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UFS installs solar plants on all campuses, bolstering renewable energy amid continuing power cuts

18 August 2023 | Story Lunga Luthuli | Photo Francois van Vuuren

Bloemfontein Campus Solar Farm — The solar plant on the UFS’s Bloemfontein Campus, part of the university’s commitment to combatting loadshedding and embracing sustainable energy.

The University of the Free State (UFS) has installed solar plants across its three campuses.

The university says this is in response to the call for urgent solutions to loadshedding and the promotion of environmentally sustainable, cleaner, and renewable energy solutions.

Nicolaas Esterhuysen, Director of Engineering Services at UFS University Estates, said,

“The PV (photovoltaic) systems are grid-tied without storage to ensure maximum benefits and faster payback periods.”

Esterhuysen said the UFS has saved up to R32,5 million since the first solar plant was commissioned in 2017 to help the UFS reduce the impact of loadshedding and its carbon footprint and energy costs. “This will substantially increase this year with the commissioning of two large new ground-mounted solar plants on the Bloemfontein Campus,” he said.

“The microgrid installation on Qwaqwa Campus is one of the biggest solar diesel hybrid systems installed in South Africa. It allows us to keep the campus running despite excessive power interruptions.”

The UFS is currently embarking on research as part of the Grid-related Research Group (GRRP) under the Interdisciplinary Centre for Digital Futures (ICDF) to also help staff and students with understanding renewable energy and sustainability.

Esterhuysen said the plants are further evidence of the UFS’s commitment to renewable and energy saving solutions. “It is our flagship project, but our focus is also on energy saving initiatives – to ensure we are becoming more energy efficient and eliminate energy wastage. We have plans for expansion on all campuses. Some of the highlights are an off-grid solution for the new student centre at Qwaqwa Campus and to make South Campus a self-sustaining campus.”

The installed grid-tied system solar plants are operating without batteries on all three campuses, giving the university an optimal configuration between capital cost and payback period.

The energy generated at the solar plants:

Bloemfontein Campus – 3688 kWp

Qwaqwa Campus – 918 kWp

South Campus – 759 kWp

Paradys – 125 kWp

News Archive

Thirteen Scholarships for Science and Mathematics learners awarded

2011-02-15

The Thirteen Scholarship winners are seen here with: Back: Mr Cobus van Breda (Project Manager, School for Continuing Education, far left), Prof. Jonathan Jansen (Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, Second from the right), Prof Dennis Francis (Dean of the Faculty of Education, on the right), Middle: Ms Elizna Prinsloo (School for Continuing Education, left) and Ms. Pearl Nhlane (SANRAL, right).
- Photo: Stephen Collet

Thirteen learners from the University of the Free State (UFS)’s School for Continuing Education (SCE) were successful in their applications for school scholarships at SANRAL (South African National Roads Agency). This represents more than a third of the successful applications countrywide.

The SCE’s ICT Laboratory aims to enable and encourage more learners to enter into science related studies and careers. To achieve this, 180 selected learners from Grade 10, 11 and 12 are exposed to activities at the ICT Laboratory every year. “It is an attempt not only to foster a positive attitude towards Mathematics and Science amongst learners, but also to raise their knowledge and skills levels through e-Education in Science and Mathematics,” says Mr Cobus van Breda, Project Manager of the programme.

As part of the programme, learners have the opportunity to apply for a scholarship at the sponsor, namely SANRAL (South African National Roads Agency). The scholarship not only covers all school and hostel fees for the particular year, but also includes stationary as well as school and sports outfits of the learner.

At a recent information session for successful learners and their parents held at the UFS, Ms Pearl Nhlane of SANRAL congratulated the learners and said that “SANRAL is recognising the hard work of the learners by investing in them”. Prof. Jonathan Jansen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the UFS, in turn thanked SANRAL for their initiative and told the learners “that one has to take the gap when one gets the opportunity”, indicating to the learners that the scholarship can be seen as such an opportunity, since it can possibly pave the way to study benefits in future.

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