The future of power in South Africa is brilliant and bright, brimming with new possibilities where natural resources are being used to power our world. 

Power is now being made by converting sunlight into direct current electricity and it is a new and innovative way of thinking that turns invention into sustainable living. There is a definitive commitment to harnessing the power of renewable energy to transform the lives of millions of South Africans – it is time to say hello to affordable energy today. 

South Africa is the most southern country in Africa and the 25th largest by land area. At present, wind power is delivering in the region of 960 MW to the power grid and solar power has a total of 2 292 MW solar photovoltaic capacity. 

One of the biggest renewable energy projects in South Africa is a 12-billion-rand solar farm situated in the Northern Cape and is now live. 

Engie, the company responsible for this plant, claims that this solar farm is achieving a commercial operation of 100 MW solar in the Northern Cape – one of the largest renewable energy projects. The project which is situated in Kathu will provide clean and reliable energy to 179 000 homes in the local community of the John Taolo Gaetsewe District Municipality, to the Northern Cape and South Africa.   

Interesting facts 

• R12 billion was secured to finance this project 
• The project created 12000 jobs 
• The Kathu Solar Park will save six million tons of CO2 over a twenty-year period 
• Kathu’s Molten Salt storage design guarantees clean energy solutions and has been created to overcome the intermittency of renewable energy 
• The solar plant covers 4.5 square kilometres with 384,000 mirrors 
• It makes use of patented parabolic trough technology 
• The curved solar panels track the movement of the sun 
• It then stores the energy in a molten salt storage system that will allow the plant to keep producing electricity 4.5 hours steadily in the absence of solar radiation 

Some of the important solar farms found is SA: 

• Coega Wind Farm in Coega situated near Port Elizabeth within the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan Municipality and was the very first wind farm built in SA 
• Darling Wind Farm – one of the first two wind farms in SA which is located close to Cape Town 
• Jeffreys Bay Wind Farm which can be found on the outskirts of the coastal town of Jeffreys Bay in the Eastern Cape 
• Gouda Wind Facility in the Western Cape just outside the town of Gouda
• Sere Wind Farm in the Western Cape 

Solar energy, as with all other renewable energies, is very safe and environmentally friendly. There are no emissions as the source of fuel is the sun, unlike coal-powered facilities. 

South Africa has moderate hydroelectric power – this is according to the experts. The establishment of small hydroelectric projects dotted around the country could in all probability assist in providing a sustainable energy supply in the future. 

There are in the region of about 6 000 to 8 000 potential sites for hydroelectricity in the country below 100 MegaWatts; KwaZulu Natal and the Eastern Cape are the best options for these projects, though. 

• The Drakensberg Pumped-Storage Facility is the largest hydroelectric plant within the borders of South Africa – water is brought from the Tugela River in the Vaal watershed to this power plant 
• South Africa’s second-largest plant is situated on the Palmiet River which is just outside Cape Town 

At present, South Africa’s electricity supplier, Eskom, buys power from Mozambique’s Cahora Basa plant, jointly owned by the Mozambican and Portuguese governments which are situated in Mozambique’s western Tete province. 

Eskom is Cahora Basa’s chief customer; power bought from Cahora Basa supplements Eskom’s largely coal-driven electricity supply, which is resold to numerous countries across Africa. 

Hydroelectric plants in South Africa include: 

• Tubatse Pumped Storage Scheme in the Limpopo Province (Roossenekal) – this project is on hold for now, and was referred to as Project Lima previously 
• Ingula Pumped Storage Scheme in Kwa-Zulu Natal 
• Drakensberg Pumped Storage Scheme in the Free State province 
• Gariep Dam in the Free State on the Eastern Cape border 
• The Palmiet Pumped Storage Scheme in the Western Cape 
• Steenbras Power Station (Pumped storage) – Western Cape 
• Vanderkloof Dam – Northern Cape 
• Colley Wobbles Power Station – Eastern Cape 
• Ncora Dam – Ncora Power Station situated in the Eastern Cape 
• Sol Plaatjie Power Station in Bethlehem in the Free State 
• Merino Power Station in the Free State in Bethlehem 

All the above hydroelectricity plants are operational at present, bar Tubatse.  

Renewable energy sources can be found in sunlight (solar), in the air (wind power), deep underground, in our rivers and in our oceans. These are part of the structure of the planet which means that they are continuously being renewed naturally and cannot be depleted. 

There are five types of alternative energy which is being generated and harnessed naturally (good examples are the sun and waves) which are usually the most sustainable forms of energy. 

Solar Energy 

Sunlight is a renewable source of energy and its most direct use is achieved by capturing the energy of the sun. A wide range of solar energy technologies are being incorporated to convert the sun’s light and energy into heat, hot water, electricity and illumination as well as cooling systems for industries and businesses. Photovoltaic systems use solar cells to convert sunlight into energy. 

Wind power 

Since May 2009 eighty countries have agreed to use wind power commercial. South Africa’s first commercial wind farm was established in Darling close to Cape Town in 2008. Wind flow is captured by wind turbines and converted into electricity. On a much smaller scale, windmills are used to pump water on farms. Commercial-grade wind-powered generating systems can meet the renewable energy needs of numerous organisations. 

Geothermal power – power from the Earth 

Geothermal energy is derived from the Earth’s heat which can be sourced close to the surface or from heated rock and reserves of hot water beneath the Earth’s surface. Geothermal energy can form part of a commercial utility energy solution on a large scale or can form a portion of a sustainable practice on a local level. 

Hydroelectricity 

Hydropower has been in use throughout the ages by using waterwheels. The kinetic energy of flowing rivers is captured and converted into hydroelectricity. Probably the most familiar type of hydroelectric power is generated by a system where dams are constructed to store water in reservoirs which, when released, flows through turbines to produce electricity. 

Thermal Ocean Energy and Tidal and Wave Power 

The ocean produces two kinds of energy – these are thermal ocean energy which is energy from the sun’s heat and mechanical energy from the motion of tides and waves. 

Because of a shortage of non-renewable resources, we must consider using alternative sources of energy such as wind and solar power, geothermal power, hydroelectricity, thermal ocean energy and tidal and wave power. 

Electricity moves from areas of high electric potential to areas of low electric potential, travelling from one end of a wire to the opposite end. 

There is one vital job that a surge protector needs to perform, and that is to detect any excess voltage and to then divert the excess electricity into a grounding wire; the very reason why all surge protectors are equipped with a grounding pin (the third prong on an electrical plug). Additionally, all surge protectors must be plugged into a properly grounded outlet for them to work. 

The main culprit of electrical surges are electrical devices that require plenty of power to operate, and all depending on the wiring of your home or office, you may notice at times that the lights flicker when powerful devices are turned on and off– such as air conditioning units. 

If these devices are switched on, they demand plenty of power which puts a strain on the grid and can cause surges. 

Why use a surge protector and why surge protection is necessary 

• A surge protector should be used all the time 
• What matters most is which types of devices should be connected to a surge protector – these include costly electrical devices such as computers, music systems, computers and media centres 
• It is often difficult to find good quality surge protection for your individual requirements, but shopping around and asking professional advice will put you in good stead 

It is important to know that surge protectors only have a limited lifespan depending on how often they are put to work. Even when the surge protector diverts a surge correctly to prevent damage to your electrical devices, the protector itself can be damaged when this process takes place. 

One of the most important features of a surge protector is an indicator light; an indicator light will let you know that your surge protector is in good working condition and if the light no longer works, then it is time to replace your surge protector. 

Surge protection is vital when it comes to protecting electrical devices as it could save your expensive equipment from damage in the long run. 

Electricity is expensive – make no bones about it. The secret is to save wherever you can without it costing you anything. It is time to think smart and to think out of the box so that you can put money back into your bank account instead of forking out more each month. 

Here are fifteen smart (and small), inexpensive ways to save on your power bill 

• Turn off those unnecessary lights – switching off lights an extra couple of hours a day can save you over the long haul – it is time to switch to LED lighting 
• Use task lighting – using side and table lamps, track lighting and under-counter lights instead of ceiling lights will go a long way to saving power 
• Hot water costs money – cutting shower and bath time will save you substantially 
• Always switch off taps when brushing teeth, washing hands or shaving – by reducing your hot water usage you can cut costs  
• Always unplug unused electrical devices – did you know that standby power can account for up to 10% of an average household’s annual electricity use? Always unplug unused electronics  
• You don’t need the air conditioner to run while you are not in the room or not at home. Switch this off always 
• Recycle or donate your old desktop computer and invest in a more energy-efficient laptop model 
• It is time to declutter – start off by getting rid of your old TV – a huge energy consumer 
• Switch off your geyser when you are not using it and only switch in on an hour before you need to bath or shower, and by lowering your thermostat by as little as two degrees you will save up to 5% on your electricity bill 
• Block the sun from windows during the hot summer months – choose sun-filtered blinds in very hot climates 
• During the hot summer months choose to make a barbeque (braai), salads and other fresh meals. Not only will you be a lot healthier, but will save you considerably in power bills 
• Ensure your washing machine loads are always full and washed in cold water 
• Using a tumble dryer is a huge energy devourer – not only will your clothes smell delightful when hung out in the sunshine, it will save you plenty of electricity. A tumble dryer is one of the biggest energy eaters in the home 
• Your fridge and freezer should always be at the right temperature. During very hot spells try not to open the fridge unnecessarily 
• Instead of using the oven, choose to use a griller, electric frying pan, toaster, rotisserie and microwave; a microwave takes 15 minutes to do the same job as 1 hour in an oven. Use a microwave instead of your oven at least four times a week 

There are many ways to save money in the home – the small things will save big in the long haul.