Swart

Bernard Jacobus SWART

Transition to bio-energy facility at Kelvin Power Station, Johannesburg, South Africa

Supervisor Co-supervisor Prof AOS Osman, PhD (Arch) Mr L Pienaar, MTechArch (Prof)

Abstract

South Africa is facing significant problems with its National Public Energy Provider. The increasing number of power outages over South Africa is substantially crippling the economy. Furthermore, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is putting pressure on South Africa to reduce 80% of carbon emissions from coal-fired power stations by 2034.

Several initiatives around the world have come together to introduce and set targets for countries’ energy industries to assist them in reaching the goal of producing zero carbon emissions. Governments face the reality that stricter legislation will soon force the coal-fired power stations into extinction. This creates opportunities to develop new solutions and methods to overcome harmful and damaging environmental practices, especially with electricity production.

This dissertation investigates how to phase out the old, traditional, and environmentally unfriendly ways of producing coal-fired energy by introducing a renewable, natural, and clean energy source. Secondly, it has the intention to explore a method with which the existing infrastructure of the coal-fired power plant can be re-used and adapted to implement the production of this clean and sustainable energy. I envision a reality where the growing energy demand of an ever-increasing population can be met with a renewable energy source that resides in adapted and reused deteriorating buildings.

This dissertation suggests a possible solution for some of the demand for energy in the areas neighbouring the power station while introducing a renewable resource that would not contribute to the plethora of greenhouse gasses in the atmosphere. The proposed site for this dissertation, Kelvin Power Station, Kempton Park, is ideal for constructing a sustainable future with a balance between infrastructure, the environment, the economy and society.

Keywords

Sustainability, renewable energy, adaptive reuse, rehabilitation, research energy facility