Read the full Annual Report in PDF format - CSIR

The demand for energy in South Africa is still on the rise; every new home
and every new factory need electricity. The challenge of supply is further
compounded by the need to drastically reduce the carbon footprint while also
reducing the impact on our water resources, as South Africa is a water-scarce
country that faces a growing water demand. The CSIR’s vision in this respect
speaks directly to the challenge of providing technology that will ensure an
energy-secure, low-carbon, national economy with a reduced negative impact
on water resources. To achieve this, the organisation focuses on:
• High-temperature, concentrating solar power
• Clean coal technology
• Bio-energy
• Batteries and fuel cells
• Decision-support tools
The next two pages feature a project which speaks to the CSIR’s vision for
the future of energy. Researchers are creating a concentrating solar thermal
power station as a small scale research facility. They hope to demonstrate
pressurised thermal storage that will allow a gas turbine generator to function
when the sun is not shining, and consuming no water in the power cycle.
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