Stellenbosch Municipality received permission to begin researching the use of alternative energy suppliers after mayor Gesie van Deventer signed a memorandum of understanding with fellow research partners, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Stellenbosch University’s (SU) Faculty of Engineering, on 25 February.
High Voltage! A sign warns passers-by of the danger of electricity generator complexes. PHOTO: Nicola Spingies
This came as a result of Stellenbosch’s bid to move away from Eskom as its primary electricity supplier. This project will be “a joint scientific investigation into alternative energy sources”, according to a statement by Van Deventer. Potential alternative energy sources include rooftop solar panels and methane gas from landfills, said Van Deventer.
“It is up to the municipality to decide what the main focus is […] because [electricity supply] is a multi-level problem. We need to start from where we are,” said Karin Kritzinger, a senior researcher at SU’s Faculty of Engineering.
While no formal projects have been launched yet, the project does allow room for community involvement as the public can sell electricity to the municipality if they manage to generate it themselves, according to Van Deventer’s statement.
Wyona Jerling, a sustainable development student at the Sustainability Institute in Stellenbosch, said that it might initially be difficult to convince people that alternative energy is a viable solution. “[We] must make sure that the community gets the correct information, especially for their involvement in the projects,” said Jerling.
Lights in Stellenbosch may be powered by alternative energy sources in the near future. PHOTO: Nicola Spingies