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Mining materials haulage system among receivers of enviro recognition

2016 SOUTH AFRICAN CLIMATE SOLVER AWARD WINNERS Milotek CEO Andries Louw, Ducere Holdings MD Andre Reyneke and Stellenergy CEO Paul Gauche

Photo by Source: WWF-SA/Substance Films

FUTRAN IN ACTION Futran is a fractional rapid transit system, which is designed to transport a range of pod types to take loads as light as a few hundred kilogrammes and as heavy as 20 t

1st July 2016

By: Ilan Solomons

Creamer Media Staff Writer

  

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Conservation organisation World Wide Fund For Nature (WWF) South Africa has announced the three winners of the 2016 South African Climate Solver Awards in recognition of innovations that reduce carbon emissions or boost access to clean energy.

They are Heliolab, a “revolutionary” heliostat concentrated solar power collector system, Futran, an autonomous haulage test system and Miser, a hydraulic hybrid transition.

The Heliolab, low cost, small scale, flexible, scalable heliostat system enhances the benefits of concentrated solar power (CSP). The system was developed by renewable energy company Stellenergy, which has a focus on utility grid connected and offgrid solar power, which linked to the renewable energy focus at Stellenbosch University, in the Western Cape.

“The Heliolab improves the benefits of CSP by removing the hurdles typically faced by this power source,such as inflexibility and large scale requirements along with requiring significant site preparation and civil works as well as having a definite limit to cost reduction potential,” explains Stellenergy CEO Paul Gauche.

He notes that the system also has a smart control system that “dynamically” compensates for reduced precision. “Our technology concentrates the sun’s power using six small mirrors which are connected to a steel frame. One simply installs and assembles them and turns them on.

“The system stores energy for when it is needed and can eliminate the need for communities to be on the grid. It can also produce hot water, clean water and power refrigeration. Moreover, it can be maintained and owned by a community,” Gauche highlights.

Meanwhile, local transportation technology company Milotek’s Futran is a fractional rapid transit system, which is designed to transport a range of pod types to take loads as light as a few hundred kilogrammes and as heavy as 20 t using the same track type and the same motorised units.

Milotek CEO Andries Louw says that the flexibility and scalability of the system is unique and enables it to address a range of needs in a variety of conditions.

“The system uses alightweight, super strong, elevated track network andcan be deployed on road and railway reserves, over obstacles and sensitive areas, such as wetlands and rivers.

“It is high enough to enable animal and people migrations and small enough not to be visually disturbing,” he states.

Louw emphasises that Futran provides an “incredibly cost effective and efficient form of transport” that releases less carbon emissions than rail transport.

He highlights that because it is locally developed in Africa, for African conditions, it is locally maintained.

“Futran is one system that can be used for almost any form of transportation on the same type of track,” Louw states.

In November 2015, he informed Mining Weekly that representatives of some of the largest mining companies in Africa had evaluated the effectiveness of the system and were negotiating for the deployment of the system at several mining sites in Southern Africa.

Louw said, although the system was initially developed for running above ground, many of the mines were interested in adapting the system for use in their underground operations and believed that the system could change the way in which underground mines operate, as materials could be transported out of the stope without having to be rehandled.

“Workers, equipment and construction materials can also be transported into the mine and taken directly to the rock face,” he pointed out.

Additionally, product design and development company Ducere Holdings’ Miser technology is a hydraulic hybrid transmission system designed for all vehicles to recover and store the kinetic energy typically lost while braking.

Ducere Holdings MD Andre Reyneke explains that the energy is then sent back to the wheels at the optimum time to enable the vehicle to be driven from the hydraulic system, rather than the engine.

He says that the estimated 300-million freight vehicles on the road worldwide cause significant carbon emissions and retrofitting them with the Miser technology would offer significant future carbon emission reductions.

“Any owner who installs Miser into their vehicle will experience a significant financial benefit. It is applicable to all vehicles, no matter how large or small and the technology can be used in other systems as well, such as solar, wind and electric applications,” Reyneke states.

WWF South Africa international climate innovation senior adviser Stefan Henningsson says Climate Solver Awards was developed to raise awareness for essential technologies like those designed and already commercialised by the 2016 winners and to communicate the value of innovation and rapid commercialisation as an immediate and practical solution to climate change.

“WWF is proud to honour these three winners that demonstrate the depth of technical ability and innovation in South Africa.Their technologies offer cutting edge solutions to addressing the pressing issue of carbon emission reductions in South Africa,” WWF South Africa Climate Solver programme manager Louise Scholtz concludes.

Edited by Martin Zhuwakinyu
Creamer Media Senior Deputy Editor

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