BuaNews (Tshwane)
Nthambeleni Gabara
8 May 2008
Johannesburg — Businesses in South Africa should incorporate energy-saving options in their daily work without interrupting their production, says the Institute for International Research (IIR).
The IIR held a three-day energy conference from Monday, focusing on optimising power and production.
Speaking to BuaNews on Wednesday, Project Manager of IIR, Charmaine Shangashe said the energy conference had been crucial in ensuring businesses save energy.
"The conference succeeded in providing industries and government institutions with more options to save energy.
"We are expecting them to practically implement these initiatives daily without interrupting production."
Production Manager of Mondi, Nicolas Kritzinger presented a case study at the conference on how they use their byproducts to generate electricity for their own consumption.
He said Mondi was successful in not only increasing efficiency but reducing the greenhouse gasses emitted during production too.
"It is conceived that the implementation of this technology will encourage replication in other pulp and paper mills as well as in other industrial sectors in South Africa and the Southern Africa Development Community [SADC] region," he said.
Mr Kritzinger said all what is needed is investment-friendly stable regulatory surroundings.
Also addressing the conference was Gauteng MEC for Local Government Qedani Mahlangu who said the provincial government was determined to build a partnership with the private sector, non-governmental organisations and others to address the energy challenges in the province.
According to Ms Mahlangu this would ensure a sustainable environment for profitable investments.
"To ensure the provincial target is reached municipalities would identify areas where load shedding would more likely harm economic activity," she said.
The MEC emphasised that while the provincial government is committed to saving 10 percent of the power across the province, it should not lose sight of the 2012 target of universal electricity access.
Ms Mahlangu also presented a number of short, medium and long-term interventions to the energy emergency.
The short term interventions include the installation of energy saving bulbs and encouraging communities to use gas for cooking and heating.
Ripple control switches are also to be installed on household geysers as well as geyser blankets.
The MEC said more information needed to be provided on where to acquire solar geysers, geyser blankets and other energy saving electrical products, as well as on how to access available government subsidies on such products.
In an effort to further strengthen the National Campaign to save electricity by 10 percent, the department will also host a three-day Provincial Energy Efficiency Product and Energy Exhibition (ENERGEX) on 6 June 2008.
It is hoped that the expo will bring together a range of products that households, business, institutions and the general public can use in order to contribute to the national energy saving campaigns.
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