Solar

Change the way we power the world Unlike the solar cells you’re used to seeing, organic photovoltaics are made of compounds that are dissolved in ink and can be printed and molded using simple techniques. The result is a low-weight, flexible, semi-transparent film that turns the energy of the sun into electricity. Hannah Bürckstümmer shows …

There’s an energy revolution happening in villages and towns across Africa The thrilling potential for off-grid solar energy: There’s an energy revolution happening in villages and towns across Africa – off-grid solar energy is becoming a viable alternative to traditional electricity systems. In a bold talk about a true leapfrog moment, Amar Inamdar introduces us …

Lester on EV Ownership Lester says Yes with regards to an Electrical Vehicle. Lester has the following thoughts on EV’s: They are cool.Published at Mon, 25 Mar 2019 13:59:46 +0000

Why do solar panels always have to be so ugly? The sun delivers more energy to earth in one hour than all of humanity uses in an entire year. How can we make this power more accessible to everyone, everywhere? Solar designer Marjan van Aubel shows how she’s turning everyday objects like tabletops and stained …

400 Km/h and 0-100 in 1.9 Seconds and it is a …… Electric Vehicle from Rimac. The Concept Two is built of carbon fiber but still tips the scales at 1,950 kg. Rimas says that it will corner like its on rails thanks to torque-steering that’s fully independent on each wheel. And no less a …

Mobility of the Future Continental has successfully concluded fiscal 2018. The DAX company’s sales totalled 44.4 Euros billion and the adjusted EBIT margin was 9.3 percent, which meant that the technology company achieved its adjusted annual targets. “Leaders deliver good results, even under bad circumstances. Over the past year, we have again demonstrated our excellent …

Eskom has nothing to fear from Renewables President Cyril Ramaphosa says the financial and operational challenges faced by power utility Eskom are not caused by the independent power producer (IPP) programme. Responding to oral questions in the National Assembly on Thursday, the President said the IPPs would not collapse Eskom. He said the power utility’s …

Do EV’s need special tyres? Whilst chatting to Uitenhage Goodyear Managing Director, Darren Hayes-Powell he mentioned that Goodyear Tyres are available specifically for the the new Jaguar I-Pace and that a tyre specific to Electric Vehicles was necessary as; “…they are heavier with a lower centre of gravity than normally aspirated vehicles!” Hayes-Powell joined Goodyear …

A Beach Buggy for Millenials The Volkswagen ID. BUGGY shows a new facet of the modular electric drive matrix (MEB). With its purist design, the concept car is a modern interpretation of an icon – the legendary dune buggy from California. A cool, open-air, zero-emission, high-tech summer beach-and-city vehicle. The reincarnation of an automotive lifestyle …

European Car of the Year Available in Port Elizabeth Editor: AND it is electric, AND Jaguar charging stations were installed by a local company. The all-electric Jaguar I-PACE, which is now available in South Africa, has been voted ‘Car of the Year’ at the European Car of the Year Awards 2019. This is the first …

Please pick me up if you buy one of these The poster child for Electric Vehicles, Tesla, has announced that the standard Tesla Model 3, with 354 kilometers of range ( from a 75 kW battery), a top speed of 209 km/h and 0-60 mph (96 km/h) acceleration of 5.6 seconds is now available at …

Spare a Thought for the Bramble Cay Melomys as you Spew Fumes from your ICE today After last being seen by a fisherman on it’s home island of isolated Bramble Cay – a tiny Torres Strait vegetated coral cay located at the northern tip of the Great Barrier Reef in Papua New Guinea, off the …

The Last Straw Beckons The Department of Environmental Affairs is currently engaging industry and consumer bodies on proposals to phase out or completely ban plastic products like straws and microbeads. Mark Gordon, the department’s deputy director-general for chemical and waste management, said the single-use products are considered to be unfriendly to the environment, especially the …

Eskom – Looks like we have finally learned from the mistakes of the Nationalist Government A long long time ago the Nationalist Apartheid Government of South Africa embarked on a ‘grand plan’ to nationalise the production and distribution of electricity in South Africa via EksDom Eskom. The reasons were probably around centralised control of a …

Can’t see the Energy for the Sun Humankind is often blinded by perception and/or assumption, hence sayings such as; “He can’t see the wood for the trees” and now; “We can’t see the energy for the sun”! The simple fact of the matter is that 99.86% of our solar system’s mass is taken up by …

Budget 2019 – Is it too late to slip in some Renewable Energy incentives, Pravin? Our legislative climate is severely curtailing investment in Renewable Energy and Electric Vehicles. South Africa is now very far behind other countries when it comes to an enabling environment for the renewable energy industry. Fundamentals that we would like to …

Why one of Newton Park’s Last Roads to be tarred was McAdam Street It was a youthful musing of mine to look at the last remaining gravel road – McAdam Street in Newton Park and imagine that it was named for the inventor of the macadamised road – John Loudon McAdam, (born 21 September 1756, …

Hyundai Kona EV Reduces me to Being a Little Boy in the Sweet Shop BUT, with one massive difference – this sweet shop only has three different sweet models to choose from….. Whilst on a drive along with the Kelston Group last week, my co-driver mentioned that the Electric Vehicle version of the Hyundai Kona …

It is Stuff like this that gives me Heart Palpitations No Daryll, Russel, Glen, Jimmy, Frank I am not referring to those risque shares…. South Africa, and Port Elizabeth especially, are being left so far behind in two manifestations of the 4th Industrial Revolution that are so close to my heart: Renewable Energy and Electric …

Would you trust an ICE Driven Lift? Petrolhead man/woman/person is a strange beast worshiping at the foot of Mercury believing that the only true way to mythical speed and reliability is through the Internal Combustion Engine (ICE in the parlance of the hemp wearing hipster Electric Vehicle brigade). Hours spent tinkering with heads, pistons, mapping, …

Why Some Giant Carmakers are on the Brink of Death Dr Peter Harrop, Chairman, IDTechEx says; “Bad Strategy Will Kill Some Carmaking Giants Soon”. Bad strategy rather than tactics, such as misjudged new models, will kill several major automotive companies. They face a perfect storm of peak car, totally new technology, totally new markets and …

How we as a Country CAN Avoid Stage 8 Loadshedding A simple comparison between how many roofs are needed for Grid Tied Solar PV to equal the amount of consumption that Eskom calls to be shed at each Stage reveals a very sad truth about the cost overruns at Medupi and how short sighted government …

What is Icelandic Moss doing in an EV? After graduating from high school in 2012 two friends – Laurin Hahn and Jona Christians – embarked on an ambitious journey to develop an electric vehicle in Jona’s garage. Within three years, the friends had transformed a conventional vehicle into an electric car with integrated solar modules. …

SA’s Green Transport Strategy Commenting on the Department of Transport: Green Transport Strategy for South Africa (2018-2050). Minister of Transport Dr Blade Nzimande said; “South Africa is committed to providing a world class transport system that reduces both the cost of transport and the quantity of Greenhouse Gases (GHG), as well as other pollutants that …

The Truth About Solar Power in Nelson Mandela Bay – who still benefits The Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality was the first one to introduce a managed plan for renewable energy to connect to the grid. At the time the method of operation was very progressive and fair – translation: it favoured the consumer. Basically anyone …

And you though that EV’s were ‘namby-pamby’! Current thinking around Electric Vehicles is that they are a bit ‘naff’ – soft vehicles that cosset you in luxury, make sure that you stay in your lane, don’t fall asleep and have every luxury convenience available. EV’s are viewed as certainly NOT capable of off-road performance nor …

Sailing has The Ocean Race, What do EV’s have? Every industry/sport has a showcase event that pushes the boundaries of human endurance and/or technolgy to the limit. Lessons learned from that pinnacle then filter down to the ordinary man to make that sport/industry faster, better, safer, more exciting. In sailing we have the ultimate endurance …

Maybe it is not ONLY the Manganese Ore Dust? Certain diesel/oil burning ships can produce as much pollutants as 700 trucks. Add that amount of pollutants to the 55 trucks per hour hauling manganese ore into the Port of Port Elizabeth and you have a huge amount of pollutants on our roads and in confined …

Easy ways to improve your household recycling and clean up your ‘hood for good Not enough South Africans are recycling, and depending on your local recycling services around half of what goes in your bin could potentially be recycled and not end up in landfills, and recycling is an excellent way to save energy and …

What Brand of Fuel do you Fiil Up with? Ilanga? Our preferred brand to consume is one we have branded as Goodenough*. We receive this fuel from ilanga**. The South African fossil fuel world is full of competing brands – Shell, Total, BP, Engen, Sasol, Puma, Zenex and Caltex. All differentiate themselves with secret additives …