Sustainable energy in SA

Sustainable energy in SA
Brett van den Bosch
‘Sustainable’ is one of those buzz words that gets bandied about nowadays whenever government types talk about anything to do with the world’s energy supply. But how does the idea of sustainable energy apply to us in South Africa, not only as electricity consumers which we all are, but in the engineering community as well?
Sustainable energy defined
As Wikipedia puts it: “Sustainable energy is the provision of energy that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs. Sustainable energy sources are most often regarded as including all renewable energy sources, such as hydroelectricity, solar energy, wind energy, wave power, geothermal energy, bio-energy and tidal power. It usually also includes technologies that improve energy efficiency.
“This sets sustainable energy apart from other renewable energy terminology such as alternative energy and green energy, by focusing on the ability of an energy source to continue providing energy. Sustainable energy can produce some pollution of the environment, as long as it is not sufficient to prohibit heavy use of the source for an indefinite amount of time. Sustainable energy is also distinct from low-carbon energy, which is sustainable only in the sense that it does not add to the CO2 in the atmosphere.”
In a South African context, the importance of sustainable energy is threefold. Over and above the need to control our greenhouse gas emissions, we must overcome the challenges of providing electricity to rural areas and lessening our reliance on Eskom.
With an estimated 46% of South Africa’s people residing in rural areas, the problems involved in supplying them with electricity are certainly not trivial, particularly given the vast geographical areas involved. Nor can the importance of electricity supply to these people be underestimated. This goes way beyond simply the provision of light and heat: in an age when information is becoming a more and more vital commodity, access to sources such as the Internet becomes ever more crucial. When considering the difficulties in supplying these far-flung regions with utility power, it becomes patently obvious that sustainable energy is the way to go.
Eskom’s inability to meet the country’s demand for electrical power has been oft discussed and much publicised in recent years, and is set to continue into the foreseeable future. While this gives homes and industry headaches, it also provides business opportunities. When rolling blackouts and load shedding were at their worst in 2008, sales of generators skyrocketed and suppliers who scrambled desperately to meet the sudden demand reaped immediate rewards. These same suppliers were then burdened with excess stock when load shedding was discontinued.
The reluctance to be reliant on Eskom is also driving the uptake of renewable energy alternatives, albeit in less of a ‘boom or bust’ fashion. There is a gradual convergence of technologies, awareness and monetary incentives that is serving to grow this market. Going hand in hand with this are energy saving initiatives that have the added benefit of slashing electricity bills. To Eskom’s credit, it has instituted policies that address these issues, but are they enough?