School Electrification Project
Tuesday, 01 June 2010 |  Ben Sassman  |  0 comment

I have embarked on a Renewable Energy project to give electricity to the over 3000 rural and farm schools in South Africa, which are currently operating without electricity, off the National Electricity Grid, by using Wind Turbines.

My company is called Network Surplus Trading, trading as Surplus South Africa (www.surplussouthafrica.co.za), I have always kept a keen eye out for a solution to electrify schools and clinics in South Africa and I finally secured a locally produced Wind Turbine made by Kestrel (www.kestrelwind.co.za), which intern is owned by Eveready (the battery company).

South Africa currently has 26 566 schools, nationwide, but there are 3120 schools across the country which do not have electricity. My Pilot School was sponsored by the owners of Kestrel and their Distributor S & P Power who gave their products and services free of charge. S&P Power, who specialize in designing, supplying and installing alternative energy systems. This includes solar systems, wind turbines and back-up power systems. S & P Power will be responsible for the actual installation of these Wind Turbines under the Directorship of Mr Chris Osborne Tel. (012) 335 5734. The first school in the Eastern Cape, which received a Wind Turbine was Extensions Primary School Google Earth (-32.72886, 28.23569).

S & P Power has now completed the installation at the school; this school will now be fully electrified and will act as my Pilot (case Study) school. I have an official list of schools, which do not have electricity, but I encourage Principals to still email me if their school does not have any electricity. In this way I can ensure that I know about their school.

I have also secured partnerships with Microsoft who will supply educational software to all the schools I electrify and computers from Intel Computers, which will also be given to schools once I have electrified them. This, including the Turbines, will be at no cost to the school or the Department of Education, as my whole business plan is designed that corporate sponsors will cover all the costs in the form of an Adopt-a-school Program. I am still looking for a sponsor for Printer and Photocopy machines.

If companies need to know more about my project they can request a Promotional DVD, which will be mailed or delivered to them, by visiting my website www.surplussouthafrica.co.za or emailing me at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it . The DVD will give them a better idea of how they can sponsor a school, what the costs are and the process of the installation.