Our mission and project is to provide a small scale improvement to three major global and local problems in South Africa stipulated by Mr. Takatso Mofokeng’s business plan:
- The global state of environmental degradation and climate change;
- Rising energy demand in South Africa;
- Economic (racial) inequality in South Africa.
The first major issue is the commonly known negative effect of industrialization throughout the world. South Africa has been heavily reliant on fossil fuels which have a negative impact on its ecosystem. This is why the South African government and various institutions in the private sector are making a push for alternative renewable resources.
This issue is closely coupled to the increasing energy demand. The national energy supplier, ESKOM, is having difficulties expanding at a rate that could satisfy the increasing demand. Rolling blackouts and electricity price escalations are the general experience of the locals. These inevitably lead to commodity price increases and the strangling of emerging agricultural producers.
Which is the third problem that we wish to tackle. Due to the Natives Land act of 1917 most farms are in the hand of the white minority. Black Africans have lost the contact with the land after years of oppression and lack of opportunity under apartheid. Skilled black farmers are still a (growing) minority. This problem is evident across other economic sectors of South Africa. The lack of educated individuals is making one of the most powerful economies of the African continent increasingly difficult to maintain.
The plants eaten by the cow consume CO2. The same amount of CO2 is released in the atmosphere after the biogas is burnt. This is why biogas is seen as a carbon neutral energy source. The biogas plant will be consuming two natural resources that are in great abundance, namely the sunlight and cow manure. It can be a solution to the waste problem of farms and cities as well as to the rising energy demand.
Our project also aims to promote sustainable energy solution amongst local farmers and the population. The biogas plant can serve as an example for local farmers. Biogas is a possible tool for emerging farmers, who are generally black, to become self sustaining. Furthermore the maintenance of the biogas plant will be a source of labour. The combination of these factors will be a small contribution to the economic inequalities of the region.