Pretoria - Tuberculosis (TB) patients at Windsor East Clinic, in Randburg, Johannesburg, can now be certain of uninterrupted treatment, thanks to a pilot project to provide alternative power to the clinic during times of load shedding.
The Department of Science and Technology (DST) and the City of Johannesburg have partnered with the private sector in this project to use hydrogen fuel cell technology (HFCT) to bring standby power to the clinic.
The clinic treats mainly patients infected with TB and had been experiencing problems with preserving TB vaccines in its pharmacy's refrigerators, due to load shedding.
The medicine is extremely sensitive to temperature, and if it is not kept at the correct temperature it can become ineffective, putting people at risk.
Speaking at the launch of the project, the DST Deputy Director-General for Technology Innovation, Mmboneni Muofhe, said he was excited at the partnership to address power problems at the clinic, and, most importantly, to improve the quality of life of the patients.
According to Muofhe, the project addresses four critical issues, namely, access to energy, security of supply, affordability and protection of the environment, which are central to the DST's research into alternative energy solutions.
Private sector partners in this project include Air Products, who supplied hydrogen, Clean Energy Investments, who are implementing the project, Gridline Construction, who supplied infrastructure, and Powertech IST Industrial, who supplied the fuel cells.
HFCT standby power solutions are efficient, reliable, safe and, most importantly, quiet, ensuring a non-intrusive standby and potentially primary power solution. – SAnews.gov.za
