Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items
Categories
UFS News Media Release Research
Years
2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Months
January February March April July May June August September October November December
Previous Archive
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

Kovsie Basketball heading to USSA again
2014-05-19

The Kovsies women's basketball team is preparing for the 2014 USSA Basketball tournament at Tswane University of Technology from 30 June to 4 July 2014.

They qualified for the USSA tournament in April during the qualifying matches at CUT. Kovsies’ last basketball appearance at USSA was also their first time when they qualified for the tournament at Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in 2012.

Led by team captain, Destiny Jameson (B.Sc Quantity Surveying student), and coaches, Francis Khoantle and Clemen Andre, the hoop-shooting Kovsie women’s prospects are to be among the top five at this year’s USSA.

“We will carry the Kovsie flag with honor and dignity,” says Head of Basketball at KovsieSport, Mthandazo Zwane.

On the local courts, the Kovsies Basketball League currently consists of eleven residential ladies’ teams and seven residential men’s teams. This residential league is also the biggest basketball league in the Mangaung Metropolitan area.

“Even though we are still developing the sport at the UFS, this just shows how much potential we as Kovsies have in basketball,” says Zwane.

We use cookies to make interactions with our websites and services easy and meaningful. To better understand how they are used, read more about the UFS cookie policy. By continuing to use this site you are giving us your consent to do this.

Accept