The Department of Science and Technology (DST) and Hot Platinum, a South African technology company, will launch a 2,5 kW fuel-cell power-generator unit at the Cape Flats Nature Reserve, on the University of Western Cape (UWC) campus in Bellville. The new generator will free the grid to be used by other applications at the nature reserve.
Hydrogen and fuel-cell technologies use both hydrogen and fuel cells to generate electricity, while hydrogen stores and delivers energy in usable form. Using hydrogen as an energy carrier could help to reduce South Africa's dependence on imported oil and the country's greenhouse gas emissions, which cause global warming.
This initiative is part of the Department's implementation of the National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technologies Research, Development and Innovation Strategy (HySA), which aims to use local resources and existing knowledge to enable the development of high-value commercial activities in hydrogen and fuel-cell technologies.
The Director-General of Science and Technology, Phil Mjwara, will speak at the launch, which will also be attended by the Director of the HySA Systems Integrationand Technology Validation Centre of Competence (HySA Systems), Prof. Bruno Pollet. HySA Systems is based at the UWC.
Details of the event:
Date: Tuesday, 18 November 2014
Time: 9h00 – 11h00
Venue: Cape Flats Nature Reserve, UWC, Modderdam Road, Bellville
Enquires:
Veronica Mohapeloa
Cell: 082 882 3818
Email: veronica.mohapeloa@dst.gov.za
