Extinction Rebellion South Africa shares the concern voiced by many people and organizations over Minister Gwede Mantashe’s unreasonable fixation on nuclear power. In May, Minister Mantashe said, when addressing the Portfolio Committee: “We are going to explore all options, when there is appetite for nuclear in the market, we will go ahead with it.” Is that a sound plan? Why … [Read more...]
Kenyan tea farmers switching to renewable energy
The COVID-19 pandemic is affecting many Kenyan communities, which depend on the tea sector, as the tea sector's output and demand in tea is falling. However, an innovative Kenyan project running three years is continuing to create thousands of healthier homes, supporting small and medium-sized enterprises, while reducing the demand for firewood which helps reduce … [Read more...]
Civil Society calls on the African Development Bank to quit fossil fuels
Africa Day 2020: African Climate Reality Project along with 25 fellow civil society organisations, are calling on the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) to immediately put in place and publish on the AfDB website a fossil fuel finance exclusion policy that states that the Bank will not fund, provide financial services or capacity support to any coal project on the African … [Read more...]
Replace shaky fossil energy with reliable sunlight
Eskom energy is shaky. First you have it, then you don’t. In the bigger scheme of things this is a good thing. We need to shift off fossil fuels anyway to save the climate. The more they charge us for energy, the better our motivation to take the plunge and do the sideways jump to renewables – essentially free power. Barring your installation of course. There is only one way … [Read more...]
Help Project Sunshine bring light to the children of Diepsloot
Diepsloot is a densely populated neighbourhood situated in the north of Johannesburg, South Africa. Over 200 000 inhabitants live in self made shacks, with living conditions worsened by a lack of access to basic facilities, like water, proper sanitation, education and public lighting. The Philile Foundation is a non-profit organisation that aims to transform the lives of … [Read more...]
Industrial solar heating project launched in SA
The South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) and the Southern African-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SAGCCI) have teamed up for the international ‘Solar Payback’ project, which aims to increase the use of solar thermal energy in industrial processes. The kick-off meeting took place in Johannesburg last month. Supported by the German Federal … [Read more...]
Can African women change the energy business in Africa?
“Over 645 million Africans do not have energy. The un-normal has become normal,” said Geraldine Joslyn Fraser-Moleketi (pictured, right), who was Minister for the Public Service from 1999 to 2008 at the Africa Energy Indaba held recently in Johannesburg. “Right now we need to light up Africa,” she said. “We should be building up an integral part of the workforce through our … [Read more...]
Flying solar at George Airport
South Africa’s airports are heading towards energy self-sustainability. Yesterday was a proud day in my decades long green career, for there is some definite action to report. Not just clever green-washing. You know the likes of “we recycle, therefore we are green.” Yesterday Airports Company South Africa (ACSA) launched its first 200 square meter solar power plant at … [Read more...]
Sustainable taxi rank comes to Nomzamo
Think of a sustainable public transport facility with solar panels on the roof, washing facilities for minibus-taxis, kiosks for informal traders, and bathroom facilities for commuters! This transformation happened to an informal taxi rank opposite the Nomzamo Community Hall in Lwandle, Somerset West. This is the City of Cape Town's second green taxi rank following the one … [Read more...]
Even after dark, vast Spanish solar plant harnesses sun’s power
In December this year the UN Climate Conference takes place in Paris. Ahead of the summit, we will release a series of stories, titled "Earthprints," that show the ability of humans to impact change on the landscape of the planet. From sprawling urban growth to the construction of new islands, each site has profoundly changed in the last 30 years. Each story has accompanying … [Read more...]
Next decade decisive for Earth’s future
The next 10 years will be decisive when it comes to the planet's future - what we do (or don't) will play out over geologic time. It could, if we set our minds to it, be the decade when the planet's use of fossil fuels peaks and then rapidly declines. We've built a movement that, for the moment, is starting to tie down the fossil fuel industry: from the tar sands of … [Read more...]
HOW TO SERIES PART 2: Going off the grid with solar
In Part 2 we get to grips with the different types of currents and how to install your batteries to store your solar energy. Alternating current (AC) is what you find in the power mains from a power utility. AC has a positive and neutral. Direct current (DC) has a positive and negative and is the power we find in a battery. In AC, the positive and neutral alternates 50 times … [Read more...]
HOW TO SERIES PART 1: How to go off the grid with solar
Today starts our new HOW TO SERIES – on demand by you our readers. How do we take our environmental footprints into our own hands and radically reduce our negative impact on the planet we hope to leave behind to our children in a liveable state? How do we adapt to the realities of the environmental crisis and live with reverence and joy? Every second week we will publish the … [Read more...]
