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Kayema wins Energy Company of the Year
Johannesburg-based Kayema Energy
Solutions won the SAEE’s Energy
Company of the Year Award in recognition
of its outstanding achievements in the energy
industry. The award was presented at
the SAEE annual banquet held at Emperors
Palace in November, where the SAEE
Convention and Exhibition for 2010 was
formally opened. Kayema general manager,
James Shirley, was elated with the honour
bestowed on his company and immediately
credited his team by saying, “This is something
all our team can celebrate, having
played their part in winning.”
Competition for the award was tight, but
the overall motivation, together with the
long-term benefits that Kayema’s projects
will have in contributing to the energy security
of South Africa, ultimately resulted in
Kayema scooping the award.
The company has a domestic and commercial
division. The projects commissioned
by Kayema in 2010 will reduce electricity
consumption by an estimated 850 000
kWh per year. Measurement and verification
processes are not always performed on
domestic project savings, however using a
calculation of an average of 8 kWh per day,
Kayema’s high-end system installations for
2011 could achieve savings of over 7,3-million
kWh per year, with a 20 year life-cycle
guaranteed for 10 years.
“That is equivalent to 10 medium-sized
solar farms and these figures do not include
the savings made through various insurance
company replacement schemes, which are
currently being piloted,” he said.
With over 40 years’ experience developing
solar water heating systems, and the
backing of majority shareholder Group Five
Construction, Kayema offers a strong network
of solar water heating professionals
for their SABS approved and internationally
certified products.
As an accredited supplier for the Eskom
demand-side management programme with
access to solar water heating system rebates,
and the company’s project finance offering,
Kayema places access to renewable
energy in reach of the Southern African
community.
The SAEE annually recognizes the outstanding
accomplishments of individuals
and companies in the energy field through
the SAEE Awards Programme. The award
is a token of recognition for the commitment
to the profession and the desire to
further the association’s mission, as well as
for the participation in civic and community
affairs.
Online learning continues to surge
More than five million students enrolled
for online courses in 2009 as more
and more students benefit from the accessibility
and convenience that online learning
offers, claims Ian Yoell, regional director of
Edexcel Southern Africa.
He says there is widespread global debate
about the value of online learning compared
with more traditional methods, because
while electronic learning methods offer
flexibility and improved one-on-one interaction,
traditional methods, with pre-arranged
schedules, set assignments and group interactions,
still provide learners with the
infrastructure needed to sustain effective
education.
South Africa’s educational sector recently
launched an interactive telematics online
learning programme and 14, 000 matriculants
used this system to engage and interact
with lecturers via satellite links.
Yoell says, in the South African context,
this online learning system should be
viewed as a supplementary tool and support
structure for students. He says it is neither
superior nor less effective than traditional
methods.
“Though research substantiates online
learning to be largely positive, learners
and educators should not ignore its constraints,”
says Yoell. For students who opted
for online learning, Yoell has outlined recommended
strategies for success:
• Students must set definitive goals at the
beginning of the course, divide the material
into manageable and realistic segments
and set achievable targets.
• Accountability is increasingly important
in bringing the digital learning experience
into the physical realm.
• Students should join a study group,
identify a learning style, celebrate any
successes and ask as many questions as
necessary to understand the concepts.
Yoell predicts over the next five to ten
years, mobile education, personalised learning
and the collection and application of
relevant data and technology will influence
and improve educational outcome and ultimately
shape the face of e-learning.
‘Distance learning does not render traditional
methods obsolete. As technology
evolves, education will develop alongside it.
The method or channel of instruction does
not determine success. Students need to
learn in an environment best suited to their
needs and capabilities, whether traditional,
online or mobile,’ he says.
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