Sustainable energy future depends on renewables and energy efficiency

© Ramona Heim – za.fotolia.com

This is according to Arthur Chien, vice president of Talesun Energy, who says the current low business confidence levels experienced in South Africa can be attributed to the challenges that the country faces with electricity supply.

He points to the recently released statistics by SACCI which reveals that business confidence levels for this time of the year are the lowest in nearly two decades, highlighting the need for sustainable solutions. "With enough buy-in from government and the private sector, South Africa has the ability and the potential to move towards an energy efficient country, which will in turn increase business confidence."

Poor ranking

South Africa ranked 99th out of 140 countries by Global Competitiveness Index with regards to the provision of energy, and according to Chien, the poor ranking can be attributed to continuous interruptions caused by rolling blackouts, which have caused local businesses to suffer.

"By becoming energy independent and efficient in terms of relying on renewables instead of the country's power grid, businesses will avoid losses brought on by load shedding, relieve pressure off the strained grid and become self-sufficient suppliers of electricity."

Chien says that top users of electricity in the country include shopping malls and office buildings, which use energy for lighting systems, equipment, air conditioning and heating. "The implementation of renewables can help buildings save on energy dramatically. For example, the Epsom Downs Shopping Centre in Johannesburg, which is running a photovoltaic solar project, is projected to produce 30% of the electricity required by the shopping centre and expected to save 515,172 kilowatt-hour of energy per year. The most energy-efficient buildings in America use 35% less energy, according to Energy Star, a US Environmental Protection Agency."

High occupancy

He says that energy efficient buildings are also known to have higher occupancy rates and increased asset values. Due to the energy shortages being experienced in South Africa, it is imperative that government buildings together businesses become energy efficient and pursue renewable energy measures and regard these measures as imperative facets fighting the energy crisis in the country.

Chien points to research conducted by Energy Star, which indicates that Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certified buildings have 16-18% higher occupancies than non-rated buildings and are valued 10-31% higher. "This is often because tenants opt for real estate with lower utility bills."

He adds that renewable and efficient energy will not only prevent businesses from suffering financial losses during power outages, but will save large amounts of money and protect the climate in the long run.