Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality showed its commitment to promote low-carbon
technologies when it officially unveiled the first and only solar plant of its kind in the
country on Friday 12 Oct 2012. The plant is owned by the municipality and is in line with
Ekurhuleni's Energy Strategy, which identifies proactive promotion of green power as
essential for creating a sustainable future for the municipality.
The solar PV plant is located in the O. R. Tambo Precinct, which showcases sustainable
technologies and construction techniques including rammed earth, straw bale and cob wall
construction, green roof technology, thermal mass earth flooring and solar water heating.
The plant powers nearby structures, such as the OR Tambo Narrative Centre and the
Environmental Education Centre, and the surrounding low-cost housing area. The solar PV
plant has a generation capacity of 200 kW from 860 solar PV panels; generating enough
electricity to power about 133 low-cost houses. It is planned to expand the solar PV plant
to 600 kW capacity over the next 2-3 years. An inverter converts direct electricity current
generated by the solar panels into alternating current that is fed onto the municipal power
grid. Since the system is grid interactive, no batteries are required for electricity storage.
A number of key interventions were made to ensure that electricity revenue processes are managed effectively such as Revenue demand meter, credit meters and Prepayment meters.
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The Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality has established a landfill gas extraction and utilisation project at four of its landfill sites (generators to be installed at all sites - 8 MW total for 4 sites) So far 3GWh generated - flaring happens at all sites - 639547 tCO2e (CDM project). The extraction and utilisation of landfill gas reduces harmful greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and prevents explosion hazards at the landfill sites from the accumulation of methane gas. Assessment of the potential for landfill gas (LFG) extraction and utilisation at Ekurhuleni Municipality landfill sites began in 2005, with a feasibility study and trial of landfill gas extraction and flaring. The study found that gas extraction and power generation were feasible and financially viable under the CDM of the Kyoto Protocol, which would allow for revenue to be obtained from the sale of emission reductions.
The decision was made to go forward with the development of a LFG CDM Project. The construction of the full-scale project started on 29 August 2007.
CDM registration was finalised in February 2011 retrospectively to 26 October 2010.
The CDM Project was intended to be implemented in 2 phases. In phase 1, the LFG will be extracted and flared. In phase 2, the intention is to use the LFG for power generation and export electricity to the grid. Phase 2 was launched in September 2014 by the Electricity Department within EMM.
Since 2006 368 High Mast Lights were installed to promote safety and security within the communities
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Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality Energy Department intends building 2 X 250kWp Grid-tied Rooftop Solar Photovoltaic plant on the roof of Boksburg Civic Centre and the roof of the parking area at EGSC building in Germiston. The Rooftop solar plant will supply power to the building. Since the building is occupied during the day, solar PV generated power will be used during working hours and the excess power will be fed to the grid during weekends and public holidays. The purpose is to offset conventional electricity drawn from the grid as well as promote the use of renewable energy and to reduce carbon emissions for the City.
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2000 high pressure solar water heater systems were installed in various council owned buildings
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8 659 street lights were converted to energy efficiency units
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1350 low pressure solar water heater systems were installed in hotel complexes
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10000 solar water heaters to low cost housing during 2010/2011 with a 10 years free maintenance eperiod
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400 traffic light intersections were converted to low power LED signal heads
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Free Basic Electricity (FBE) set at 100 units (twice of what is required by National Policy) is provided to Tariff A-lifeline and Tariff A customers since June 2005
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January 2010 an Energy Director was appointed to focus on energy efficiency initiatives
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43 000 energy efficiency lights of various sizes were installed at various council buildings
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This is to provide a safe, reliable and affordable transport system. To address the issues of connectivity amongst our communities as well as linkages between our communities and places of work, health and education. The City opted to go with an introduction of an Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network (IRPTN). Indepth consultation with multi-stakeholder and communities to ensure the provision of an asset that will instill pride and ownership.Considerations on the City's nine town centres and seventeen townships, all with varying degrees in availability of transport, the rate of industrial and human settlement development, lack of spartial planning and reduction in carbon emissions, were critical.
Read More Read LessEducation and public awareness is an integral part of sustainable development and an important part of a community’s understanding of the environmental impacts and how these relate to their actions. Lack of knowledge by industry and community members can cause the degradation of the environment. The empowerment of industry and communities with regards to the environment not only enables them to understand what may be wrong and how they can rectify this, but also enables understanding and appreciation, which in turn leads to a desire to conserve and protect the surrounding environment. Climate Change is one of the environmental themes that are a priority in the implementation of environmental education programmes.
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Ekurhuleni embraces some 112 wards, is heavily industrialized and is considered the economic engine of South Africa. The Ekurhuleni area consists of about 192 355 hectares of land and is occupied by about 3,4 million people occupying
approximately 750 000 households. The pattern of households, as of 2004, is still characterized by a smaller, largely
white suburban component occupying cores within larger, densely populated, predominantly black settlements
arranged on the historical township model. Ekurhuleni is responsible for some 25% of the Gross Geographic Product
of Gauteng with the inputs of some 33 000 business entities, including 8 000 industries, over 5 000 supporting
enterprises and a bustling commercial sector. Ekurhuleni is an entity of globally competitive business and industry.
Ekurhuleni has the largest industrial and manufacturing base on the African continent, making it a centre for energy
intensive activity.
One of the key performance areas identified for the Metro’s Environmental Development department is the
development of a strategy to institutionalise sustainable energy approaches and practices in the Municipality. This is a
key step to move Ekurhuleni towards the goals of sustainable development.
Ekurhuleni is also one of eleven participating South African cities in the Cities for Climate Change Protection (CCP)
Programme of the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI). The aim of the CCP programme is
to mobilise cities to address both their own urban service priorities and those of the global climate change agenda. The
CCP Programme requires that local authorities conduct an emissions inventory and forecast, set emission reduction
goals, develop & implement an emission reduction action plan, and monitor the results achieved. CCP internationally
includes 550 cities representing some 8% global greenhouse gas emissions. The city intends to increase share of renewables in primary energy mix for the community to 10% by 2020. EMM’s energy and climate change strategy supports the social, economic and environmental wellbeing
of the Metro via:
• The provision of adequate energy for economic growth.
• Supporting poverty alleviation by promoting clean, safe and modern energy to households.
• Saving money by improving the efficiency of energy use.
• Reducing harmful effects of energy use such as pollution and global warming, by providing
cleaner, renewable energy sources.
• Promoting the use of more efficient transport, with a focus on public transport.
Harambee Bus Rapid System aims to connect the nine Ekurhuleni towns of Benoni, Germiston, Springs, Kempton Park, Edenvale, Nigel, Brakpan, Boksburg, and Alberton.
Harambee's 56-kilometre trunk route from Tembisa in the north to Vosloorus in the south will be built in phases, starting with the section from Tembisa via Kempton Park to OR Tambo International Airport.
Construction of dedicated BRT lanes is well under way
Construction of dedicated BRT lanes is well under way on Harambee's trunk route between Tembisa and OR Tambo International Airport. (Image: www.harambeebrt.co.za)
This first phase, supported by complementary and feeder routes, is due to start operating around mid-2016. The second and third phases, which will extend the trunk route from OR Tambo to Boksburg and from Boksburg to Vosloorus, are scheduled for launch by October 2017
GOALS OF AN ENERGY
STRATEGY
An energy strategy supports the social,
economic and environmental wellbeing
of a city, via:
Providing adequate energy for economic
growth.
Supporting poverty alleviation by promoting
clean, safe and modern energy
to households.
Saving money by improving the efficiency
of energy use.
Reducing harmful effects of energy use
such as pollution and global warming,
by promoting cleaner, renewable energy
sources.
Promoting the use of more efficient
transport, with a focus on public transport.
This is to provide a safe, reliable and affordable transport system. To address the issues of connectivity amongst our communities as well as linkages between our communities and places of work, health and education. The City opted to go with an introduction of an Integrated Rapid Public Transport Network (IRPTN). Indepth consultation with multi-stakeholder and communities to ensure the provision of an asset that will instill pride and ownership.Considerations on the City's nine town centres and seventeen townships, all with varying degrees in availability of transport, the rate of industrial and human settlement development, lack of spartial planning and reduction in carbon emissions, were critical.
Read More Read LessEducation and public awareness is an integral part of sustainable development and an important part of a community’s understanding of the environmental impacts and how these relate to their actions. Lack of knowledge by industry and community members can cause the degradation of the environment. The empowerment of industry and communities with regards to the environment not only enables them to understand what may be wrong and how they can rectify this, but also enables understanding and appreciation, which in turn leads to a desire to conserve and protect the surrounding environment. Climate Change is one of the environmental themes that are a priority in the implementation of environmental education programmes.
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City of Ekurhuleni Executive Mayor, Cllr Mondli Gungubele, has signed the certificate of commitment with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction’s (UNISDR).
The signing of the certificate is a declaration by the City of Ekurhuleni to be one of the 2 800 cities and towns that have joined the global campaign to make cities resilient by implementing systems that will allow them to respond to disasters effectively.
Mayor Mzwandile MasinaCity of Ekurhuleni Metropolitan Municipality, South Africa
