Pretoria-based businessman Michael Addinall is something of a solar lighting pioneer in South Africa. Not only are he and his four business partners responsible for the first solar-lit police station in the country, but they have developed a complete, affordable solar lighting system for low-cost housing.
Two years ago Addinall was on the site of a low-cost housing development in the Mogale City municipality, west of Johannesburg, to consult with the city council on the installation of smart metering for water and lights.
Smart metering takes metering to the next level, with advanced features such as power outage notification, real-time measuring, and two-way communication with the local utility for billing purposes.
The group was still there after darkness had fallen, and Addinall was struck by the fact that none of the houses had electricity. Municipality staff at the scene explained that because most of the residents were indigent, the council would not allocate money for infrastructure, and in any case the national power provider Eskom could not supply power to the site.
Addinall entered a nearby house and was horrified to see two children battling to do their homework in dim candlelight, while their mother cooked supper on a paraffin stove. With the progression of technology in the 21st century, he thought, people should not have to struggle so.
“I believe in poverty eradication through education,” he said, “and children can’t study in the dark.”
The power of the sun
Specifically designed to work around situations where people were not connected to the national grid, the system uses South Africa’s ample supply of sunlight to illuminate a small house of about 50m².
All components, wiring and brackets are supplied in a single package and are guaranteed for one year. Installation is easy and well within the capabilities of the handyman of the house.
The system comprises five lights – four ceiling lights and a reading lamp – plus a mobile phone charger and adapters for popular phone brands.
All units are powered by a solar panel that has an expected life of 25 years and is connected to a controller unit, which in turn feeds to the lights and a rechargeable 6-volt battery.
Batteries which are kinder to the environment, are more robust and have a longer life than the conventional lead acid batteries. This is important for people who are already financially challenged.
Each light contains 22 light-emitting diodes (LEDs) which are far more efficient than even the compact fluorescent lamps that most people use now. LEDs use very little power and efficiently convert electrical energy into light. Because they are made of non-toxic materials, are recyclable and have a long life, LED lights are environment-friendly.
The system will function for up to 15 hours even if there is no sun.
The system, installed, would be approximately US$379 (R3 400 exclusive of vat). Addinall acknowledges that this may be out of reach of poor families and is working to enlist government’s help in making it more accessible.
“Government should be giving this to people at no charge,” said the businessman, adding that light was a basic necessity of life and that the cost of a retrofit system will be recouped in six years, while a new installation, replacing fuel based lighting, will pay for itself in about three years.
“Certain households qualify for 50 free units of electricity a month,” he said, “but that is used up within days. These people then stand in queues to buy R5 or R10 worth of prepaid electricity. We can offer a realistic solution.”
serving the community
They are also responsible for South Africa’s first solar-lit police station. The Boschkop police station in Pretoria now boasts solar lighting in a number of areas, including the trauma centre, holding cells, weapons safe, public toilets and walkways, parking areas for staff and visitors, and charge room. The external security lights are theft- and weather-proof.
“Police stations should never have to shut down because of a power outage,” said Addinall. “During power cuts the Boschkop police station stands out like a beacon in the dark. Before we installed the system, the station had been waiting two years for the Department of Public Works to fix the lights.”
He added that currently there are between 30 and 40 police stations without power around South Africa. Boschkop was a pilot project and the South African Police Service has since acknowledged the value of solar power at police stations, thus allowing them to efficiently serve their communities.
In March 2009 Addinall travelled to Shanghai, China, to attend the fourth Asia Solar Photovoltaic Exhibition. Betta Lights was the only African exhibitor out of 362 from more than 20 countries. With its flagship system, the company was one of just two to offer a practical solar solution in addition to showing off their technology.
Products developed and manufactured have been endorsed by the Central Energy Fund, a division of the Department of Minerals and Energy and the Southern African Alternative Energy Association (SAAEA)
Michael Addinall is something of a solar lighting pioneer in South Africa.
The Western Cape, South Africa, is a leader in the renewable energy sector.
Our advantages
- Cape Town is the most cost competitive location for Solar Panel Manufacturing when compared to the leading locations in Europe
- A typical 150 person Solar Panel Manufacturing Plant will cost approximately $4 million per annum in Cape Town – a saving of $7-11 million per annum compared to Dublin – and an average cost saving of $7.7 million across selected areas.
- A Highly Skilled Production Operative will cost approximately $14,000 to employ in Cape Town.
- Wind resources in the Western Cape are substantial – amongst the best in the country, with the average wind speed as measured across the Province at 12m is 6m/s.
- Initial assessments show it will be possible to generate 2800MW of wind energy in the Western Cape taking into consideration certain development restrictions.
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Wave power is a high potential energy resource for the Western Cape. There are significant resources along the West Coast (Cape Town and Cape Agulhas area).
Opportunities
Of all energy futures, renewable energy provides the most promising path. With the help of modest government funding of research and many dedicated entrepreneurs, solar, biomass, wind, and geothermal energy sources have become less expensive and more reliable. All have developed important niche markets and a clean and sustainable renewable energy is more important now than ever.Companies
Companies active in the Western Cape include, amongst others:- Setsolar
- BioCorp
- Sustainable living projects
- Ecosmart
- Iceberg Solar
- Energy efficient options cc
- Solien
- Alt E technologies cc
Access incentives
The National Energy Regulators of South Africa, NERSA, has approved the Renewable Energy Feed in Tariff (REFIT) which welcomes energy generators in the renewable energy sector to undertake investment opportunities in the following sectors:- Wind Energy Generation
- Small Scale Hydro
- Landfill Gas
- Concentrated Solar
Take advantage of our free help.
Solar Panels – Are They a Threat to Biodiversity?
Mr. Robertson sounded a warning about a possible threat to biodiversity. He noted that the shining dark surfaces of the solar cells, which reflect light, resemble water surfaces resulting aquatic insects like mayflies depositing their eggs on the solar panels. The solar panels are posing a false habitat hazard to more than 300 species of insect. This leads to a reproductive failure which may have far-reaching cascading adverse effects to the food chain. The insects fall a prey to predators. This data was discovered from a research held at Hungary.
After their research at Hungary, Mr. Robertson and his colleagues published an online article in ‘Conservation Biology.’ Reflected sunlight from expanses of dark surfaces that are shiny like glass-clad buildings, even vehicles, solar panels of all sizes, becomes a worrisome new source for polarized light pollution. This is what causes the caddis flies and other aquatic insects to mistake shining surface to be water surface to lay their eggs.
Mr Robertson estimated that white marking the solar cells may reduce this threat to a great extent. He calculated that the efficiency of solar cells is not too greatly affected by the white grids. While humans may recognize reflected sunlight as glare, the group discovered that the aquatic insects can be warned off by fixing white-color grids and other methods to break up the polarized reflection. Non-polarizing white-grid use is a new approach for habitat fragmentation, used beneficially here.
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SolaireDirect expects solar parks to take off in South Africa
GCX Certified Carbon Literacy Course
These include: carbon emission measurement, monitoring and reductions, the carbon markets, carbon trading, offsetting strategies, as well as how carbon taxation may affect their companies.
Governments around the world are putting a price on carbon, either through taxation or with a trading scheme. Companies will have to start disclosing and reporting on their annual emissions.
Where: The Longhouse, Bergvliet
Contact: Timea Kulcsar
Number: 083 6330121
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Cost: R2250.00
Website: http://www.globalcarbonexchange.co.za/courses.html
Gauteng (South Africa) Energy Efficiency Seminar…Thursday 26th August 2010
The province of Gauteng is the primary economic driving force for the continent of Africa. It also contains a densely populated urban metropolis, which along with the mining, processing, manufacturing and construction sectors has an immense appetite for energy.
Due to its relevance to Africa and thus to the world, Gauteng
is strategically critical to any discourse about sustainability, and
energy is at the epicentre of that issue.
Introducing the Gauteng Energy Efficiency Seminar – an
event that seeks to promote knowledge about the realities of
energy consumption in Gauteng, identify the opportunities for
achieving efficiencies, and facilitate the lifting of institutional
barriers to unlocking these opportunities.
Hosted by the EnerKey Initiative of the University of
Johannesburg, the Gauteng Energy Efficiency Seminar will
bring together provincial and local government, commerce
and industry and professionals and consultants to discuss,
debate, learn about and ultimately implement effective energy
efficiency interventions.
This intensive, one day seminar will feature elucidating
presentations from world class speakers such as invited
luminaries John L Less (Clinton Climate Foundation), Head of
Gauteng Energy Efficiency Strategy, Dr Ajay Mathur (DG of
the India Bureau of Energy Efficiency), Jeremy Gibberd – CSIR,
Prof. Elsa du Toit (SAHA International) as well as other regional
thinkers and decision-makers, with an emphasis on the facts
and on practical, effective solution finding.
Also happening at the Seminar: the official launch of the
Sustainable Energy Resource Handbook, edited by Professor
Elsa du Toit, Associate Director at SAHA International and
former Director for Energy Efficiency at the DME. All attending
delegates will receive a free copy of the Handbook.
Glean a deeper understanding of why Gauteng is embracing
EE from those that are directing energy efficiency
internationally and in Gauteng, network with regional decision
makers in industry, commerce and government and leverage
these new ideas and relationships into your activities and
projects.
The Gauteng Energy Efficiency Seminar is a micro-event and
limited delegate seats are available.
Venue….The CSIR International Conventional Centre, Pretoria
Full Brochure Download Pdf
NOTICE…Change of event name and date….
Global carbon price platform required to help drive mitigation efforts
New wind turbine from Siemens
The Philippi Tsoga Community Project Western Cape, South Africa.
The Samora Machel community have been seeking opportunities for small business development within the community fro many years. In our experiences thus far with this community, it has become apparent that the need to maximise the economic potential of talents such as arts and crafts, welding, sewing, music and dance is a shared vision. Samora Machel is a vibrant community encompassing individuals of various African nationalities. What is interesting to see is how, despite the severe issue of Xenophobia that our country has experienced in recent years, this community has embraced its different cultures and people with enthusiasm.
Green Communities aims to see the success of the Tsoga Centre being driven through community decision-making, involvement and commitment to change and development. An intensive public participation process has already been implemented through regular public meetings, feedback sessions, newsletters, and reports regarding project progress. In this way, the initiatives identified for the Tsoga Community Project have been thoroughly communicated, and brainstormed with the community.
Initiatives are to be implemented with the intention of creating a place where the Samora Machel community can realise opportunities for themselves in the form of various projects. It is the intention that the Centre be utilised as often as possible, incorporating various interventions, courses, programmes, functions, and business development opportunities.
Through these initiatives we envisage that the Tsoga Centre will become a vibrant hub of social and economic development and can be a “blue print” for all other defunct community centres throughout Cape Town and South Africa. Replicable successful models are essential to the development of our country. One should allow the success of one community to inspire another to do the same. Often, the “ripple effect” of a project or intervention allow us to see these positive changes occur. We believe sharing what we learn with others will extend our impact beyond our portfolio.