News
The second phase of the Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) energy in South Africa proposes three additional Renewable Energy Development Zones (REDZs) for wind and solar photovoltaic energy projects.
The REDZs support the responsible implementation of the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2019) that was recently gazetted by the Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy on 17 October 2019. Renewable energy projects that could be developed in these new REDZ have the potential to make significant contributions to mine rehabilitation and to support a just energy transition in the specified areas including where 12 GW of existing coal power stations are planned to be decommissioned by 2030.
A new initiative to drive socioeconomic development through public-private partnerships was launched in Limpopo, on 29 October 2019. The Impact Catalyst is an initiative founded by Anglo American, the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Exxaro and World Vision South Africa to leverage collaboration across all sectors and magnify impact through collaboration.
The current heat conditions in South Africa have affected the already dry and drought-stricken country, aggravating existing vulnerabilities and affecting sectors such as water and agriculture.
CSIR researchers will share insights and give projections on climate change across South Africa. Researchers will also give helpful tips on how to mitigate the impact of climate change.
Water experts from the CSIR briefs the media on strategies used by a peri-urban community in Hammanskraal to access water, the quality of water accessible to the community and the health risks.
CSIR studies also show that some of the common household products, including sunscreens, hair relaxers, lotions and cleaning detergents, contain engineered nanomaterial ingredients that, when released into the environment, have the potential to cause nanopollution.
The DSI-CSIR Photonics Prototyping Facility (PPF) invites expressions of interest (EOIs) from small, medium and micro enterprises, established private companies, and higher education institutions.
In the face of global efforts to cap carbon emissions and halt the depletion of finite natural resources, a global energy transition is imperative. The CSIR recently delivered a presentation on energy transition in South Africa to the Portfolio Committee on energy and mineral resources in which CSIR Energy Centre Head, Dr Clinton Carter-Brown emphasised that although South Africa is well positioned to lead an energy transition to more sustainable sources of energy, coal will remain part of our energy mix well into 2050.
For centuries, the world’s indigenous communities have developed climate change mitigation practices that have sustained countless generations. A compendium containing some of these practices will be launched during the Stockholm International Water Institute World Water Week taking place between 25 and 30 August 2019. These age-old practices have been identified as having the potential to be strengthened through modern science.
As Africa’s world-class research and development organisation, the CSIR has made a collaborative effort to provide training to Botswana’s biotechnology students, in order to advance the country’s bioprocessing industry.
The course is part of a new initiative under CSIR Future Production: Chemicals that focuses on industry specific training and development. It is designed to bridge the gap between the research and commercialisation of technology and is directed towards establishing and stimulating growth in bio-based industries in Africa.
The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) has awarded South Africa’s IEEE section the prestigious 2019 MGA Outstanding Medium Section Award.