Eskom energy and sustainability programme

The Eskom energy and sustainability (E&S) programme is a long-standing partnership with the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) for education for sustainable development.

In the 2009/2010 financial year, the programme supported 189 action-based sustainability projects with school learners and educators. Through the combined support of regional coordinators to educators as well as the provision of appropriate resource materials, learners are empowered to research those issues specific to their local environment and follow on with action towards environmental competence.

The programme has a focus on previously disadvantaged communities and other minority groups, but is still inclusive of all South Africans.

There are three intervention methods used by the programme:

• Active learning projects
• Provincial workshops (intervention with groups of educators at clustered schools)
• Eskom strategic area schools (strong support with schools clustered near Eskom new-build project sites).

Proteus inspiring a chilling change

With the belief that people could save money by using electricity more wisely, a group of learners from the Eco-club at Proteus Secondary School in Atlantis in the Western Cape decided to investigate the impact of inefficient fridge usage on energy consumption and costs in the community. They found that the inefficient use of refrigerators was driving up electricity costs, with energy consumption by fridges accounting for between 10 and 20 percent of an average household’s electricity use and costs.

The group of kids not only tackled the issue of energy guzzling refrigerators, they went on to educate not only their school but also the rest of the community. Their passion impressed the judges of the Eskom 2010 eta Awards tremendously, who decided to award them a first in the Young Designers category.

CASE STUDY: Three Crowns Junior Secondary School

The Three Crowns junior secondary school is situated in the rural Lady Frere district of the Eastern Cape, servicing the surrounding community where there is a serious lack of services such as reticulated water, electricity and sanitation in many households. The programme supports a school-to-community empowerment project, which has established a showcase for alternative energy designs.

These designs are simple, effective and easy to replicate and are built from any readily available material. However, energy efficiency and alternative energies are concepts that mean little to those living in rural communities unless the benefits of the designs are demonstrated and, once demonstrated, are easily constructed and maintained to deliver a better quality of life.

Together with educators and learners, the following working demonstration models have been built at the school:

• Greenhouse / shade-house nursery made from recycled plastic bottles
• Solar cooker
• Two different models of solar water heater
• Hot-box
• Bio-gas digester
• Eco-circles, vermiculture and permaculture
• Zeer fridge