Water Wheel January/February 2019

Abstract

Water-energy futures South Africa is once again walking on the knife edge of an energy security crisis. We, again, appear to be two steps short of continuous rolling blackouts in the most extreme scenarios of demand management. Diversification of the solution box is key to a more comfortable energy future. And in doing so thinking out of the transformer box is key. One of the earlier energy enterprises in human history was of course water. Firstly, using the kinetic energy in running water to turn water wheels, then moving on to more sophisticated engineering in the form of traditional hydropower from large dams and reservoirs. “Research and innovation have expanded the possibilities in the water-energy portfolio exponentially over time. ” Research and innovation have expanded the possibilities in the water-energy portfolio exponentially over time. Some of the possibilities are refining the older techniques for the modern age. This includes the upgrade of traditional hydropower with miniaturisation to develop a suite of appropriate energy solutions on or close to site.

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