The National Energy Regulator of South Africa will announce tomorrow what their decision is regarding Eskom’s proposal of raising electricity prices by 35% annually for the next three years. A press conference will be taking place in Pretoria where the announcement will be made. What do we expect from the NERSA announcement, and if they agree to go ahead with the proposal, what effects could this have on South Africans and the economy?
Commercial and domestic electricity prices have been in the spotlight for a while now. Last year, a 31% electricity price increase was implemented and then Eskom applied for a 45% further increase in October last year. Thankfully, NERSA deemed this proposal unreasonable and immediately denied Eskom permission and instructed them to re-do their calculations. Eskom has claimed that the proposed electricity price increase is to raise money for a R385 Billion power expansion programme which Eskom wishes to implement.
South Africa has just recovered from its first official recession in 17 years and some think that this increase to domestic and business electricity prices could result in the country falling back into recession. At the NERSA hearings held in January in Polokwane, Business Unity SA (Busa) CEO Jerry Vilakazi said commented that should NERSA approve the tariff application, then the country “can wave goodbye to an immediate recovery for South Africa’s economy”.
Should NERSA approve Eskom’s application of a 35% increase, then as consumers we can not only expect to pay a third more for domestic electricity prices, but the country’s overall inflation rate will most likely increase by about 0.3% which means the Reserve Bank’s target inflation of 3 – 6% would be exceeded – according to the SA Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Sacci). Sacci also added that should the increased tariff be approved, we can expect a loss of around 500 000 jobs countrywide as businesses struggle to adapt to the increased electric prices.
It has been alleged by numerous parties that NERSA have already approved the tariff increase and that tomorrow’s announcement is simply a formality that needs to be done to make everything legit. We’ll have to wait and see. Be sure to check out the electricity price announcement which takes place at noon tomorrow. We’ll be sure to blog on it right here on Sustainable.co.za so if you do miss it, come back and check out what we think about the decision.
Better Earth Dishwashing Liquid on Sustainable.co.za
So … I’m not very fond of washing dishes but someone’s got to do it … pity its me
I’m quite familiar with the Enchantrix range of cleaning products, they’ve been around for a long time and have a good standing reputation. I decided to use the Better Earth range to help me with my domestic duties.
Their products are free of ethoxylated ingredients, sulphated surfactants, parabens, animal products, colourants and synthetic fragrance. The great thing about Better Earth is that they are kept simple while still being effective! They have a small product range consisting of a cleaning spray, floor cleaners, air fresheners, dishwashing liquid and dish washing gel for automatic machines.
The dishwashing liquid is readily biodegradable and really cleans your dishes. It is gentle on my hands . I found that it did not foam as much as conventional dish washing liquids and had to keep reminding myself that just because my sink isn’t having a foam party, doesn’t mean my dishes aren’t getting clean.
I’m all about things smelling nice and this fragrance doesn’t disappoint, after my dishes were clean and sparkling … my entire kitchen smelt like a citrus farm.
Environmental groups around South Africa are welcoming a decision made by the SA government recently to cut 75% of its funding towards the Pebble Bed Modular Reactor (PBMR) Company. Environmentalists are hoping that this is an indication that more money will be put towards renewable energy which is a much more effective way of attacking the energy crisis in South Africa.
Despite the “good news” for most renewable energy supporters and companies such as Sustainable.co.za, the sudden cut in budget to the PBMR Company has resulted in possible major loss of jobs which could culminate in becoming the end of the PBMR Company. In a statement released last week, PBMR spokesman said that they were seriously considering retrenching up to 75% of their staff. This would result in a total loss of 600 jobs if another source of funding can not be found within the immediate future.
Over the last three years, the PBMR Company received over R7.2-billion from the government whereas renewable energy companieshave received little to no funding. This is a massive amount as the government was looking towards nuclear energy becoming the saving grace of the South African energy crisis. Unfortunately, the PBMR has bore little fruit for the money which has been invested in them which is why the government has now only allocated R11 million to the PBMR over the next three years.
Liz McDaid, of the South African Faith Communities Environmental Institute was extremely supportive of the government’s decision:
“This PBMR programme has been going on from the early 90s and what is there to show for it? Now it appears that it is no longer something on South Africa’s development agenda. It would be fantastic if we could now hear the energy minister (Dipuo Peters) say in her budget speech that the money that has been going to the PBMR will go into renewable energy sources.”
Richard Worthington, of WWF South Africa also had positive opinion on the decision:
“For a long time the nuclear industry has received more state support than the renewable energy industry. We hope this cut in funding signals a policy commitment to investing in renewable energy, and the implementation of the 1998 white paper on energy policy,”
Ultimately, it would be great if the PBMR could get the backing of an external investor and continue research without the assistance of the government. This looks a slight possibility as there is allegedly a group of high-level Algerian delegates who are interested in investing in the company.
South Africa should look to increase it’s funding of renewable energy research as this is the way of the future. However, if we can continue research in both nuclear and renewable energy with the support of government and investors, this would be an ideal situation. Let’s hold thumbs for the people whose jobs are at risk at the PBMR, and let’s hope the government allocates the newly freed up budget towards renewable energy jobs and research.
Sustainable housing is an increasingly relevant topic in South Africa. We continue to struggle with an ongoing energy crisis whereby we are unable to generate enough electricity for the entire country to operate. A recent initiative by ABSA Bank promises to gain the interest of many local and international folk involved in sustainable house design.
The first ever ABSA International Innovative and Sustainable Housing Competition was launched in March last year and is drawing to a close next month when the winners of the competition will be announced. The competition is aimed at raising awareness of a very serious worldwide situation, as well as gaining important knowledge and ideas for building sustainable houses in future. The winners in the major categories of the competition will be awarded R250 000 which is sponsored by ABSA.
Regular brick and mortar construction is not allowed to be used in the sustainable house design of the competition entrants. The idea is to create affordable and viable alternative methods of design that can be implemented by the general public in future. Some of the most important criteria that the Sustainable Houses will be marked on are:
- Durability
- Architectural quality
- Cost and value for money
- Speed of construction
- Energy efficiency
- Social acceptance of the design and use of energy
- Bank acceptance of the proposed designs
The University of Pretoria will be acting as the analysts who will be analyzing the energy efficiency of all the sustainable housing that is entered into the competition.
The project is aimed at a global market and not just South Africa. Sustainable housing experts from around the world have entered, including countries such as: Kuwait, Australia, Canada, Czech Republic, Netherlands and Namibia.
Luthando Vutula, the Managing Executive of Absa Home Loans had the following to say about the competition:
“Absa is committed to supporting the credo of the Minister of Human Settlements Comprehensive Plan on Sustainable Human Settlement – that every South African has access to permanent housing that provides secure tenure, privacy, protection from the elements, and access to basic services. Due to the energy crisis facing South Africa, there is a need to test and showcase new energy technologies. Accordingly Absa has added “energy efficiency” as a second dimension to the competition”
This is a stunning effort by ABSA it has to be said and is fully supported by Sustainable Goods. We will be sure to keep you updated on the winners and some of the Sustainable housing designs that emerge as a result of this competition.
I don’t know about you, but when I need to just get away from it all, I go camping. There’s just something so primal about roughing it in the great outdoors.
Of course, not all of us like to go without a few modern amenities, so I’ve decided to list my top three favourite items.
Solar lights are great and extremely practical. Particularly the garden lantern and insect repellant. You can hang this light up in a tree, it absorbs the sun all day and automatically turns on when it’s dark and turns off when it’s light. You also have the option of manually switching it off. Another plus is that it eliminates mosquitoes and other flying bugs. Other great items in this category include the Solar LED keyring, or for those of you who prefer more light on the subject, the Dynamo Powered Flashlight. This is a great investment as it is incredibly durable and you don’t need any batteries (I’m not a huge fan of batteries as they often don’t last long and can be quite expensive to replace).
Solar and Eco Cookers are a great alternative way to cook when camping. They are environmentally friendly and easy to use. They also have the added bonus of keeping your food warm.
Water distillers are also a good idea, as one never quite knows what the water is like in other areas (especially up country where the water tends to be brown).
Hope this helps for those of you who enjoy living in a tent for a few days. Please feel free to comment or ask more questions about these items. Camp well
Do you have a passion for the renewable energy? Do you wish to work in with green projects and make a difference in this industry in the future? Then maybe a green job is for you. However, the truth is that at present there are not copious amounts of green jobs available but now the South African government is hoping to change this with their new green jobs initiative that will have many of us changing our stiff white collar for a green one.
It has been revealed that there is a considerable skills shortage in South Africa in the renewable energy industry and government hopes to change this reality by making an estimated 114 000 new green jobs available to the public in the next two years. The creation of these “green collar jobs” will hopefully encourage individuals to enter this growing industry as it expands considerably over the next three years.
Once a minority sector, the renewable energy industry could hit R70 billion in upcoming years – that means more opportunities and green related employment in the near future. Therefore the need for green jobs will increase as the industry flourishes and more vacancies become available. From these figures we can see that renewable energy is where it’s at right now.
As more South Africans turn to renewable power in order to lower the electricity costs in their homes, it is no longer unusual to see Solar Panels on our neighbour’s roofs or LED Lights in our friend’s homes. This industry is constantly growing and there is no doubt that it will move from strength to strength in upcoming years which means more development and therefore more green jobs.
There are some green related jobs in South Africa that contain excellent opportunities where one can grow and learn within the industry. Project developers and planners will be in high demand for setting up and implementing green projects and technicians, scientists and engineers will all be able to enter the green industry and gain jobs due to their expertise.
If you wish to get a green job within the sustainable energy industry in South Africa, you will have to research and network and definitely get your hands dirty. Gaining an environmental qualification, joining networks such as the Sustainable Energy Society of Southern Africa and the African Wind Energy Association and completing an internship are some of the things that one can do in order to get into the industry and hopefully land yourself employment.
Green jobs are on the rise in the country so act fast before you miss out.
Audi A3 have caused a major controversy in the USA thanks to their recent “Green Police” ad that they premiered during the always anticipated Superbowl half time commercial break. Some think the ad is hilarious, some think it is completely offensive and others think it’s a really useful advertisement that succeeds in getting people to think twice when making everyday decisions that could affect the environment. Check out the Audi A3 ad below:
In case you are unable to view the ad, it shows ordinary American citizens being arrested by “green police” for numerous “green offences” such as using plastic shopping bags instead of paper bags, incorrectly disposing of batteries, not making use of orange peels for compost, using the incorrect non- LED lighting and finally arresting a Jacuzzi bather for setting his hot tub thermostat too high. At the end of the ad we see the green police stopping numerous cars for not being eco-friendly, until they see an Audi A3 2.0 clean diesel vehicle which they allow to speed off as it meets their strict requirements.
Personally, I think this new Audi A3 campaign is a remarkable success. It is amusing with its tongue-in-cheek portrayal of the “green police” who patrol the streets in their green shorts and hybrid scooter-like vehicles arresting people who break even the smallest of environmentally friendly laws. The advertisement highlights everyday situations and decisions that ordinary people face that could make an impact on our environment – be it what type of bag to use at the supermarket, or whether or not to buy an eco-friendly Audi A3 T clean Diesel vehicle.
On the other hand, many environmentalists in the States are claiming that the advert pokes fun at the mentality of people who do their part in looking after the planet. “Green police” do actually exist in the states and in other countries such as the UK, although not on the scale shown in the advertisement, and many claim that this Audi A3 ad is only discrediting any authority these people might have when it comes to enforcing environmental issues.
The American government is currently putting massive pressure on its public to be more environmentally friendly, much to the annoyance of many people, and this is just another reason why people think this ad is offensive. Is Audi A3 taking a cheap shot at the government and their environmental ambassadors?
How do you feel about the new Audi A3 ad? I think we all need to be able to laugh at ourselves, laugh at the situations we find ourselves in and simply laugh at what I think is an extremely humorous ad with a powerful message. I would love to hear your opinion in the comments box.
