Energy

Fuel cells are in the spotlight.

Image: North-West University

One of the key focus areas for the planned Platinum Valley Special Economic Zone (PVSEZ) is the promotion of renewable energy. The PVSEZ is in the Mogwase industrial area in the Bojanala Platinum District Municipality and has already attracted the interest of nine investor companies. Five companies are currently operating on the site.

Most of South Africa’s energy requirements are met by Eskom’s coal-fired power stations but the drive to start producing renewable energy is growing, and researchers and companies in the North West are investigating several options. Big mining companies are among the biggest users of energy and many belong to the Energy Intensive Users of Southern Africa.

Bioethanol, biodiesel and methane gas from waste and renewable resources are among the types of biofuels under discussion. Sunflower seeds and sweet sorghum are suitable for converting into biofuel and bioethanol. The South African Energy Resource Institute (Saneri) Chair in biofuel research is held by a professor on the Potchefstroom campus of North-West University (NWU).

Silversands Energy is a North West company that produces ethanol fuel for an ethanol-powered bus made by Scania South Africa for the City of Johannesburg.

The North West normally has about 300 days of sunshine per year, so solar power has great potential, and there is a programme aimed at converting bush that is encroaching onto arable land into biomass in the form of biocoal (TOR) or briquettes. The Engineering Department of NWU regularly competes in an international solar car challenge.

South Africa’s nuclear-research centre is located at Pelindaba near Hartbeespoort Dam and is run by the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation. The NWU Nuclear Engineering Department is the only one of its kind in the country, and the National Department of Science and Technology has allocated a chair in Nuclear Engineering to the university.

The head office of the Minerals Council South Africa is powered by 40 ounces of platinum and natural gas. A fuel cell at the Johannesburg site of the national mine owners’ association is South Africa and Africa’s first base load installation.

Finding new uses for platinum provides good news for the North West which has huge numbers of people employed on mines. Several companies are working on fuel cell technology.

The mines and smelters around Rustenburg and the industrial plants in Brits use a lot of energy. They are served by Transnet Pipelines, which has recently made a big investment in the New Multi-Product Pipeline.

The NMPP is built to pump three-million litres of product per hour over a distance of 715km, from Durban to the industrial hub of the country. ■

Online Resources

Energy Intensive Users of Southern Africa: www.eiug.org.za South African Renewable Energy Council: www.sarec.org.za Southern African Alternative Energy Association: www.saaea.org Southern African Bioenergy Association: www.saba.za.org Sector Insight The Platinum Valley Special Economic Zone will encourage renewable energy.