News

South Africa has a “green” airport! One where all their services: the check in desks, the baggage carousels, restaurants, ATMs and even the Control Tower are run from the electricity generated from solar panels…

Who knew! We actually have three, part of a six airport plan expected to be up and running by mid-2017.

This is a massive step forward as a country, and from one our ‘state owned’ enterprises, toward reaching our government’s sustainable development imperatives, increasing our energy security and environmental conservation obligations.

In a politically, let’s call it – interesting – time, this is one good and worthwhile campaign that has stayed the course. As the state owned enterprise responsible for the movement toward a more environmentally friendly conscious country, ACSA, battles on in court, the project for the solar overhaul of 6 regional airports is underway with at least 3 airports already completed. Not bad considering they started the project in September 2015…

The large corporation, and beacon of hope for South Africa’s plans to reduce our own carbon footprint, giant enterprise, ACSA – the Airports Company South Africa, an environmentally conscious company, believes that by decreasing their dependence on the national power grid, they will begin to fulfill their role by increasing energy security (electricity sustainability) and the diversification of the energy matrix (fancy way of saying, using different types of electricity together) as their key priority to ensure sustainability of business activities, says the GM for Regional Airports at ACSA.

ACSA has dedicated a project worth R90 million over the period of two years for the completion of 6 regional solar powered airports to ensure they fulfil their obligation as a large enterprise to continue to grow and support the movement toward finding and using different more environmentally friendly solutions to source electricity to keep our country running.

This admirable and much needed progressive step toward not only our own but our entire planet’s sustainability is a shining example of South Africa’s commitment toward going green…

The unveiling of the first “Green Airport is Africa took place in George on the 16 May 2016.

Image Source

Speaking at the opening ceremony at George Airport, Skhumbuzo Macozoma, Chairman of ACSA, said: “As an airports management company running nine airports nationally, part of our strategic objective is to minimise our environmental impact.” He said the company was looking into ways to reduce energy consumption, water consumption and noise levels as well as find ways to use energy-efficient materials.

South Africa with its broad open spaces and African sun has proved to have the potential for generating renewable energy and government plans to generate nearly half of the country’s power needs by 2030.

This is the R16 million, 3 000-panel solar plant at George Airport in the Western Cape. One look at the use, natures free gift to us and of previously unusable land due to noise constraints and one starts to recognise that opportunities truly exist under our beautiful African sun.

In this tiny town of George with 150 000 people in the Western Cape, the weather is so unpredictable, one would never think to find Africa’s first Solar Powered Airport. Surely not, when we consider that South Africa has rolling acres of sun-baked land in other provinces, and George is anything but!

This small airport, with its bustling tourist industry and acting as a transit hub for shipments of oysters and flowers, sees an average of 700 000 people through its doors each year, has proven to be an excellent test site for the airport solar roll out plan.

The unpredictability of the weather played an especially large role. ACSA, wanting to ensure the energy matrix solution would work for all six regions, made the decision to first try it in George, as the weather conditions were far more extreme in George than other parts of South Africa. The probability of the success of the nationwide project increased exponentially if the idea was a success there, which of course, it has been.

Ultimately solar power plants like this one will reduce the load on the constrained on the power grid. This 75KW plant will eventually see George Airport going off the power grid completely.
It already supplies 41% of the airport’s electricity needs.

Here are some facts about our very own and Africa’s very own, first solar powered airport, George Airport.

• This is the second Solar Powered Airport in the world. The first being Cochin in South India
• There are 3 000 panels located on the roofs of the airport building and on 0.7ha of land adjacent to the airport.
• The airport produces 750KW per day. Only 400KW per day is needed.
• In September 2016, the excess energy was fed back into the grid and powered 274 households.
• As of October 2016, George Airport lowered their carbon emissions by 1 229 tonnes!
• The energy efficient solution costs a mere R250K per year in maintenance, with an average savings of R65K per month.
• The solar batteries used in the panels last 25 years.
• The R16 million spent on the airport will be recovered in 10-15 years, leaving the remaining 10 years of profit.
• The plan has also created jobs both in the temp and permanent fields boosting the local economy.
• Since its implementation, load shedding cuts have become a thing of the past.

With all of these benefits, “going green” seems to be an obvious choice. With the planet’s climate change predictions slowly gaining respect around the world, it is a matter of time before we see landscapes like this…

Image Source

Sources:
http://www.engineeringnews.co.za/article/acsa-unveils-kimberley-airport-solar-power-plant-2016-05-13/rep_id:4136
http://www.airports.co.za/business/tender-bulletin/current-and-future-tenders
http://www.tourismupdate.co.za/article/107004/Acsa-launches-solar-power-project
https://www.businesslive.co.za/bd/companies/transport-and-tourism/2016-02-29-acsa-to-start-with-solar-power-at-six-regional-airports/
http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/articles/2016/10/solar-powered-airports-are-taking-off-worldwide.html
https://aviationbenefits.org/case-studies/the-first-solar-powered-airport/
https://www.howwemadeitinafrica.com/green-airports-future/
https://cleantechnica.com/2017/04/12/worlds-first-100-solar-airport-double-solar-capacity/

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About Nikki Blake

I am an Account Executive in our Gauteng branch. I have been with L2B for almost a year now and it has been one of the most rewarding experiences of my life. I am so passionate about people and being able to assist them grow their business with the use of our amazing system. It has not only given me an overwhelming sense of self fulfilment, but has also become my motivation to be the best person I can be each day. Thank you L2B and to all of our awesome clients!

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Departement van Waterwese en Bosbou

Ons lewe in ‘n tydperk van globalisasie en waar kwaliteit tyd nie meer bestaan nie. Waar is die dae toe ons nog die prag van die natuur om ons waargeneem het?

As jy vassit in die verkeer, sien jy nog die wonderwerke van ons Skepper om ons raak? My antwoord is onwillekeurig nee. Ons lê op ons toeters vir die stadige trok voor ons om na die linkerbaan toe te beweeg, sodat ons kan verbysteek en jaag na ons volgende afspraak. Ons kla so graag as die wonderlike reëndruppels begin val want net gister is my motor gewas. En dan aan die anderkant, watter ongelooflike gevoel om kaalvoet in die reën te dans. Die bekoring van nuwe lewe, geure en kleure na die eerste reënval is diep in my geheue vasgeprent. As jong dogtertjie sal ek nooit die ritme van reëndruppels op die grondpad vergeet nie, daarvan dan my bynaam ”Kaalvoetklonkie”

Soos die koms van elke nuwe seisoen, met nuwe groei en verwagtinge besef ek weereens watter groot rol die Departement van Waterwese en Bosbou beter bekend as DWAF speel.

DWAF is die bewaarder van Suid-Afrika se water en bosbouhulpbronne. Dit is hoofsaaklik verantwoordelik vir die formulering en implementering van beleid wat hierdie twee sektore beheer. Dit het ook die verantwoordelikheid vir waterdienste wat deur die plaaslike regering verskaf word. Terwyl hulle strewe om te verseker dat alle Suid-Afrikaners toegang tot skoon water en veilige sanitasie verkry, ontwikkel die watersektor ook effektiewe en doeltreffende waterhulpbronbestuur om ekonomiese en sosiale ontwikkeling te verseker. Die bosbouprogram handhaaf ook die bestuur van die land se natuurlike bosbronne en kommersiële bosbou vir die blywende voordeel van die land.

DWAF het talle projekte / programme en Tenders gelys wat waardevol vir ons kliënte kan wees.

Hier is slegs ‘n paar Projekte wat op hul webwerf genoem is, naamlik:

+ Groot Letaba Water Development Project
+ Groundwater
+ Hydrology (Data, Dams, Floods and Flows)
+ Integrated Water Planning Portal – Strategy Portal
+ Integrated Water Resource Planning
+ Integrated Water Quality Management Plan (IWQMP) For The Olifants River System
+ Integrated Water Quality Management Strategy
+ Lusikisiki Regional Water Supply Scheme
+ Mokolo and Crocodile River (West): Water Augmentation Project (MCWAP)
+ Mzimvubu Water Project

Ons weet beide water en bosbou speel ‘n groot rol in ons lewens. Indien nie die grootste nie. Ons neem dikwels ons pragtige land as vanselfsprekend en daarom moet ons ook die verantwoordelikheid neem om water te bespaar en na ons bosbou te kyk.
Ek kan boeke en verhale skryf oor die onderwerp, maar gaan net so vlugtig ‘n paar goedjies noem. Ek sal ‘n bietjie van alles skryf, so jy sal beslis iets interessants vind om te lees.

Lekker “het jy geweet” feite?

• Het jy geweet as jy 5 minute stort, in plaas van bad, sal slegs sowat ‘n derde van die water gebruik word. Dit kan in ‘n week tot 400 liter water bespaar.
• As jy verkies om te bad eerder as om te stort, moenie die bad op die rand vul nie. ‘n Bad gebruik tussen 80 en 150 liter water per bad.
• Het jy geweet Internasionale Bosdag val presies dieselfde dag as Menseregtedag in Suid-Afrika, dus word dit meestal geïgnoreer.

Fassinerende Gesondheid feite oor water:

• Slegs 1,1% van die water op aarde is geskik om te drink soos dit is.
• Ons liggame bestaan uit 55 – 75% water.
• Depressie en moegheid kan dikwels die simptome van dehidrasie wees.
• Dit is gesond om water met etes te drink, aangesien dit die verteringsproses bevorder
• Die beste manier om ontslae te raak van waterretensie is om baie water te drink. Water retensie kan ‘n teken van dehidrasie wees.
• Water laat die liggaam toe om vette meer doeltreffend te metaboliseer.
• Goeie water inname verhoed dat die vel sak.
• Water is die hoofvoedsel wat die liggaam benodig.
• Die dorsrefleks kom slegs voor wanneer ons liggame reeds gedehidrier is.
• Kinders dehidreer vinniger as volwassenes, ‘n opname het getoon dat 65% van die skoolkinders te min water drink.
• ‘n 2% vermindering van die water vlakke in die liggaam kan lei tot ‘n 20% afname in geestelike en fisiese prestasie.
• Dehidrasie kan kontraksies in swanger vroue veroorsaak.

Vyf feite rakende die bosboubedryf

• Natuurlike woude dek ‘n derde van alle grond op aarde. Soos ons weet, absorbeer bome koolstofdioksied en gee suurstof vry, wat die absolute noodsaaklikheid van ons voortbestaan maak.
• Plaaslik is slegs 0,4% van ons landmassa gedek deur natuurlike woud. Dit is net 500 000 ha, ondersteun deur 39 miljoen hektaar wat deur savanne stelsels gedek word.
• Daar is drie hooftipes bome wat op Suid-Afrikaanse plantasies groei. Hulle is dennehout (44%), Eucalyptus (44%) en Wattle (12%).
• Die Suid-Afrikaanse bosboubedryf het 158 000 mense in diens en is verantwoordelik vir 11% van die land se landbou-BBP en 5% van die BBP.
• Daar is sowat 26 000 houtkwekers in Suid-Afrika. Dit sluit in die groot multinasionale korporasies, die regering en duisende kleinskaalse maatskappye.

Laaste maar nie die minste nie….

Dit is goed om ons self ‘n bietjie meer wys te maak op ons reënvalle en damwatervlakke. Ons sien dikwels dat iemand iets oor hul watervlakke op Facebook plaas.
Wel, ek gaan jou ‘n paar interessante grafieke van ons Provinsiale Reënval asook ons Dam vlakke wys. Spesiaal vir die ernstige hengelaars daar buite. Ken jou watervlakke!

Gauteng:

Wes-Kaap:

KwaZulu-Natal:

Noord-Kaap:

Oos-Kaap:

Vrystaat:

Noord Wes:

Mpumalanga:

Limpopo:

Provinsiale Dam en Rivier watervlakke
Data laas opgedateer
2017-08-07
Volle kapasiteit in miljoen kubieke meter

Wes – Kaap
=1867.0

Noord – Kaap
=145.5

Oos – Kaap
= 1832.4

Vrystaat
= 15968.0

Noord Wes
= 15968.0

Mpumalanga
= 2538.8

Limpopo
= 1522.3

Kwazulu- Natal
=4782.7

Gauteng
=114.8

Onthou, elke druppel water tel, en dink voor jy op ‘n stukkie papier ink!

Bronne
DWAF
http://www.preventionweb.net/organizations/937

Projekte / Programme
http://www.dwaf.gov.za/projects.aspx

Tenders
http://www.dwaf.gov.za/Tenders/tendersCurrent.aspx

Water Feite
http://www.health24.com/Diet-and-nutrition/Beverages/12-interesting-water-facts-20120721

Forestry
http://www.countrylife.co.za/wild-earth/32929
http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/ac486e/ac486e02.htm#TopOfPage

Rainfall pictures
http://www.dwaf.gov.za/hydrology/Provincial%20Rain/Default.aspx

Dam levels
http://www.dwaf.gov.za/hydrology/Weekly/Province.aspx

If you are interested in becoming one of our subscribers, please visit our website.

To view notes with screenshots on how to use our website, please visit our Wiki site.

To view more articles, please visit our blog.

About Christine Brooks

My journey started in 2015 with Leads 2 Business, as an Account Executive, and gradually grown to take the role of being the Client Liaison Officer (CLO) since 2018. Assisting in the delivery of our services and insuring our clients expectations and requirements are exceeded.

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During the initial nerves and stress of finding out that I had to write a blog, I was asking myself WHAT IS A PPP anyway? How am I going to write about this, when I don’t even know what PPP stands for!? Don’t fear, once I pulled myself towards myself and looked at it with a stress-free and nerve free mindset it hit me! Public Private Partnership, PPP stands for Public Private Partnership aka P3 or 3P 😉 so here goes:

A Public Private Partnership (PPP, P3, 3P) as defined in South African law is a contract between a government institution and a private company, in which the private company bears significant risk and management responsibility, and payment is linked to performance.

The main objective of PPP’s all over the world is to ensure the delivery of well maintained, cost-effective public infrastructure or services, by leveraging private sector expertise and transferring risk to the private sector.

In traditional procurement of public services or infrastructure, the government pays for capital and operating costs and carries the risks associated with cost overruns and late delivery etc. While the expertise and experience of a private company may be procured for the design and construction of infrastructure, once the asset is delivered the private company is paid and then leaves. The public sector is then responsible for staffing, maintenance and operation.

In a PPP procurement, the public sector buys a full set of services, including infrastructure and other services, from the private sector. It pays for these over the term of the PPP agreement, based on successful delivery. The private sector usually puts its own capital at risk, funding its investment in the project with debt and shareholder equity. Because of the financial risk the private sector takes, it is motivated to provide a high level of service, as good returns on equity will depend on the quality of services it delivers. The public sector is then responsible for operation once the project is complete.

PPP’s are on the rise as it has been found that there is an increasing number of countries that are enshrining a definition of PPP’s in their laws, each tailoring the definition to their institutional and legal particularities.

Characteristics of PPPs

• A PPP is a clearly defined project, where the procuring institution carefully defines its objectives.
• The contractual relationship spans a set length of time, which may range from 5 to 30 years.
• The private party plays a key role at each stage of the project: funding, development, design, completion and implementation.
• The funding structures of a PPP sometimes combine public and private funds.
• Payment arrangements in PPPs are based on outputs, related to the provision of services and/or infrastructure and services.
• PPPs are not a way of avoiding payment for capital projects. They allow the procuring institution to spread payments for large projects over the project’s lifetime.
• Direct user charges, like road tolls or water fees, may also contribute to a project’s revenue.
• Risks are allocated to the party most able to carry them.
• Fixed and operational assets are adequately maintained over the project’s lifetime.

Source

There is no one widely accepted definition of public-private partnerships (PPP) however the above covers what they are basically all about.

On our Leads 2 Business website we have Public Private Partnerships projects listed, below is 2 examples of many:

South Africa:

Tourist Development – Ebizweni Development, Algoa Bay

PPA 4315 – Embizweni Development, Algoa Bay – Infrastructure
PPA 4316 – Embizweni Development, Algoa Bay – Offices
PPA 4317 – Embizweni Development, Algoa Bay – Residential
PPA 4318 – Embizweni Development, Algoa Bay – Hospitality & Leisure

Africa:
Roma Valley Development, Lesotho

PPA 17450 – Roma Valley Development, Lesotho – Student Hostel
PPA 17451 – Roma Valley Development, Lesotho – Student Centre
PPA 17452 – Roma Valley Development, Lesotho – Computer Centre
PPA 17453 – Roma Valley Development, Lesotho – Shopping Centre
PPA 17454 – Roma Valley Development, Lesotho – Wellness Centre
PPA 17455 – Roma Valley Development, Lesotho – Infrastructure
PPA 17456 – Roma Valley Development, Lesotho – Business School

If you’d like to know more about the current or upcoming projects on our database please feel free to contact me on +27(0)33 343 1130 or SallyN@l2b.co.za.

About Sally Nell

I joined Leads 2 Business in November 2011. I started in the Daily Tenders department and later moved to the Directory Department in May 2014.

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