A university of Reunion delegation recently visited Durban to discuss the development of a partnership for a GeoSun Project with the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN).

The project, which began as a sister city collaboration in 2012, aims to investigate and understand the solar resource potential of the City of Le Port and eThekwini.

To facilitate these discussions and assist in developing the project the UKZN and the University of Reunion became involved.

The Geo-Sun project represents collaboration on both a local government level and university level between eThekwini and Reunion.

Project Manager Olivier Delage said: “We planned to initiate a long-lasting partnership with South Africa beyond the scope of the Geo-Sun project by continuing our partnership through the Rivages project and also the Gysomate project based on a smart grid concept and dedicated to the integration of the solar energy through an electric power distribution network.

The next step of GeoSun project is to extend the sensor network to the South West Indian Ocean
area through the Rivages project”.

EThekwini Energy Office Senior Manager Derek Morgan said: “EThekwini Municipality is proud to be an initial sponsor of this project. We hope that in future the research will give us insight into management options when there are many more solar systems
connected to the electricity grid.”