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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

SRC Arts and Culture speaks up

2015-03-17

"Stagedoor was an absolute success," says fourth-year medical student, Stefan van der Westhuizen and SRC member for arts and culture.

"I've always been a diverse person and exposed myself to many things."

Raised in Vanderbijlpark near Johannesburg, Stefan has always had a passion for arts and culture.

"It's a platform where students express so much. Stagedoor is where you can see students express their commentary on what is happening on campus and feel like it’s almost a safe zone."

Stefan’s year on the SRC brought about a new format to rotations. Residences paired with each other, while the new 'outdoor' interactions made it possible for residence and off-campus students to interact with rotations.

"I was most proud of the rotations that took place even at the Agricultural Building. There was some great interaction," he said.

Stefan said the idea was to fix things.

“Not much had changed with Stagedoor when I got into office, even ticket sales were decreasing. I wanted to get students amped about it again."

A different element of Stagedoor 'outdoor' was to try to get spontaneity, and to try to get away from residences doing the same plays, but get them out of their comfort spot.

“When we heard the results, we lit up with excitement because we didn't have the usual winners,” Stefan said.

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