Latest News Archive

Please select Category, Year, and then Month to display items

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

Colleges build community through Academic School Projects

2016-06-13

The South College leadership visited CommTech Secondary School as part of their academic
community engagement project. From left is Alexanne Ridge, Wilmie van der Wal, Edith Le Roux,
Tuli Molebalwa, Jean-Claude Naude, Mbali Skosana and Lerato Bale.
Photo: Eddie de Wet.

Residence Life at the University of the Free State (UFS), in collaboration with the Community Engagement office, decided to pilot a School Project within colleges for 2016.

The aim of the project is to invest in, and have impact on, not only schools and the learning environment, but also the volunteering spirit of college members. The project triggers critical and reflective thinking as well as the creativity aspect of development to contribute ultimately to our social responsibilities.

Each college will visit a school throughout the year, to serve its academic needs, and to foster relationships in the broader community. Recently, North College visited Bainsvlei High School in Bloemfontein to share information and success stories about academic life as a Kovsie student. At CommTech Secondary School in the city, South College delivered sponsored tables and chairs to improve the overall learning environment.

North College consists of Madelief, Tswelopele, Vergeet-My-Nie, Veritas, and Welwitschia residences while South College includes Armentum, Emily Hobhouse, Marjolein, Kestell, NJ van der Merwe, and Villa Bravado.

“It is a great opportunity for college members to interact with the community, and it serves as motivation for the learners. The learners were very enthusiastic about our visit, and I trust that the South College students will motivate them to complete their high-school career and join us at UFS”, said Wilmie van der Wal, College Coordinator.

The projects will continue during the second semester with the different colleges. Everyone can look forward to significant life-changing stories. A quote by Archbishop Desmond Tutu serves as motivation in this regard: “Do your little bit of good where you are; it’s those little bits of good put together that overwhelm the world”.

Back

Economic and Management Sciences

Education

Health Sciences

The Humanities

Law

Natural and Agricultural Sciences

Theology and Religion

Open Distance Learning

Business School

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