In order to understand what is possible, one needs to understand some buzz words. If one wants to learn to sail, one needs to learn words like Port, Starboard, Stern, Forward, Hatch, Spinnacker, Port, etc. If one learns to run, one learns about Pronate, Shoes, Roads, Tracks, etc.
30% of the earth’s surface is affected by fire. Fire destroys forests and vegetations which are our sources of food – it is both a driver and an indicator of climate change.
Hybrid cars, powered by a mixture of gas and electricity, have become a practical way to "go green" on the roads. Now researchers at Tel Aviv University are applying the term "hybrid" to power plants as well.
There is a love affair that most people have with the familiar incandescent light bulb, also known as the tungsten.
A database detailing all microhydro installations in Eastern and Southern Africa will be launched at the upcoming Hydropower Africa conference and exhibition in Johannesburg from 19-23 September.
Massive public enterprises are still battling to get maintenance off the back-burner while at the same time huge investment is going into new-build projects, according to Tracey-Lee Zurcher, the project director of Reliability & Maintenance Week, taking place in Johannesburg in November.
Since the light bulb wired the world we can no longer live without electricity and the abundance thereof. However, in South Africa we have become used to living with less electricity, because of the energy shortages at Eskom.
Enough solar energy falls on the earth's surface every 70 minutes as humankind can use each year, and delivers reliable power without any fuel or significant storage costs.
As South Africa struggles with the policy challenges of meeting the ever-growing demand by business and consumers for energy to fuel development and economic growth, households are faced with the increasing cost of electricity and other forms of energy, as well as the ongoing possibility of disruptive load shedding.
Friends of the Earth Mozambique sent an urgent letter to Brian Dames, Chief Executive Officer of Eskom, as well as to our president, Mr Jacob Zuma, and the president of Mozambique, Mr Armando Guebuza, to highlight the plea of people who depend of the natural frow of the Zambezi river and the vital river health for their livelihood and economy...
Africa's largest energy show the Power & Electricity World Africa conference & exhibition will once again be bringing Africa's energy leaders to Johannesburg South Africa to discuss energy issues on the continent.
Although President Jacob Zuma's State of the Nation Address rightly focussed on the urgent need for job creation and energy security in South Africa, he failed to see how renewable energy has an important role to play in fulfilling both goals.
Greenpeace regrets that Zuma's only comment on reducing our energy footprint was that South Africans should "turn off their geysers" and other appliances when not in use.
South Africans have already been through one steep electricity price increase, a sharp rise that caused much consternation in a hard economic environment. The sad news is that these increases are merely the tip of the iceberg.
One man is offering us some respite. Enter Prevo Naidu, founder and the driving force behind Infinity Energy: 'Similar increases are planned for 2011 and again for 2012, putting South African consumers in a position of having to pay almost double for their electricity in two years time. Even worse, there is already talk of further increases in 2013 and onwards as Eskom struggles to meet the power requirements of the country.'
The most famous seat of power in the world, the White House, is going solar. This announcement precedes the world's most widespread political demonstration ever, calling for leaders to act climate change.
Barack Obama's Secretary of Energy, Steven Chu, today announced that by early 2011 solar panels on the presidential mansion will be generating hot water and electricity. "President Obama has a strong commitment to American leadership in solar technologies and the jobs they will create." he said.
`Conserving our planet`s resources and investing in a cleaner world` is not just advertising jargon posted for public sentiment, but a pay-off line that has hard evidence in the way that Peninsula Beverages, the Bottler of the products of The Coca-Cola Company in the Western Cape, runs their business. According to PenBev`s Manufacturing Director Greg Morse, the company has undergone significant changes in many areas of production and distribution.
Good news! It is possible for you, the consumer, to offset the 25% average increase in electricity tariffs. All you need to do is to reduce your energy consumption by 20% in 2010. However, you must know and understand your energy status ' your current baseline as well as which improvements would be most significant.
With the expectation of electricity prices doubling in the near future, it is easy to join the cause of saving energy or utilising renewable sources. I have watched discussions with great interest in the past few days since the 45% per annum (over three years) phased Eskom tariff application was 'leaked' to the press.
People have various motivations for their actions. Ultimately though, the main incentive revolves around the expected benefit.
The same reasoning holds true for EE. The main motivation for being Energy Smart can be encapsulated in one word: Sustainability - of the business, its market, labour source and environment. An integrated and balanced approach in general seems to support sustainability. The Triple Bottom-line (Planet, People and Profit) is now an accepted measure to evaluate sustainable business performance. It would, therefore, make sense to apply it in defining energy efficiency goals and measuring outcomes.
The hike has divided the nation and the cabinet with many vehemently opposed to the hike, especially as the country is in the grips of a recession.
Public Enterprises Minister Barbara Hogan has warned any funding shortfall for the power utility could derail its expansion plans, but Energy Minister Dipuo Peters rejected rapid cost increases, saying they would hit the economy and the poor.
Are you about to set up home for the first time, perhaps finally get your dream home, or retiring and down-scaling? Perhaps your washing machine just died, or you realise it's chomping more than its share of power?
