In the previous posting the question was raised on how we can deal with the current electricity crisis we are facing with. With more than 820 schools currently involved in the Khanya project, while more sites are rolled out on a continual basis, the need to look at ways of preserving energy needs to be high on the agenda.
The Khanya project is known as a project that always explore innovative ways of dealing with issues that have the potential of negatively affecting our goal of becoming the leader in using ICT as a curriculum delivery tool.
In view of the above, Khanya is currently rolling out a pilot project to test the viability of using solar energy to power a full computer laboratory. It is planned to have the pilot project up and running during the second term and the results will be available soon afterwards.
Do you think that such an alternative way (considering the cost implications) of producing enough energy will be a viable option to fight the energy crisis and to ensure business continuity independent of the ESKOM energy grid?
Monday, March 10, 2008
Do we have the power?
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8 comments:
I fully agree with the notion that alternative technologies must be explored to reduce our reliance on Eskom.Solar and/or wind energy,which are readily available within the Western Cape,could be harnessed for use within the Schools.
Even if one cannot manage to be weaned off ESKOM completely, it is our moral obligation to work towards a situation where we are less dependant on polution-causing sources of electricity.
Alternative technologies should be explored, but the cost implications as a result of conversions, maintenance, security and the like can be astronomical. If we are willing to foot the bill, that will be fine.
If such a large investment in alternative technology is made, then the sustainability of it should be aggressively pursued. This will add even more to the cost of using ICT in schools. Can they afford it?
It should also be remembered that alternative sources of electricity can only provide limited amounts of electricity at any given time for a given time. Electricity generated from coal/nuclear fuel is consistent,reliable and can feed into millions of houses. The harnessing of other technologies to do the same thing is still in its infancy. Proper and honest scientific research will eventually give us a workable "green" solution
I would love to supply a new lab in the far north with such power next term may we it is a great idea.
I would be interested to know how much power is consumed per KhanyaPC currently using a CRT screen. Thus how much reduction would one gain replacing CRT with LCD. How much more reduction could be gained in applying the trialed and tested 441 solution.
When it comes to exploring alternative energy solutions we need to start somewhere with the exercise. It is hoped that the pilot project will help us to educate ourselves through experience in ways to not only use alternative energy sources but also ways to conserve energy. It will provide us with the platform to do comparative studies and experiment with new approaches to energy conservation. For example, does a screensaver save more energy than a blank screen?
I believe that the more common the use of alternative energy becomes, the cheaper it will get. But we need to take the plunge.
Congratulations to the technical team for being so innovative. Yes, alternative way of producing electricity is the way to go. Some Khanya schools are situated 150 km from the border of Namakwaland, this is where sun energy is available throughout the year, why not pilot it in such a school, why do we always use schools that have so much technology, could we not pilot this fantastic idea in a brand new school?
This may not be a solution we are looking at, but a school in South Africa operated their computer facility with electricity generated from methane gas which was extracted from raw sewage. They built toilets on the school property with holding tanks to catch human waste. Then they encouraged the surrounding community to use the toilets on school property.
This is not the cleanest (no pun intended) of solutions since it produces carbon dioxide as a by- product and this we already have a problem with (global warming). But then maybe.... Coke is running short on carbon dioxide....maybe they can use it.
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