kilolitres of water, as at 31 December 2018. In the past eight years, REIPPP attracted R209.4 billion in committed private sector investment (24% of which was foreign direct investment) and provided much-needed jobs and local investment.

The publication of the government’s Integrated Resource Plan 2019 has included sustainable options in its energy mix for the future, taking lowcost electricity options into account.

By 2030, South Africa will aim for additional capacity of 14.4 GW wind power, 6 GW solar, 3 GW of gas, 2.5 GW hydro power, 2.088 GW storage, and finally 1.5 GW of coal.

Winds of change

masts covered the remaining parts of the Northern Cape in December 2018. The 18 wind measurement masts now cover 75% of South Africa’s land area.

The Wind Atlas depicts local surface wind climate, such as mean wind speed or mean wind power density that a wind turbine or wind farm would operate in. Its statistics enable predictions, such as annual energy production (AEP) of a wind turbine and expected capacity factor. This information allows the identification of specific areas in South Africa that have the capacity to enable large or small-scale exploitation of wind energy.

International solar recognition

In 2019, thanks to two major solar thermal projects, South Africa rose from relative obscurity into the global top 20 of such installations, driven by the Southern African Solar Thermal Training and Demonstration Initiative (SOLTRAIN), a SANEDI partner.

In a joint project with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and various funding agencies, SANEDI has supported the Wind Atlas for South Africa (WASA) project, which utilises the information gained from wind measurement masts.

Funded by the Austrian Development Agency and co-funded by the OPEC Fund for International Development, SOLTRAIN is a regional initiative on capacity building and demonstration of solar thermal systems in the SADC region.

September 2010 saw the erection of nine wind measurement masts covering the Western Cape, some parts of the Eastern Cape and the Northern Cape. Five wind measurement masts, covering the remaining areas of the Eastern Cape, KwaZulu-Natal and Free State became operational in November 2015, and four wind measurement

The next ten years

SANEDI envisages a country that will move from the current 8.7% of renewable energy to a much higher percentage of alternatives to coalbased energy, which will improve climate change statistics and develop a new local economy of renewables manufacturing.

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SANEDI’S RECORD

with SANDF One of SANEDI’s roles is to facilitate and coordinate renewable energy research, development and demonstration through local and international cooperation, technology transfer and information exchange, leading to the deployment and commercialisation of sustainable, efficient, reliable, cost-competitive and environmentally sound renewable energy technologies.

To accelerate the research path to market-viable alternatives and grow the country’s pool of energy scientists, SANEDI has established Centres of Research and Development (CORDs), which includes the Renewable Energy Centre of Research and Development (RECORD).

Recent contributions by RECORD include a five-year agreement with the SA National Defence Force (SANDF) in 2018 that has seen the initiation of pilot projects at a military base in Limpopo, in collaboration with the Solar Thermal Training and Demonstration Initiative (SOLTRAIN).

SOLTRAIN demonstrates ways to utilise solar potential through solar thermal systems to significantly reduce electricity demand and CO2 emissions. Major adoption of these systems could lead to industry and associated skills development, and job creation if local assembly or manufacturing is stimulated.

SOLTRAIN in South Africa is managed by the Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies at Stellenbosch University, and SANEDI, in partnership with AEE-Institute for Sustainable Technologies (AEE INTEC) from Austria.

Solar water heating at air force base

SANEDI, SOLTRAIN and the SANDF collaborated in the implementation of the solar water heating system at the Air Force Base in Hoedspruit, which has improved energy efficiency and acted as a catalyst for upskilling SANDF personnel.

Two systems of 15m2 solar array collectors area and 1500L hot water storage were installed at two buildings

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and operate through a well-insulated ring main unit which provides the added benefit of less water being wasted on waiting for a shower to heat up – hot water is almost instant in each of the 32 rooms once a tap is opened.

Cohabiting bush-life, including primates, as well climatic influences were part of the considerations in establishing the pumped solar thermal systems, designed to last up to 20 years with a reliability of supply.

To ensure ongoing operation and maintenance of the solar thermal systems, specialised training was provided

by SANEDI and Stellenbosch University to produce 20 artisans who successfully completed a SOLTRAIN thermosiphon course and four who were intensively trained during system construction. These members were upskilled further and are transferring skills to other SANDF artisans, thus ensuring security of knowledge retention and a system maintenance autonomy for SANDF. The solar water heating systems reduced the use of electricity and backup diesel and enabled the Defence Force to provide housing with functional hot water supplies.

To prepare SANDF members for the projects, RECORD created awareness about renewable energy, energy efficiency and, more specifically, solar water heating and biogas at military units across Limpopo through half-day awareness training seminars.

SANDF noted that the reduction in costs and the improvement in the reliability of its hot water infrastructure were major wins for the air force base, and that it was keen to learn more about other types of energy savings and reducing its impact on the environment due to emissions.

SANEDI is confident that given the number of government and parastatal entities that own housing, this model of co-funding and support can be replicated to assist them in refurbishing viable properties.

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SUNREF II FUNDING

FOR ‘GREEN’ PROJECTS IN SOUTH AFRICA SANEDI, ever at the forefront of developing trends to enhance energy efficiency in the business industry sectors of South Africa, has highlighted the potential advantage for businesses to apply for finance for ‘green’ projects through the IDC’s SUNREF credit line, which uses funds from the French Development Agency (AFD). This funding has been linked to a credit line with the IDC for around $60 million to finance various energy efficiency and renewable energy projects.

South African businesses are continually striving to cope with increasing energy prices and improve environmental performance, especially in terms of reducing greenhouse gas emission. One of the key aspects of developing projects that support these aims is access to finance.

SUNREF funding makes it possible for South African businesses to develop renewable energy and energy efficiency projects in support of our country’s efforts towards a green transition.

SANEDI supports this initiative and hosts the SUNREF Technical Assistance Facility, which assists the IDC to access the SUNREF II funds.

SUNREF process SUNREF II in South Africa emphasises that funding applications can be made by any business in any sector that is considering energy efficiency or renewable projects in terms of its own internal processes or within its supply chain, as well as companies that provide manufacturing services or goods for the renewable energy and energy efficiency sectors.

The types of projects which would be considered for funding comprise solar rooftop PV, biogas projects, biomass energy projects and any industrial projects

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that lead to improved energy efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions.

The IDC’s SUNREF credit line is a debt fund, offered at a concessionary rate. SUNREF II builds on SUNREF I, which was implemented from 2012 and 2015. Its success led to the development of the second credit line.

SUNREF I successes between SANEDI and three partner banks between 2012 and 2015 allowed for the financing of 120 small-scale green energy projects which resulted in CO₂ savings of 370 000 tons per year. Projects funded

by SUNREF I and II include: • The replacing of heavy oil with biomass in a bakery for its heat requirements • Energy efficient lighting installations using LEDs • Steam produced using biomass for a dairy processing facility • Solar rooftop installation PV for a manufacturing facility SANEDI emphasises that the time to invest in energy efficient projects is now. Escalating electricity costs, energy security concerns, and the recently implemented carbon tax, create a landscape that should see more businesses adopting clean energy projects to address these challenges.

SUNREF (Sustainable Use of Natural Resources and Energy Finance) is a green credit line developed for companies

by France’s AFD (Agence Française de Développement).

In developing countries, financing green growth, including energy management, sustainable natural resources management, and environmental protection, can be a challenge. AFD in partnership with IDC in South Africa offers solutions to this challenge.

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HARNESSING SOLAR HEAT FOR MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY A SANEDI PERSPECTIVE

Over 80% of electricity generated in the SADC region is from coal.

However, SADC faces a power deficit due to lack of investment in the power infrastructure leading to subsequent imminent disruption to power supplies, which is a major threat to the economic growth, according to SANEDI, which is constantly abreast of developments within renewable energy.

A considerable share (40–50%) of electricity is used for hot water preparation, thus solar water heating is an important option to consider in order to reduce the electricity demand and associated environmental effects such as CO2 emissions caused by fossil fuel power plants. SADC member states have excellent solar irradiation of more than 2000 kWh/m² annual radiation.

Estimates from the International Energy Agency (IEA) suggest that solar thermal systems could meet about 70–80% of the regions’ lowtemperature heating and cooling demand. What needs to be done to

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Solar energy is available for harness in two forms – heat and light; it may be free, but it requires technology to be able to exploit this valuable resource. The direct use of the heat component of solar energy is extremely efficient since in excess of 90% of this energy can be used directly in a solar thermal technology system.

deliver within required parameters, then skills must be developed in order to build and maintain these systems. As technology familiarity and uptake increases a local industry may begin developing in stages to manufacture and support the solar thermal system requirements.

However, in parallel to this, quality and standards across all of these areas of technology development must be ensured so that reputation and thus support of solar thermal is maintained.

Various technologies are available for deployment in this sector and South Africa is showcasing some of the best. If widespread uptake and implementation of this technology can be stimulated, a local market will begin to grow.

Local market development may have many facets that will grow and be stimulated at different rates when taking nationwide support of solar water heating technology into consideration. Initially, systems need to be demonstrated to be able to

South Africa has already made significant progress in the above described value chain, stopping just short of manufacturing, the implementation of solar thermal technology is steadily increasing and innovating. South Africa is now rated in the top 20 of District and Residential Heating Global Capacity (IEA 2019) based on significant installations at Wits Junction student residences and the Klein Karoo International Ostrich Leather Tannery.

harness this energy that can alleviate stress on the constrained electricity grid in South Africa?

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Projects raise SA’s solar thermal ranking In 2019 South Africa leapt from relative obscurity into the global top 20 of solar thermal installations in terms of m2 collector area as a result of two of the largest sub-Saharan solar systems – in Johannesburg and in Oudtshoorn in the Western Cape. These SOLTRAIN projects, a district heating plant for Wits University residences and a solar process heat plant for the Klein Karoo International (KKI) Tannery, will save millions in energy costs over the lifetime of the plants.

Since the system was commissioned, complaints of not having hot water have reduced by 98%. The estimated cost savings are R40 million over the next 20 years, and the University had seen substantial electricity savings over the eight-month trial period. The thermal energy is free and the centralised plant requires a lot less maintenance intervention, thus reducing costs.

Klein Karoo tannery

The KKI tannery section has installed a 600 m2 solar collector system to reduce costs and increase competitiveness, and to move its production to a more renewable base.

Wits Junction

Stellenbosch University had approached the tannery for process heat application viabilities and it agreed to contribute to the study. The process heat infrastructure

14 student residence buildings with hot water from one centralised hot water plant room. The installation includes 600 m2 solar heating plant with 10 m2 Austrian collectors.

is an oil burner and the feasibility study design entailed solar displacing the local fuel, indicated as 60% solar fraction. The fuel source is LO10 paraffin oil, at an indicated rate of 11.8 kWh per litre. The savings, based on measurements from the plant, indicate 285 000 kWh, with an average indication of or 24 150 litres of oil for eight months. The university predicted a payback of 6.5 years based on a financial model analysis from the feasibility study, which includes maintenance, finance costs and all system related expenses.

The Wits Junction district heating project combines solar, co-generation and gas heating technologies, servicing

The Junction houses 1 103 students, with an average consumption of 94 000 litres of hot water per day.

Peak demand is in the morning, averaging 30% of daily consumption, with a maximum demand of 28 200 litres in an hour. The system supplies the entire hot water demand, including kitchens, laundry, cleaning and other domestic uses.

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Let sunshine add to savings – with solar power When building an energy efficient house, the first consideration is the best way to achieve cooling and heating, without ‘money’ evaporating into the air. Cool Surfaces roof coatings, formulated for South African conditions, can reduce internal temperatures by as much as 2-4 degrees, as SANEDI has proven in largescale informal housing settlements.

Heating water can use 30-40% of the electricity bill.

Incorporating interventions at the start of the design work ensures that energy saving technology is built into the cost of the house.

Solar thermal (ST) systems provide hot water and solar photovoltaic (PV) systems generate electricity for the household. Both systems are coming down in costs and payback period (on average, 5-7 years) and homeowners are encouraged to include these systems into the financing at construction stage, rather than as an add-on.

Cool Surfaces refer to materials and technologies, such as white roofs, light-coloured pavements and specialised cool coatings used in the construction of the building envelope to improve thermal comfort through surfaces that reflect much of the solar energy and release much of the stored heat energy.

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From affordable homes to luxury condos, energy saving construction techniques are invaluable, and energy-efficient houses cut costs, are environmentally responsible and aesthetically pleasing, states SANEDI.

Solar thermal systems are well known in the South African low-cost housing market, and most are thermosyphon systems, relatively small in scale and not needing electricity for a pump or an electronic control, so they can be used without access to the electricity grid.

PV solar panels absorb and convert sunlight into electricity, a solar inverter changes the electric current from DC to AC, connecting to the house wiring. A battery storage system allows for days without sunshine, though this is an expensive option that should be included in the original finance deal. As disconnecting from the national grid would not remove the monthly charges to the homeowner by the local utility, a complete off-grid option is not practical at this stage.

SANEDI states that the installation of solar systems in the construction of housing developments is a step in the right direction in the fight to conserve natural resources, save money on utilities and combat the negative effects of climate change. The prices of these technologies have reduced significantly over the past five years and the technology has evolved in terms of quality.

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SMART BUILDINGS boost energy efficiency

What once was science fiction is now an everyday reality for many thanks to digitalisation, and this trend is set to continue.

Examples are lights only operating when someone is present; central air conditioners creating climate zones for differing comfort levels; banks of computers or other machines being ‘put to sleep’ after a period of non-activity; lifts only switching on lights when called; underground carparks remaining dark until movement occurs; and so on.

The Fourth Industrial Revolution (Industry 4.0) is driving energy efficiency as increasingly devices become digitalised.

The Internet of Things (IoT) includes the refrigerator in the home, the aircon in the office and the entire production process in the factory. The more efficiently these run, the less energy is expended.

Building management systems are becoming commonplace, and not just for offices; smaller versions are available to be wired into the home’s distribution board. These can be used to shut down what industry terms ‘vampire loads’ – the plugs with indicator lights that are not in use but on standby or any appliance using clocks or readouts when not in use – which can be put into ‘sleep’ mode.

Mobile phone apps, when coupled to the right technologies, can switch on and off lights, heaters and air conditioners, or activate the microwave from a smart phone.

Ways to save

SANEDI highlights further tangible ways that the country can cut down electricity usage to help meet South Africa’s energy demands, from simple everyday actions to more effective ways.

• Turning lights off when they’re not being used and exchanging regular globes with energy-saving globes • Heating water is one of the most energy-intensive and one of the most expensive processes. Reduce geyser temperature to below 60°C – this will mean less cold water will need to be added for showers and dish-washing.

• Insulating the geyser and outlet pipes will also help to keep the water warm for longer.

• For cooking, using a microwave rather than an oven will take half the time and consume half the energy. Braaiing or using a gas stove save even more energy. When cooking on electric hobs, match the pan size to the element size, and keep the lid on the pot when cooking.

• Using a dishwasher rather than washing by hand saves electricity and water. Hand-washing a 12-piece dinner service can consume 2.5kWh of electricity and 103 litres of water. The same load in a dishwasher will use 1.05kWh of electricity and 12 litres of water.

• For washing machines, use a 40°C wash cycle rather than 60°C, which equates to a 30% electricity saving, and skipping the pre-wash cycle will use up to 20% less electricity.

• Dry clothes naturally rather than using a tumble dryer.

• When buying new appliances, make sure they carry the Energy Efficiency label, preferably rated with an A-rating.

• In the office, turn off printers, copiers and fax machines when they are not in use – don’t rely on sleep mode.

• Using power management on your desktop computer can save 900 kWh a year, amounting to more than 680kg of carbon dioxide emissions.

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MULTIPLE BENEFITS

TO TRANSPORT ENERGY RESEARCH

SANEDI highlighted its extensive work in researching the correlation between transport energy demands, electrical vehicles and other green transport issues, as well as the benefits of the research to the country in May, in recognition of National Energy Month in South Africa.

SANEDI, in conjunction with the Energy Research Centre (ERC) at the University of Cape Town, conducted a threeyear research project into transport energy demand, with the main aim of the study being to investigate the impact of electric vehicle penetration into the South African market.

Key to this study was the collection of the data on the transport and energy situation in South Africa, which was completed at the end of March 2019. Multiple pockets of data were found on transport and energy, at Eskom,

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the Department of Transport (DoT), the departments of Environmental Affairs, Energy, and Economic Development, the CSIR, UCT’s ERC, other universities and various research institutions. The main issue in the research was not data availability but data access.

SANEDI believes that multiple organisations will benefit from the data bank. First would be the DoT, as the study is aligned to the green transport strategy, which has targets for different types of reduction in energy consumption, including rail and road transport. This study will enable the DoT to align or revise its green transport strategy because some of the project’s analysis used DoT’s targets as a benchmark.

The DTI’s low carbon transport programme will also benefit. The United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and DTI are interested in the

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feasibility of electric vehicles, when they would enter the market, what were the implications if electric vehicles penetrated the market and the knock-on effect on jobs, mechanics and the road transport sector value chain.

Research institutions have expressed interest as the study is built on a previous study that collected data for South Africa’s transport sector. It builds on the collected data on sales of liquid fuels and data on freight, road and air transport. All data will also be made available in the public domain once published.

SANEDI is proud to have increased the knowledge of available energy resources that can enrich South Africa’s move to green transport.

The need for improved energy efficiency in the aviation and transportation sector in Africa and the need for digital transformation is urgent as the continent is home to some of the fastest growing economies in the world.

One aspect is electric vehicles, which make sense economically, especially when viewed over the life cycle of the car. The initial cost is outweighed by no services and a replacement of a battery every couple of years.

Their energy efficiency is further improved by the fact that the vehicles are mostly solar powered, thus reducing electricity usage. Already carparks are installing electrical vehicle charging outlets.

According to the World Resources Institute Climate Analysis Indicator Tool, South Africa’s greenhouse gas profile is dominated by emissions from the energy sector, which accounted for 84% of the country’s total emissions in 2012. Of this, 60% of the emissions were due to electricity and heat, 15% from manufacturing and construction, 12% from transport and the balance from other energy subsectors. This makes the diversification of the national energy portfolio critical.

Walk, cycle or take the bus for cleaner mobility

SANEDI supported South Africa’s Transport Month in October and encouraged South Africans to embrace cleaner mobility by walking, cycling and using public transport.

SANEDI’s role includes investigating and demonstrating alternative ways of mobility that will lead to the improvement of the environmental, social and economic conditions. The Institute informs and communicates the world’s success stories and its own findings to stakeholders and the public, to motivate changes in policy and a change in behaviour.

Transportation of goods and mobility of people are fundamental to the economy of South Africa. Over the years, transportation systems have grown and the exhaust emissions are polluting the air, placing people’s health at risk and compromising the climate. Other risks include the instability of the oil price and depletion of the world’s petroleum supplies.

SANEDI’s Cleaner Mobility Programme is partnered with the United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) Low Carbon Transport Project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF) to promote energy efficient, low-carbon transport and urban systems. The project supports government in demonstrating new sustainable transport technologies and conducting research to inform the development and improvement of regulatory frameworks for inclusive cleaner mobility solutions. The UNIDO Project also creates platforms for institutional capacity building.

SANEDI participates and supports solutions that are clean in terms of exhaust emissions, efficient in terms of energy consumption and fit for purpose in terms of mobility objective, which are being developed around the world. These include the International Energy Association’s (IEA) Implementing Agreement on ‘Hybrid and Electric Vehicles’, the Clean Energy Ministerial ‘Electric Vehicle Initiative’, the European Commission, Conference of the Parties (COP), and UNIDO. The South African Green Transport Strategy is aiming to achieve a tangible impact by 2030 by relating to international commitments such as the Paris Agreement and United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

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SACCCS joins Global CCS Institute to tackle climate change The South African Centre for Carbon Capture and Storage (SACCCS), a division of SANEDI, became a proud member of the Global CCS Institute in August 2019, joining the organisation’s diverse international membership of about 70, which includes governments, global corporations, private companies, research bodies and non-governmental organisations, all of which are committed to CCS as an integral part of a net-zero emissions future.

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CO2 capture

CO2 transport

CO2 storage

CCS technology has been tested and demonstrated globally and is being successfully implemented in many projects around the world. SACCCS is mandated to investigate the technical feasibility of CCS in this country.

To guide CCS research in South Africa, a five-stage CCS Roadmap was developed, which was endorsed by Cabinet in 2012.

Global CCS is an international think tank dedicated to accelerating the deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS), recognised as a vital technology to tackle climate change and deliver climate neutrality.

South Africa’s CCS Roadmap started in 2004, with extensive assessment of the potential for CCS. In 2010, it incorporated the development of an atlas of geological storage of CO2 and the current phase is the SACCCS Pilot Carbon Dioxide Storage Project (PCSP) with the aim to inject 10-50 000 tons of CO2.

The move to membership of Global CCS will enhance the activities of SACCCS, which has received much benefit from Global CCS, including financial support for some of the CCS work in South Africa.

The implementation of PCSP will be a proof of concept for CCS in South Africa. The Pilot CO2 Monitoring Project (PMP) was implemented to build capacity in CO2 monitoring. An additional aim of the PMP is to come up

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with CO2 monitoring protocols that will be used during the implementation of the PCSP and other stages of the CCS Roadmap.

One of the requirements of implementing the PCSP is that baseline monitoring must be done at the site identified for the project before, during and after construction, to ensure that there are no CO2 leaks from the geological formation.

This is being conducted at a natural CO2 release area in Bongwana in KwaZulu-Natal, and so far, atmospheric, water and soil CO2 levels have been monitored throughout the different seasons.

In preparation for the PCSP and other stages of the CCS Roadmap, a Carbon Capture Pilot Plant (CCPP) is being investigated, the first stage of which is a technical assessment supported by the World Bank. The aim of the project is to establish a post-combustion CO2 Capture Plant at a coal-fired power plant.

The facility must be designed to accommodate South African conditions, which includes low water consumption, use of renewable energy in order to reduce the energy penalty on the host plant, and be used as a capacity building facility for the country.

SANEDI participated at an international Post-Combustion Capture Retrofit Workshop held at the University of Sheffield in April 2019.

SANEDI hosts the biennial CCS conferences that assist in updating stakeholders on progress, while also giving them an opportunity to engage with CCS experts on the benefits and challenges of the CCS technology. Six conferences have been hosted successfully, with the last one having taken place in February 2020.

SANEDI will continue to work with the Global CCS Institute to drive the adoption of CCS as quickly and cost effectively as possible to ensure that this this vital

technology can play its part in reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

The South African government has pledged to reduce its total CO2 emissions and several strategies have been proposed to achieve these targets, including energy efficiency, renewable energy, nuclear, cleaner mobility and carbon capture and storage.

In sheer volume terms, CCS deserves a lot of attention and is poised to grow, keeping South Africa in the mainstream global climate change circles.

About CCS

Carbon capture and storage is an internationally tried and tested technology to mitigate CO2 emissions into the atmosphere with a history going back more than 45 years. Today there are 51 large-scale CCS facilities around the world, of which 19 are in operation, 10 are in advanced development, 18 in early development, and four are under construction.

CCS is one of the options of the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) in its tool-kit to address global climate change.

The technology involves four stages – capture of carbon dioxide, transport to a suitable storage site, usually by pipeline, injection into an appropriate geological storage site, usually 1-2 km deep, and monitoring and verification to ensure safety and permanent storage.

The International Energy Agency has shown that stabilising the carbon dioxide concentration in the atmosphere would globally be less expensive if CCS was included in the menu of options to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions. Since the Paris Conference of Parties of the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) that set a target of significantly less than 20C, it is apparent that such a target cannot be achieved globally without CCS.

The technology involves four stages:

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Capture – of carbon dioxide from the emissions of inter alia; industry, synthetic fuel production and electricity generating stations

Transport – to a suitable storage site, usually by pipeline

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Injection – into an appropriate geological storage site, usually 1-2 km deep

Monitoring and Verification – to ensure safety and permanent storage

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WE ORNREEKNRI E N G EI CEIN GW Y AF EBO FLFR EE NRCGYY

COOL SANEDI AIMS FOR TOP PRIZE IN GLOBAL COOL ROOFS CHALLENGE

The 1 Million Cool Roofs Challenge is a $2 million global competition to rapidly scale up the deployment of highly solar-reflective ‘cool’ roofs in developing countries suffering heat stress and lacking widespread access to cooling services.

SANEDI is one of ten global teams awarded a $100 000 grant by the Challenge to deploy solar reflective coating and / or materials between August 2019 and December 2020.

Following the grant awards, in 2021 a cash prize of $1 million (over R15.6 million) will be awarded to the team that has demonstrated the best sustainable and transferable model for rapid deployment of cool roofs and best meets the judging criteria. Materials must also meet minimum performance standards and be applied to roofs of buildings regularly occupied by people.

SANEDI together with the South African government have been championing cool surfaces technology, though it competes with other national concerns and budget investment has been limited. The grant is impacting the uptake and promotion of cool surfaces.

According to SANEDI, reflective roof surfaces not only have an impact on individual buildings, but deploying them across a whole community can have a net effect on reducing local ambient temperatures. The deployment of reflective materials also creates sustainable job and skills opportunities for low skilled workers in both rural and urban contexts. The large cash prize for the challenge is a strong indication of the conviction the organisers have in cool surfaces to address environmental concerns and will allow for substantial progress.

Cooling 5000+ people

Cool Roofs is an inexpensive, effective, passive energy, low tech cooling intervention, which allows less heat

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into the building, making non-air-conditioned homes, warehouses and other buildings much cooler, also extending the lifespan of the roof and equipment on it.

Based on the census of SANEDI’s previous project, this completed project should benefit a conservative estimate of 500 total dwellings and 385 extensions and backyard additions. Taking all beneficiaries into account and recognising that occupancy is not fixed in all buildings, an estimated 5 223 people will benefit.

Reducing CO2 emissions

The cooling effects vary city by city, but studies indicate a cooling potential from 2-4 degrees Celsius. The whitening of 100 m2 of grey roofing cancels the warming effect of 10 tons of CO2 emissions (or 0.6 tons per year for the life of the roof). Globally, this cancels 500 medium-sized coal power stations’ worth of greenhouse gas emissions.

Local employment

SANEDI will provide energy efficiency awareness training to the communities for their buy-in. The project is working with local municipality authorities to coat about 25 000 m2 of roof area, with unemployed local residents trained, certified, and employed to apply the specialised coating.

A professional labour management company is overseeing the application and a post-implementation measurement and verification to assess beneficiary satisfaction, technology efficacy and longevity will be conducted and analysed data will be made available.

About Million Cool Roofs

The Million Cool Roofs Challenge is a project of the Kigali Cooling Efficiency Program (K-CEP), in collaboration with the Global Cool Cities Alliance, Sustainable Energy for All and Nesta’s Challenge Prize Centre.

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Jobs boom

IN SUSTAINABLE ENERGY Students considering their careers in 2020 are finding that the energy sector offers current and future employment opportunities as South Africa increases its efforts to create alternative energy sources, and better manage current coal-fired energy production.

SANEDI, as a change catalyst, reports that according to the IRENA Renewable Energy and Jobs Annual Review 2018, the widespread adoption of renewable energy technologies is creating employment opportunities up and down the supply chain. Worldwide, the sector employed 11 million people at the end of 2018. Internationally, solar photovoltaics (SPV) remained the top employer among renewable energy technologies in 2018, accounting for a third of the sector’s workflow.

SANEDI recognises that the energy sector, which is constantly in a state of major change with new technologies, consumer patterns and demands, all helping to shape an increasingly complex energy landscape. It is an exciting time to be involved in the industry.

Technically trained people are needed, from artisans to researchers, focused on the energy challenges of the country.

Important to note is that a STEM (science, technology, engineering & math) degree is not essential to work in energy and, as in any other rapidly growing industry, there is high demand for service providers. However, the renewable energy sector will foster the high-skill labour market, with 70 % of positions in renewable power generation being created in the highly skilled group (Matric+).

Depending on the region of interest and the growth opportunities, students can consider different sectors within the industry. In the US, the fastest-growing profession is a wind turbine technician and 46% of large firms have hired additional workers to address issues of sustainability over the past two years. Jobs in South African renewable power generation are concentrated in the services, construction and manufacturing sectors. At present, only 8.8% of South Africa’s power is generated from renewable energy sources, leaving room for much more development.

Solar photovoltaics is also a growing market, as we take advantage of the sun’s power to provide hot water to homes and electricity to off-grid areas.

With the South African government’s 2019 integrated resource plan, planning to build over 22 GW of new wind, solar and storage capacity by 2030, and its decision to scale up renewables, employment measured in job years can be expected to increase by an additional 40% in the next 10 years. An appreciation of the impact that a ‘green’ career can have on the planet and on climate change can also enhance job satisfaction.

SANEDI and SAASTA

To maximise reach among young people interested in careers in energy, SANEDI has entered into an MOU with the SA Agency for Science and Technology to raise awareness, build capacity, and demystify myths upheld about the Science, Technology, Engineering, Maths & Innovation (STEMI) subjects, particularly in the disadvantaged school sector. SANEDI participated in the pre-national science stakeholder engagement week in July 2019 in Polokwane, which was attended by about 500 learners from five local high schools.

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Smart Grids projects enhance revenue

A flagship programme within SANEDI is the Smart Grids Programme, which focuses on research and deploys various smart grids concepts within the electricity distribution industry. Through the EU Donor Funded Smart Grids Programme, SANEDI facilitated the implementation of 10 pilot projects, aimed at improving the sustainability outlook of operating an electricity utility at municipal level.

Smart Grids are electricity networks that can intelligently integrate the actions of all users connected to it – generators, consumers and those that do both – in order to efficiently deliver sustainable, economic and secure electricity supplies.

Participating municipalities were eThekwini, Nala, Naledi, Govan Mbeki, Thabazimbi, Mogale City, City Power, Msunduzi, Matatiele and Nelson Mandela Bay. Overall, this project confirmed that the Smart Grids Programme enhanced revenue collection, improved cash flow and detected theft. Importantly, such projects rely on a combination of people, process and technology, each with equal importance to succeed.

New technologies are introduced within distribution networks and smart grids allow for the integration of people and processes as an enabler for positive change.

The benefits associated with Smart Grids include: • More efficient transmission of electricity • Quicker restoration of electricity after power disturbances • Reduced operations and management costs for utilities and ultimately lower power costs for consumers • Reduced peak demand, which will also help lower electricity rates • Increased integration of large-scale renewable energy systems

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• B etter integration of customer-owner power generation systems, including renewable energy systems • Improved security The Smart Grids Programme addresses objectives of energy transformation and service delivery. Its technology employs smart mechanisms to transition to an energy mix on the South African grid, which allows South Africa to meet its climate change objectives as well as address inefficiencies in the municipal system.

It promotes the utilisation of integrated systems and processes in the municipal environment, thus enabling efficiencies rarely seen before in these environments.

SANEDI has identified the manner in which Smart Grids are instrumental in supporting sound decision-making within a utility, based on actual and accurate data. Smart Grids adopt a broader focus to a utility’s needs, reaching far beyond technologies and solutions to establish smart systems and processes to improve the entire value chain of a utility.

Challenges The Smart Grids Programme has unearthed many challenges, which include ageing facilities, costs exceeding revenue in some cases, lack of skills and a decline in maintenance. The Auditor General’s report indicates that about 125 of South Africa’s municipalities are collecting less than 80% of the revenue. If electricity is the main source of revenue for the municipalities, they suffer losses of about 53% in some of these entities.

While Smart Grids and smart metering are not silver bullets, they are a key enabler for change to happen. If properly engineered, municipalities are better placed to collect their revenue.

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GREEN AND CLEAN ENERGY FOR SHARPEVILLE SCHOOLS

Four Sharpeville primary schools face a greener and cleaner future with a major R1.7 million Clean Energy Programme investment, through a partnership between SANEDI and the Gauteng Department of Infrastructure Development (GDID).

The schools are Emmanuel, Kgomoco, Lehlasedi and Seliba, and the green technologies implemented in each of the schools include two solar water heaters, a bio-digester that produces biogas and bio slurry from food waste and animal waste, and energy efficient LED lighting.

A special Cool Surfaces paint was applied on two of on two of the roofs, which regulates the temperature of the surface on which it is applied by reflecting the heat away from such surface, leaving the underlying surface cooler. Kgomoco and Emmanuel had suitable roofs, and for two blocks at Emmanuel, paint was applied with some blocks left unpainted for reference purposes.

The schools all had in common high electricity bills, dysfunctional lighting and electric geysers, high water bills, food gardens, feeding schemes and therefore food waste, proximity to animal waste, and a lack of thermal comfort in the classrooms and food gardens.

The initial audit indicated that the schools rarely switched the geysers on, preferring to use LPG to boil water; lights were not all working and food waste disposal was unhygienic. The classrooms were fitted with double T8 fluorescent tube lights and the exterior lighting consisted of uneconomical high-pressure sodium lights. The schools mostly used LPG stoves, with 4-plate electric stoves for staff.

The biogas digester system construction started in March 2017 just as the drought broke with very high rainfall.

It was found that a variety of factors could affect the biogas rate of production, such as layout of the biogas system, feedstock, temperature, acidity of the slurry and water/solids ratios. The digester requires specific waste inputs, so part of the solution meant ensuring that food

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waste is chopped into small pieces of approximately 2 cm3 to prevent blockages and unhygienic decay. Also, the aerobic decay (in oxygen) causes the pH of the digester to drop (become acidic), thus killing the bacteria responsible the anaerobic digestion.

The resultant biogas enables the schools to reduce their dependence on LPG; the digestate allows the schools to fertilize their food gardens and improve their own food production. Schools can sell the excess digestate to local community gardens to generate income. This does require staff to attend refresher courses to ensure a functional system.

High energy lights were replaced with LED lighting, lowering electricity costs and enhancing safety. In future the schools may now keep brighter lights on overnight while consuming less electricity. Schools received floodlighting, using 30W LEDs, and classrooms were furnished with T8 22W LED double tubes and the exteriors received 10W bulkheads.

The greening of the schools programme saved them money, since the biogas system provides for more than one hour of cooking every day. Preliminary research results indicated that electricity bills of the schools were reduced. The usage of LPG gas has also been reduced.

In the case of Kgomoco Primary School, LPG usage has been reduced to zero.

The ‘cool paints’ resulted in more comfortable and learning-conducive classrooms and SANEDI hopes to replicate this model in clinics, places of care, boarding schools, correctional facilities and military bases across South Africa.

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BEST PRACTICE GUIDE FOR CLEAN

ENERGY IN MUNICIPAL WATER

South Africa faces considerable challenges in delivering water, sanitation and energy services.

South Africa’s municipal sector, largely responsible for delivering these services, is subject to economic and environmental pressures that include water scarcity, escalating electricity prices, intermittent or insufficient power supply to meet demand and skills shortages. Additionally, municipal water and wastewater treatment infrastructure is ageing and often inefficient.

A paradigm shift in traditional models of municipal water and sanitation supply is necessary to ensure South Africa meets its socio-economic goals while managing the environmental effects of increased demand for essential services.

Innovative approaches to energy use in municipalities, specifically through increased energy efficiency and greater use of renewable energy – representing clean

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energy – hold potential for more sustainable delivery of water and wastewater services. Clean energy provides municipalities with an opportunity to reduce costs in their water and wastewater operations and contribute to climate change mitigation. This represents a key opportunity to create positive, measurable economic, social and environmental impact.

Against this background, a three-year EU funded project was commissioned, ‘Climate Change, Clean Energy and Urban Water in Africa: Promoting market-based deployment of clean energy technology solutions in municipal waterworks – a pilot initiative in South Africa’ designed to encourage commercial activity to improve energy and water efficiency in South African municipal water and wastewater infrastructure while reducing CO2 emissions.

Funded by UNIDO (UN Industrial Development Organization) and REEEP (Vienna-based Renewable

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Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership), the project facilitated the development of model pathways to drive the cost-effective deployment of clean energy technologies and systems in municipal infrastructure.

Besides saving energy and reducing CO2 emissions, solutions support municipalities to save water, improve water quality and service delivery and realise cost savings.

The pilot focused on selected works deployed in municipality water infrastructure regardless of the municipality’s population size or climatic conditions, and that the development of viable commercial pathways for deployment of clean energy technologies and services in municipal water and wastewater treatment facilities in South Africa is achievable.

To achieve successful implementation, certain elements would need to be met. In this regard, a Best Practice Guide was developed that aims to assist municipalities in the implementation of cleaner energy technologies and services.

To ensure that the Guide addresses key issues, obstacles and opportunities faced by municipal officials, government, private sector players and financiers, stakeholder groups were convened and consulted during a series of roundtable discussions and engagement events with municipalities, held at SANEDI offices in Johannesburg, and were well attended, indicating demand for cross-sector engagement in both the public and private sectors.

The Guide presents the key elements that municipal officials need to consider to implement a cleaner energy project, and provides information on developing strategies, formulating plans, providing adequate capacity and mobilising resources for successful origination and implementation of a CE project.

The Guide also presents key considerations to ensure that CE projects are implemented and operated sustainably.

It is hoped that the adoption of CE technologies and services at waterworks will create further support and an enabling environment for the wider adoption of cleaner energy interventions within municipalities.

that a municipality achieves long-term benefits from CE, sensitise municipal officials to CE issues, and emphasise the importance of accurate and useful tracking of CE benefits.

Establishing a baseline

Conducting a baseline energy assessment and energy audit are pivotal initial steps when considering a CE project at a municipal waterworks.

Workplan: planning processes The purpose of a CE intervention workplan is to provide the municipalities’ decision-makers with information needed to approve a CE intervention. This plan should include an assessment of the feasibility of the project, supported by analysis of the project’s costs, savings, and its technology.

Partners: private sector service

The private sector can provide a range of services to support municipalities at different stages of CE projects, including cost-effective technologies, energy system analysis, resources, access to alternative sources of funding, general project management support, etc.

Performance: contracting for the long-term

Performance Contracts are the industry standard. Two most common models for the structuring of performance contracts are the guaranteed savings model and the shared savings model.

Financing: long-term sustainability

Financing the implementation and operations over the full lifecycle of the proposed CE intervention is crucial to ensure the intervention’s sustainability.

Lift-off: 10 steps for implementation

In this section, the CE project lifts off – resources are mobilised, equipment is installed, and results are monitored. By this stage, the project champion has a clear understanding of the CE intervention, and can test and verify that the information gathered in the previous steps is correct. This section outlines 10 actions and/or decisions needed to implement CE interventions:

To achieve successful implementation of CE in municipal water infrastructure and operating systems the Guide outlines a series of steps that include:

Foundation: strategy development

CE strategies and the policies that support them, are instruments to align the organisational activities, incentives and resources required to deliver specific targets and commitments. Strategies can help to ensure

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The full Best Practice Guide is free and can be found on the REEEP website: https://www.reeep.org/sites/default/files/REEEP-Best-Practice-Guide_0.pdf

Women make their mark in energy Dr Mali, whose PhD is in Chemistry, says energy is an exceptionally exciting field with plenty of opportunity for success.

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SANEDI, headed by Dr Thembakazi Mali, Interim CEO, renewed its call to women to enter the energy sector in honour of International Women’s Day in March 2019. While recognising that there is an increase in the number of women in leadership and influential positions in the global energy sector, SANEDI maintains that the rate of increase is too slow.

It is crucial for young women to be inspired to enter the energy and science sectors while still in primary school, because often the lure of the commercial sector is too strong by the time they reach high school.

Awareness needs to be created about the vast range of career choices available to women as scientists and engineers – which are not restricted to plants or laboratories. SANEDI believes that far greater awareness of the exciting opportunities in the energy and related sectors must be created by government and the private sector among young women in particular, to speed up the rate of increase in their numbers.

Dr Mali, whose PhD is in Chemistry, says energy is an exceptionally exciting field with plenty of opportunity for success.

Nyeleti Mashele from Kempton Park, who won a significant SANEDIsponsored science project award in 2018, is encouraged to see that doors are open to women achieving a lot more in the fields of science today than they have been in the past, but notes that in many of South Africa’s rural areas there are thousands of girl children who are not getting the education they deserve at a basic level. The fact is that women can achieve anything they want to, but they cannot achieve if they are not educated.

Carbon Eater

Nyeleti’s winning science project, named the Carbon Eater, aims to absorb CO2 emitted by factories during the combustion of fossil fuels, thus mitigating against climate change. She collected the results by recording the change in colour that occurred in the sodium hydroxide when it reacted with different amounts of CO2, and established that the resulting sodium carbonates collected at the end of the process can be used to manufacture products such as glass, paper, soaps and detergents.

SANEDI supports Nyeleti’s project as it is in line with Carbon Capture Storage and Utilisation. CO2 can be captured from industrial sources such as power plants, steel or cement works, or collected from the air. The CCS project looks into capturing and storing the CO2 in appropriate geologies within the country. The Carbon Eater then, using chemical processes, can extract the carbon from the mix of gases and particles, providing the raw material for new products.

SANEDI notes that the use of CO2 as a feedstock raw material for new products is not a new idea, and has been the focus of research for 40 years. The scientific and engineering challenges of CO2 utilisation are substantial, but the potential benefits are as large, or larger. Solving these challenges and streamlining the process, CO2 utilisation could completely reinvent a chemicals industry that is tied to fossil fuel and petroleum feedstocks. This would provide a secure source of chemical raw materials for the future, and in doing so would not only reduce the industry’s carbon emissions, but provide a means to safely turn the carbon dioxide warming the atmosphere into useful products.

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CESAR BUILDS BIG DATA for

domestic load research

The data and knowledge portfolio in SANEDI focuses on the collation, development and utilisation of credible, objective and high-quality data and information relating to SANEDI’s areas of responsibility. Most activities in the portfolio are consolidated under the Centre for Energy Systems Analysis and Research (CESAR), funded by the Department of Science and Innovation.

a group of municipal stakeholders, UCT, Stellenbosch University, professionals and specialists working in the load research space – have taken to advance and open data-driven energy research to a broader audience through digitisation and open data. Together with the five DEL datasets that have been published, the project has released two open source Python packages to facilitate data access and processing.

A major recent project under the auspices of CESAR is the Big Data for Household Energy Insights project, which has delivered South Africa's first online, citeable datasets of Domestic Electrical Load (DEL) studies in South Africa. The project goals were to provide strategic support and leadership to convene and mobilise key stakeholders towards building big data capabilities for domestic load research and deliver technical data science and data stewardship activities in this regard.

Beyond delivering the technical milestones, the project has ensured rigorous and frequent industry engagement.

In August 2018 the project convened an initial workshop to bring together stakeholders from across the country to formulate a vision for load research in South Africa and a task team was appointed to work towards the release of the datasets. In June 2019 an expanded group of stakeholders was invited to attend a feedback workshop that celebrated the successful launch of both the DEL datasets and a new Load Research Chapter at the South African Institute of Electrical Engineering (SAIEE). The project delivered a webinar to the SAIEE Load Research Chapter to showcase how machine learning and artificial intelligence can be applied to the DEL datasets to better understand typical household demand patterns in South Africa. The webinar was attended by an international audience of over 45 people.

Since 1994 Eskom collected massive amounts of residential load data, surveying 15 000 households, measuring community consumption at main energy suppliers, and creating socio-economic profiles. Many researchers were unaware of the existence of this information, but in 2017 the Energy Research Centre (ERC) at the University of Cape Town, supported by SANEDI, started building data analytics and visualisation tools to enable researchers with limited coding skills to explore the data quickly and easily.

The published DEL datasets capture valuable household energy consumption and survey data that covers over two decades of research gathered under the NRS Load Research Programme (UCT). Hosted at DataFirst (UCT), Africa's only internationally accredited data archive, the datasets are now available to researchers for non-commercial use, and cover the period of major electrification in South Africa from 1994 to 2014 and span across five climatic zones, two time zones and various population groups.

Over the coming months Big Data for Household Energy Insights will collaborate with the SAIEE Load Research Chapter to release further training webinars that help incoming researchers understand and work with the DEL datasets.

This work allows local and international researchers to understand the drive to electrification in a developing economy and the rise of energy usage in various socioeconomic groups. SANEDI is proud to have been an integral part of this development and looks forward to more development in this research. A data portal that will enable South African citizens to engage with the data is under development.

They are unique in Africa and their release marks the pioneering step that key stakeholders – namely Eskom,

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RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

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SMART CITIES RISING The rise of smart cities is central to the growth of the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR), which was highlighted at the 2019 World Economic Forum on Africa in September under the theme, ‘Shaping Inclusive Growth and Shared Futures in the Fourth Industrial Revolution’.

Smart cities rely on first world implementation of digital technologies which, if applied to South Africa’s dual first and third world economies, have the potential to make an enormous impact on the entire nation. In practical terms, the collection and co-ordination of datasets – by utilising smart meters and sensors in cities – has the potential to improve transport efficiency and reduce pollution and waste on a massive scale.

SANEDI states that smart cities will be able to tap into enormous computing power, driven by integration of information and collaborative partnerships to enhance their liveability, workability and sustainability, and adds that it is ready to provide interventions and advice at municipal and urban levels in South Africa where there are established local governance structures.

However, key to the development of smart cities is an uninterrupted power supply, as it relies on constant data transfer.

SANEDI refers to the 2019 ICT Gartner Hype Cycle report released in August, which highlights emerging technologies and states that smart city frameworks, the Internet of things (IOT) and low earth orbit satellite systems are the three technologies that will transform business in Africa over 10 years. The report points out

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that smart cities have an intelligent urban ecosystem that is designed to improve citizens’ lives, stimulate the economy and protect the environment. Smart city frameworks will have a transformational business impact in the next two to five years, as cities in Africa apply diverse strategies to accelerate the development of smart city frameworks based on traffic, social and safety issues.

Cities consume the bulk of the world’s energy and generate massive CO₂ emissions. In Africa, climate change accelerates rural migration to cities, which is estimated to result in 50% of the population to live in cities by the mid-2030s.

SANEDI believes that keeping pace with smart city development needs technology that enables transportation, water and sanitation, power supply, ICT infrastructure and other services and to be able to collect, communicate and analyse information to understand what is happening now and the ability to predict what might happen next. Founded on ‘green’ technology, these are fuelled by availability of renewable energy technology and integrated sensory information, providing insights and control of supply and demand.

The pursuit of smart city development has support from President Cyril Ramaphosa, and ample global examples to inspire it – as in India, for example, where part of the approach has been on a neighbourhood-byneighbourhood approach to modernisation. Political will is important to allow South Africa to continue using technology for the development of smart cities.

SMART CITIES

Framework outlines

responsibilities and enablers Smart cities use information and communications technology (ICT) to enhance liveability, workability and sustainability, thereby improving the life of its residents.

The Smart Cities Framework, developed by global organisation Smart Cities Council, captures the relationship between a city’s responsibilities (what it needs to accomplish for citizens) and its enablers (the smart technologies that can make those tasks easier). SANEDI states that the framework is useful for municipalities and cities committed to developing a smart city.

Responsibilities

• Built environment – the city’s buildings, parks and public spaces.

• Energy – infrastructure to produce and deliver energy, primarily electricity and gas.

• Telecommunications – communications for people and businesses.

• Connectivity – communications for devices.

• Transportation – roads, streets, bike paths, trail systems, vehicles, railways, subways, buses, bicycles, streetcars, ferries, air and maritime ports – any system that relates to citizen mobility.

• Health and human services – provision of health care, education and social services.

• Water and wastewater infrastructure – from collection to distribution, use, reuse and recycling, water purity and cleanliness. Pipes, distribution centres, catchment areas, treatment facilities, pump stations, plants, water meters at private homes, are all essential components.

• Public safety – infrastructure, agencies and personnel to keep citizens safe, including police and fire departments, emergency and disaster prevention and management agencies, courts and corrections facilities.

• Payments – all key contributors involved: merchants, consumers, businesses, banks, payment instruments providers and payment schemes. Payments are at

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the heart of economic activity in cities and form the core component of every economic flow.

Enablers

Smart cities can radically improve all the responsibilities through the power of ICT. • Instrumentation and control is how a smart city monitors and controls conditions. Instrumentation provides the eyes and ears of a smart city.

These include smart meters for electricity, water and gas; air quality sensors; closed circuit TV and video monitors and roadway sensors. Control systems provide remote management capabilities, and examples include switches, breakers and other devices that allow control from afar by operators.

• Connectivity is how the smart city’s devices communicate with each other and with the control centre.

Connectivity ensures that data gets from the collection point to where it is analysed and used. Examples include citywide Wi-Fi networks, RF mesh networks and cellular networks.

• Interoperability ensures that products and services from disparate providers can exchange information and work together seamlessly. Interoperability has many benefits. It prevents the city from being ‘locked in’ to just one proprietary supplier; it gives the city more choice, since it can buy from any company that supports the city’s chosen standards; it allows the city to build projects over time in phases, with confidence that all the pieces will work together in the end.

• Security and privacy are technologies, policies and practices that safeguard data, privacy and physical assets.

Examples include the publishing of clear privacy rules and the implementation of a cybersecurity system. Security and privacy play a critical role in enabling smart cities because they build trust with people. Without trust, a city may have difficulty adopting new technologies and practices.

• Data management is the process of

storing, protecting and processing data while guaranteeing its accuracy, accessibility, reliability and timeliness.

Data is king in a smart city. Proper management is essential to maintain data integrity and value. A citywide data management, transparency and sharing policy, including proper policies around access, authentication and authorisation, is one step toward proper data management.

• Computing resources include the computer ‘brains’, storage of data, and special capabilities needed for smart cities. The geographic information system (GIS) is the most essential special capability, since it allows the smart city to know where everything is located. However, it is worth noting that GIS is only as helpful as the data that cities provide to it.

• All three computing resources are increasingly supplied via the ‘cloud’ – remote servers connected to the Internet. Cities have options for deploying cloud services, including public, private and hybrid models.

• Analytics create value from the data that instrumentation provides.

Examples include forecasting crime the way we already forecast weather; analysing electric power usage to know when and where to expand; analysing conditions to predict which equipment needs repair; automatically plotting the best route for a mass transit user, and creating personalised portals for every citizen by analysing what they value most. In addition, analytics that utilise data from across departments have tremendous potential to identify new insights and unique solutions to delivering services, thereby improving outcomes.

Smart technologies have matured to the point that cities of all sizes can tap into enormous computing power, driven by integration of information and collaborative partnerships. South African cities will benefit enormously by joining this revolution.

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