Key Energy Roleplayers

Eskom's extensive website is an excellent place to start understanding the energy situation in South Africa. The website contains tips and energy statistics, as well as the latest energy news stories and rates. It also contains handy advice on how to understand your electricity bill. The School Yard page is a fun, interactive learning environment for kids.

Eskom’s Demand Side Management pages are an excellent source of energy-saving tips, and give comprehensive details about how the crisis started and what is being done about it. The site also contains FAQs about solar water heating, CFLs and energy efficient motors.

The Department of Minerals and Energy’s website contains information about appliance labeling, nuclear energy and news about the government's response to the energy crisis.

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa's website contains very detailed information about energy legislation, including highly specialised information about the electricity, petroleum and piped gas industries in South Africa.

The National Business Initiative's site contains information about its three Energy and Climate initiatives: the Energy Efficiency Accord, the Carbon Disclosure Project and the Clean Development Mechanism Project.

The Association of Municipal Electricity Undertakings (Southern Africa) represents the electricity distribution undertakings of some 220 municipalities around South Africa. These organisations supply electricity to 60% of the customers in South Africa.

General Information

The City of Cape Town’s Smart Living Handbook, downloadable here, is an excellent, comprehensive guide to energy saving and other green activities.

The Coding Sanity blog has an excellent, thought-provoking piece about how we can move forward from the energy emergency.

The 7 Easiest Money-Saving Energy Tips for the Home.

Eskom’s brochure for saving electricity in the hospitality sector.

Check out Pick n Pay’s Power Pledge campaign.

Learn about how Woolworths saves electricity.

Greener House is a cheeky, informative blog by Don Boroughs aimed at South Africans who want to do the right thing for the environment in their day-to-day life.

On the Best of EE Publisher’s blog, you can listen to a speech made by Bobby Godsell, the chairman of Eskom, in which he discusses the energy emergency and the way forward for South Africa.

The Eskom Expo for Young Scientists is a science fair where learners have a chance to show others their projects about their own scientific investigations. There are prizes relating specifically to energy efficiency inventions.

Carbon Smart is a sustainability blog by Rory Williams, providing news and commentary from a South African perspective on the carbon impacts of a wide range of economic and social activities. Energy is a major theme, particularly in relation to transport, building design and urban and regional planning.

Energy calculators

Food & Trees for Africa CO2 Calculator calculates your carbon footprint and the number of trees that you need to plant to reduce your carbon footprint – these trees can be purchased on the site.

CO2balance.co.za Carbon Dioxide Emission Calculators this site will help you to work out your carbon footprint but has a section designed specifically for the household which includes your home energy usage in the overall calculation.

BP Carbon Calculator is a very detailed carbon footprint calculator that has a look at all your household energy usage including as appliances, insulation and energy saving habits.

Forum for Economics and Environment CO2 Calculator considers factors such as electricity use in calculating your carbon footprint

Environmental groups

Project 90x2030 is a carbon calculator that takes into account your entire households energy emissions, your travel requirements and more. Based on your carbon emissions the site will tell you how many hectares of trees need to be plated to counter act it.

My Green Choices is a local website devoted to “going green” in every aspect of your daily life. The site features a blog, a directory of green suppliers and opinion articles.

Urban Sprout is a wonderful website devoted to all areas of South African environmentalism: including energy efficiency.

Earth Hour is an annual global initiative, started by the WWF, to get the whole world to turn off all non-essential lights.

GEnergy is a green-electricity group devoted to renewable energy sources. Visit their website for great information about solar and wind energy.

Sustainable Energy Society Southern Africa (SESSA) is an NPO dedicated to disseminating information about renewable energy sources (such as solar and wind energy) to the public.

The Green Space website was started by Theresa Wilson, a sustainable development researcher, in order to disseminate easy-to-undersatnd information on environmentally friendly products available in South Africa.

Transition South Africa is a social networking site that encourages communities to work together to create sustainable solutions in their areas.

The World Wildlife Fund's "Be the Hero" Campaign's fun website contains information on sustainable energy sources and climate change.

Environment South Africa's website features forums, news and articles on topics like renewable and alternative energy sources and the debate about 2008’s energy crisis.

Suppliers

The best way to make your computer energy efficient (“hibernate” and “sleep mode” settings actually don’t do all that much) is to download a programme like Green Pulse. Try it for free here.

The Agama Energy Group provides green energy services and solutions to Africa. They will provide project planning, feasibility studies, project design, implementation and management.

Geyser Wise sells easy-to-control digital hot water geyser control systems.

Green Building contains a directory for green building projects and services.

Find a list of geyser blanket suppliers in your area.

Green Connection is a South African consultancy focused on training, information and support for renewable energy.

Sustainable Energy Africa is a group devoted to encouraging sustainable, green energy solutions. The site contains information about solar energy products.

Incite Sustainability is a consultancy that provides strategy and implementation advice on sustainability policy to both the private and public sectors.

Indusquip has a wide range of energy efficient motors and soft starters.

Trade Organisations

The South African Association of Energy Services Companies (SAAEs) is the national trade organisation for the energy services industry. The site does not contain much information for the consumer.

The South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE) website contains information about careers in the engineering industry.

The South African Association for Energy Efficiency (SAEE) provides industry-specific information about utility deregulation, facility management, plant engineering and environmental compliance.

The Renewable Energy and Energy Efficiency Partnership (REEEP) is a global organisation with a local chapter in Johannesburg. Their goal is to accelerate the global market for sustainable energy by helping to obtain funding for green energy projects, hosting workshops and collecting information about energy efficiency in South Africa.

GreenX Energy is a company that supports green alternative energy suppliers, aiming to save the environment and support job creation.

You can join the Southern African Faith Communities Environment Institute by visiting their website here.

Research Institutes

The Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas (ASPO) is a research organisation that studies the effect of fossil fuels on the environment.

The Climate Systems Analysis Group of the University of Cape Town uses multi-disciplinary approaches to research into climate change and energy efficiency.

The Energy Research Centre, also based at the University of Cape Town, is a post-graduate research facility.

The Climatology Research Group is based at Wits University and focuses on climate change.

The Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies is based at the University of Stellenbosch. The website offers information about short courses available on renewable and sustainable energy.

Forums

Check out these forums where you can discuss saving electricity (or visit ours)

For Kids and Schools

Animal Planet's adorable animated “The Animals Save the Planet” clips are fun and informative for all ages.

Visit this site to find out more about Environmental Audits for Schools.

Visit this site to download the South Africa Environment Outlook Report for the youth. Aimed at young teenagers, it contains information about sustainable development and environmental issues.