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Weathering the winter with energy efficiency

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

A guide and a friend

2016-12-12

Description:Khothatso Mokone Tags: Khothatso Mokone longdesc=

Louzanne Coetzee and Khothatso Mokone.
Photo: Charl Devenish

Behind every successful Paralympic athlete is a guide, and behind blind athlete Louzanne Coetzee is none other than former Kovsie student Khothatso Mokone.

Mokone, who is a sports journalist and freelance photographer, says he is not entirely sure that his busy schedule is very balanced, but he tries to ensure he squeezes as much as possible into his day. One thing he always makes time for is his training. “As a young person, I try to take every opportunity that comes my way,” he says.

This young runner, who has been Coetzee’s guide for the past eight months, says that every race they have run together thus far has always been better than the last. “The partnership grows harmoniously every day. We talk about almost everything there is, not only running,” Mokone says.

Mokone guided Coetzee in the 1 500m of the Paralympics in Rio de Janeiro in September this year when she was disqualified.

Mokone, who loves comedy and Dubai, is inspired by SAfm journalist and presenter Ashraf Garda. “He talks a lot about current issues that affect our country and I like his style of presenting. He is a good orator.”

Something people may not know about him is that he always walks around hopeful that the best is yet to come. “When I walk down the street, I walk with confidence and people think I have made it in life not knowing that I only have hope for a better tomorrow,” he says.

Although he is not yet as successful as he would like to be, Mokone encourages the youth to “open their eyes and ears to set realistic goals and work with patience to achieve each goal, whether short or long term”.

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