George Herald | Renewable energy up in smoke

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Renewable energy up in smoke
09:00 (GMT+2), Sat, 04 August 2012

Dr Steve du Toit, from WESSA is convinced that with careful planning and appropriate partnerships, the Garden Route can reverse the spread of invasive alien plants and produce important products such as electricity, building materials and furniture to create sustainable jobs. Photo: Myron Rabinowitz

GEORGE NEWS - Experts in the energy field are warning South Africans that the potential for electricity shortages and impending blackouts on a national scale is reaching an alarming possibility.

In 2010 Cape Cleaner Energy Solutions, a subsidiary of the Central Energy Fund (CEF), announced that an 8 MW Greenfield Biomass to Energy power generation plant was to be constructed at the Sonae Novobord factory in Meul Street in the industrial area.

A buoyant mood prevailed when local business and civic leaders attended a lavish presentation by members of the board and the senior management of the CEF. The engineers led a tour of the premises and the notion that something was going to happen and happen fast was fuelled by the amount of machinery, boilers and steel piping that were already on site.

Kevin Grünewald Director of Electrotechnical Services at the George Municipality was approached for comment as questions are being asked by the public regarding the project which went quiet after the extravagant lunch at the launch. Grünewald said that initially leading up to the launch his department had been in regular contact with the Central Energy Fund but the negotiations were very difficult due to loopholes and lack of clarity in the law.

This resulted in the goalposts being moved continuously. Subsequent to the launch everything went quiet.

In the Annual Report of the Central Energy Fund posted on their website it confirms that the George project was aborted as it was no longer viable due to various unforeseen delays.

Dr. Steve du Toit, Head of Conservation Wildlife & Environment Society of South Africa, Western Cape Region was surprised when asked to comment on the fact that CEF could only secure 60% of the consumable combustion raw material as "alien vegetation is choking the Southern Cape and this project would have given a viable and sustainable financial boost to the Working for Water project".

Du Toit said that maybe this project was tabled too early and called on the municipality to take the lead and engage all interested parties so that the renewable biomass to energy concept can be revived in George.

In response to du Toit's request to meet and engage with roleplayers, Grünewald said the Electrical Department is meeting and having discussions with investors and other interested parties regarding this and other similar projects on a regular basis.

ARTICLE: MYRON RABINOWITZ