Development of Biomass Energy Technologies and Business Models for Southern Africa

2015 ◽  
Author(s):  
Malena Agyemang ◽  
Nathan G. Johnson
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Biomass Energy ◽  
Production Model ◽  
Fuel Pellet ◽  
The Cost ◽  
Biomass Pellet

This study evaluates options for biomass pellet formulations and business models to create a sustainable energy solution for cooking energy in Southern Africa. Various agricultural wastes and agro-processing wastes are investigated to meet industry standards on biomass pellet quality. These fuels are obtained from farms and facilities across a geographic area that affects the end-cost of the pellet through transportation costs and the cost of the biomass. The technical performance of the pellet and cost of the pellet are first contrasted and then optimized in unison to develop sustainable energy options that can provide year-round clean energy for household cooking and heating needs. A market was analyzed using wheat, sugarcane and maize crops as components for the biomass pellet fuel source in the Zululand district of South Africa. Using a target moisture content (MCtarget) of 8–10%, a target lower heating value (LHVtarget) greater than 16.0 MJ/kg and a target percent ash (Ashtarget) less than 3%, pellet metrics were optimized. The cost of the crops for the pellets was dependent upon the amount of each biomass used to make up the composition of the pellet. The production demand was then analyzed based on the most current consumer cooking fuel demand within South Africa. The production model was evaluated for three factory sizes; small (1hr/ton), medium (3hr/ton), and large (5hr/ton). Primary shipping cost is based on factory location and has a major impact on the cost of the pellet for the consumer as well as the availability of the supply. Factory location was analyzed by varying the biomass crop distance to the factory. Several business models are evaluated within this study to show which representation results in a high quality pellet of low cost to consumer. The study suggests the pellet be composed of 44.62% sugarcane, 47.49% maize, and 0.82% wheat resulting in a LHV of 16.00 MJ/kg, a MC of 8 (w/w%), and an ash content of 3 (w/w%). The optimal cost of the biomass fuel pellet for the consumer ranged from 172.77US$/ton to 185.03 US$/ton.

The Application of Crowdfunding to the Energy Sector

2017 ◽  
pp. 266-287
Author(s):  
Chiara Candelise
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Energy Investment ◽  
Social Mission ◽  
Available Energy ◽  
Energy Projects ◽  
Grass Root ◽  
Institutional Finance

Crowdfunding in energy begins as a response to reduced investments (both governmental and private) into the transition to decarbonized energy systems and to the spread of innovative business models and approaches conductive of greater participation of citizens and communities in distributed renewable energy projects. This chapter presents results of a worldwide overview of the use of crowdfunding in the energy industry. Evidence gathered from available energy crowdfunding platforms highlight a very new, but quite dynamic sector. The crowdfunding tool has been applied in most of its forms, ranging from peer-to-business lending to pure donation, with strong environmental and social mission and the explicit aim of increasing participation of citizens in sustainable energy investment. Evidence also shows that, despite maintaining their environmental and clean energy focus, some energy platforms have begun to move from niche, grass root initiatives into larger projects and collaboration with energy private sector and institutional finance.

The Application of Crowdfunding to the Energy Sector

2017 ◽  
pp. 1680-1701
Author(s):  
Chiara Candelise
Keyword(s):  
Renewable Energy ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Clean Energy ◽  
Energy Investment ◽  
Social Mission ◽  
Available Energy ◽  
Energy Projects ◽  
Grass Root ◽  
Institutional Finance

Crowdfunding in energy begins as a response to reduced investments (both governmental and private) into the transition to decarbonized energy systems and to the spread of innovative business models and approaches conductive of greater participation of citizens and communities in distributed renewable energy projects. This chapter presents results of a worldwide overview of the use of crowdfunding in the energy industry. Evidence gathered from available energy crowdfunding platforms highlight a very new, but quite dynamic sector. The crowdfunding tool has been applied in most of its forms, ranging from peer-to-business lending to pure donation, with strong environmental and social mission and the explicit aim of increasing participation of citizens in sustainable energy investment. Evidence also shows that, despite maintaining their environmental and clean energy focus, some energy platforms have begun to move from niche, grass root initiatives into larger projects and collaboration with energy private sector and institutional finance.

Region of Birth and Child Mortality among Black Migrants to South Africa: Is there a foreign-born advantage?

2016 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 359-376 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tiffany L Green ◽  
Amos C Peters
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
South African ◽  
Child Mortality ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Strong Relationship ◽  
Developed Countries ◽  
Black Immigrants ◽  
Foreign Born ◽  
Region Of Origin ◽  
Child Deaths

Much of the existing evidence for the healthy immigrant advantage comes from developed countries. We investigate whether an immigrant health advantage exists in South Africa, an important emerging economy.  Using the 2001 South African Census, this study examines differences in child mortality between native-born South African and immigrant blacks.  We find that accounting for region of origin is critical: immigrants from southern Africa are more likely to experience higher lifetime child mortality compared to the native-born population.  Further, immigrants from outside of southern Africa are less likely than both groups to experience child deaths.  Finally, in contrast to patterns observed in developed countries, we detect a strong relationship between schooling and child mortality among black immigrants.

Reverend Doctor Sox Leleki and His Role in the Black Methodist Consultation

2019 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sonwabile Mancotywa
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Political Influence ◽  
Individual Member ◽  
Methodist Church ◽  
Role Players

The Methodist Church of Southern Africa (MCSA) is one of the mainline Christian denominations with a very good history. However, it was not immune from the larger political influence of South Africa that was polarised by apartheid. This article is intended to look at the formation known as the Black Methodist Consultation (BMC), which at that time had an individual member who played an important role in its development and activities. Sox Leleki was one of the key role players of this movement inside the Methodist Church

Editor in Chief’s Note on the Green Hydrogen Fuel from Solar / Wind Power

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Seyed Ehsan Hosseini
Keyword(s):  
Solar Wind ◽  
Crude Oil ◽  
Fossil Fuels ◽  
Sustainable Energy ◽  
Green Energy ◽  
Hydrogen Fuel ◽  
Fuel Production ◽  
Crude Oil Prices ◽  
Trade War ◽  
The Cost

Renewable and sustainable energy has an evolving story as the ongoing trade war in the word is influencing crude oil prices. Moreover, the global warming is an inevitable consequence of the worldwide increasing rate of fossil fuel utilization which has persuaded the governments to invest on the clean and sustainable energy resources. In recent years, the cost of green energy has tumbled, making the price of renewables competitive to the fossil fuels. Although, the hydrogen fuel is still extremely expensive compared to the crude oil price, investigations about clean hydrogen fuel production and utilization has been developed significantly which demonstrate the importance of the hydrogen fuel in the future. This article aims to scrutinize the importance of green hydrogen fuel production from solar/wind energy.

Ores Sources, Smelters and Archaeometallurgy: Exploring Iron Age Metal Production in the Southern Waterberg, South Africa

2013 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 243-267 ◽  
Author(s):  
Foreman Bandama ◽  
Shadreck Chirikure ◽  
Simon Hall
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Iron Age ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Mineral Resources ◽  
Limpopo Province ◽  
Metal Working ◽  
Cultural Interaction ◽  
Metal Production ◽  
European Colonization ◽  
Sem Analyses

The Southern Waterberg in Limpopo Province is archaeologically rich, especially when it comes to evidence of pre-colonial mining and metal working. Geologically, the area hosts important mineral resources such as copper, tin and iron which were smelted by agriculturalists in the precolonial period. In this region however, tin seems to be the major attraction given that Rooiberg is still the only source of cassiterite in southern Africa to have provided evidence of mining before European colonization. This paper reports the results of archaeological and archaeometallurgical work which was carried out in order to reconstruct the technology of metalworking as well as the cultural interaction in the study area and beyond. The ceramic evidence shows that from the Eiland Phase (1000–1300 AD) onwards there was cross borrowing of characteristic decorative traits amongst extant groups that later on culminated in the creation of a new ceramic group known as Rooiberg. In terms of mining and metal working, XRF and SEM analyses, when coupled with optical microscopy, indicate the use of indigenous bloomery techniques that are widespread in pre-colonial southern Africa. Tin and bronze production was also represented and their production remains also pin down this metallurgy to particular sites and excludes the possibility of importing of finished tin and bronze objects into this area.

Participatory catchment management — an opportunity for Southern Africa

1995 ◽  
Vol 32 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 145-151
Author(s):  
D. B. Versfeld
Keyword(s):  
South Africa ◽  
Land Management ◽  
Southern Africa ◽  
Participatory Rural Appraisal ◽  
Catchment Management ◽  
Management Process ◽  
Participatory Methods ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Kwazulu Natal ◽  
Rural Appraisal

South Africa has hundreds of thousands of hectares of heavily populated and badly degraded landscapes. Past attempts at land management have been either through avoidance or the top-down imposition of “betterment” schemes. Participatory methods offer a new opportunity for communities living within these catchments to share their knowledge and to become involved in planning and implementing the management process. This paper discusses the use of Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA) in a catchment rehabilitation programme in rural KwaZulu/Natal, the lessons learnt and the prospects for wider application.

scholarly journals Costs and Benefits of Autonomous Shipping—A Literature Review

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 4553
Author(s):  
Ewelina Ziajka-Poznańska ◽  
Jakub Montewka
Keyword(s):  
Literature Review ◽  
Business Models ◽  
Financial Models ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Costs And Benefits ◽  
Capital Costs ◽  
Research Activities ◽  
Benefit Estimation ◽  
Autonomous Ship ◽  
The Cost

The development of autonomous ship technology is currently in focus worldwide and the literature on this topic is growing. However, an in-depth cost and benefit estimation of such endeavours is in its infancy. With this systematic literature review, we present the state-of-the-art system regarding costs and benefits of the operation of prospective autonomous merchant ships with an objective for identifying contemporary research activities concerning an estimation of operating, voyage, and capital costs in prospective, autonomous shipping and vessel platooning. Additionally, the paper outlines research gaps and the need for more detailed business models for operating autonomous ships. Results reveal that valid financial models of autonomous shipping are lacking and there is significant uncertainty affecting the cost estimates, rendering only a reliable evaluation of specific case studies. The findings of this paper may be found relevant not only by academia, but also organisations considering to undertake a challenge of implementing Maritime Autonomous Surface Ships in their operations.

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