The words ‘climate change’ are known by 41% of South Africans, according to a recent August 2019 Afro barometer Survey. However, there is quite a stark difference between having a term in our lexicon, and knowing what it means. There seems to be a stream of never-ending news on events like the April 2019 KwaZulu-Natal floods, and severe drought leaving several provinces … [Read more...]
Ozone hole still gapes yearly
Every August, the ozone hole begins to grow over Antarctica, reaching its maximum size by late September. But by the New Year, it's gone again. Russell Schnell, of NOAA's Earth System Research Laboratory, explains the weird forces behind the ozone hole's formation—and why, in recent years, an ozone hole has capped the Arctic too. This is SCIENCE FRIDAY. I'm Ira Flatow. 21 … [Read more...]
Responsible business to leave a legacy
When Pravin and Nirvana Goorun returned to South Africa after ten years in Dublin, Ireland they wanted to leave a legacy for their children. “Not in terms of monetary funds, but in a business that supports a sustainable future and takes responsibility for a healthy world,” said Nirvana. In Ireland Pravin, a corporate accountant and Nirvana, a chemical engineer, missed the … [Read more...]
Heightened risk of solar storm for next 2 years
The delicate threads that hold modern life together are dramatically cut by an unexpected threat from outer space, with disastrous effects. It’s the stuff of science fiction usually associated with tales of rogue asteroids on a collision course with earth. But over the next two years, as the sun reaches a peak in its 10-year activity cycle, scientists say there is a … [Read more...]
The sun’s impending temper tantrum
In late January and again in the second week of March, the sun lashed out in a bit of a temper tantrum, on both occasions sending out a powerful interplanetary coronal mass ejection whose full effects reached Earth in a few days. We got lucky: Nothing much happened, and the resulting space weather storm didn’t pack as big a punch as expected. This won’t always be the … [Read more...]
South Africa electricity supply under pressure
About 77% of the country’s primary energy is provided by coal. Of that, 53% is used for electricity generation and 15 of the utility’s 27 existing and incomplete power stations are coal fired. South Africa’s dependence on fossil fuels is fast depleting our energy sources and is slowly resulting in a substantial depletion. This harsh reality was proven again this week after … [Read more...]
Burning wetland stops us in our tracks
On Friday afternoon we were about to hit ‘send’ to release this issue, when a thick smoke invaded our office like a ghost. We ran outside to see the wetland beyond our wall go up in flames – fanned by a strong wind blowing in our direction. Ironically we were just focusing on the importance of wetlands as central to healthy ecosystems and here they are destroyed again. This … [Read more...]
Extreme heat and fires to increase
“South Africa is likely to see drastic rises in surface temperatures over the coming century as well as an increase in the occurrence of very hot days. Heat waves are expected to occur more frequently,” said Francois Engelbrecht, Principal Researcher on Climate Studies – Modeling and Environmental Health at the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR.) He was … [Read more...]
The sun could electrify the whole of South Africa
JOHANNESBURG / ROTTERDAM - Not nuclear or coal, but the sun could power up the whole of South Africa. After the Sahara and some parts of Australia, The Rainbow Nation has the most stable and reliable solar radiation output in the world and is blessed with ample space and plenty of solar hours. “We think South Africa’s solar power potential is enormous. Apart from a superb … [Read more...]
Affordable solar option for power plants
Hybrid cars, powered by a mixture of gas and electricity, have become a practical way to "go green" on the roads. Now researchers at Tel Aviv University are applying the term "hybrid" to power plants as well. Most power plants, explains Prof. Avi Kribus of TAU's School of Mechanical Engineering and its innovative new Renewable Energy Center, create power using fuel. And … [Read more...]
What the bleep (do we know?)
Having a problem with your internet or cellphone connection? Or making strange bleeps yourself? You may have to blame a higher power – the sun. On Wednesday, Nov. 9th a magnetic filament in the vicinity of sunspot complex 1342-1343 erupted, producing a M1-class solar flare and hurling a coronal mass ejection (CME) into space. But what are CME's? CME's are 'flames' that shoot … [Read more...]
Growing a solar thermal power economy
In recent months South Africa has seen a dramatic change in its energy policy as the Department of Energy, NERSA and Eskom have taken steps to move to a renewable energy future. On November 4th the Independent Power Producer bidding process for the first 200MW of CSP will close, leaving many anxious developers waiting until COP17 to find out if their project has won the … [Read more...]
Greenpeace’s new campaign enlists SA sun and wind
Greenpeace Africa's quirky new renewable energy campaign, Use Me More, is a plea from the South African sun and wind to be used more as renewable energy sources. Instead of letting them blow away dandelions and give us a tan, we'd like them to power our country! Did you know that the amount of solar energy that reaches the planet in one year is double the energy contained in … [Read more...]
