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Alternate Energy Solutions
“The Vision and Mission of ZRW is guided by the need to impact positively on our environment and society in a manner that will enhance our quality of life in a sustainable manner!” Z. Abbass Director: ZRW
Striving to assist our communities in need! Many communities in South Africa continue to live in darkness, either because the utility companies have not yet laid the infrastructure to electrify the community they live in, or there is a power cut due to overload. Realistically, the situation will not change over the next 20 years, worsened due to the economic crisis. Furthermore, the darkness brings with it the challenges of safety, security and education suffering. The psychological wellbeing of a community continuously in the dark is significantly less than a similar community privileged to have lights. Our poorest communities appear to suffer the most because of lack of infrastructure. While there is will from the authorities to correct the situation, it seems we are still far away.
This need not be the case!!! Now picture the following for an average lower income family...
Parents from our struggling communities arrive home, earning less than a few thousand Rands per month. Its around 6-7pm, it has been another long hard day. As they walk towards their home, they can see who they are greeting in the solar street light that is now on. They enter their house, it says no.14, they can now notice with the outside light on. Inside, the children are doing their schoolwork, no more candles, paraffin lanterns or gas lanterns. A humble meal is being prepared on a solar cooker and the family can sit together to discuss the days activities. Each room has its own light, no need to carry a candle to the bathroom. They can talk about what to do with the R250 they are now saving each month on their electricity because they have a solar system. No need to have to struggle for their right to a better living, safety, security, education...for light!
This is what the efforts of ZRW Mechanika seeks to achieve!
Background Since 2008, ZRW has been actively designing and developing alternate energy solutions based on wind and solar energy. While both on– and off-grid solutions are currently part of the competencies within ZRW, the major achievements thus far have been related to off-grid solutions. A recent report by the United Nations Development Program and the Institute of Advanced Energy Studies, London has commented that that there is major recognition globally, that off-grid solutions can provide more immediate, large scale alleviation of primary electrification for the poorest of communities. Furthermore, off-grid solutions can be cost effective, sustainable and renewable. On-grid solutions are characterised by very large lead times and high capital infrastructure costs, which in the current climate becomes more difficult.
ZRW has subsequently invested significantly in research and technology development that focus on optimising and redesigning off grid alternate energy solutions. These include;
· Variable Pitch Blade design and optimisation for large scale wind turbines. · Manufacturing Standards for the manufacture of large scale composite wind turbine blades using high performance composite materials. · System design and optimisation for a low cost solar solution to low cost housing requirements in Africa. · Design of a micro-controller for charge regulation in direct solar energy transmission. · Investigation into the development of a high Lumen output Super Light Emitting Diode for solar lighting application. · Investigation of a convective heat transfer solar cooking solution.
In all the above, ZRW has partnered with original equipment manufacturers (OEM) in technology, development, distribution and manufacturing, in order to deliver:
· FIT FOR PURPOSE, SAFE, ROBUST · COST EFECTIVE · FULLY CHARACTERISED · PROVEN and RELIABLE
alternate energy solution, with a specific eye on supporting the need in developing regions such as Southern Africa, rest of Africa, Asia and South America.
This then forms the basis for the new division: ZRW Energy… Offering world class solar and wind energy products, affordable, sustainable and safe!! Please click below to go to the ZRW Energy Website
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