An energy efficiency project of Tonga View Primary School in Kwalugedlane, Mpumalanga, scooped first prize at the 2015 African Energy Awards.

The Syngas Stove Project, initiated by the Eskom WESSA Energy and Sustainability Programme, won in the category of African Energy Innovation Prize for their.

The African Energy Awards recognise outstanding achievements in the energy research and technology space in Africa.

Wood is used daily by more than 400 schools in Mpumalanga to cook meals for learners.  In 2014 a group of learners from Tonga View, together with their educator Zodwa Lubisi, identified that the school’s practice of using wood fuel produced unhealthy emissions and was energy inefficient.

The learners decided to address the issue within the “active learning project” component of the WESSA Energy and Sustainability Programme, and developed the Syngas Stove as the solution to this resource use challenge.

The stove is a double-barrelled metal chamber with strategically placed air vents to allow for natural convection airflow which promotes high heated combustion and a secondary ignition of syngas.

As stipulated by the competition judges, 30% of the $30 000 prize money will be invested into an education trust to assist the learners in furthering their tertiary education, while 50% will go towards the innovation and development of the school project into a business, and the remaining 20% will be used for community or education development.

The Eskom WESSA Energy and Sustainability Programme encourages learner education in the form of active learning projects.  Learners are encouraged to identify contextual environmental issues, research, plan, take action, monitor and evaluate their projects.

It is these action projects which have won the programme many national and international awards, including an eta award in 2014 in the Young Designers category.