IN THIS ISSUE The African Climate Change and Development ... · Development Initiative. . . . . . ....

VOLUME 16 NUMBER 1 www.erc.uct.ac.za MARCH 2010

IN THIS ISSUEThe African Climate Change andDevelopment Initiative. . . . . . . . . 1Town Lodge Sandton Graystonenergy management pilot project. 2Energy management in agriculture . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3An update on nuclear as an option for South Africa . . . . . . . . 4Renewable Energy Certificates at Meetings Africa . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4City to start selling Darling WindFarm’s ‘green electricity’ . . . . . . . 5High performance vertical axiswind turbines. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5What might rise from the ashesof Copenhagen? . . . . . . . . . . . . 6African Caribbean and PacificGroup of States Science andTechnology Programme . . . . . . . 7Launch of the African Forum forClean Energy Financing . . . . . . . 8City of Cape Town raised itsconcerns at NERSA hearings . . . 8Do we really need a new refinery? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9Civil society voices rise againstWorld Bank loan to Eskom . . . . 10Solar water heaters can cutelectricity usage by up to 30% . 11Conference shows communitiescan reduce risk from climatechange . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12Voices of the vulnerable . . . . . . 12Climate change leaders – makinga difference in South Africa. . . . 13Dontbeapassenger.com . . . . . . 13Taking Action on Climate Change: Long-term mitigationscenarios for South Africa. . . . . 14Network of Climate Journalists inthe Greater Horn of Africa. . . . . 15Energy Research Centre runningshort course on energy and climate change. . . . . . . . . . 16Short Courses in Renewable andSustainable Energy Studies . . . 17Energy events 2010 . . . . . . . . . 18

Sponsored by the Departmentof Science & Technology

The African ClimateChange and

Development Initiative

The obligation on the one handto inspire with visions of abrighter future and the chal-

lenge on the other of responsibleearth stewardship, present southernAfrica with exceptional opportunities.To put effect to these opportunities,the University of Cape Town hasestablished an African Climate andDevelopment Initiative (ACDI) toengage with climate variability andglobal change from an African per-spective. It aims to draw on, andcoordinate, the University’s currentresources, partnerships and intellec-tual capital across a range of disci-plines through the framework of threebroad foci: cutting-edge research,teaching at postgraduate level andsocial/public awareness.

The initiative gives expression toone of the UCT Vice-Chancellor’, DrMax Price’s major strategic themes –and he has played a central role inthe development of the initiative.There is a Steering Committee inplace (consisting of Prof Anton leRoex [Chair], Prof Antony Black, ProfJohn Field, Dr Lindsay Gillson, ProfBruce Hewitson, Prof Edgar Pieterse,Prof Chris Reason, Prof Judith Sealy,Prof Clifford Shearing and Prof Har-ald Winkler) and funding has beenfound to kick-start the variousresearch programmes that are pro-posed to be developed in terms ofthis initiative. In addition to a call forCarnegie-funded research proposalsissued late in 2009, a sum of moneywas made available from the Vice-Chancellor’s strategic funds to sup-port research in this area.

The vision of the ACDI is a Cen-tre, in Africa, that articulates an opti-mistic African perspective on respon-sible stewardship of planet Earth, thatprovides government and businessleaders with evidence based high-quality research, on which to baseaction as both mitigation and adapta-tion. The Centre facilitates and under-takes research programmes con-cerned with the scientific, eng in-eering, legal, social and politicalaspects of climate change, and devel-ops and offers educational prog-rammes for the public, school chil-dren and university students. It bringstogether natural scientists, engineers,social scientists, lawyers, economistsand urban planners, amongst others,from UCT and beyond, to provide anAfrican perspective grounded instrong science, addressing issuesrelating to climate variability and glob-al change affecting the African conti-nent.

It actively creates opportunitiesfor African researchers and youngscholars to contribute their own per-spectives to these issues. Throughthe establishment of strong partner-ships throughout Africa, the Centrecontributes towards developing theAfrican leaders of the future whohave an intimate understanding of thephysical and human needs of Africa,and who will contribute to addressingthis all important issue facinghumankind. This is a starting visionthat will continue to develop andevolve over time.Website: www.researchbulletin.uct.ac.za

2 Energy Management News

Town Lodge Sandton Graystonwas selected by CLH to pilot thedevelopment and implementation

of a sustainable energy managementprogram. This hotel was chosen due toits already high level of energy efficien-cy. The pilot involved:• Installation of a check metering sys-

tem, metering the main electricalsupply, and water heating load. Theconsumption data was used to eval-uate the impact of the pilot, identifyopportunities for system optimisa-tion as well as tariff analysis.

• Optimisation of the operating proce-dures and the electricity consumingsystems in the hotel without nega-tively affecting operational costsand customer service.

• Evaluation of the current level ofenergy management effectivenessof the hotel management anddevelopment of an action plan forthe implementation of the Sustain-able Energy Management Strategy.

• Energy management workshopwith the HOD and staff to:• educate them on electricity tariffs,

costs, consumption;• identify energy conservation

measures; and• understand current practices,

policies and procedures and theirimpact on energy consumption.

• Establish an energy coordinatingcommittee and assist with monthlymeetings.The pilot was planned to run over

three months but due to the festiveseason December 2009 and January2010 were included. September wasthe ‘base month’. The consumptioninformation and occupancy during thismonth was carefully documented andused as a baseline against which anyinterventions were to be measured.

At the end of September 2009, theSustainable Energy Management Strat-egy was shared with management, andeducation and training sessions wereheld with the staff. The HODs reviewedtheir operations and developed actionplans in support of the strategy.

Town Lodge Sandton Grayston energymanagement pilot project

General Manager, Ronaldvan Tonder, hands over theprizes to members of thewinning group

During the education and aware-ness sessions, staff were divided intosmall groups. Each group had to comeup with implementable ideas for energyefficiency improvement. The group withthe best ideas was rewarded with aprize from ERO.

From October, the performanceimprovement was monitored. The datafrom the remote metering system, con-nected to the main supply and boilers,was used. One of the criteria used forevaluation was kWh per guest. Thebaseline value was 18.6kWh/PAX.

From October, two weekly energycommittee meetings were held wherethe departmental representatives gavefeedback on the implementation of theaction plans. New initiatives were dis-cussed and approved. The successesof the past two months were discussedand the actual impact on the energyconsumption was shown using theremote metering. Throughout the pilotan energy log book was kept where allenergy related incidents were record-ed.

Each month an energy performer ofthe month was chosen. October wasthe Housekeeping department, Novem-ber was Maintenance, December andJanuary combined was the Kitchen. Atthe end of the pilot, after the finalresults were announced, each employ-ee was rewarded with a dinner.

The final review by the end of Jan-uary showed that the energy consump-tion per guest was down to 15.4kWh/

PAX, a reduction of 17.4%. When the total period of the pilot

project (5 months) is compared to thesame period of the previous years, thetotal consumption was down by 19%(2008 vs. 2009). The graph shows thatprevious initiatives by the hotel staffhad resulted in a 7% reduction (2007vs. 2008) bringing the combined impactsince 2007 to 26%.

Further technology improvementswere identified and samples wereinstalled to monitor the efficiency andeffectiveness of these technologies.� Contact: Anton Potgieter and David

PetrieEnergy Resource OptimizersP O Box 90396, Garsfontein, Pretoria0042Mobiles: 083 655 6888 and 072 333 4388E-mails:[email protected] [email protected]: www.energyoptimizers.co.za

Energy Management News 3

The Team that did it!

Energymanagementin agriculture

Serving close to 5 000 mem-bers in the Free State, FreeState Agriculture is seeking

ways that can save energy for itsfarmers, generate their own energyand be in a position to negotiate aneducated price agreement with alter-native energy firms wishing to set upa wind turbine / solar farm on theirfarms.

Free State Agriculture is alsoplanning to host an alternative ener-gy day/exhibition for its farmers.They would be interested in gettinggood speakers on topics applicableto alternative energy for/from agricul-ture/agricultural land, as well as a listof applicable suppliers/developers/consultants.

As an Association, they are alsoin the unique position to unite andco-ordinate all members to collec-tively work together on an Agricultur-al related Carbon Capture & Storageaction where transactions costs limitindividual participation.� Contact: Dr Jack Armour

Manager: Land Reform andAgriBEE, Farm Management,Municipal Liaison and Resource Conservation Free State AgricultureP.O.Box 54, Bloemfontein, 9300Tel: 051 444 4609Cell: 071 672 0271Fax: 051 444 4619Fax2email: 086 512 6656E-mail: [email protected]: www.vslandbou.co.za


An update onnuclear as anoption for South AfricaAs South Africa strives to

ensure energy security for allher people, while being sensi-

tive to the need to be environmental-ly responsible, it is important to con-sider all energy options. The range ofenergy options open to us and thecomplex issues associated with thedecisions need to be made.

Apart from his years of achieve-ment in Government where heplayed a major role in definingnational innovation and science andtechnology policy, in recent years DrRob Adam, Chief Executive Officer,Nuclear Energy Corporation of SouthAfrica (Necsa), has been instrumen-tal in fundamentally redefiningnational nuclear energy policy.

He has used his position as ChiefExecutive of Necsa as a platform fordebate on the role that nuclear ener-gy has to play in South Africa’sfuture. He has defined an excitingvision of a nuclear industry in SouthAfrica, which adds value throughoutthe entire nuclear value chain – fromuranium extraction to nuclear powergeneration. This vision has sincebeen captured in a revised nuclearpolicy for South Africa which willhave a major impact on the energysector as well as on the SouthAfrican economy in future years.� Contact: Chantal Janneker

Senior Manager: Group Communi-cation & Stakeholder RelationsSouth African Nuclear Energy Cor-porationTel: +27 12 305 5750Fax: +27 12 305 5751Cell: +27 083 488 3850E-mail: chantal @necsa.co.zaElliot MulaneManager: Communication andMedia LiaisonSouth African Nuclear Energy Cor-porationTel: +27 12 305 5006Fax: +27 12 305 5751Cell: +27 078 803 5569E-mail: [email protected]: www.necsa.co.za

The Renewable Energy Certificate(REC) system allows users toconsume electricity in one part of

the country and ‘trade’ this usageagainst a green power source. Thiswas done at the recent Meetings Africashow by Scan Display, which poweredits exhibition stand this way. This isreportedly the first time that an individ-ual exhibitor has used renewable ener-gy for its stand’s lighting and electricalappliances.

GreenX Energy, a Cape-based com-pany that pioneered the concept ofRECs in the South African market dur-ing the 2002 World Summit on Sustain-able Development, supplied the REC toScan Display, which indirectly support-ed a solar photovoltaic generator innorthern KwaZulu-Natal and had zeroelectricity-related carbon emissions.

REC SYSTEMThe REC system has been used forover a decade in Europe, the US andAustralia. It is gaining support in SouthAfrica as the Department of Energyassists in developing the approach andlocal business becomes committed togreen practices. RECs are normallydenominated in 1MWh units and Scanused one REC to power its 9m² standfor the three days of the show. OneREC would have been sufficient topower 12 more identical stands for thethree days of the show, but RECs arenot divisible.

The REC cost Scan R350, whichthe company’s MD, Justin Hawes, con-siders a nominal expense to pay for the

benefit of using green power. Hawessays, ‘The REC system is a relativelyinexpensive way of reducing the car-bon emissions of your event or exhibi-tion’s energy consumption, withouthaving to resort to planting trees.’

In future, the company will be in aposition to supply certified green powerto its clients routinely and at an evenlower price, pending an agreement withGreenX Energy.EVENT GREENING FORUM

Hawes has a special interest ingreening and sustainability, as he wasinstrumental in the recent formation ofthe Event Greening Forum, a groupestablished to promote sustainability inthe South African events industry. Thegroup’s objective is to create aware-ness of the need for greening in themeetings, incentives, conferences, ex-hibitions and events industries.With acknowledgement to Bizcommu-nity.com� Contact: GreenX Energy

Website: www.greenxenergy.comEvent Greening ForumWebsite: www.eventgreening.co.za

Renewable EnergyCertificates at Meetings Africa


The City of Cape Town has an-nounced its imminent plans tosell Green Electricity Certificates,

which will give Capetonians the oppor-tunity to buy green electricity generatedat the Darling Wind Farm on the WestCoast, from the City.

Alderman Clive Justus, MayoralCommittee Member for Utility Servicesand various partners of the DarlingWind Farm project briefed the media onthis historic first step to ‘green’ CapeTown’s energy usage.

Alderman Justus said: ‘It is particu-larly significant that the sale of theGreen Energy Certificates is takingplace in the same week as the WWF’sInternational Earth Hour on 27 March,when, as a demonstration of solidarity,commitment and awareness, lights inprominent places across the globe willbe switched off for one hour as a markof acknowledgement that energy effi-ciency must become the new way oflife. The City is also included in thismovement and will simultaneously beswitching off the lights on Table Moun-tain as well as in other public buildings,to mark this event’.

The City enabled the Darling WindFarm Project in 2006 by entering into aPower Purchase Agreement with Dar-ling Wind Power Pty (Ltd) as an impor-tant first step to reach its stated targetto source 10% of its overall energyrequirements from sustainable sourcesby 2020. The Darling Wind Farm is aR70 million national pilot project fundedjointly by the Danish Governmentthrough Danida, the National Depart-ment of Minerals and Energy, theDevelopment Bank of Southern Africaand the Darling Independent PowerProducing Company. It comprises fourwind turbines situated on a hill along-side the R27 West Coast Road nearthe turn off to Darling. The turbinesbegan generating in May 2008.

Conventional electricity is producedfrom expendable fossil fuels, such ascoal and diesel, which are a majorsource of pollution. The renewableelectricity generated by the wind farm,also called ‘green electricity’, is an envi-ronmentally friendly alternative to con-ventional electricity.

As it would be impractical to installnew power lines all the way from theDarling Wind Farm to the premises ofgreen electricity purchasers, the City ofCape Town will sell Green ElectricityCertificates to enable consumers toparticipate in the generation of greenelectricity, without being directly con-

nected by a power line to the renew-able energy source. Electricity con-sumers can claim to have consumedgreen electricity if the amount of unitsof the Green Electricity Certificates pur-chased by them is equivalent to orexceeds the amount of normal electric-ity consumed by the facility, premisesor process for which the claim is made.

The certificates will be offered forsale once or twice a year, dependingon how much green electricity hasbeen generated and how much GreenCertificate Stock has been accumulat-ed. The City will within the next fewweeks be advertising the sale of an ini-tial 10 GWh (10 000 000 kWh) of greenelectricity for which interested personswill be requested to submit an applica-tion.

Income from the sale of the GreenElectricity Certificates is intended tocover the premium the City has to payfor purchasing the green electricity. Thecertificates will be sold initially at aprice of 25c per unit (1 kWh) and it isnot expected that the price will increaseover the next few years. The purchaseof Green Electricity Certificates is anadditional purchase and an additionalexpense to the cost of the normal elec-tricity bill.

‘The sale of Green Electricity Cer-tificates will give many companies theopportunity to demonstrate to the pub-lic, clients and potential clients that theyare conducting their business in a sus-tainable manner. It will also give themthe opportunity to cost effectively userenewable energy without having toinvest in new infrastructure or technolo-gies,’ said Justus. � Contact: Alderman Clive Justus

Mayoral Committee Member for UtilityServicesCity of Cape Town Tel: 021 400 1206 Cell: 083 628 4136 Brian Jones Head: Green Energy, Electricity Serv-icesCity of Cape TownTel: 021 446 2015 Cell: 084 219 4024 Website: www.capetown.gov.za

City to startsellingDarlingWind Farm’s‘greenelectricity’

High performance vertical axiswind turbines

Various forces are at play to increase the importance of alternative energies.The tragedy is that alternative energies, including wind energy systems,are overly dependent upon subsidies.

An escape from the subsidy trap might be for Vertical Axis Wind Turbines(VAWT) to be reconfigured such that each blade sweeps at a different level. Ini-tial studies indicate that this method increases energy harvested by approxi-mately 300% – using essentially the same aerodynamic components as before. � Contact: Jan Jooste

Vaal University of TechnologyCell: 083 626 7351E-mail: [email protected]


What the world needed fromCopenhagen was a legaltreaty on climate. All it got was

a political deal among some world lead-ers. In the last days in Copenhagen,those leaders in the small ‘commitmentcircle’ agreed to put forward their num-bers on reducing greenhouse-gasemissions. Major players, including theUS and China, have done so. So hasSouth Africa.

Copenhagen was a disappoint-ment. South Africa sought two treaties– a second commitment period fordeveloped countries under the KyotoProtocol, and a new legally bindinginstrument under the United NationsFramework Convention on ClimateChange (UNCCC). The latter is essen-tial to bind the US and ensure that long-promised finance is actually delivered.

The complex negotiating processsimply did not deliver this. The usualinteraction between officials and Minis-ters is difficult enough. Add a worldsummit with 119 leaders, without a pre-agreed statement, and you get chaos.When President Jacob Zuma and oth-ers arrived, there was simply no text toagree on.

In the final two days of the confer-ence, the Danish president of the con-ference, Lars Rasmussen, convened a‘commitment circle’ comprising 29 ofthe leaders, representing regionalgroupings and interests. They man-aged to resolve some difficult issuesbetween key protagonists. Developedcountries would all take targets anddeveloping countries commit to action.But not all had been included, notableexclusions being the left-leaning LatinAmericans. Bolivia, Venezuela, Cuba,Ecuador and Nicaragua made theirrejection of the deal abundantly clear inthe final plenary and ensured it did notbecome a consensus decision.

For the multilateral process to getback on track, the UNFCCC must nowfind more effective ways of connectingcontributions from smaller groups andbringing political agreements back intothe only fully inclusive process that theworld has – the UN.

Copenhagen, as an event, was afailure. As a process, Copenhagenspawned huge amounts of activitybefore, during and after the two weeks.

The US put forward numbers thatwere well known: an ‘emissions reduc-

tion target’ of 17% below 2005 levels by2020. That is 2% below 1990 levelsand is a target – something you aim at,not a commitment. The key condition,though, is that the target must be ‘inconformity with anticipated US energyand climate legislation’. The BarackObama climate team has sought to per-suade the world that domestic law isworth much more than multilateralagreement. The House passed a Billlast year, but now the passage throughthe Senate is precariously balanced.With the loss of another Democraticseat, one more Republican senator willhave to be persuaded to vote for theSenate Bill. It comes down to this: isthe White House willing to spend seri-ous political capital on this? Much rideson whether this President will say: ‘Yes,we can reduce our greenhouse-gasemissions.’

Developing countries have beenless unambitious. China has submittedthe goal announced last year – toreduce carbon dioxide emissions foreach unit of gross domestic product by40% to 45% by 2020 by increasing theshares of non-fossil fuel and forestedareas. These goals were already inChina’s climate action plan and inte-grated with its five-year planningprocess, overseen by the NationalDevelopment and Reform Commis-sion.

Which is more likely to happen: theUS target or China’s actions on intensi-ty? My bets are on China – what is

planned will get done. If the US passesits law, that will also be given effect, butthat is still a big ‘if’.

South Africa has put forward thenumbers announced by the Presidencybefore Copenhagen. It has reiteratedthat it will take mitigation action toenable a 34% ‘deviation below thebusiness-as-usual (BAU) emissiongrowth trajectory by 2020’ and 42%below BAU by 2025. Two key condi-tions are stated: support from devel-oped countries and a fair, ambitiousand binding multilateral agreementunder the UNFCCC and its Kyoto Pro-tocol. With support, South Africa indi-cates that emissions will peak by 2020or 2025, stay flat for about a decadeand then decline in absolute terms.

This is the same emissions trajecto-ry agreed on by Cabinet following theLong-Term Mitigation Scenarios (LTMS)process in mid-2008. The LTMS num-bers formed the basis of calculatingwhat ‘deviation below BAU’ might bepossible, having gone through rigorousmodelling, combined with strategicinputs from stakeholders. These wereadjusted for near-term plans, notably inthe electricity sector. Even with adjust-ments for the political realities of whatis in electricity price determinations andelectricity plans (such as they are), it ispossible to slow the growth of emis-sions significantly.

Few other developing countrieshave agreed to a peak on their emis-sions. Now this aspirational goal ofCabinet has been put forward by Zumaand ‘internationalised’ in the processafter Copenhagen. In the national dis-cussions that will certainly hot up, thequestion is no longer whether to agreeto bending the curve of our rapidlygrowing emissions – it is how that canbe achieved.With acknowledgement to EngineeringNews� Contact: Associate Professor Harald

WinklerEnergy Research CentreUniversity of Cape TownTel: 021 650 2100E-mail: [email protected]

What mightrise from the ashesof Copenhagen?

The African, Caribbean and Pacif-ic Group of States (ACP) haveidentified a requirement for the

establishment and collaboration of intraACP advisory bodies working on re-search and innovation for sustainabledevelopment. This is aimed at the con-solidation, analysis and sharing ofinformation of both the latest develop-ments in science and technology aswell as their potential applications.Importantly such collaboration will alsofacilitate the rendering of advice to thepolicy makers and relevant science andtechnology non-state stakeholders.

ACP has thus initiated a scienceand technology programme to buildsustainable, non-food, renewable bio-oil supply chains for providing com-bined heat and power (CHP) or cogen-eration electricity – hence, identifyingfuture feed stocks needed to replacefossil fuels in South Africa, Namibia andGhana. The programme, led by theUniversity of Greenwich, aims toachieve this by linking relevant scienceand technology academics, profes-sionals, decision-makers and supportscheme managers from South Africa,Namibia, Ghana, Italy and the UK in aseries of 9 inter-regional and intra-regional workshops over a 36 monthtime-frame.ACP SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGYPROGRAMMEThis particular action under the ACPProgramme is titled ‘Capacity BuildingIn South Africa, Namibia and Ghana toCreate Sustainable Non-Food Bio-oilSupply Chains’. The programme will,through this action, identify and stimu-late funding for the local biofuels indus-try of South Africa as well as variousother international countries. It will gofurther in identifying viable and sustain-able renewable energy sources andtraining programmes in South Africaand provide the framework for what theorganizers hope will accommodatemany future projects and programmesin the growing biofuels industry inSouth Africa.

One of the objectives of the pro-gramme is to address ACP in-country

state-of-preparedness and ability torespond to new technologies emergingfrom Europe. These technologies arethe result of Europe’s objectives andrequirements to capture carbon andobtain energy security through second-generation non-food biofuels such asthose based on jatropha, microalgaeand biogas.

The aims of the programme includebut are not limited to:• Address ACP in-country state of

preparedness and ability to respondto new technologies emerging formEurope;

• Raising awareness in profession-als, decision-makers and supportscheme managers of the benefits of2nd generation renewable biofuelCHP for meeting energy require-ments in local communities; and toengage them in the renewable bio-fuel debate;

• To stimulate investment in theresearch, production, processingand distribution infra-structure of2nd generation biofuels destined forCHP, and in new businesses;

• To foster partnerships betweenenergy businesses and farmingsupply chains using jatropha as a2nd generation non-food oil-bearingmodel crop; to transfer know-howfrom experienced teams to others;

• To provide capacity-building forACP universities so that they areable to offer technical expertise andtraining to regional initiatives inrenewable CHP, carry out researchon the production and exploitationof 2nd generation biofuels exempli-fied by jatropha and microalgae,monitor the implementation of sus-tainability criteria and trading, andmonitor the impacts of biofuels onfood, land use and the environment;and

• To increase renewable CHP userdemand.

ACP AND SOUTH AFRICAThe Government’s commitment torenewable energy has facilitated sever-al opportunities for the biofuels marketin South Africa. Hence, together with

the ACP programme, interested stake-holders have a strong platform for fur-thering developments in this industry.The specific elements of the pro-gramme include:• Quality research proposals offered

for funding;• Biofuel training programmes off-

ered by African universities to trainup a new workforce fit for purposein an emerging biofuels industry;

• Investment into new biofuel busi-nesses to support the creation ofthree new biofuel businesses;

• New contracts between biofuelbusinesses and farming / aquacul-ture suppliers;

• Promotional activities to reachstakeholder target groups; and

• Planning of renewable CHP/cogen-eration systems.The ACP held its Initiation Work-

shop in South Africa in January 2010.This was the first of 9 workshops to beheld in Africa, Italy and the United King-dom. The workshop hosted a numberof local and international industry andresearch experts in the field of renew-able energy and non-food energysources. The speakers included repre-sentatives from Blue NG Funding, PureCarbon Africa (Pty) Ltd, Plant Bio Trust,Imbewu, CSIR, Department of Tradeand Industry, South African BiofuelsAssociation, Talbot & Talbot, Farm BioGas, University of Kwazulu-Natal, Peo-ples Power Africa, Coastal and Envi-ronmental Services and Goslett Associ-ates.

It is hoped that this workshop wasthe first step to developing a sustain-able biofuel industry in South Africapartnered with other African countriesthat can participate in future endeav-ours with international biofuel agenciesand companies.� Contact: Grace McLeish

Tel: +27 (0) 11 214 1477E-mail: [email protected]


African Caribbean and Pacific Group of StatesScience and Technology Programme

CAPACITY BUILDING IN SOUTH AFRICA, NAMIBIA AND GHANA TO CREATE SUSTAINABLE, NON-FOOD BIO-OIL SUPPLY CHAINS


Alderman Ian Neilson, the City ofCape Town’s Executive DeputyMayor and Mayoral Committee

Member for Finance, presented themunicipality’s concerns about Eskom’sapplication for a tariff increase to theNational Energy Regulator of SouthAfrica (NERSA), during one ofNERSA’s hearings conducted in theGood Hope Centre. These hearingswere held in addition to the call for writ-ten submissions on the tariff increasesover three years. The City’s submissionwas one of approximately 300 submis-sions received by NERSA.

During his presentation, AldermanNeilson raised four additional concernsto that made in the City’s written sub-mission regarding Eskom’s plannedtariff increase. His concerns related to:• The rate of Eskom’s infrastructure

investment, • The effect of Eskom’s cross-sub-

sidisation of its tariffs, • The impact of artificially suppress-

ing tariffs; and • The impact of the NERSA process

on municipal tariffs. Neilson warned against an abnor-

mally high infrastructure investment toincrease generation capacity at Eskom,to the detriment of investment in otherservices or infrastructure and in otherspheres of government. If investment ininfrastructure is not balanced across allservices, the shift of funding away frominvestment in other services wouldcause these services to hinder futureeconomic growth, he said.

In addition to this concern, Neilsonsaid that the middle-income consumeris being hard hit by tariff increases andmust carry the burden of Eskom pro-viding lower rates for key industries andindigent people. Neilson noted that it isimportant to provide indigent peoplewith affordable electricity, but said thatthis cannot be to the detriment of mid-dle-income consumers. ‘If cross-sub-sidisation is not addressed, localauthorities’ consumers end up with atriple subsidy load, as indigent munici-pal consumers must also be cross-sub-sidised in addition to Eskom’s indigentconsumers.’ The large commercial cus-tomers of Eskom must also assist in

carrying the cost of cross-subsidiza-tion.

Neilson also warned that tariffs forthe poor or those using a smalleramount of power must not be artificiallysuppressed, as this can cause a largegap between low usage tariffs andmoderate usage tariffs. People whojust miss the cut-off for low incomehouseholds face a massive increase intheir electricity bill. In this way, certainconsumers will be forced to changetheir lifestyles due to this steep step-tariff increase.

He went on to say that NERSAmust not use the Eskom application toalso rule on local authorities’ tariffincreases. There is significant existinglocal government legislation that dealswith tariff setting processes andNERSA must adhere to the require-ments of these legal processes, whichare separate from those of Eskom.

A copy of the City’s 13 page sub-mission is available on request.� Contact: Media Section

Communication DepartmentCity of Cape TownTel: 021 400 3719Alderman Ian Neilson Executive Deputy Mayor and MayoralCommittee Member for Finance City of Cape Town Tel: 021 400 1306 Cell: 083 306 6730

City of Cape Town raised itsconcerns at NERSA hearings

Launch of theAfrican Forum forClean EnergyFinancingThe Climate Technology Initia-

tive (CTI) and the CTI PrivateFinancing Advisory Network

(CTI PFAN) are pleased to announcethe formal launch of the Africa Forumfor Clean Energy Financing (AFRI-CEF).

The Forum provides selectedclean energy projects with free sup-port and assistance on the prepara-tion of bankable business plans andprofessional investor pitches beforeconnecting them with investors andfinance at a specially conceivedinvestors Forum to be held in Johan-nesburg, South Africa, on the 21stJuly 2010.

AFRICEF is open to projects fromany African country, and particularlytargets projects from South Africa,Mozambique and Uganda. Appli-cants need to respond to a call forproposals by 16th April 2010. Fulldetails, guidelines for the applicationand application documents are avail-able at the CTI PFAN website(www.cti-pfan.net) under the eventssection www.cti-pfan.net/events_detail.php? eventsid =25. AFRICEFis being sponsored and co-organisedby the CTI, CTI PFAN, United StatesAgency for International Develop-ment (USAID), Re-newable Energyand Energy Efficiency Partnership(REEEP) and the International Cen-tre for Environmental TechnologyTransfer (ICETT) together with theRural Electrification Agency (REA) ofUganda and the South AfricanNational Energy Research Institute(SANERI).� Contact: Taiki Kuroda

CTI Programme SecretariatInternational Centre for Environ-mental Technology Transfer3684-11 Sakura-cho, Yokkaichi,Mie 512-1211, JapanTel: +81 59 329 3500 Fax: +81 59 329 8115E-mail: [email protected]: www.climatetech.net/(CITI) www.cti-pfan.net (CTI PFAN)


PetroSA has proposed a new oilrefinery, Project Mthombo, to bebuilt at Coega. A US engineering

company, KBR, is undertaking a feasi-bility study, and at present the cost esti-mate is about $9bn. PetroSA hassigned a co-operation agreement withthe Coega Development Corporation toensure the site and infrastructure need-ed to support the development.

BP has questioned the need for thisexpenditure. It has broken ranks withthe rest of the industry, which has beenremarkably quiet on the subject. No-one else has seriously debated thedevelopment. Perhaps debate is over-due.

Debate is difficult because there areno current figures on the industry’s per-formance. We are back to the apartheiddays, when fuel supply was a nationalsecret. After democratic change, therewas some relaxation. For severalyears, the SA Petroleum Industry Asso-ciation (SAPIA) published statisticsshowing where the crude came from,how much the refineries could produce,and what the South African sales were.

This ended about four years ago,when the Competition Board threat-ened the SAPIA members with direpenalties if they published such statis-tics in future. The European Union’scompetition authorities had mauledSASOL, a SAPIA member. The lessonwas not lost on the other oil producers.

What little do we actually know?The refining industry comprises fourconventional refineries, Sapref andGenref in Durban, Calref in Cape Townand Natref in Sasolburg. Then thereare two synthetic fuel refineries, atSecunda and Mossel Bay. The crudeoil refineries started as long ago as1954, and have grown and evolvedover the years to meet the quantity andquality required to keep South Africarolling. The synthetic fuel refinerieshave not had the same opportunities toincrease their capacities. They have,however, kept abreast of qualitychanges.

The installed capacity is about 500000 barrels per day. Of this, about 250000 barrels per day is petrol, and about175 000 barrels is diesel. The otherproducts such as jet fuel, paraffin, LPGas, bunker fuel etc. make up the bal-ance.

We use on average about 215 000barrels of petrol per day, so we canexport about 35 000 barrels, most ofwhich goes to our neighbours. Howev-er, we also use about 215 000 barrels

of diesel each day. We therefore haveto import around 40 000 barrels per dayof diesel for ourselves, and about thesame again for our neighbours. Therefineries cannot change the ratio ofpetrol to diesel by very much, and rightnow they are producing as much dieselas possible.

It is clear that we need more refin-ing capacity. Over the next few years,we will probably have to find about 20000 barrels per day of petrol, 80 000barrels of diesel and 20 000 barrels ofjet fuel, or about 120 000 barrels perday in total. The basic question iswhether we should continue to do whatwe have done for the past 60 years,namely have the oil majors importcrude oil and refine it in ever-biggerrefineries.

One of the problems the existingrefineries face is that they are no longerwell situated. The Durban and CapeTown refineries have all seen the citiesexpand round them since they werebuilt. Refineries rarely go bang, butwhen they do, it is a big bang, so theyneed lots of space around them. Inaddition, some of the things they pro-duce smell really bad, which againmeans they need lots of space. Takingup lots of space in a city is a waste.

The existing refineries are ageing.They have been regularly updated, butsome of their support infrastructure isold and reaching the limit of its capaci-ty. As a result, the refineries suffer moredowntime due to unplanned outagesthan more modern refineries.

Nevertheless, our existing refiner-ies are still economic. It is very doubtfulif scrapping them is worthwhile. It iscertainly possible to increase theircapacity at a small cost and so meetour demands.

Furthermore, Sasol has announceda study of an 80 000 barrel per dayplant in Limpopo. This would providemuch of the needed increase in capac-

ity. It would also improve our energysecurity by replacing crude oil importswith local production.

In this scenario, what is the need fora new refinery? It would have to beworld scale in order to be economictoday. This means a capacity of at least200 000 barrels per day (and indeedProject Mthombo is planned around400 000 barrels per day). Whatever thefinal capacity, it would represent a verysignificant increase in our total produc-tion. We would have to export much ofthe new refinery’s production. Wherewould it go?

The production capabilities of theexisting refineries around the IndianOcean exceed the demands in the areaby about 1 200 000 barrels per day.There is lots and lots of petrol anddiesel available in shipping range!However, we do not import more thanwe have to because it is more expen-sive to ship petrol and diesel than toship crude oil and refine it locally.Equally, a new world-scale refinery inSouth Africa would face huge problemsin trying to market its fuels into an over-supplied market.

A further problem with Mthombo isits proposed location. The distributionof liquid fuels is a very sophisticatedbusiness, and there is a widespreadinfrastructure to support it. Coega liesremote from this infrastructure, so itwould require its own infrastructure fordistribution. In particular, it would needa pipeline from Coega to Gauteng. Thiswould roughly double the cost of theentire project. Moreover, we are cur-rently boosting the pipeline supply fromDurban to Gauteng (at a cost of sever-al extra cents per litre in the latestbudget). That expenditure would bewasted if Mthombo went ahead.

The debate around the need for anew refinery may be ill informed, butwe know enough to say unequivocallythat it is a mistake. The petroleumindustry has served us well for the past60 years. There are no grounds forGovernment to enter the business. Weshould not waste another cent on Proj-ect Mthombo.With acknowledgement to BusinessDay� Contact: Dr Philip Lloyd

Energy Institute Cape Peninsula University of Tech-nologyMobile: 083 441 5247E-mails: [email protected] and [email protected]

Do we really needa newrefinery?


Community, labour and environ-mental groups in South Africa,supported by civil society

around the world, are rallying to opposea loan by the World Bank to build theworld’s fourth largest coal-fired powerplant.

Most of the proposed $3.75 billionloan would finance the massive 4 800MW Medupi plant, which will emit 25million metric tons of carbon dioxideper year. The loan’s main beneficiarieswill be multinational corporations BHPBilliton, Anglo American Corporation,and other energy intensive industries,which already receive the world’scheapest electricity supply. BHP Billi-ton’s rate is just over US$0.01 per kWh,about a tenth as much as poor peoplepay.

According to many of South Africa’sleading community and faith-basedorganizations, citizen and environmen-tal groups, social movements, academ-ic institutions and trade unions, the loanwill not alleviate poverty nor increaseaccess to electricity. On the contrary, itwill actually exacerbate energy poverty;disconnections will increase dramati-cally as a 127% price increase from2010 – 2012 hits poor and working peo-ple in what is the world’s most unequalmajor country.

At the same time it is pushing thisgiant coal loan, the World Bank – sup-ported by many developed countrygovernments – is aggressively promot-ing itself as the globe’s climate banker.At United Nations climate negotiations,developed countries have upheld theBank as the institution that should be incontrol of funds from developed coun-tries to pay for climate change mitiga-tion and adaptation activities in devel-oping countries.

On the other hand, the G77– whichrepresents more than 130 developingcountries at the climate negotiations –

has explicitly rejected putting the WorldBank in charge of climate finance.Rather, the G77 and China have pro-posed a new financial mechanism thatwould be under the authority of theUNFCCC, which would allow for directaccess to funding by recipient countrieswithout having to go through interna-tional financial institutions like theWorld Bank.

The Bank has embarked on a no-holds-barred push to capture control ofshort and long term climate financingfor developing countries. At last Dec-ember’s UN climate negotiations in Co-penhagen, the Bank maintained a highprofile. Among other initiatives, theylaunched their fifth fund under their Cli-mate Investment Funds (CIFs).

A recent World Bank board briefingon Copenhagen stated, ‘The WBG[World Bank Group] is particularly wellpositioned to serve as a channel forfast track financing for adaptation andmitigation… We have already heardfrom donors who are developing theirstrategies. We have sent the messagethat the CIFs are able to receive addi-tional funding to support the Fast TrackFinancing.’ Bank staff are conductingan ‘outreach campaign’ to ‘build aware-ness on our role, not just with out tradi-tional partners ... but also with the Min-istries of Environmental and ForeignAffairs.’

The World Bank has also situateditself in a pivotal position for facilitatingcarbon trading and international offset-ting through the Clean DevelopmentMechanism (CDM), though the CDMitself has highly questionable climatebenefits and very few developmentbenefits. Thus, the Bank launched itstwelfth carbon fund in Copenhagen, theCarbon Partnership Facility, designedto be a post-2012 offsetting mecha-nism.

Civil society throughout the world

contends that the proposed WorldBank coal loan, which would go to theSouth African utility Eskom, exemplifieswhy the Bank should not be vested withresponsibility for climate financing. TheBank’s energy portfolio remains a boonfor the fossil fuel industry. It is one ofthe world’s top multilateral fossil fuelfinanciers.

From 2006 to 2008, coal lending atthe World Bank Group increased anincredible 648 percent. In FY2008, fos-sil fuel funding increased 102 percent. 1With its very troubling development,environmental, and human rights rec-ord, the World Bank is not in a positionto lead on climate change. In terms ofbringing about sustainable develop-ment, it is a deeply flawed institution. 2

The proposed South African coalloan is one of the most extreme caseswithin the Bank’s climate-destabilizing,unsustainable portfolio. More than 190groups worldwide have signed on to aSouth African statement strongly op-posing the loan, calling it ‘a bad project,contributing to energy poverty and en-vironmental destruction.’

Contrary to the requirements of itsown Strategic Framework on Develop-ment and Climate Change, the Bankgave very little consideration to cleanenergy alternatives to coal or to rigor-ous Demand Side Management, whichwould entail redirecting subsidized,below-cost electricity for multinationalmining and metal corporations negoti-ated under secret Special PricingAgreements with Eskom. These Spe-cial Pricing Agreements were conclud-ed in a non-transparent manner duringthe last days of apartheid. Less than 7percent of the $3.75 billion loan wouldgo towards renewable energy.

Groups opposing the loan say that itwill exacerbate, rather than alleviate,energy poverty. The poor actually payfar more for their electricity than the

Civil society voices riseagainst World Bank loan

to Eskom


export-oriented metals and miningindustries. Moreover, South Africa’sNational Energy Regulator just ap-proved a tariff increase of 25% everyyear for three years to help raise fundsfor Eskom’s expansion program, whichwill double household bills. At the sametime, the largest industrial users areexempt from paying their share of thecosts to build the coal plant because ofthe Special Pricing Agreements.

Furthermore, the groups contendthat the Bank did not properly assessthe potential health impacts and asso-ciated costs of the coal plant. The loanwill open up 40 new coal mines to feedthe plant and related projects, pollutingthe country’s already compromisedwater table and air, and posing a gravethreat to communities.Notes:1. Bank Information Centre, World Bank

Energy Sector Lending: Encouragingthe World’s Addiction to Fossil Fuels(February 2009), available at www.bicusa.org/en/Article.11033.aspx

2 Multiple studies demonstrate this. Forexample, 1) Independent EvaluationGroup. Improving Effectiveness andOutcomes for the Poor in Health,Nutrition and Population: An Evalua-tion of World Bank Group Supportsince 1997. World Bank. 2009; 2)Independent Evaluation Group. WorldBank Assistance to Agriculture inSub-Saharan Africa. World Bank.2007

� Contact: Third World NetworkTel: 60 4 226 6728/ 226 6159Fax: 60 4 226 4505E-mail: [email protected]: www.twnside.org.sg

Third World Network

The City of Cape Town’s MayoralCommittee Member for UtilityServices, Alderman Clive Justus,

says that the installation of a solarwater heater can save up to 30% of theelectricity usage in an average house-hold, while reducing harmful carbonemissions. This is because a traditionalelectrical geyser uses between 30%and 50% of all power consumed in thehome.

‘As electricity prices continue torocket, it makes sound economic andenvironmental sense to replace thegeyser with a solar water heater –especially in South Africa which isblessed with strong sunlight all yearround,’ says Justus.

A solar heater is a collector panelthrough which water passes in order tobe heated by the sun. It feeds into aninsulated geyser where the hot water isstored for use. Solar panels should beplaced on a North-facing roof for maxi-mum exposure to sunlight. Most sys-tems include electrical backup for useduring periods of high demand for hotwater or minimal hours of sunlight.

For a family of four with an averageelectricity bill of R900 per month, a typ-ical solar panel system would costbetween R12 000 and R35 000 to in-stall. However, this system could pro-duce savings of some R300 per monthor about R3 600 per year. ‘Thus thecapital cost could be paid off in a fewyears,’ says Justus, ‘or even sooner ifthe price of electricity continues to spi-ral’.

Justus added that there is ‘ongoingengagement between the City of CapeTown, Provincial Government andEskom to encourage the roll out of acustomer management programme,which includes the Eskom rebatescheme for solar water heaters.’

He welcomed Eskom’s announce-ment that, subject to certain conditions,it would substantially increase subsi-dies by way of a 15 – 30% rebate forthe installation of approved solarheaters. This brings the previous figureof R4 900 up to a new maximum of justover R12 000.

The City has drafted an Energy Effi-cient Heating Water By-law. It states

that all new buildings and extensionsrequiring water heating must use solaror other types of energy-efficient heat-ing. Consultation with interested andaffected parties will take place shortly.

Justus says the City plans to put outa request for proposals this year toappoint a major service provider whichcan finance and facilitate a voluntarymass roll-out of some 300 000 solarwater heaters to residential propertiesacross Cape Town.

The revised Eskom subsidy will beutilised and residents will be offered afixed repayment plan through theirrates account at a figure equivalent tothe present electricity charges for waterheating using a normal geyser.

‘In addition to the direct financialsavings, a residential solar water heat-ing system can prevent some 2 000 kgof greenhouse gas carbon dioxide(CO2) from entering the atmosphereannually, thus reducing a household’sCO2 emissions by about 30%. This fig-ure is deduced from the amount of CO2a coal-fired power station would haveemitted in order to generate the elec-tricity consumed, without the use of asolar water heater,’ says Justus.

� Contact: Alderman Clive Justus Mayoral Committee Member: UtilitiesCity of Cape Town Tel: 021 400 1303 Cell: 083 628 4136Website: www.eskom.com/dsm

Solar water heaters can cutelectricity usage by up to 30%


Climate-change experts met inDar es Salaam from 24 – 26February 2010, to share the lat-

est knowledge about how communitiescan reduce their vulnerability, and howgovernment policies can help make thishappen.

Delegates at the 4th InternationalConference on Community-basedAdaptation to Climate Change in Dares Salaam, Tanzania included repre-sentatives of governmental and inter-governmental agencies, research insti-tutions and non-governmental org-anisations.

They shared information aboutways communities can adapt toimpacts of climate change usingapproaches such as water harvesting,alternative farming practices, andstrategies to reduce the risk from dis-asters.

The meeting was organized by theInternational Institute for Environmentand Development (IIED), Environmen-tal Protection Management Services(EPMS, Tanzania), the BangladeshCentre for Advanced Studies (BCAS),and the Ring Alliance. Special sessionsfocused on how communities in urbanareas or rural drylands can adapt to cli-mate change impacts such as heat-waves, floods and droughts.

‘Climate change is a global problembut its impacts are always local andthat means the solutions need to betoo,’ says Dr. Hannah Reid, SeniorResearcher at the International Insti-tute for Environment and Development.‘Communities around the world arealready feeling the impacts of climatechange and are taking action to reducetheir vulnerability. What works in onesetting could help limit impacts in manyother places so it is important thatthese success stories are analysed,shared and supported by sound poli-cies.’

The conference aimed to identifygood strategies for sharing informationwithin and between vulnerable commu-nities, and promote the integration ofcommunity-based adaptation into nat-ional policies and international devel-opment programmes.

‘Communities are well-placed todrive adaptation projects as they knowbest what the local challenges are andstand the most to gain from addressingthem,’ says Reid. ‘Adaptation to climatechange can and must happen at thecommunity level but for this to work it isessential that policymakers and fund-ing agencies understand the benefits ofbottom-up approaches and act to sup-port them.’

‘The sharing of knowledge andadaptation practices from other parts ofthe world will create awareness in Tan-zania and other vulnerable countries toimprove adaptation strategies in com-munities that are at greatest risk fromclimate change,’ says Euster Kibona ofEPMS. ‘The conference also openedup funding opportunities for adaptationprojects at the grass root level.’

The conference was preceded bytwo days of field visits in areas wherecommunities are practicing coping/adaptation activities.

The conference being funded byAfricaAdapt, the British Council, CARE,Christian Aid, EPMS, FAO (Communi-cation for Sustainable Development Ini-tiative), GTZ, IDRC, IFAD, IIED, OX-FAM, Practical Action, The RockefellerFoundation as part of their $70 millionclimate change resilience initiative, TheDevelopment Fund (Norway), UNDP,World Food Programme, and WWF.� Contact: Hannah Reid

IIEDTel: +44 207 3882117 E-mail: [email protected] Euster Kibona EPMS Tel: +255 754 577475 E-mail: [email protected]

Conference shows communitiescan reduce risk from climate

changeVoices ofthevulnerableCosmos Productions has pro-

duced a short film shot inMadagascar, and is part of a

series about communities that arevulnerable to the impacts of climatechange. It is the first of three shortfilms in the `Voices of the Vulnerableseries’. This film on Madagascar wasproduced in September 2009.

The other two completed filmswill be uploaded shortly: one aboutsmall-scale Rooibos tea farmers inthe Northern Cape and the otherabout communities living on thefloodplains of the Msunduzi River inKwazulu-Natal.

Cosmos Productions is lookingfor support in producing a 10-partseries on communities aroundSouthern Africa and the impacts thatclimate change has on their liveli-hood.� Contact: Jacqueline van Meygaar-

denDirectorCosmos ProductionsTel: +27 (0) 21 685 5263Mobile: +27 (0) 82 220 1937Website: http://vimeo.com/9134826


Climate change leaders – makinga difference in South Africa

Nominations for the inaugural Climate Change Leadership Awards received 54entries in the business category and 20 in the community category and, on11 March 2010, five award winners were honoured at a banquet at the Sand-

ton Sun, Johannesburg.The keynote speaker at the event was Kumi Naidoo, Executive Director of

Greenpeace International. More recently, he served as chair of the civil societyalliance ‘Global Campaign for Climate Action’ (GCCA), of which Greenpeace was afounding member. The South African Post Office was the key sponsor with CarbonProtocol (CP) of South Africa, Primedia and Food & Trees for Africa as partners.WINNERS • Post Bank Community Sector Category: Winner – John Nzira, Urban Farming;

Second – Soil for Life and third – Wonderbag; • Corporate Services Category: – Nedbank;• Retail Sector Category: – Woolworths;• Small and Medium Business Sector: – Rocking the Daisies Music Festival;• Industrial and Manufacturing Sector: – No winners though Lafarge and Sasol got

a special mention;• Green Champion Award – Terry Volkwyn, CEO Primedia Broadcasting and Mot-

shoanetsi Lefoka Group CEO and the SA Post Office.Lefoka commented, ‘We believe that work to combat climate change at grass-

roots level should be encouraged. We are aware of the effect that business activi-ties can have on the environment, which is why the service is investing in technolo-gy and processes that limit environmental impact.’

This was a low-carbon event with local and organic food and wines served, liv-ing plants as décor and carbon absorbing Portulacaria (Elephant Bush) donated byRandom Harvest Nursery as gifts for guests.With acknowledgements to Bizcommunity.com� Contact: Bizcommunity.com

Website: www.bizcommunity.com

Dontbeapassenger.comOptimal Energy is South Africa’s first and only electric car manufacturer,which is focusing its energy on producing South Africa’s first ever zeroemissions vehicle, the Joule. Dontbeapassenger.com is a campaign that

will be run exclusively online, powered by Joule and Optimal Energy, to spreadthe message of climate change.

The main premise of the campaign lies in the concept of a South African elec-tric car we can and should all be proud of. Dontbeapassenger.com highlightsevents, occurrences and inventions by South Africans that have put our nation onthe map. Dontbeapassenger.com is symbolic of a ‘Proudly South African’ decla-ration.

The world is facing a different kind of struggle. We are exhausting our plan-et’s natural, non-renewable resources. Active participation needs to happen inorder to curb the damage already done and prevent what is predicted to come.

Dontbeapassenger.com aims to demonstrate that South Africans have cho-sen to remove themselves from the passenger seat and get into the driver’s seat;choosing to mobilise themselves in order to do what many around the worldshould be doing, and that is creating awareness, educating and actively gettinginvolved in the struggle to save our planet.

It is hoped that this will open the eyes and minds of people in South Africa andthe rest of the world. Optimal Energy wants every South African to be part of thismomentous experience. With acknowledgements to Bizcommiunity.com� Website: www.dontbeapassenger.com


Dr Harald Winkler is an interna-tionally renowned expert on cli-mate change, based at the

Energy Research Centre at the Univer-sity of Cape Town. In 2007 he wasapproached by South Africa’s Depart-ment of the Environment to head aproject to research and develop sce-narios that would form the basis for anational, long-term climate policy aswell as well-founded positions for inter-national negotiations on the future ofglobal climate policy after 2012. Thisbook is based on his report.

Making a just transition to a low-carbon economy and society is one ofthe most difficult challenges globally. InSouth Africa, which needs to addresspoverty and inequality, reducing green-house gas emissions presents a daunt-ing challenge. Nonetheless, the SouthAfrican government initiated a processto develop long term mitigation scenar-ios. These were based on rigorousresearch, involving a group of strategicthinkers across a wide range of stake-holders. This book describes the tech-

nical work on potential mitigationactions that built enough confidence forthe South African government to set anambitious strategic direction in mitigat-ing climate change.

Without constraints, emissions willquadruple by mid-century, whereas sci-ence requires that they be reduced inabsolute terms by then. Readers willfind here an analysis of a wide range ofdetailed mitigation actions and propos-als for four strategic options that SouthAfrica can pursue.

Dr Winkler is Associate Professor atthe Energy Research Centre, Universi-ty of Cape Town. He is also the leadauthor on the Intergovernmental Panelon Climate Change (IPCC) WorkingGroup III for the Fourth Member of theSouth African delegation to the negoti-ations under the United Nations Frame-work Convention on Climate Change.Most recently he is the author of Clean-er Energy, Cooler Climate (HSRCPress, 2008).

PUBLICATION DETAILSAvailable: December 2009ISBN: 978 1 91989 525 3Dimensions 228 x 152mmPage extent: 244 pagesBinding: Soft cover + CDPrice: R280.00

� Contact: Natasha Talliard Juta and Company Ltd Tel: (021) 659 2336Fax: (021) 659 2713 E-mail: [email protected]: www.juta.co.za

Harald Winkler’s address at the book launch

Taking Action on Climate Change:Long-term mitigation scenarios for South Africa

by Harald WinklerNEW PUBLICATION FROM UNIVERSITY OF CAPE TOWN PRESS


INTRODUCTIONThe Network of Climate Journal-ists in the Greater Horn of Africa(NECJOGHA) together with its

partners announces the three-dayInternational Climate Change Commu-nication Conference for Africa due totake place from May 29th-June 1st2010 at the Munyonyo CommonwealthResort in Kampala, Uganda.

Recommendations at various inter-national climate change meetings haveunderlined the importance of communi-cating climate change issues to thegeneral public, policy makers, scien-tists and other stakeholders. This isparticularly important for adaptationand mitigation interventions to combatclimate change. There is a need forimproving media understanding of cli-mate change information for applicablecommunications in Africa.

Africa in particular faces a uniquechallenge. Although it is least responsi-ble for the man made actions that havetriggered global warming and climatechange it is the most vulnerable tothese changes.RATIONALE FOR CONFERENCEThe main objective of this conference isto create a critical mass of well trainedclimate journalists in Africa by improv-ing the capacity of senior mediareporters, sub editors and editors with-in African media houses to cover cli-mate and climate change issues moreaccurately, in a credible, effective man-ner. A number of journalists from theGreater Horn of Africa and the rest ofAfrica will also be invited to participateto introduce them to climate journalism.

This will increase their potential toinform, educate and mobilize the pub-lic, policy makers, researchers anddevelopment partners about climateand climate change in general so as tohelp the decision-making process at all

levels to enable positive utilization ofclimate information for betterment oflivelihoods in the Greater Horn of Africasub region and the rest of Africa as awhole.

Improving Disaster Risk Manage-ment in Africa has gained crucial promi-nence with the occurrence of repeateddisasters as a result of climate changeand climate variability all over the con-tinent. Raising public awareness on theavailable adaptation and mitigationoptions is important for public responseto strategies to mitigate climate changeas well as reduce negative impacts onhumanity.

Increasing agricultural productionthrough application of climate informa-tion is a critical intervention in reducingpoverty through increased outputs and

incomes. Adaptation to climate changeon the other hand is an important inter-vention for all global communities in theface of changing climate scenarios,particularly in Africa.

Expert studies, including the 4thIPCC Report, show that Africa lagsbehind the rest of continents in puttingto advantageous use available climateinformation and preparing its people toface the rapidly changing climate situa-tions. Yet, public dissemination of infor-mation that is generated by the climatescience community could go a longway in creating mitigation and adapta-tion capacities of communities andcountries against climate variability andclimate change.

The media has immense potentialto play a lead role in informing the pub-lic as well as a variety of stakeholdersin the climate information cycle to adaptand mitigate disasters, make informeddecisions as well as mitigation andadaptive planning at various levels ofgovernance. This conference seeks toaddress these bottlenecks by engagingthe media, which are the main sourceof information to the public, govern-ments and society in general.PARTICIPANTSThe three day workshop targets prac-ticing journalists including reporters,sub editors and editors from radio, TVand print and online media. Partici-pants will also include the climate sci-ence community, science communica-tors, researchers, academics, socialscientists, civil society organizationsand policy makers in the region and theinternational community to enable acommon communication strategy invol-ving a range of stakeholders. The par-ticipants will have a unique opportunityto interact with senior climate expertscientists and leading media trainers inthe region.

Network ofClimateJournalistsin theGreater Hornof AfricaAFRICA CLIMATE CHANGE

COMMUNICATION CONFERENCE –KAMPALA

MAY 31ST – JUNE 2ND, 2010


OBJECTIVES1. Enhance the capacities of journal-

ists in climate and climate changereporting

2. Introduce the journalists to climatechange communication in of adap-tation and mitigation to climatechange

3. Improve coverage of climate infor-mation in the context of sustainableagriculture and food security as wellas health, fisheries, power genera-tion, economics and rural develop-ment

4. Enable the creation of partnershipswith various stakeholders in the cli-mate change communication chainfor adaptation and mitigation

5. Increase coverage of climatechange adaptation and mitigationby writing, publishing and broad-casting of stories on climate changerelated sectors

6. Editing and graphic skills improve-ment for sub editors and producers

7. Editors and media houses en-hanced appreciation of climateinformation

8. Create a critical mass of journalistsreporting on Climate Change inAfrica.

EXPECTED OUTCOMES 1. Credible climate/climate change

reporting increased2. Critical mass of well informed jour-

nalists on climate issues estab-lished

3. Science based understanding of cli-mate science by journalists

4. Scientists and other stakeholdershaving a better understanding andappreciation of the critical value ofcommunication of climate change

5. An informed public and public par-ticipation in climate for development

6. Generation of a Draft StrategicCommunication Plan

7. Workshop ReportSECTOR SESSIONS• Agriculture • Health• Policy and Governance• Social Economics• Disaster Risk Management• Civil Society Organizations • Sustainable Development• Communication • Research • Gender • Energy

ORGANIZERS Secretariat: Network Of Climate Jour-nalists in the Greater Horn of Africa(NECJOGHA)Project coordination and administra-tion: Internews/ Environmental Journal-ists Network, WashingtonSupervising institution: IGAD Climateand Prediction Centre Nairobi (ICPAC)Participants: Journalists, climate scien-tists and science communication spe-cialistsSupervisor: Professor Laban Ogallo-Director IGAD Climate Prediction andApplication Centre-NairobiPrincipal Investigator: Patrick Luganda– Chairman Network of Climate Jour-nalistsPrincipal Coordinator: Dr. James Fahn– Internews Collaborating logistical and financialpartners• Uganda Journalists Association• Environmental Journalist Network/

Internews• International Women’s Media Foun-

dation• Meteorological Services• GAD Climate Prediction and Appli-

cation Centre• Uganda Science Journalists Asso-

ciation• National Agricultural Research Org-

anization• DENIVA UgandaPotential sponsorsDevelopment Donors, Corporate Org-anizations, Regional Institutions, Inter-national Institutes on Climate and Envi-ronment, National Meteorological andHydrological Services, Regional Gov-ernments� Contact: Patrick Luganda

CEO – Farmers Media Link LtdScience Media Trainer and Consult-antChair – Network Climate Journalistsin the Greater Horn of Africa(NECJOGHA)Secretariat at Farmers Media LinkCentre (FAMELI)Off Kampala-Jinja HighwayBlock 105, Plot 769Bugoba Zone, Musisi RoadSeeta Kampala, UgandaTel: +256 752 814 134 / 785 840 742 E-mails: [email protected]@yahoo.com and [email protected] Website: www.necjogha.org

OBJECTIVESThis course is designed to famil-iarise students with issues con-cerning energy and climate

change mitigation. It introduces sci-ence, history, politics and economics ofclimate change, and focuses on howthese relate to energy policy. Studentswill also develop a detailed understand-ing of greenhouse gas emissions fromthe energy sector, and the potential formitigation, and will learn some practi-cal, quantitative tools for the analysis ofenergy and climate change issues. Oncompletion of this course, students willhave an understanding of the following:• The basics of the science of climate

change• The international negotiations pro-

cess• The economics of climate change• Greenhouse gas inventories• Carbon accounting• The South African outlook for cli-

mate change mitigation• Financing and technology• Cities and climate change mitiga-

tionCOURSE CONTENT• Climate change: the science basics

and impacts• The international response to cli-

mate change• Economics of climate change• The context of addressing mitiga-

tion in South Africa• Analysis of GHGs• Carbon markets• Mitigation options and potential –

electricity supply, liquid fuel andtransport, energy efficiency andDSM, long-term mitigation scenar-ios for South Africa, economics and

EnergyResearch

Centre runningshort courseon energy and climatechange17 – 21 MAY 2010


Short Courses in Renewable andSustainable Energy Studies

Develop and enhance your knowledge in renewable and sustainable energy insupport of accelerated and shared economic growth in South Africa whileearning CPD points

Stellenbosch University will present a number of short courses in renewable andsustainable energy studies to enhance the capacity in the country to implement proj-ects in this area. These courses form part of the taught master programmes buteach module’s week of contact is also registered with ECSA so that participants fromindustry can typically earn 4.0 CPD points in category 1.

The dates for 2010 at the time of publication are as follows:Solar Energy: 24 – 29 May 2010Sustainable Biomass Production: 12 – 17 July 2010Renewable Energy Policy: 19 – 24 July 2010Sustainable Land Use: 9 – 14 August 2010Wind & Hydro Energy: 23 – 28 August 2010Bio-Energy: 13 – 18 September 2010

All the courses will be presented in English by specialists in their field and willinclude group-work and interaction with other professionals. The venue is the Sus-tainability Institute based at Lynedoch, near Stellenbosch. Accommodation is avail-able at Lynedoch or in Stellenbosch.� Contact: Jos Liebenberg

Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies (CRSES)Department of Mechanical and Mechatronic EngineeringStellenbosch UniversityPrivate Bag X1 Matieland 7602 South AfricaTel: +27 21 808 4069Fax: +27 21 808 4277E-mails: [email protected] and [email protected] Website: www.sun.ac.za/crses

regulatory instruments, cities andclimate change mitigation

• International support – technologytransfer, international finance, lowcarbon economy and society

WHO SHOULD ATTEND?This course will be of benefit to profes-sionals from government, NGOs etc.who would like to gain an understand-ing of the intersection of energy and cli-mate change issues, essential for ener-gy policy in South Africa and climatepolicy globally. FORMATThe course consists of a one-weekintensive course. The course forms oneof the modules for the EnergyResearch Centre’s Masters Pro-gramme, and Masters students willneed to do additional work, notablyassignments and a research projecteither side of the lecture week. Otherparticipants may attend the intensiveweek only, for continuing professionaldevelopment or general purposes (noformal credit, or follow-up work). COSTThe fee for the course will be R6 500.This fee includes lecture notes andreadings and will be availably electron-ically for download on a vula site beforethe lectures commence. Details will besent to participants.

Discounts for staff and students ofUCT, and students of other tertiary edu-cation institutes are available undercertain circumstances. Payment detailsare on the application form. CERTIFICATES AND CPD POINTSA certificate of attendance will beawarded to CPD participants for eachcourse. Participants need to attend80% of the lectures to qualify for anattendance certificate.

According to guidelines set out bythe Engineering Council of SouthAfrica, attendance of this course willearn participants 5 credits towards Cat-egory 1 (Developmental Activities). � Contact: Heidi Tait or Sandra Jemaar

CPD ProgrammeUniversity of Cape TownTel: 021 650 5793Fax: 021 650 5501E-mail: [email protected]


MAY 201011 – 12INNOVATIONS IN GREENPRODUCTS AND SERVICESThe Hyatt, Chicago, USAWebsite: www.greenpowerconfer-ences.com11 – 13EXPANDING SUSTAINABLE BIOFU-ELS PRODUCTIONMaputo, MozambiqueContact: Laura Dinnewell, GreenPower ConferencesE-mail: [email protected]: www.greepowerconfer-ences.com17 – 19INTRODUCTION TO ENERGYMANAGEMENTBirchwood Executive Hotel andConference Centre, Johannesburg,South AfricaContact: Christina den HeijerTel/ Fax: +27 (0) 18 294 7174Cell: +27 (0) 82 334 0923E-mail: [email protected] KrugerTel/ Fax: +27 (0) 18 294 7174Cell: +27 (0) 82 552 6865E-mail: [email protected] – 20CERTIFIED ENERGY AUDITORCOURSEBirchwood Executive Hotel andConference Centre, Johannesburg,South AfricaContact: Christina den HeijerTel/ Fax: +27 (0) 18 294 7174Cell: +27 (0) 82 334 0923E-mail: [email protected] KrugerTel/ Fax: +27 (0) 18 294 7174Cell: +27 (0) 82 552 6865E-mail: [email protected] – 21ENERGY AND CLIMATE CHANGEEnergy Research Centre, Universityof Cape Town, South AfricaContact: Heidi Tait or Sandra JemaarCPD Programme, University of CapeTownTel: 021 650 5793

Fax: 021 650 5501E-mail: [email protected] ENERGYMANAGEMENT COURSEBirchwood Executive Hotel andConference Centre, Johannesburg,South AfricaContact: Christina den HeijerTel/ Fax: +27 (0) 18 294 7174Cell: +27 (0) 82 334 0923E-mail: [email protected] KrugerTel/ Fax: +27 (0) 18 294 7174Cell: +27 (0) 82 552 6865E-mail: [email protected] – 21CERTIFIED MEASUREMENT ANDVERIFICATION PROFESSIONALBirchwood Executive Hotel andConference Centre, Johannesburg,South AfricaContact: Christina den HeijerTel/ Fax: +27 (0) 18 294 7174Cell: +27 (0) 82 334 0923E-mail: [email protected] KrugerTel/ Fax: +27 (0) 18 294 7174Cell: +27 (0) 82 552 6865E-mail: [email protected] – 29SOLAR ENERGYUniversity of Stellenbosch, Stellen-bosch, South AfricaContact: Jos Liebenberg, Centre forRenewable and Sustainable EnergyStudies, Department of Mechanicaland Mechatronic Engineering, Univer-sity of StellenboschTel: +27 21 808 4069Fax: +27 21 808 4277E-mail: [email protected]: www.sun.ac.za/crses31 – 2 JuneAFRICA CLIMATE CHANGECOMMUNICATION CONFERENCEKampala, UgandaContact: Patrick Luganda, Chair – Net-work Climate Journalists in theGreater Horn of Africa (NECJOGHA), Off Kampala-Jinja Highway – Block 105, Plot 769,Bugoba Zone, Musisi Road, SeetaKampala, UgandaTel: +256 752 814 134 / 785 840 742

E-mails: [email protected]@yahoo.com and [email protected] Website: www.necjogha.orgJUNE 20108 – 11CARBON MARKETS USAWashington DC, USAWebsite: www.greenpowerconfer-ences.comFORESTRY CARBON MARKETSREDDWashington DC, USAWebsite: www.greenpowerconfer-ences.com22 – 23EXPANDING ASIA’S CARBONMARKETSSingaporeContact: Laura Dinnewell, GreenPower ConferencesE-mail: [email protected]: www.greepowerconfer-ences.comJULY 201019 – 24RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICYUniversity of Stellenbosch, Stellen-bosch, South AfricaContact: Jos Liebenberg, Centre forRenewable and Sustainable EnergyStudies, Department of Mechanicaland Mechatronic Engineering, Univer-sity of StellenboschTel: +27 21 808 4069Fax: +27 21 808 4277E-mail: [email protected]: www.sun.ac.za/crsesAUGUST 20109 – 14SUSTAINABLE LAND USEUniversity of Stellenbosch, Stellen-bosch, South AfricaContact: Jos Liebenberg, Centre forRenewable and Sustainable EnergyStudies, Department of Mechanicaland Mechatronic Engineering, Univer-sity of StellenboschTel: +27 21 808 4069Fax: +27 21 808 4277

Energy events 2010


E-mail: [email protected]: www.sun.ac.za/crses23 – 25IAIASA 2010 REGIONALCONFERENCECSIR Convention Centre, Pretoria,Gauteng, South AfricaWebsite: www.iaia.co.za/Conference-2010/pages/23 – 28WIND & HYDRO ENERGYUniversity of Stellenbosch, Stellen-bosch, South AfricaContact: Jos Liebenberg, Centre forRenewable and Sustainable EnergyStudies, Department of Mechanicaland Mechatronic Engineering, Univer-sity of StellenboschTel: +27 21 808 4069Fax: +27 21 808 4277E-mail: [email protected]: www.sun.ac.za/crsesSEPTEMBER 20106 –8BUILDING ENERGY SIMULATIONS& OPTIMIZATIONS, THE THIRDIASTED AFRICAN CONFERENCEON MODELLING AND SIMULATIONGaborone, BotswanaContact: Prof. Milorad Bojic, AssociateEditor of Energy International Journal(Pergamon), Editorial board memberof Int. J. of Nuclear Energy Gover-nance, Ecology and economy (Inder-science), Faculty of Mechanical Engi-neering at Kragujevac University ofKragujevac, Sestre Janjic 6, 34000Kragujevac, SerbiaTel./Fax: +381 34 330 196Mobile: +381 64 844 9694E-mail: [email protected]: www.iasted.org/confer-ences/home-685.html13 – 18BIO-ENERGYUniversity of Stellenbosch, Stellen-bosch, South AfricaContact: Jos Liebenberg, Centre forRenewable and Sustainable EnergyStudies, Department of Mechanicaland Mechatronic Engineering, Univer-sity of StellenboschTel: +27 21 808 4069Fax: +27 21 808 4277E-mail: [email protected]: www.sun.ac.za/crsesOCTO-BER 201011 – 14CERTIFIED ENERGY AUDITORCOURSE

Birchwood Executive Hotel andConference Centre, Johannesburg,South AfricaContact: Christina den HeijerTel/ Fax: +27 (0) 18 294 7174Cell: +27 (0) 82 334 0923E-mail: [email protected] KrugerTel/ Fax: +27 (0) 18 294 7174Cell: +27 (0) 82 552 6865E-mail: [email protected] CARBON REDUCTIONMANAGER COURSEBirchwood Executive Hotel andConference Centre, Johannesburg,South AfricaContact: Christina den HeijerTel/ Fax: +27 (0) 18 294 7174Cell: +27 (0) 82 334 0923E-mail: [email protected] KrugerTel/ Fax: +27 (0) 18 294 7174Cell: +27 (0) 82 552 6865E-mail: [email protected] – 15CERTIFIED ENERGYMANAGEMENT COURSEBirchwood Executive Hotel andConference Centre, Johannesburg,South AfricaContact: Christina den HeijerTel/ Fax: +27 (0) 18 294 7174Cell: +27 (0) 82 334 0923E-mail: [email protected] KrugerTel/ Fax: +27 (0) 18 294 7174Cell: +27 (0) 82 552 6865E-mail: [email protected] – 15CERTIFIED MEASUREMENT ANDVERIFICATION PROFESSIONALBirchwood Executive Hotel andConference Centre, Johannesburg,South AfricaContact: Christina den HeijerTel/ Fax: +27 (0) 18 294 7174Cell: +27 (0) 82 334 0923E-mail: [email protected] KrugerTel/ Fax: +27 (0) 18 294 7174Cell: +27 (0) 82 552 6865E-mail: [email protected]

Visit www.erc.uct.ac.za forfurther events and details

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