Real Estate Investor Magazine South Africa September 2013 | Page 55

COMMERCIAL

Underground coal gasification Cape. Construction is to begin this year, with the farm to deliver up to 100MW of electricity by the end of next year. The project, at Koekenaap in the Vredendal area, is expected to enter commercial production by the end of next year. “Sere is our first large-scale renewable energy project,” Eskom chief executive officer Brian Dames said in a statement, “It demonstrates our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint and to investing in a sustainable energy future.” The project is set to cost R2.4 billion and to be in commercial production by the end of 2014. Another project in the pipeline is between Eskom and petrochemicals firm Sasol. They have signed a research agreement to explore the potential of underground coal gasification (UCG) technology to boost the country’s energy reserves. “The agreement includes knowledge sharing and aims at research cooperation between the two parties in evaluating UCG technology,” Eskom said in a statement, “UCG is a coalto-synthesis gas technology that uses air or oxygen to gasify coal in the coal underground through a series of injection and extraction wells.” Eskom established its UCG technology development in 2002 and piloted the project for five years; results showed that the technology worked and was able to extract energy from complex, poor quality coal resources. The next step is to improve the quality of the gas, and Eskom and Sasol have a licensing agreement with Canadian technology partner Ergo Exergy Technologies for this role. “Eskom is proud of its role as a global leader in this technology, which we believe has huge potential to produce economic, social and environmental returns,” said Eskom’s sustainability division group executive, Steve Lennon.
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Vodacom Century City “At the same time, this is not a project we can execute alone, and partnerships such as the one [with Sasol] will help us maximise the benefits to South Africa.” Coal is an essential part of the national and global energy mix, and UCG has the potential to provide opportunities in terms of mining; it may more than double South Africa’s current coal reserves, according to Eskom. Another important tool in the renewable energy effort is the Wind Resource Map, launched in August, the Wind Resource Map is a vital instrument in government’s planning for efficient use of the country’s wind resources, Energ y Minister Ben Martins said in a statement. By providing accurate, verified information on South Africa’s wind resources, the map will also “serve as an all-important tool in enabling developers to fast-track their own efforts in developing wind farm projects,” Martins said. The map, generated from the Wind Atlas for South Africa project, currently covers the Western Cape and parts of the Eastern and Northern Cape provinces. It includes information, such as surface terrain effects that determine local wind climates, and estimates of wind speed and capacity, to help prospective wind farm developers identify highpotential zones. Dube TradePort’s aerotropolis is a green development that is a flagship for sustainable development in Africa and beyond. Situated on a 2 040-hectare site, Dube TradePor t is comm it ted to promot ing sustainable development through minimising and preventing environmental impacts, and

Wind generation map putting a number of green initiatives in place to reduce the carbon footprint of travellers, developers, manufacturers, retailers, service providers and others who use the facilities of Dube TradePort or work there. It is c u r rent ly r unn ing in it iat ives to minimise and mitigate greenhouse gases and synthetic pollutants, protect the ecosystem, run sustainable water and waste management systems, provide food security and boost the green economy. Well-known cell phone giant, Vodacom, recently unveiled the largest array of solar panels on a building in Africa. The solar panels on their Century City building in Cape Town is made up of 2127 solar panels, and is expected to generate power equivalent to charging more than 70 million cell phones a year, roughly 75% of all the electricity required by the building during peak times. “Through this particular project Vodacom aims to demonstrate that business can take the lead in promoting renewable-energy solutions and stimulate the green economy,” their chief officer of corporate affairs said during the unveiling in Cape Town this year. With great leaps and bounds, the projects that are underway in South Africa highlight the investment benefits of renewable energy in South Africa and how commercially viable this option is for businesses in all sectors. The project undertaken by Vodacom is set to save up to R1 million a year and in the current tough economy with rising costs, who doesn’t want to save money? Just as compelling are the economic and social benefits in local communities that the renewable energy projects will provide, through jobs and development.

RESOURCES
Eskom September 2013 SA Real Estate Investor 53