Energy Policy Camps Bay
Minutes/Notes of Meeting 8th February 2010
Attendees: Roy Bermeister, Colin Carter, Roger Trythall, Martin Diessner, Wayne Smith, Trudi Groenewald, John Powell. Guest speaker: Glynn Morris of AGAMA Energy
After welcoming participants and introductions, Roger Trythall welcomed Mr. Morris, director of AGAMA Energy, who made a presentation on developments within the field of Energy Production, Usage and Distribution. Some of the main points of the presentation are summarized as follows:
Energy is simultaneously a pre-requisite input to social and economic development, and a significant social and economic activity in terms of sectoral contributions to the economy.
The energy future for all consumers in South Africa, based on projections of current trends, is dirty, insecure and expensive. However, by taking some initiative, stakeholders can create an energy future which is clean, clever and competitive.
At present the energy system in SA is dysfunctional. Examples include:
- Blackouts and uncertainty regarding sustainable availability of power.
- Future costs (short and long term) are very uncertain, especially liquid fuels and to a lesser extent electricity
- Quality information, transparency of investment decisions and accountability are inadequate.
- Real choice by consumers is limited.
The aim of the members of the group to date is to investigate the possibility that Camps Bay participates inclusively in the Renewable Energy (RE) evolution that is taking place already in South Africa albeit tiny and across the world. At present only about 0.05% of annual installed energy generating capacity is derived from wind energy. Putting it another way, there are only two grid-connected wind farms operating in South Africa, totaling 7 turbines compared to 19,450 turbines in Germany.
RE requires Energy Efficiency. Mr. Morris added:
- Renewable energy is already providing services and value in Camps Bay
- Locally-supplied energy services stimulate local economic development
- Renewable energy can start very small and scale up relatively easily
- Most important is that globally and in South Africa the long-term trends are favorable for RE
During the discussion that took place during and after the presentation of Mr. Morris the following were noted:
- A future grid, made up of large and small producers of energy, based on renewables and fossil fuel, could be compared to the world wide web, with users extracting and inputting energy
- Already certain communities and business have introduced renewable energy which they use and feed to the grid e.g. BP, municipalities in PE.
- Education and Information to the Camps Bay Community is important. The group will have the opportunity to address the Camps Bay Ratepayers Association mid year. Martin will set up a blog.
- Roy outlined briefly the favorable economics of an energy park based in Camps Bay. Of course more detailed work would be required in this regard.
- What ever shape this project takes it will be one that is inclusive and assists the community of Camps Bay and the greater Cape Town metropolis.
According to Engineering News magazine the cost of the Kusile powerstation is going to be 142 billion Rands and will produce 4.800 MW. That is 33,8 MW per billion invested. At the same time Exxaro, a private company, is working on a 1 billion project to generate 40 MW wind power. So if instead of Kusile we build 120 wind farms we could generate the same power at a saving of 22 billion, not to speak of savings in coal, water and pollution. Oh well, I suppose I have now come too late with this to obviate the 25% electricity bill increase.