OnCampus Issue 1 • July 2016 • For daily updates visit www.uwc.ac.za
PAGE 3 CDCP
PAGE 9 New DVC for SDS at the helm
PAGE 14 Nobel Laureate Meeting
PAGE 19 Volleyballers Triumph
HySA Systems develops first hydrogen fuel cell forklift and refuelling station
U
WC’s Hydrogen Systems South Africa (HySA Systems), in partnership with Impala Refining Services (IRS) and the Department of Science and Technology (DST), unveiled South Africa’s first prototype hydrogen fuel cell-powered forklift and refuelling station at the Impala Refineries in Springs on 31 March 2016. Over the last three years, IRS, a division of Impala Platinum Holdings (Implats), provided R6 million in funding to enable HySA Systems to develop the prototype forklift and refuelling station. Fuel cell technologies use electrochemical processes rather than combustion to produce power. The technology will allow the forklift to operate at lower pressures, improving vehicle safety and costs (the cost of the local refuelling station is around R2 million compared to €500 000 for an imported system). The forklift also has lower noise levels, generates less heat and noxious emissions, and has longer operational times between refuelling – hydrogen refuelling is required after two to four days of use, and refuelling takes only seven minutes. Implats plans to use hydrogen fuel cell technology as its main source of energy for material handling and underground mining equipment. This investment follows a decade of discussion and negotiations between Implats and UWC’s South African Institute for Advanced Materials
A prototype hydrogen fuel cell-powered forklift and refuelling station was unveiled at Impala Refining Services in Springs on 31 March 2016. Minister of Science and Technology, Naledi Pandor, was in attendance.
Chemistry (SAIAMC), under the leadership of SAIAMC’s Director, Professor Vladimir Linkov. “With Impala Platinum becoming a partner to SAIAMC, UWC has achieved the long-term goal of entering strategic research, development and innovation partnerships with an absolute national leader in one of the pillars of energy generation for current and future needs of the South African economy. This partnership is unique in the national system of innovation, unparalleled by any other university laboratory or institute in South Africa,” says Prof Linkov. Dr Cordellia Sita, Director of HySA Systems, says, “Fuel cell-powered forklifts are gaining significant traction worldwide and are now entering mainstream commercialisation. However, the limited availability of
refuelling infrastructure, coupled with the challenge of finding the most appropriate on-board hydrogen storage technology, remains a big challenge. Through this demonstration project, HySA Systems has addressed both challenges through the use of a novel metal hydride material for both hydrogen compression and storage.” Speaking at the event, Prof Frans Swanepoel, Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Research and Innovation at UWC, said, “South Africa is beginning the difficult but important journey towards a hydrogen economy, and this partnership is an important step in that direction.” Implats Chief Executive Officer, Terence Goodlace, commented: “As the world’s largest platinum-supplying region there is a guaranteed supply of the metal as well as the potential to increase global platinum demand.”