Green Economy Journal Issue 39
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G r e e n
Economy
journal
Issue 39
R29.00 incl VAT
9 772410 645003
11025
Water Risks quality and availability
Green Finance a unicorn no more!
Infrastructure decoupling rand and ruin
New Skillforce greening our economy
#BeWaterSmart
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Contents
ISSUE 39
06
12
04
06
10
12
14
15
16
NEWS & SNIPPETS
WATER STORAGE
When business-as-usual is no longer
an option
PROFILE
Toyota’s environmental programme
ECONOMY
Sustainable finance: a gamechanger for SA
ECONOMY
A guide to carbon tax submissions
INFRASTRUCTURE
Decoupling economic growth from
environmental harm
THOUGHT LEADERSHIP
Focusing on the action and not the words
19 PROFILE
NCPC-SA impacting skills development
20 BIOENERGY
Wasted food, wasted water, wasted economy
22 EVENTS
CTICC and corporate sustainability
20
24 ENERGY
Green jobs are good for the economy
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1
Keep plastic bottles in use.
Always recycle.
Lightweight, shatterproof and, above all, convenient for our
daily lives. It’s no secret that plastic bottles are very useful
in our modern society. But only when they are discarded
irresponsibly or thoughtlessly after use, do they end up
polluting. By choosing to recycle, you’re ensuring that they
can become bottles yet again. This eliminates the chance that
they harm the environment, creates income opportunities for
many individuals involved in their collection and processing,
and contributes positively to our country’s GDP.
Recycling PET plastic bottles ensures that a circular economy
is established where their value can continue indefinitely.
16 BILLION
PET bottles collected
for recycling
R6.6 BILLION
injected into South
Africa’s economy
68 000
income opportunities
created**
1905356_FP_E
** 2018 specifically
Now that COVID-19 is upon us, all other issues appear small and
somewhat irrelevant, but that could not be further from the truth.
As we adapt to our new reality, the question, apart from how can
I play my role in delaying the spread of this virus, is what will the
world be like after COVID-19?
That answer depends to some degree on just how severe the
pandemic becomes, and God-willing, South Africa will somehow
shallow dip out of the worst of it.
G r e e n
Economy
journal
Editor-in-Chief:
Gordon Brown
I predict a world of greater caution, greater attention to detail.
One in which health and freedoms are no longer taken for
granted, and I believe this will extend to the broader health of
the world around us.
I predict new standards, higher levels of compliance, and more
regulation. In short, those companies already leading the way in
respect of governance and stewardship will emerge with an even
greater competitive advantage, and the rest will be left behind.
In these circumstances, I see the green economy becoming even
more mainstream, with companies being expected to do what’s
right for all stakeholders and being rewarded with loyalty and the
concomitant success that flows from such a market positioning.
PRODUCTION MANAGER:
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PUBLISHER:
Alexis Knipe
CDC Design
Danielle Solomons
danielle@greeneconomy.media
Munya Jani
Vania Reyneke
Gerard Jeffcote
FA Print
www.greeneconomy.media
info@greeneconomy.media
munya@greeneconomy.media
alexis@greeneconomy.media
Gordon Brown
It may be that green economy solutions, which are intrinsically
clean and healthy, will ultimately prevail. A vision that is borne out
of two extremes: the vulnerability to COVID-19 of communities
living with respiratory illnesses along the coal belts near Witbank,
and the desperate efforts by Saudi Arabia to capitalise on their
vast stockpiles of oil as the end of the combustion engine starts
to crystallise on the horizon.
And all at once - a ray of hope of the appears through the soot:
Eskom releases a request for proposals for independent power
generation! Somehow, it’s a good day.
gordon@greeneconomy.media
PHYSICAL ADDRESS: 21 Selous Rd
Claremont
7709
Cape Town
REG NUMBER: 2005/003854/07
VAT Number: 4750243448
ISSN NUMBER: 2410-6453
PUBLICATION DATE: March 2020
Yours,
G r e e n
Economy
journal
PUBLISHER
It may be that green economy solutions,
which are intrinsically clean and
healthy, will ultimately prevail.
Issue 39
R29.00 incl VAT
9 772410 645003
Water Risks quality and availability
Green Finance a unicorn no more!
Infrastructure decoupling rand and ruin
Green Economy Journal
is audited by ABC
11025
New Skillforce greening our economy
Cover image: Courtesy of Veolia Water
All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced or transmitted in any way or in any form without the prior written permission of the Publisher. The opinions expressed herein are not
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and permissions. The Publisher does not endorse any claims made in the publication by or on behalf of any organisations or products. Please address any concerns in this regard to the Publisher.
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3
News & Snippets
the IPP process. CTF sought to interdict the
conclusion by Eskom of the then-pending
PPAs with 3 bid window 4 IPPs, which had not
been signed when they argued their case. CTF
further argued in its founding affidavit that
the renewables programme would impact
negatively on Eskom’s financial performance.
SAWEA CEO Ntombifuthi Ntuli welcomed this
final judgement issued by the Supreme Court of
Appeal, handed down earlier this year.
Perdekraal East Wind Farm
SAWEA
SAWEA WELCOMES COURT RULING
The South African Wind Energy Association
(SAWEA) has welcomed a judgement by the
Supreme Court of Appeal dismissing a case
brought by the Coal Transporters Forum (CTF)
to set aside power purchase agreements (PPAs)
with preferred bidders.
CTF had argued that the court should declare
null and void all Round 4 PPAs signed by Eskom
with IPPs at the time because it claimed that
the National Energy Regulator of SA (NERSA)
had not properly approved the section 34
authorisation, which was a pre-requisite for
Ntombifuthi Ntuli
SOUTH AFRICAN KIDS
LEARN ABOUT RENEWABLES
English, Afrikaans, Xhosa and Setswana speaking
children are learning about the role that wind
power is playing as the world transitions to
renewable through a beautifully illustrated
storybook, aptly named ‘Let the Wind Blow’.
“The amazingly insightful tale of the desire
for a healthier planet, inspired by a conversation
between two mums, a Polish wind advocate
and a British journalist, as well as a talented
young Iranian artist who brings the story to
life, is a great way to gently teach our country’s
4
According to a CarbonBrief analysis it is estimated that the
coronavirus cut China’s carbon emissions by 25% over a period of
four weeks.
young children about benefits of wind energy.
The South African version has also been
contextualised, which makes it easier for our
children to relate to,” explained Ntombifuthi
Ntuli, CEO of South African Wind Energy
Association (SAWEA).
SAWEA has taken the opportunity to make
this book available to schools, libraries and
parents, both in print and electronic versions.
To download your copy visit https://sawea.
org.za/let-the-wind-blow/
Water scarcity:
not understanding
what is needed
“Water scarcity is the next big threat we face
in the coming months as the coronavirus
pandemic spreads, particularly in our country
where there is a wide gap between ‘first’ and
‘third’ worlds. Not having access to water
to frequently wash hands could mean the
difference between life or death for some,” says
Mannie Jnr. Ramos, COO of Abeco, the world’s
first ‘bank’ for water and leader in hygienic
water storage solutions in Africa for over
35 years.
Ramos does not welcome calling attention
to this fact while our country is facing concerns
around safety and their livelihoods, due to
Covid-19. “This issue has to be voiced,” he says,
“there is a very real threat to those living in
areas where water is not accessible. In addition,
the drain on existing water resources which are
already in crisis needs to be addressed in our
coronavirus crisis planning, sooner rather than
later.”
By 2030 over a third of the world population
will be living in significant water stress, including
many of the countries and regions that drive
global economic growth, with an estimated
40% gap between demand and supply.
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News & Snippets
PLASTICS SA HELPS LAUNCH
WASTE NETWORK
No rush for
renewables
As part of the African Marine Waste Network,
various projects have been initiated around
South Africa to stem the tide of marine pollution.
Although activities are currently coordinated
and managed by the Clean Surf Project, a
South Coast steering committee has been
formed consisting of industry, government and
environmental organisations.
“Launching the KZN Marine Waste Network
South Coast is directly aligned with the aims and
objectives set by the SA Initiative to End Plastic
Waste, i.e. solving the issue of plastic in the
The voice of the public
South Africa is a developing nation, however, advancement in development does not come
without its environmental impacts. Environmental Impact Assessments (EIAs) play an important
role in ensuring the environmental and social impacts are mitigated as much as possible. Equally
as important is including the voice of the public in the EIA process.
Reputation Matters has launched its public participation service to support environmental
practitioners and developers with the public participation process. The purpose of public
participation is to provide a source of information for the public about the EIA and proposed
development. It also allows stakeholders to register as interested and affected parties (I&APs) to
submit their comments, concerns and recommendations.
Public participation is a vital component to the EIA process and will largely influence the
Department of Environmental Affairs’ decision to approve a development based on the EIA.
www.reputationmatters.co.za
February 2020: Minister of Mineral Resources
and Energy Gwede Mantashe cautioned that the
department would not be rushed by renewable
energy lobbyists to open the renewable energy
IPP procurement programme’s bid window 5.
He emphasised that the S34 determinations –
which would allow municipalities to procure
electricity from IPPs – need to first be concurred
with by the energy regulator before this bid
window can be opened.
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa
(NERSA) received two ministerial determinations
enabling Government to procure emergency
and utility-scale projects to address the
electricity deficit plaguing South Africa.
In terms of the legal framework, both
the National Energy Regulator Act and the
Promotion of Administrative Justice Act (PAJA)
require NERSA to observe procedural fairness
and allow for public consultation in its decisionmaking
processes.
Following from this, an expedited publicparticipation
process by NERSA or potentially
even dispensing with the entire publicparticipation
process may be permissible
and necessary to enable a swift response by
Government to close the existing electricity
supply deficit of 30 000MW.
Africa’s move towards solar energy is rapidly underway
According to industry experts, the future scope
of solar energy for Africa is extensive and has
seen exponential growth in the past few years.
The continent has experienced a growth of over
1.8 GW of new solar installations, with 1.4 GW
related to photovoltaic (PV) installations, which
is a considerable increase from the 786MW that
was connected in 2017. In 2016, South Africa
had 1329MW of installed solar power capacity
and this capacity is expected to reach 8400MW
by 2030.
African nations and their respective municipalities
lack the available grid infrastructure
and required funding to upgrade the
existing network or grid. Owing to the lack of
infrastructure upgrades, along with the rising
cost of fuel and electricity, an increasing number
of companies are transitioning to solar. This is
not only to yield the associated returns but to
gain access to reliable power.
Successful implementation of solar is
futile without regional cooperation to enable
expediting the process of implementing solar
under a single framework. As most municipalities
operate completely independently from one
environment. It is significant in its ability to unite
industry partners around a common goal and
we are very excited about the future possibilities
that this project holds. Not only does it offer a
very real environmental solution for reducing
waste in the environment, but it will also have
very positive socio-economic spin-offs for local
communities thanks to future job creation and
youth development. We are truly fortunate to be
part of such a significant initiative,” says Douw
Steyn, Plastics SA.
www.plasticsinfo.co.za
another, this consequently implies that they are
unable to foresee or understand the benefits
or the process of such regional integration
initiatives.
Addressing Africa’s large and persistent
power deficit is key to achieving economic
and social targets. There is significant potential
for solar power, both at the utility and off-grid
scale, to assist in reducing this shortfall. This is
because of the given high solar irradiation in
many countries, as well as the declining price of
PV equipment in recent years.
Governments increasingly see both forms
of solar power as critical to their electrification
objectives. In an endeavour to increase investment
on the continent’s solar front, African ministers are
encouraging international investors to participate
in solar Power Purchase Agreement (PPA)
processes and are empowering them to own and
operate solar farms in their own capacity.
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5
Water Management
When business-as-usual
is no longer an option
By JAMES CULLIS, AURECON
With increasing pressure from population growth and the need for water to support
economic growth, South Africa’s water security is at risk. Additional threats are posed by
climate change, land-use changes, declining water quality, and catchment degradation.
only is it vital that South Africa continues to invest in the
development of its physical water infrastructure systems,
“Not
but we must also invest in the people who manage these
systems and maintain our critical ecological infrastructure such as
wetlands, catchments, groundwater aquifers, and river systems,” Aurecon
Technical Director James Cullis attests.
South Africa has always been a water-stressed country and has
developed a complex and highly integrated bulk water distribution
system. Johannesburg is the only global city to be located on a continental
divide, while South Africa has one of the highest numbers of large dams
per capita globally. Therefore, the country’s water-resource expertise and
legislation are respected globally.
“Investing in technical and institutional capacity, improved operations,
water-use efficiency, and the development of decision support systems
is particularly important as we become increasingly dependent on these
more complex and stressed water-supply systems. We also need to balance
the trade-off between competing demands for an increasingly scarce
resource. Financial constraints and a lack of capacity and accountability
for the management of our water resources is a constraint requiring
innovative solutions, particularly in Africa,” Cullis elaborates.
There are still significant opportunities for improved water-use efficiency
through replacing old pipes, reducing leaks, and by implementing new
technologies such as low-flush toilets, improved irrigation systems,
and pressure-management devices. Smart technologies, improved
monitoring, and operational decision support systems are also critical to
reduce wastage.
The future will see a transition to more diverse and alternative
water-supply options. In particular, the potential for increased reuse of
wastewater for both direct and indirect purposes has many advantages.
This is increasingly recognised as an important water-supply option for the
future, particularly for landlocked countries or regions, including Gauteng.
Demand management will, however, continue to be an important
component for managing the variability of water supply.
“The private sector will have an increasing role in coming up with longterm
water solutions,” Cullis elaborates. Trends include a general move
towards more decentralised water supply and treatment solutions, just the
same as is happening for energy, but the private sector will also be critical
in terms of providing the financing as part of Public-Private Partnerships
(PPPs) for water.
“We have undertaken water resource planning and feasibility studies for
alternative water-supply options, including deep groundwater aquifers,
desalination, and direct and in-direct potable re-use. We are assisting
municipalities in terms of access to financing, development of their digital
transformation strategy, and the development of decision support systems
to improve operational efficiencies and reduce losses,” Cullis concludes.
We need to balance the trade-off
between competing demands for an
increasingly scarce resource.
*Aurecon undertakes advisory, planning and engineering design for water infrastructure, as well as hydrology, water-resource planning and feasibility studies across Africa.
Aurecon is currently in the process of rebranding as Zutari, after officially announcing the separation of the African business from the Aurecon Group, effective from 1 January 2020.
6
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Water Management
Urban Water
Photos by JG Afrika
Management
BY BENJAMIN BIGGS, CIVIL ENGINEER, JG AFRIKA
The uninterrupted availability for clean water for many industries is a prerequisite
for operations. To what extent are companies in South Africa at risk of interruptions
in the supply of water, or the supply of quality water of the required standard?
Cape Town’s Drought of the Century forever changed the City’s
urban water management landscape. Declared as a disaster
area in May 2017, the City of Cape Town faced severe level 6b
water restrictions – up to 50 litres per person per day. Residents and
businesses alike experienced considerable water tariff increases. The
possibility of Day Zero threatened business continuity and precipitated
a necessary discussion on the value of water as a resource.
Cape Town’s water comes almost entirely from surface water resources
(i.e. rainfall run-off into dams), which is captured and stored in six major
reservoirs around the city. Supply dependence on surface water resources
can reduce supply resilience to climatic shocks, such as drought.
Considering tariff increases and supply stresses; reducing domestic and
commercial water demand; as well as associated water costs has become
important for industries, homeowners and businesses. Consumption in
toilets, taps, showers and irrigation typically comprise 60-80% of potable
use in domestic and commercial areas and targeting these water uses
became the focus for demand reduction strategies.
Interestingly, business continuity, rather than savings on utility bills,
became a primary motivation for de-centralised alternative supply.
Water Sensitive Design (WSD)
WSD is a globally accepted concept that addresses the limitations of
conventional urban water management. It integrates all aspects of the
water cycle with urban design to provide economic, environmental and
social (sustainability) benefits. These principles form a framework through
which sustainable water management can be achieved.
Fit-for-purpose
‘Fit-for-purpose’ use is important when selecting a suitable alternative
supply for a local site. Not all water supply needs to be a potable (drinking)
standard. The application, available quantities and associated risk should
determine the level of treatment incorporated. Non-potable use within
buildings often necessitates altering plumbing networks – a process that
is the easiest to incorporate during the design stage.
Source diversification
Source diversification provides resilience against climatic shocks, such
as drought. This requires identifying and matching suitable alternative
sources with appropriate application(s).
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Alternative supply
CASE STUDY: STELLENBOSCH UNIVERSITY
GREYWATER SYSTEM
These principles were applied in the design and operation of a greywater
system at Stellenbosch University (SUN). One of the largest of its kind in
Africa and a Water Category winner at the 2019 South African Institution of
Civil Engineering (SAICE) Western Cape Regional Awards, the system was
designed to provide fit-for-purpose water for SUN.
Once both installation phases have been completed, the network will
flush over 1 300 toilets used by about 25 000 university students to meet
a significant portion of campus water supply and supplement campus
irrigation. During term time, up to 75 m 3 /day of greywater can be treated
and reused (Phase 1). This capacity could be increased to between 150 and
200 m 3 /day after Phase 2.
Eight representative buildings on campus were assessed and modelled.
Water characteristics from each type were then extrapolated across
campus to other similar buildings and calibrated against utility data to
develop a comprehensive campus water balance. Interventions focused
on the top 40 users, comprising 80% of total water demand and the
WSD principles were then applied according to the Water-Management
Hierarchy. Notably, campus interventions introduced as part of the first
“reduce” stage of the Water-Management Hierarchy decreased potable
water use during the drought by more than 50%.
Alternative water supplies were then investigated. The Water Masterplan
identified treated greywater reuse on campus as a viable alternative
Photo by JG Afrika
SUN greywater treatment plant and storage facility.
7
Water Management
Inside the treatment plant container.
supply. JG Afrika was appointed to implement a campus-wide greywater
reuse system for toilet flushing and irrigation.
In this system, shower greywater from selected residences is isolated
from blackwater and redirected into the collection system via sumps,
manholes and grit traps and distributed to a treatment plant.
The treatment plant on-site can treat, store and distribute up to 100m³ of
greywater a day at a peak supply of 6 l/s. Treatment steps include primary
sedimentation, aeration, solids removal/physical filtration and disinfection/
sterilisation using hydrogen peroxide dosing. The treated water is stored
in tanks at the treatment plant for daily use and in future (Phase 2), excess
greywater will be boosted into the existing irrigation network.
Treated greywater is pumped to a header tank with a booster system
situated on the roof of a residence to pressurise the non-potable network,
which includes a municipal potable supply backup. Plumbed directly into
the toilets, this network plans to be expanded to supply and collect from
additional campus buildings during the second phase of the project.
Photo by JG Afrika
and a booster system, was installed for flushing toilets and irrigation. This
system enabled off-grid use for between six and eight months of the year
and increased municipal saving to 83% from the baseline year.
The combined savings realised by the rainwater harvesting system
and efficient fixtures under drought tariffs enable a payback of three to
four years for all water optimisation measures. With an alternative supply
available, the risk of closing the office should Day Zero arrive was also
eradicated and business continuity guaranteed.
CONCLUSIONS FROM CASE STUDIES
WSUD principles, applied to the Stellenbosch University Campus using ‘The
Water Management Hierarchy,’ improved the campus water sustainability.
The SUN greywater was designed to improve campus supply resilience
and provide ‘fit-for-purpose’ water.
JG Afrika demonstrated that demand reduction measures – regardless
of implementation scale – can be simple, cost-effective and result in better
than expected savings. Installation of efficient fixtures typically does not
require behaviour change and only minor maintenance. These measures
can be implemented by a local plumbing team and do not usually depend
upon additional technical assistance.
Furthermore, rainwater harvesting when used alongside efficient
fittings can be highly effective in maintaining business continuity during a
drought and reducing utility bills.
Implementing similar measures to these two case studies on a larger
scale could considerably alleviate pressures on regional and national water
supply and enable water savings in other offices, homes and campuses.
*Benjamin Biggs is a civil engineer in JG Afrika’s Municipal Infrastructure and
Sustainability divisions.
8
Interestingly, business continuity,
rather than savings on utility bills,
became a primary motivation for
de-centralised alternative supply.
Alternative supply
CASE STUDY: JG AFRIKA’S RAINWATER SYSTEM
During the drought conditions in the Western Cape, JG Afrika’s Cape
Town office decided to install a rainwater-harvesting system to provide
an alternative source of water should municipal supply cease to be
readily available.
Implemented as early as 2011, JG Afrika’s demand-side management
at its office had already recorded a 73% saving in water use. Retrofitted
old water fixtures with water-saving items began in 2013 through a series
of water-saving interventions, including reduced irrigation time and
waterless urinals.
Further measures, such as hold-flush toilets, low-flow taps and showers
were undertaken in 2016 and 2017. Educational information on the effects
of the drought and responsibilities of the consumer was distributed
to staff and engagement on the suitability of installed fixtures was
facilitated regularly with employees. Water-efficient retrofits kept office
water use below level 6b water restriction targets and reduced utility bills
considerably.
Once demand had been reduced, a rainwater harvesting system –
comprising 30kl of storage, activated carbon filtration and UV-sterilisation
The Water Management Hierarchy
WSD principles can be implemented through this JG Afrika strategy
comprising three stages.
i. After a mandatory baseline assessment is undertaken to develop
a site water balance that provides an understanding of water use
on-site, JG Afrika first focuses on reducing demand. This can be
done by, inter alia, installing efficient fittings; addressing leaks;
educating staff/users and encouraging behavioural change; as
well as managing system pressures. Importantly, reducing demand
is emphasised before implementing alternative supply solutions.
This step is critical in decreasing quantities of alternative supply
required and, in so doing, reducing installation, operation and
maintenance costs, as well as utility bills, while also facilitating
good stewarding of precious water resources. Many projects have
saved over 50% in water use after implementing these measures.
ii. The second stage entails reusing greywater and rainwater in ‘fitfor-purpose’
applications, such as toilet flushing and irrigation
iii. Alternative supply from more conventional sources, such as
borehole abstraction in conjunction with sustainable drainage
systems managed aquafer recharge, river abstraction and treated
wastewater reuse, are assessed in the final stage as a last resort.
Local world-class initiatives
- Working for Water programme, administered by the
Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA)
- Working for Wetlands joint initiative by the DEA and other
bodies
- Greater Cape Town Water Fund
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Profile
A Sustainable
Post-Mining Future:
The Reuse Potential of AMD
By Tamsyn Grewar and Kerri du Preez (Biotechnology Division of Mintek)
Mining is a significant driver of the South African economy, however a lack of enforcement
of regulations has left a legacy of environmental and socio-economic impacts, including
uninhabitable land and acid mine drainage (AMD). The AMD produced from our gold
and coal mines contains abnormally high levels of sulphate with relatively low metal
concentrations, which is a uniquely South African problem.
In view of the anticipated number of mines due to close in the near
future, the impact of uncontrolled and untreated decant of acid water
on the environment and communities will be significant and severe,
including:
1. Serious and long-term consequences for community health
2. Contamination of natural water bodies
3. Unavoidable job losses
Currently, South Africa does not have a commercially available,
sustainable solution for the treatment of AMD. We need to look at finding
integrated solutions to solving the most immediate challenges around
AMD treatment, instead of trying to solve this problem in isolation. A truly
sustainable solution should address the Triple Bottom Line: Society, the
Environment and the Economy.
Innovators in the sustainability arena are proactively investigating
new ways of sharing resources between industries. Two of the largest
combined water users in South Africa are mining and agriculture, and a
strategic marriage of these two industries, at least in part, could make a
significant contribution to addressing the damage caused by our mining
legacy.
Over the past few years Mintek’s Biotechnology Division has been
developing a biological process for the treatment of AMD. Mintek’s
cloSURE TM technology employs biological sulphate reduction, facilitated
by a complex consortium of microbes. It has been developed as a low-cost,
low-maintenance technology for treatment of AMD, and is particularly
suitable for treating small point sources in remote locations that lack
services and infrastructure, such as mines after closure.
cloSURE TM takes a three-pronged approach to mine water treatment,
by removing metals, increasing pH and removing sulphate to below
limits required for safe discharge or reuse. It also produces relatively small
volumes of waste in comparison to current treatment alternatives, such as
high density sludge processes. The process overcomes the obstacle of high
substrate costs by utilising organic waste products, including cow manure.
cloSURE TM consists of a number of stages. AMD typically has a pH
between 2 and 3. Currently a partial neutralisation step is required, since
the sulphate reducing bacteria have a lower pH limit of around 5. However
the cloSURE group at Mintek is undertaking research to overcome this
issue so as to eliminate the pre-treatment step and the associated costs.
Mintek’s pilot plant located at a coal mine in Mpumalanga
The pre-neutralised AMD is then treated in two successive steps. Stage 1
employs anaerobic sulphate reduction, while Stage 2 facilitates aerobic
sulphide oxidation. Stage 1 does most of the heavy lifting in terms of water
treatment, by removing sulphates, metals and further neutralising the
effluent. Stage 2 is primarily a polishing step to remove excess sulphide and
any remaining metals of concern prior to re-use.
To date, the process has been piloted at a local coal mine treating 300L
of AMD a day. Preliminary data shows that the treated water would be
of a suitable quality to irrigate a number of hardy crops grown on the
Mpumalanga Highveld, including maize, wheat, potatoes and sorghum.
The next phase will demonstrate the treatment and re-use of the water in
irrigated crop trials with local partners.
The primary objective of the cloSURE TM process is to produce treated
water that is fit for re-use in irrigated agriculture. An alternative water
resource and rehabilitated mine land has the potential to create agriindustrial
hubs which would promote entrepreneurship, and employment
in local communities.
The broader vision of the project encompasses skills development and
new inclusive economies around mine water in the Mpumalanga region.
Such an approach to protect community health and water resources,
while promoting socio-economic development of affected communities,
has the potential to change the post-mining landscape of South Africa.
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Profile
Toyota
ramping up
environmental programmes
in South Africa
Halfway Toyota George is a green dealership
and the current holder of the Toyota
Environmental Dealer of the Year
Toyota South Africa Motors has been
an enthusiastic and very active supporter
of local environmental initiatives for many
years, participating in public projects
such as beach and river clean-ups as
well as having long-running, structured
programmes for the company itself and
its dealers.
10
A
strategy is now being implemented to ramp up the programme
on all levels in South Africa, particularly at the 219 Toyota
and Lexus dealerships countrywide. There is also a strategy
to increase public awareness of all these eco-friendly actions at the
dealerships which benefit local communities as well as the environment.
“We are keen to encourage other automotive vehicle dealerships in
South Africa to get involved in environmental projects to show consumers
a caring attitude by the local motor industry as a whole,” says John
Thomson, Vice President – Service, at Toyota South Africa Motors (TSAM).
“Driving environmental programmes is a win-win situation for all involved
and that is why we are now stepping up our dealer programme.”
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Rainwater is collected and water recycled at Halfway Toyota George
Halfway Toyota George’s service manager, Frans de Winnaar, checking daily
environmental compliance at the dealership
Solar panels on the roof of Halfway Toyota, George.
An initial step, taken many years ago, was for all dealers to sign a
commitment to support TSAM’s environmental programme. This has
expanded over the years into a structured, sophisticated programme that
has become more comprehensive over time, with a set of standards that
require compliance.
Each dealership has a chief environmental officer with the seniority and
correct reporting line. He or she can take any transgressions to the dealer
principal and institute remedial action immediately.
Already 200 of the Toyota and Lexus dealerships have attained Toyota’s
ECO-3 standard, which included several of the relevant, key elements of
the international ISO 14001 standard. Now the Toyota benchmark has
been raised to ECO-3 Advanced which brings it in line with recent revisions
to the ISO 14001 standard. TSAM uses its own standards because obtaining
ISO 14001 certification would be extremely onerous and expensive for
individual dealerships.
“Our objective now is to get the dealers to an ECO-3 Advanced
level which puts even more focus on reducing Greenhouse Gas (GHG)
emissions, promotes a recycling culture that minimises waste to landfill
and optimises water usage,” explained Charles Classen and Gregory Molise
who drives the dealer environmental programme for Toyota SA.
The ultimate driver of this programme is the Toyota Environmental
Challenge 2050 which was launched globally in October 2015 and aims to
make Toyota the most environmentally responsible motor manufacturer
in the world. Here in South Africa, the requirements and solutions are very
much homegrown to suit local conditions and resources with the aim of
continued positive results.
The main tool used to manage progress is the Dealer Environmental
Risk Audit Programme (DERAP), where dealers have to undertake
Bins used for waste separation at the Dealer.
self-audits twice a year to monitor compliance. This process involves the
dealer evaluating five fundamental points comprising of 16 assessment
points to demonstrate compliance. The Toyota field staff provide an
additional checkpoint at each dealer to verify conformance.
Dealers are encouraged to voluntarily implement action plans to
reduce pollution and natural resource usage, specifically in terms of
energy generation, water consumption and waste-to-landfill generated.
Dealers are urged to precisely measure and evaluate the impacts of their
activities on the environment and the outcomes of actions to improve
the situation.
Toyota uses the carrot instead of the stick to encourage enthusiastic
involvement by the dealers in the environmental projects and this strategy
is working. The rewards include incentive bonuses with the ultimate yearly
prize for best dealer carrying with it an overseas trip.
Halfway Toyota in George is the current holder of this title, which
followed the relocation of the dealership to new premises that included
a number of design elements and installations to minimise energy
consumption and dependency on the municipal water supply.
Installation of 288 solar panels on the roof is capable of supplying
more than enough power for the dealership. LED lights are used in the
workshop, while louvres in the roof permit natural light, thereby reducing
electricity use substantially. Three large tanks collect rainwater, while
recycled water is used for the car wash, which has a sophisticated filter
system that permits in excess of 50 cars a day to be washed.
“We continue to make significant progress in terms of decreasing
Toyota’s environmental footprint in all aspects of our business and the
latest programme changes will help us retain our reputation as a caring
company,” concluded John Thomson.
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ECONOMY
Rising adoption of
sustainable finance
will boost South Africa’s green economy
BY NIGEL BECK, HEAD OF SUSTAINABLE FINANCE AND RENTIA VAN TONDER,
HEAD OF POWER FOR STANDARD BANK
South African companies are showing unprecedented interest in sustainable finance
solutions – a trend that will give further impetus to the country’s green economy.
Globally, sustainable debt issuances surged 60% to a record high
of US$415bn in 2019, according to Bloomberg data. While green
bonds still account for more than half of all issuances, green
loans and sustainability loans are starting to gain traction.
For the time being, South Africa is behind the curve when it comes to
the adoption of sustainable finance. But we are seeing a sharp increase in
interest from corporate clients, who are considering new opportunities to
initiate and implement renewable energy projects, ensure their buildings
are ‘green’, and to launch water- and energy-efficiency initiatives.
Opportunities abound in every sector. A 2019 study by advisory firm
Consulting for Sustainable Solutions found that in the property sector,
there is much-untapped potential for sustainable finance. In the residential
segment, R216bn worth of property in South Africa currently meets the
Climate Bonds Initiative’s requirements for certification, while R4.7bn
worth of commercial property meets those requirements.
However, as per the green-building principles, more than R100bn worth
of commercial property could qualify as green buildings. There are already
more than 500 certified green buildings in South Africa, according to the
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Green Building Council of South Africa. Collectively, these buildings are
yielding significant water and electricity efficiencies, easing the strain on
our natural resources.
In response to heightened demand from clients for sustainable and
impactful investment expertise, Standard Bank Group recently formed a
sustainable finance business unit. This unit has raised a US$200m green
bond, which it will use to finance eligible green projects – renewable
energy, energy efficiency, water efficiency and green buildings.
Renewable energy comes to the fore
We are currently seeing a surge in demand for decentralised renewable
energy projects, where clients can reduce their reliance on the national
grid through self-generation.
This trend has been boosted by Government’s positive comments
towards support to unlock the regulatory environment to allow companies
to produce their own power – one of several steps underway to open up
the market. There is a strong demand for renewable energy within the
mining industry, which is on a drive to raise environmental, social and
governance (ESG) scores as investors promote the sustainability agenda.
Thanks to sharp cost declines, solar power solutions are more attractive
than before, and costs are still coming down. There are now numerous
providers of modular solar technologies, and the industry is benefiting
from global learnings and best practices that have been developed over
the years. And while the accompanying energy storage units remain
relatively expensive, these costs are declining with technology becoming
more bankable.
Further, demand for decentralised power is being partly driven by
continued instances of load-shedding and steep tariff hikes for companies
tied to the national grid, which is expected to continue for at least another
18 months (in the case of South Africa).
Industrial firms too are expressing a renewed interest in off-grid solutions,
particularly rooftop solar installations, focusing on the reliable and
sustainable supply of power. In most cases, hybrid solutions are considered,
contracted over a 10- to 15-year period to support price certainty.
While South Africa remains Africa’s biggest market for renewable
energy, neighbouring countries including Namibia, Mozambique and
Botswana are following a similar path, as are others across the continent.
There is pent-up demand for sustainable finance that unlocks these
projects, and we believe the market is set to grow rapidly now that more
funding solutions are being brought to market.
Government playing its part
The Government is also taking steps to stimulate the green economy.
In his budget speech, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni said the carbon
tax will bring in R1.75bn over the next few months, and that this will be
complemented by more focussed spending on climate change mitigation.
The carbon tax is aimed at encouraging a shift towards cleaner sources
of energy and is underpinned by the fact that the urgent need to address
climate change need not be at the expense of economic growth.
The first phase of the carbon tax’s implementation, which runs to 2022,
is about sensitising the market to the pricing of carbon emissions and
involves relatively modest tax rates. However, with rates set to increase in
phase two, companies need to be as prepared as possible.
A business-as-usual scenario is no longer an option and we must take
appropriate action to help transition our economy onto a low-carbon
growth path, as articulated in South Africa’s National Development Plan.
The carbon tax is one of the policy instruments in play to nudge the
economy onto a sustainable trajectory.
We see the next two to three years as being a critical window for
the green economy – a period in which many far-reaching policy and
investment decisions will be made.
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Climate change is one of the
greatest issues of our time,
and banks have an essential
role to play in reducing the
carbon-intensity of the
world economy.
Encouragingly, the world-renowned renewable energy independent
power producer programme (REIPPP) is gaining fresh momentum.
Minister Mboweni said bid window four of the programme is being
accelerated, while the rapid decline in renewable energy prices bodes well
for the next round of bidding.
A large number of international and local groups are gearing themselves
up for future bidding rounds, and the local banking sector is positioning
itself accordingly.
Government has also launched a Request for Information (RFI) for
the procurement of emergency power through a Medium-Term Power
Procurement Program (MTPPP) for 2-3GW. The Department of Mineral
Resources and Energy (DMRE) will communicate next steps in due course. At
the same time, it will soon be possible for financially healthy municipalities
to buy electricity directly from independent power producers.
The budget document shows that of the 91 active renewable energy
projects, 64 are already operational – adding about 4 gigawatts of power
to the national grid. The 27 projects that are currently under construction
are expected to add another 2.4 gigawatts to the grid.
As the next round of bidding gets underway, and as private companies
move towards decentralised solutions while municipalities procure their
own power, renewable energy is set to account for an increasingly larger
portion of South Africa’s energy mix.
Alongside the trend towards green buildings and the adoption of
water- and energy-efficiency initiatives, this augurs well for South Africa’s
green economy.
Broad approach needed
All organisations should be considering green initiatives and finance
solutions as investors increasingly shift their mandates towards
sustainability. A focus for Standard Bank will be looking at opportunities
aligned to its sustainable bond framework. These include renewable
power projects – including wind, solar, hydropower, biomass, biogas and
geothermal projects – and initiatives to replace refrigerants with loweremission
alternatives.
Climate change adaptation projects – for instance, the expansion or
maintenance of flood defence systems – could also qualify, as can initiatives
to increase the resilience of agribusinesses against climate change.
Energy efficiency projects, green buildings, green transportation and
pollution-control initiatives could also qualify.
These initiatives will help to ensure sustainable economic growth and
the safeguarding of our natural environment. Climate change is one of
the greatest issues of our time, and banks have an essential role to play in
reducing the carbon-intensity of the world economy.
As Africa’s largest bank by assets, Standard Bank fully recognises the
importance of its role. The bank considers itself as bound by Article 4 of
the Paris Agreement, and has published restrictive policies on the funding
of coal-fired power projects and coal mining projects. The group also
recently became a founding signatory to the United Nations’ Principles for
Responsible Banking.
This bolsters our commitment to Africa’s green economy.
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ECONOMY
Are you Ready?
A Checklist Approach to
Carbon Tax Submissions
BY Lodewijk Nell, EcoMetrix Africa
Businesses and government organisations, across a wide range of sectors beyond heavy
industry, are well-advised to prepare now for the first-ever carbon tax submission deadline
on 31 July 2020 – just weeks away.
The carbon tax submission process is complex and intricate, and
a step-by-step checklist approach is recommended to ensure
all the requirements are met in full and on time. To simplify
the process, our carbon professionals use these questions to assist
businesses in monitoring and assessing their progress to successfully
meeting the tax deadline, while also minimising tax exposure – now
and in the future.
1. Certain your business is not liable?
Verify if your business activities are liable by checking against the tax-free
thresholds in Schedule 1 of the Act, bearing in mind that a limited number
of relatively small equipment combined can easily result in exceeding a
threshold. For example, three 1MW back-up generators with 30% electrical
efficiency together count for a combined thermal capacity of the 10MW
equal to the common threshold for fuel combustion activities.
Taxable activities include fuel combustion in power and manufacturing
plants, as well as transport by rail, domestic aviation and shipping. Road
transport and moving equipment are excluded. Process emissions and
fugitive emissions from activities such as waste treatment or chemical
processes, have their separate thresholds and must also be included.
2. Registered or licenced?
Only license or register as a Customs and Excise Manufacturing
Warehouse including the relevant facilities when emission generating
activities exceed the thresholds.
3. Consumption and activity data captured correctly?
The common basis of your tax assessment is the Greenhouse Gas (GHG)
emissions reported to the Department of Environment, Forestry and
Fisheries (DEFF) on 31 March.
Consumption and activity data for every emissions facility must be
captured, with checks and balances for data accuracy and completeness,
to avoid harsh penalties. Record-keeping requirements include archiving
all data, reports, algorithms, procedures, submissions and technical
references used to estimate emissions for at least five years.
A monitoring and reporting system to manage consumption,
production data and related emissions are instrumental for
record-keeping compliance, while also providing useful technical
performance information.
4. Data correctly aggregated, converted and submitted?
The consumption and activity data must be aggregated and converted per
facility into GHG emissions data as per technical guidelines. Applying the
most beneficial emission factors and calorific values allowed can reduce
your exposure significantly. This GHG emission data must be submitted
to the DEFF in the prescribed format by 31 March each year. While you
register online, report submissions still need to be done by email.
5. Is the Carbon Tax liability correctly calculated and optimised?
Well-informed and positioned taxpayers can reduce their effective tax
rate by a maximum of 90-95% and thereby reduce the effective tax rate
to 6-12 R/tCO 2.
In addition to the fixed tax-free allowances which can reduce taxable
volumes up to 70-75%, there are also flexible allowances depending the
company’s performance, such as a trade exposure allowance up to 10%;
a performance allowance up to 5%, and offsetting through Carbon Tax
Offset (CTOs), allowed for 5-10% of the gross volume of emissions.
The first batches of carbon credits are in the process of being traded
for future use and procedures to convert international carbon credits
into local CTOs are pending. The price range currently expected by
traders is R70.00 - R90.00 per tonne CO 2e.
6. SARS carbon tax forms completed and submitted with payment?
Carbon tax submissions to SARS is due on 31 July of the year following
the tax period, along with payment of the calculated carbon tax levy to
SARS by 31 July.
7. Ongoing monitoring and management of GHG emissions in place?
Ongoing monitoring and management of GHG emissions and the resulting
tax liability are crucial to avoid tax surprises and last-minute deadlines,
while also revealing reduction and mitigation opportunities and providing
additional value in terms of general performance management.
It also allows strategic planning for the long-term. The South African
energy sector will drastically reform over the next decade. The current
Phase 1 (2019 – 2022) is only the start of the carbon tax journey. After
Phase 1, allowances may be strongly reduced and the headline rate may
be substantially adjusted upward. If over time, the carbon tax indeed
would be followed up by a carbon budgets system, the anticipated flat
rate is 600 R/t when exceeding your budget.
It is important, however, to realise that the carbon tax forms part of
South Africa’s international commitments in respect of the fight against
climate change. South Africa is a carbon-intensive country, ranking no.
16 in the world (WRI, 2017). Carbon tax is an incentive to proactively
change business-as-usual to play our part in the global solution by
managing and reducing emissions to sustainable levels.
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INFRASTRUCTURE
Decoupling growth
from environmental harm
BY GRAHAME CRUICKSHANKS, GBCSA
It has been said that South Africa is unable to help reduce global warming and that it would
be economically unfeasible. But the potential implications of having this mindset are so huge
that doing nothing would be a serious mistake.
Even though we are behind the northern European countries, we
must remember that they have had the opportunity to plan for
longer, have already completed their industrialisation, and are on
a different economic cycle to us. This is no reason why we should not
implement SA’s well-documented climate change commitments.
South Africa has a long-term dependency on fossil fuels, and these are
declining in their ability to deliver. Our economic downturn is suppressing
energy demand, but the nation is still increasing its carbon emissions
every year. What South Africa needs to link itself to is a peak-plateaudecline
trajectory and we haven’t initiated the plateau yet.
By weaning itself off fossil fuels, South Africa’s economy will liberate
itself. We have one of the best solar climates in the world. And so we need
to see a ramp-up of large-, medium- and small-scale renewable energy
systems coming online.
And the single step of implementing feed-in tariff and net metering
systems will encourage this meaningful crowd-sourced participation of
the private sector. This will unlock the capacity of PV installations of all
sizes by having them feed in any extra electricity generated into the grid,
he explains.
It will greatly assist in implementing our national commitments
towards helping to keep the global warming range below 2˚C above preindustrial
levels. This average rate of temperature change will determine
the likelihood of South Africa’s future ability to compete in the global
economy as an increase of 2˚C translates up to 4˚C for South Africa by the
end of the century.
Prevention is better – and far cheaper than cure – and so separating South
Africa’s carbon footprint from electricity generation and implementing
other effective mitigation measures will reduce South Africa’s inevitable
What South Africa needs to link itself to
is a peak-plateau-decline trajectory and
we haven’t initiated the plateau yet.
environmental impact and so make it easier to adapt to a climate that is not
as hot, dry or erratic.
Eskom is separating out its three functions – the generation, distribution
and transmission of electricity – into different companies. Transparent
processes and management protocols will be required to allow other
power generators to share transmission infrastructure and create healthy
competition required to drive down the price of electricity.
Beyond guarding against the day of insolvency or technical failure at
Eskom that threatens to cripple the country, civil action organisation,
OUTA, rightly points out that these measures will significantly contribute
towards limiting price increases, avoiding rolling blackouts and allow
municipalities to buy directly from independent power producers.
Effective competition to generate and supply electricity will accelerate
the decoupling of South Africa’s economic growth from harmful
environmental impacts. And this may well usher in a plateau period
of carbon emissions, followed by a decline, and all the while a clean,
cheap supply of electricity will lower the cost of doing business and fuel
economic growth and job creation. The GBCSA represents South Africa’s
green building sector and is on hand to assist all stakeholders to transition
towards a sustainable operating environment.
*Grahame Cruickshanks is the managing executive: market engagement at the
Green Building Council of South Africa.
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15
Thought leadership
So, what is this Circular Economy?
BY CHRIS WHYTE
What do the buzzwords in our sector actually mean? Cradle-to-Grave, Cradle-to-Cradle,
Green Economy, Sustainability, Restorative, Regenerative, Closed Loop, Performance
Economy, Industrial Ecology. These trending themes lead to Circular Economy, or is that
where they started?
This is an evolution of dialogue and we all feel compelled to be
in-the-know and on-trend. It all leads us down the same path to
changing the way we do business and how we live to ensure that
our children and their children have a planet to live on.
The activists amongst us argue that capitalism is the root of all evil, but
is socialism the answer? We argue that there are capitalist models that
embrace the green argument, and this certainly can be the case whereas
the activists will relent to this simply being the lesser of two evils.
What I can say is that the conversation is going in the right direction,
regardless of what you want to call it. The problem with the complex
rhetoric and evolving language is that we tend to spend more time talking
about it and less time implementing it. I believe this is complicated further
by feeling the need to just simply keep up. Here’s my suggestion – let’s put
away the thesaurus and just start doing stuff.
The definitions themselves complicate or halt progress. If I relate this to
the waste sector, I have been frustrated by the purists who may state that
a technological or innovative application is not truly Circular Economy and
then impede development based on semantics.
Surely half a circle, or three quarters of a circle, is better than no circle?
We need to take a step in the right direction, even if it’s not perfect. End the
discussion, implement it. This is the same argument as “I am not going to
buy that smart phone because the technology is developing so fast. I will
wait for the next upgrade version.”
No matter what you call it, make
it a Circular Economy.
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Thought leadership
We need to acknowledge that our tech will never be 100%, but more
importantly we need to start progressing.
I often revert to some of the older terminologies to describe what I am
doing, like my old favourite of Life Cycle Analysis (LCA). Not perfect, but
simple. It’s not that I criticise the use of Circular Economy – far from it. I
am currently the country leader for South Africa for the African Circular
Economy Network, ACEN, which has over 100 members in 23 countries
– although we have some academic purists in that bunch, this is largely a
gathering of people who are just getting on with it.
What I am doing in the waste sector regarding the LCA approach is
just a simpler manner of calculating all the inputs, outputs and impacts
that people often overlook; and that is essentially all related to Circular
Economy. All too often in my sector, Circular Economy is seen in terms of
materials and resources and their related offsets of virgin materials and
resource management or reuse. Yes, this is a key element of what we are
doing, but circularity includes all elements impacted by this, including
the social and environmental impacts. Let’s illustrate this by manner of an
example:
Glass recycling is limited to the issue of logistics in getting bottle glass
to the manufacturers whose facilities are based in Johannesburg and, to a
smaller extent, Cape Town. Logistically, particularly with the huge increases
in fuel costs over the past, it is becoming less viable in provinces that are
remote from the processing facilities. Consequently, glass recycling does
not make economical sense in areas such as Eastern Cape, Northern Cape
and KwaZulu-Natal.
With recycling not economically viable, we need to look at innovation
and alternative markets where we can unlock the value of the commodity
in different ways. There are over 30 different applications for glass, so let’s
just consider two: water filtration and sandblasting grit.
We mine sand from our rivers for water filtration, which has negative
impacts on biodiversity, water yield and water quality. Each of these
has a value, and with water this is an extremely valuable resource in our
climate. Not to mention that most of our mined sand in this country is
done so illegally. If we can work with users of this commodity to change
from unsustainable mined sand to processed glass, we develop a chain
of events.
The first is that we create a local market for collectors in the informal
sector where the value of collecting glass can again sustain incomes and
livelihoods. This has a social impact in both creating incomes, but also
removes this waste from the environment where there are also negative
We need to work with government and
corporates to drive the market through
material specification, green procurement
policies and supply chain management.
health and safety impacts. This needs to be valorised. The environmental
benefit is less impact on water quality, yield and biodiversity that also
has a value.
Economically, we are diverting materials from landfill where municipal
landfill airspace is a valued commodity. Next, we create positive economic
outcomes through the development of enterprises that can be supported
to not only collect, but also to process the waste into alternative products
for the filtration market. The unintended consequence is that glass is a
better filtration medium that reduces water pressure and thus electricity
and maintenance costs to run pumps.
Backwashing is more efficient and quicker leading to less water loss
from general maintenance. Glass also lasts much longer than sand as a
filtration medium, and after its useful end can be processed again into
smaller fractions that can be used for other applications.
Sandblasting grit is used in massive quantities in the local market, yet
few people realise that the large majority of this is just glass and is imported
from China at a price 15-20 times the value of what we can produce locally
from a commodity that either is dumped in the environment or landfilled.
The impact of this is that we are throwing away our own resource at cost
to either landfill or the environment, and then negatively impacting our
balance of trade by importing a product at substantially higher costs than
we can produce locally.
We need to work with the government and corporates to drive the
market through material specification, green procurement policies
and supply chain management. A simple task that would have multiple
benefits for the economy (water, waste, energy, jobs, manufacturing, etc).
This simple example illustrates the benefits of Circular Economy. Now
imagine the butterfly effect if it is applied as an underlying principle in
other processes. No matter what you call it, make it a Circular Economy.
*Chris Whyte is the Founder of USE-IT
The circular economy is a new way of creating value, and
ultimately prosperity. It works by extending a product’s
lifespan through improved design and servicing and relocating
the waste from the end of the supply chain to the beginning.
This circular approach, in effect, uses resources more efficiently
by using them over and over, not only once. Recycling is a key
part of the circular economy, helping to protect our natural
resources. – Leon Grobbelaar, President of Institute of Waste
Management of southern Africa
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17
Profile
NCPC-SA contributes
towards skills development
in South Africa
Through the South African Industrial Energy Efficiency (IEE) Project, the National
Cleaner Production Centre South Africa (NCPC-SA) continues to heed Government’s call
to fast-track skills development by training South Africans to become experts and trainers
in resource and energy efficiency. The IEE Project training recipients were applauded for
completing their respective courses at the recent Industrial Efficiency Conference hosted
by the NCPC-SA.
The IEE Project’s expert and trainer programmes were the first of
their kind to be established through the United Nations Industrial
Development Organisation (UNIDO). “When UNIDO speaks about
South Africa’s project, there is always fondness,” says Gerswynn McKuur,
Energy Management Working Group Coordinator for UNIDO
For the past six years, the IEE Project has trained and developed
competent individuals whose skills are in high demand both nationally
and internationally. They provide training on resource efficiency and
cleaner production (RECP) and energy management systems (EnMS). The
training is recognised by UNIDO as the blueprint for similar projects that
have since been established world-wide.
“Many of the people that have been trained as experts in South Africa
now train others on behalf of UNIDO in other countries,” Gerswynn
disclosed to the programme graduates.
“Our quality manager has high standards, she ensures that if you are
here today, you deserve to be,” Julie Wells, NCPC-SA Communication
Manager, assured the graduation recipients who received certificates for:
• RECP level trainers programme
• Energy management 101
• Qualified experts programmes in:
- Energy management system
- Pumps experts level
- Fan experts
- RECP experts
Further to the training, the NCPC-SA empowers companies to implement
resource efficiency and energy management at their respective plants.
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BIOENERGY
Wasted food
Wasted water
BY EVENTS GREENING FORUM
It is estimated that one third of all food produced globally is wasted. This applies
to South Africa and means that of the 31-million tons of food we produce annually,
approximately 10-million tons go to waste.
Agriculture is the single biggest consumer of fresh water, using
70% (or more) of all freshwater withdrawals from rivers, lakes
and aquifers. So: wasted food is also wasted water. South
Africa is a water scarce country, and this kind of loss can have very real
implications for our society. Agriculture is responsible for a significant
amount of greenhouse gas emissions.
The Food and Agriculture Organisation estimate that lost and wasted
food accounts for about 4.4 gigatons of carbon dioxide each year, which
is a little less than emissions from road transportation. The Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) estimates the financial loss of
wasted food in South Africa to be R61.5 billion a year.
The damage happens along the entire food production chain – from
pests and poor harvesting methods at production, to challenges around
transportation, storage and packaging, not to mention retailers discarding
food reaching its sell-by date, pervasive over catering in the food service
industry, and also waste at home.
SA Harvest collects and redistributes quality surplus food to hungry
South Africans through feeding schemes, homeless shelters, schools and
more. Andrew Wilson, the Cape Town manager of SA Harvest, says, “It’s not
too complicated. We need a few days’ notice of the event so that we can
organise the rescue logistics with the event organiser.”
Regarding health and safety issues that could arise, Wilson says, “The
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BIOENERGY
main concern is that the cold-chain should not be broken and so, overall,
our most important criterion for refrigerated or warm surplus is that we
must collect it asap after the event for delivery direct to our beneficiaries,
where we have made arrangements to deliver any time if necessary.
“Catered events are a magnificent source for contributing towards
ending hunger in South Africa, and we will welcome anyone involved in
the events sector to contact us if they have any questions about how they
can get involved.”
Closing the loop
For food that is not fit for human consumption, there are many options to
explore. Sending it to landfill (rubbish dumps) should not be one of them.
When organic waste is sent to landfill it releases methane, a greenhouse
gas with a global warming potential 21 higher than carbon dioxide,
and leachate, a toxic liquid which poses the risk of contaminating our
underground water supplies.
Some venues opt to send food waste to pig farms. (Interestingly, food
is still considered lost or waste when fed to farm animals, because of
the resource inefficiency of producing meat this way.) There are risks
in dealing with food waste this way, says Gavin Heron, the director of
Earth Probiotic. The biggest is that you could feed pork to pigs (especially
when dealing with scrapings from plates), which is against all food safety
policies. Another significant risk of feeding pigs untreated swill is you
could potentially cause an outbreak of African Swine Fever (ASF).
As a result, the Animal Diseases Act 35 of 1984 outlines the following: “No
feeding of swill is preferable, but in cases where swill feeding is practised,
any item that originates or was in contact with animals (including any
kitchen refuse of animal or vegetable origin originating from any dwelling,
hotel, motel, restaurant, eating-house, airport, harbour or any place where
food is being prepared for human use) has to be cooked (boiled) for at
least 60 minutes or sterilised before it may be fed to pigs.”
“In short, there is a high legal and financial risk if any ASF breakout
is in an area where food waste is being disposed of through pig farmer
collections,” says Heron.
He adds that another unpleasant consideration is that bones, cutlery and
toothpicks often end up in the swill, which can seriously injure the pigs.
A better option to deal with organic waste is to compost it. And yes,
cooked meat and bones can be composted, for example using bokashi.
Earth Probiotic uses this for its onsite composting service; their Earth
Bokashi has been inoculated with beneficial bacteria and fungi, which
enables it to break down organic waste that is not easily composted (such
as cooked and uncooked meat, dairy and seafood), while also eliminating
odours. The Vineyard Hotel uses this solution for plate scrapings, and then
gets this back as compost for their garden as required.
Fly farms also present an efficient way to break down food waste, as
done by AgriProtein in Cape Town. Black soldier flies feed on the (treated)
waste, grow and breed rapidly. The larvae are harvested to provide a
sustainable, high-quality, natural alternative protein to fishmeal. Typically,
farmed fish are fed wild-caught fish – and as much as 25% of wild-caught
fish is used to create fishmeal (although 90% of these fish are fit for human
consumption). Given how overfished and depleted our oceans are, this
isn’t sustainable.
At the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) kitchen
waste is sent to fly farms, while food waste that is unpackaged and
leftover, as well as any horse manure and straw (usually obtained from
the Cape Premier Yearling event) is sent to their composting contractor,
who distributes the waste for use in Bokashi. This, combined with careful
planning in the kitchen, meant that in the 2018/19 financial year 86% of
the CTICC’s total waste was diverted from landfill.
Another way to deal with kitchen scraps is feeding them to worm farms
(which produce a compost and worm tea, both of which can improve soil
fertility). However, the worms can be quite selective in their tastes and
they don’t like citrus or garlic.
In South Africa 90% of waste
goes to landfill, which means
there is a massive opportunity
for diverting organic waste.
A bio-digestor is an option for composting waste. It does this without
oxygen, and the result is the release of biogas (60% methane and 40%
carbon dioxide) which can be combusted to provide heat, electricity or
both. To be truly effective at generating electricity, bio-digestors need to
be done on a large scale.
In South Africa, 90% of waste goes to landfill, which means there is a
massive opportunity for diverting organic waste and creating useful
things – like compost, fishmeal and electricity. Each ton of food waste
prevented, saves 4.2 tons of CO 2
equivalent. Heron adds that businesses
can also expect to benefit financially from reducing food waste – given
that wasted food is also wasted money.
*The Event Greening Forum is a non-profit organisation that promotes sustainability
within the business events sector, through hosting educational sessions for industry
and lobbying government in an effort to implement sustainability principles into the
daily operations of the events industry.
The legislation
“If you do not choose to divert your organic waste from landfill now, you will soon be legally obligated to,” cautions Grace Stead, the director of
sustainability consultancy Steadfast Greening. This is because the Department of Environmental Affairs and Development Planning has a ten-year
plan in place to divert all organic waste from landfill. “It is motivated by the fact that landfill is the default destination for most organic waste, where
it poses environmental and health risks. The price tag to manage these risks is significant, while waste diversion provides additional benefits,” explains
Stead. The plan was launched in 2017, with the target to halve the amount of organic waste being disposed of this way by 2022, and to achieve a
landfill ban by 2027.
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21
EVENTS
CTICC into
The Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) considers
sustainability a strategic imperative, placing great importance on
integrating economic, social, and environmental sustainability
every aspect of its operations.
Corporate Sustainability BY THE CTICC
Globally, consumers and event organisers are demanding that
companies follow sustainable business practices and processes.
At the CTICC, clients are assured of a venue that focusses on
waste management, energy consumption, local sourcing and water
conservation as key priorities for sustainability.
The CTICC aligns itself to the United Nations Global Compact (UNGC)
guidelines, of which the centre is a member, and is always seeking new ways
to mitigate its impact on the environment while advancing its people and
providing them with new opportunities to grow within the organisation.
The UNGC focuses on a company’s value system in respect of its
responsibilities in the areas of human rights, labour, environment and anticorruption,
and contends that in upholding these basic responsibilities, a
company also sets the stage for long-term success.
Environmental sustainability was integral in the design of the CTICC
buildings, from the maximum use of natural light, to the incorporation of
energy-efficient lighting and emission-minimising climate control, the CTICC
design as a venue is green at heart.
The innovative design of CTICC 2 earned the centre a 4-star Green Star
rating by the Green Building Council of South Africa in 2017. Its design features
includes electrical sub-metering, energy-saving devices, waste management
and water conservation processes.
CTICC has maintained four internationally recognised managementsystem
certifications (ISO 9001, 14001, 18001and 22000) for the 2019/2021
financial year, by leading the way for improved systems, functionality and
sustainability.
Driving the centre’s triple bottom line sustainability objectives is its Nurture
Our World (NOW) committee, which has implemented various practices and
raised awareness around sustainability.
One of the CTICC’s sustainability initiatives was the installation of the
centre’s reverse osmosis plant, which went online in 2019 and has already
proven to be a highly effective water-saving intervention.
Purposely designed to cater to all the centre’s daily water consumption
needs by being able to produce 200 000 litres of drinking water in a 24-hour
cycle.
The centre also harvests greywater and rainwater for use inside and outside
the building and have introduced a number of other initiatives to save water.
The Building Management System, combined with other energy
alternatives, has resulted in a steady decline in electricity consumption and
over the past five years, the CTICC has achieved an average annual saving of
12.84% in kWh measurement.
CTICC further supports clients by giving them opportunity to ‘green’ their
events and reduce their own environmental impact and carbon footprint,
either through the donation of excess food or consumables to the centre’s
local community partners, as well as, donating to the NOW fund in aid of social
sustainability initiatives.
The centre supports local community partners and engage with their
communities in various ways including educational and income-generation
initiatives, as well as feeding schemes and urban gardening projects.
The CTICC has continuously improved its environmental sustainability
performance over the years, and seeks to increase its energy and water
conservation metrics, while also providing for the safe disposal of waste and,
where possible, providing recycling or upcycling opportunities.
Learn more on how to green your events at the centre or contribute to
the CTICC’s local community partners by visiting our website, cticc.co.za, or
contacting an events executive or mail the centre’s sustainability officer at
NOW@cticc.co.za.
22
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THE FINE ART OF
CONFERENCING
Designed to connect businesses and people, the CTICC offers flexible floor space
of over 140 000m 2 , encapsulated within its mirror-like glass façade. In addition,
this architectural masterpiece is ideally located in the heart of Cape Town, one of
the world’s most vibrant cities.
Discover endless possibilities with a curated event experience complemented by
scenic views of Table Mountain, one of the Seven Wonders of the World. Rest
assured that Africa’s premier multi-purpose, sustainably conscious conferencing
centre is the venue to take your event from the abstract to the surreal.
Call +27 21 410 5000, email sales@cticc.co.za or visit cticc.co.za
ENERGY
Green jobs
are the green light
for our economy
BY NTOMBIFUTHI NTULI, CEO of South African Wind Energy Association
Photo by SAWEA
South Africa’s energy transition is poised to unlock economic growth and deliver
thousands of much-needed new jobs, at a time when the country faces staggering
unemployment rates that threaten to continue well into the new decade.
Kangnas Wind Farm.
Despite the approved 2019 IRP, which was gazetted in October
last year the industry continues to wait for a Ministerial Determination
to give the green light for the next round of wind farms
to be built, which will result in thousands of local jobs being created.
The positive impact of continued wind farm construction on the
economy, over the next ten years, cannot be overstated considering that
the energy plans promise 14 400MW of wind procurement. Once we
get the go-ahead the country can directly benefit through jobs that are
intensified during the construction phase of wind energy projects that
have a significant impact on different parts of the value chain.
Twelve wind farms are currently being constructed across the country
achieving thousands of jobs as well as high levels of local content, which
is in line with Minister Gwede Mantashe’s stated imperative that the
renewable energy sector, wind stakeholders included, increases its local
content efforts.
Perdekraal East Wind Farm, the Western Cape’s largest BW4 wind farm, is
currently under construction and is an example of localised job stimulation.
The project is providing local employment to community members of
Ceres, Nduli, Bella Vista and Prince Alfred Hamlet and has exceeded its
obligation for local content of the total project value as stipulated by
the Department of Energy’s renewable energy programme, Renewable
Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (REI4P).
It is expected that an average of 17 new wind farms will come on stream
each year, for the next ten years, as outlined in the resource plan. Should
this stay on track, South Africa will see the local manufacturing sector
helping to boost economic growth and job creation, two priorities across
the African region.
Tower manufacturing facilities are already set up in the country, with
additional capacity and facilities awaiting the government’s next bid
round as part of the REI4P.
So, if we are looking specifically at the manufacturing sector, this
industry is poised to create jobs to deliver the 640 individual towers
and 1920 wind turbine blades required to meet the annual capacity of
1600MW each year.
The existing local tower manufacturing facility in Atlantis, on the Cape’s
West Coast, currently produces 150 towers per annum and has created
340 direct jobs and 200 indirect jobs. Therefore, manufacturing 640 towers
locally can potentially create 1360 direct jobs and about 800 indirect jobs.
What our country can’t afford is a repeat of DCD Wind Towers’ fate.
What was once a successful manufacturer of local components in Nelson
Mandela Bay, closed its doors in April last year, which resulted in the loss of
over 100 direct jobs due to the stop-start renewable power procurement
that saw the industry halted for over two years. The plant had the potential
to manufacture up to 300 towers and create 142 direct jobs but failed to
find an investment partner.
Additional potential exists, should wind tower blades and other
components such as drive trains be manufactured locally, the number
of jobs could easily scale up to the 8700 estimated by the Council for
Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) analysis.
The CSIR analysis indicates that for 1.6 GW per annum roll-out, the wind
energy industry can contribute to the creation of more than 16 000 direct
jobs per annum in the South African economy during the construction
phase alone, given that the aggregate level of localisation of about 50%
is realised.
This equates to about 6400 direct jobs in the construction sector,
8700 direct jobs in the manufacturing sector, 820 direct jobs in the
transportation and logistics sector and 640 direct jobs in the finance,
professional and business services sector.
Despite the past setbacks, we continue to look forward to delivering
wind power to boost the country’s economy, as outlined in the 2019
Integrated Resource Plan and thereby deliver thousands of jobs for a
decade to come.
24
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à
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