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06 June 2019 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Rian Horn
Solar Panels at UFS Qwaqwa Campus
Revolutionising electricity with sun power: Solar panels at the Qwaqwa Campus.

Over the past few years the University of the Free State (UFS) has been planting panels, now the time has come to reap. Solar farms produced a return on investment in the form of R1.4 million in savings as a result of photovoltaics (PV) between January and March 2019. Nicolaas Esterhuysen, an electrical engineer at the Department of University Estates also reported a 2.34% decline in electricity usage between 2013 and 2018. 

Solar panels are the future 

According to Esterhuysen, the solution to a power crisis lies in “either becoming more energy efficient or generating our own at a cheaper cost”. All campuses have managed to save a total of R5.4 million in 2018 through producing our own power (solar PV) and actively managing the instantaneous load demand with building management system (BMS) software.

Overall, ground-mounted PV installations at all campuses contribute 2609 kilowattpeak (kWp) under standard conditions. The Bloemfontein Campus accounts for 979kWp of that amount while the South Campus generates 762kWp, with the Qwaqwa Campus producing 748kWp, and the Paradys experimental farm bringing in 120kWp to the grand total (to be commissioned June 2019).

Rooftop PVs generate electricity through the 80kWp Muller Potgieter Building, the 255kWp Bloemfontein Campus computer lab, the 35kWp Qwaqwa Campus computer lab, 135kWp Qwaqwa Campus Mandela Hall, and 416kWp Thakaneng Bridge panels. This is a total of 921kWp. 

Winter is coming with tariff terrors 

A 15.63% electricity tariff increase is projected this year in light of the annual winter adjustments commissioned by Eskom and Centlec. To gear up for the associated spike in power use over this season, University Estates advises the Kovsie community to use energy efficiently. “Think twice before switching on the heating and make sure to switch it off when you leave the office,” advises Esterhuysen.

In addition to generating electricity, saving initiatives such as implementing light-emitting diode (LED) lighting with motion sensors and actively managing demand at peak times have been implemented.

What’s next?

The next step is to rethink dated mechanical installations that are used to heat some of our older buildings. Replacing similar installations across all of the campuses are some of the ways the university intends to escalate energy efficient in future. 

News Archive

Kovsies / Pukke Intervarsity 2008: Results
2008-08-14

SPORTKODE SPANNE TEAMS   UITSLAE / RESULTS
      UV / UFS PUK
GHOLF / GOLF MANS / MEN   1 7
      * *
KARATE MANS / MEN   * *
  DAMES / LADIES   * *
TAFELTENNIS / TABLE TENNIS UV USSA TEAM PUK USSA TEAM 4 2
PLUIMBAL/ BADMINTON UV / UFS PUK 1 0
  UV / UFS PUK 0 1
VLUGBAL / VOLLEYBALL UV MANS / UFS MEN PUK MANS 5 0
MUURBAL / SQUASH UV USSA TEAM PUK USSA TEAM 4 2
LANDLOOP / CROSS COUNTRY UV MANS / UFS MEN PUK MANS * *
  UV VROUE / UFS WOMEN PUK VROUE * *
BASKETBAL / BASKETBALL UV MANS / UFS MEN PUK MANS * *
SOKKER FOOTBALL UFS 1 MEN ALS PUK MEN 2 1
SOCCER UFS 2 MEN PUK 2 MEN 0 1
  UFS WOMEN PUK WOMEN 4 0
TENNIS UV MANS / UFS MEN PUK MANS 4 11
  UV VROUE / UFS WOMEN PUK VROUE 14 1
HOKKIE HOCKEY ABSA KOVSIES WOMEN PUK WOMEN 0 8
HOCKEY ABSA UFS 2 WOMEN PUK 2 WOMEN 1 3
  SOETDORING VMN 1 2
  SONNEDOU WNB 2 1
  ROOSMARYN DINKI 2 1
  EMILY HOBHOUSE HEIDE 0 5
  ABSA KOVSIES MEN PUK MEN 0 3
  ARMENTUM VERITAS 2 1
  VERITAS EXCELSIOR 5 0
  KNIGHTS PATRIA (DAAG NIE OP) 1 0
NETBAL NETBALL SOETDORING DINKI 35 25
NETBALL WNB EIKENHOF 39 24
  MARJOLEIN MINJONET 14 20
  VMN 2 BELLATRIX 12 28
  VMN 1 WANDA 16 25
  ROOSMARYN VMN 22 35
  EMILY HOBHOUSE KARLIEN 11 26
  SOETDORING 2 WNB 17 23
RUGBY FNB SHIMLAS PUKKE 20 21
  IRAWAS IBBIES 12 18
  UV / UFS U/21 PUK O/21 30 13
  UV / UFS U/19 PUK O/19 24 11
  UV RITSIMS PUK 3 0 19
  ARMENTUM VERITAS 7 5
  VISHUIS WILGERS 22 31
  KAREE CAPUT 13 43
  JBM VILLAGERS 18 17
  LANDBOU INGENIEURS 33 10
  REITZ PATRIA 40 8
  VERITAS OVERS 3 38
INTERVARSITY OPSOMMING / SUMMARY 2008      
      KOVSIES PUKKE
         
WEDSTRYDE / GAMES     41 41
GEWEN / WON     0 0
VERLOOR / LOST     0 0
GELYK / DRAWN     0 0
         
INTERVARSITY OPSOMMING / SUMMARY 2007      
      KOVSIES PUKKE
         
WEDSTRYDE / GAMES     41 41
GEWEN / WON     13 27
VERLOOR / LOST     27 13
GELYK / DRAWN     1 1
INTERVARSITY OPSOMMING / SUMMARY 2006      
      KOVSIES PUKKE
WEDSTRYDE / GAMES     46 46
GEWEN / WON     27 16
VERLOOR / LOST     16 27
GELYK / DRAWN     3 3

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