Brundtland – A Leader in Smart Sustainable Solutions
Brundtland's sustainable solutions for the environment while delivering value for our clients along the following service lines:
Our Collective Impact
.
Major Metros
Developed Carbon Mitigation Plans For 3 Major Metros
More than
.
Carbon Mitigation Strategies Developed
More than
Million
Issued and Commercialised Carbon Credits
More than
%
Of South Africa’s Emissions Disclosed via EPCAM™
Our Clients
Government
Henk is a co-founder and Partner at Brundtland and possesses a profound knowledge of climate change projects and market dynamics. He has worked for companies, government agencies and international organizations across the globe making him a sought-after advisor on the development and application of energy and climate change mitigation policies and measures.
Prior to co-founding Brundtland, Henk setup and managed the Sub-Saharan African operations for EcoSecurities/JP Morgan. During this period, he was responsible for the development of the largest portfolio of climate change mitigation projects under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) on the African sub-continent. In the early days of his career, he gained valuable experience at PwC as a strategy consultant in the energy sector. Henk holds a MSc degree in Business Economics from the University of Groningen in the Netherlands.
Lodewijk has more than 15 years of experience in the area of climate change and low carbon development. During his tenure at PwC Advisory, TNO and EcoSecurities / JP Morgan he focused on the development, financing and commercialisation of low-carbon energy projects and technologies. When co-founding Brundtland in 2009, he widened his focus to climate change and sustainability consulting.
Lodewijk has assisted various organisations, including business and government, across the spectrum of strategy and policy development, monitoring and performance management as well as developing green economy initiatives. He has an in-depth understanding of the local climate change and energy landscape and the challenges and opportunities in Southern Africa.
Lodewijk holds an MSc in Chemical Engineering and successfully completed MBA courses at the Rotterdam School of Management as part of PwC’s management development programme.
Jan Willem has over ten years of experience consulting on economics, public policy and climate change. He is co-author of the book ‘Taxes and the Economy’, published worldwide by Edward Elgar Publishing, UK. The book examines among other things the use and impact of policy measures in the environmental realm. More recently, he co-authored a book on the Paris climate agreement, evaluating the contents of the treaty, the pros and cons of various mitigation measures as well as their socio-economic impact.
He has advised a variety of public and private sector entities on topics ranging from climate change mitigation, GHG performance benchmarking and carbon tax impact assessments to solar PV, waste-to-energy and green transport technologies. Jan Willem holds a MA equivalent degree in Economics from Maastricht University, an LL.M. degree from Harvard Law School and a M.Sc. degree in Finance from the University of Oxford, where he graduated with distinction.
Nimesha is a recent Civil and Environmental Engineering graduate from the University of the Witwatersrand.
During her academic years, Nimesha found herself drawn to subjects such as Integrated Resource Management and Environmental Management, recognizing their pivotal role in fostering sustainable practices. These subjects covered interesting aspects of sustainability and climate change which moved her to pursue a career sustainability.
In her final year, Nimesha delved deeper into her interests through a research project focusing on the socio-economic impacts of development and national load shedding in Johannesburg, utilizing resource and time efficient Nighttime Light data as a method of tracking development. Additionally, her experience in environmental management extended to part-time work involving laboratory analysis of a new method of wastewater treatment.
Now, as a sustainability intern, Nimesha is thrilled to merge her engineering experience with her passion for environmental stewardship. She is dedicated to contributing her skills towards projects that prioritize efficiency while prioritizing environmental responsibility.
Hendrik is a chemical engineer with a passion for automation of technical and managerial processes. He has a multi-faceted academic and professional background in process engineering, IT service management and SQL/PHP programming.
After completion of his Masters in Chemical Engineering at the Groningen University he worked for a number of years at the Fluor Corporation, an American multinational engineering and construction firm, before shifting his focus to Information Systems. He started as an Oracle database administrator and over time progressed his career to ITIL change manager with Logica CMG. Nowadays, Hendrik works as Lead Engineer Electrical, Instrumentation & Automation for Albemarle, an American catalyst company. In this role, he is focused on efficiency improvements as well as designing and implementing automation processes.
Hendrik has substantial knowledge of various programming languages and launched various websites. Hendrik understands well how to meet client-specific requirements and adapt systems while keeping system complexity in check, applying best-in-class IT solutions.
Hendrik leads our offshore IT Development team developing solutions for sustainability performance management.
Josh has a background in chemical and process engineering. He is experienced in process monitoring and optimization within the petrochemical, oil and gas sector. He has worked on a large variety of tasks including, amongst others, the development of tools to track greenhouse gas emissions and optimize business value chain performance. This work showcased his ability to combine skillsets in engineering fundamentals and data analysis to deliver value. In working to track and report on greenhouse gas emissions, he developed an understanding of environmental legislature. His experience in ESG was further developed working in multi-disciplinary teams when submitting reports to the Department of Environmental Affairs.
In his time in the petrochemical industry, he has also focused on water usage within factories and used his skillset to identify opportunities to reduce water consumption. Having spent a year working in project execution teams, Josh is also very adept at writing project documents – be it scope definitions, feasibility reports or design packages. He holds a BSc (Hons) degree in Chemical Engineering from the University of Cape Town.
Nasreen Gardee is a skilled chemical engineer with a passion for process design, optimization, and sustainable solutions. Holding a BSc in Chemical Engineering from the University of the Witwatersrand, Nasreen has a solid foundation in the principles of chemical engineering, with a focus on innovative projects that demonstrate her commitment to excellence. During her undergraduate studies, Nasreen honed her skills in process design and optimization, exemplified by her fourth-year project. Her project involved the task of designing a 5000-ton methanol production plant from methane, showcasing her ability to tackle complex engineering challenges with creativity and precision.
Through her master’s research, Nasreen developed invaluable skills in research methodology, data analysis, and project management. Her research topic, the hydrothermal carbonization of wastepaper sludge to produce hydrochar, enhanced her understanding of sustainable practices, biomass and biorefinery techniques, waste-to-energy technologies, and the broader environmental impact of engineering solutions. She is dedicated to leveraging her skills and knowledge to contribute meaningfully to the field of chemical engineering and addressing future challenges with sustainable and efficient solutions.
Kinesh is a green business visionary and brings unique insight that combines environmentally sound innovation with economically viable business orientated solutions. He advises on climate change, green growth strategies and the protection of natural ecosystems. Kinesh has been intimately involved in renewable energy for the last 8 years and is a recognised industry leader in field of Photovoltaic or Solar Energy. He has been involved in the development of training courses and standard setting for the deployment Solar PV in South Africa.
He served 2 years as board member at SAPVIA – South African Photovoltaic Industry Association. Kinesh has facilitated numerous workshops all over Africa and has been directly involved in the capacity development of 1500 solar installers from the subcontinent. Kinesh holds a B.Sc. (hons) and M.Sc. degree in Environmental Sciences from the University of the Witwatersrand
Joseph has a background in ecology, environmental science and climate change research. He completed his undergraduate degree in Animal, Plant and Environmental science at the University of the Witwatersrand, followed by BSc Hons and MSc by dissertation. Through his education, he developed a wide knowledge base around climate change, environmental conservation, nature based solutions and urban climate change resilience. His MSc research focused on quantifying and mapping the environmental benefits provided by green infrastructure in Johannesburg. This included measuring the carbon stored by the cities urban forest, as well as the role of green infrastructure in preventing flooding and heat-stress. His research and teaching experience allowed him to develop expertise in climate change mitigation and adaptation, as well as teamwork, writing, project work and problem-solving skills. Through the completion of his degrees, he gained experience in long-duration, multidisciplinary research projects which required data-analysis and the use of statistical, technological and ecological methodologies to solve problems and create value.
Raeesa holds a BSc. (Hons) in Chemical Engineering and is an Msc. candidate in Biomedical Engineering at the University of Cape Town. Her academic background has equipped her with a solid understanding of chemical processes and engineering principles, essential for addressing sustainability challenges. Moreover, her postgraduate experience at UCT and an Erasmus mobility at the Centre for Information Engineering (University of Pisa) deepened her appreciation for finding practical means to implement novel scientific ideas. Raeesa has also contributed to academia as a tutor for process synthesis & design as well as biotechnology. She has worked on many multidisciplinary projects, from developing a community irrigation system through Engineers Without Borders as well as drafting an Integrated Waste Management Plan for a local municipality.
Raeesa is passionate about engineering and enabling sustainable innovation, especially in the African context. During her studies she honed her skills in process optimisation and developing practical solutions for a range of engineering design briefs. She gained practical experience in project management and product development through her master’s research. Her areas of interest include bioprocess engineering and alternative fuels. Her technical expertise, combined with her ability to work in diverse teams, positions her to contribute meaningfully to projects that address global environmental challenges. She is dedicated to driving positive change for a more sustainable future for all.
Brandon is a dynamic and dedicated software developer with two years of hands-on experience in the field. He began his professional journey as an intern at Quantanite, where he quickly proved his abilities and passion for software development. During this time, he gained valuable exposure to the intricacies of the industry, laying the foundation for his subsequent roles.
In his subsequent role as a Junior Developer at Altron, he continued to refine his skills and expand his knowledge across various domains of software development. He actively participated in the development of cutting-edge solutions, contributing to the team’s success. His exposure to projects at Altron enhanced his proficiency in SQL, C#, HTML, CSS, and PHP, establishing a solid skill set that sets him apart in the competitive field of software development. Brandon’s commitment to personal growth and project diversity is evident in his ventures into Python for personal projects, where he successfully developed applications that showcased his versatility and adaptability. These personal projects not only reinforced his technical capabilities but also demonstrated his ability to think creatively and solve problems efficiently.
Currently, he holds the position of Software Developer at Brundtland, where he plays a pivotal role in crafting innovative web solutions on the EPCAM Cloud solution. Leveraging his expertise in HTML, PHP, and SQL, he actively contributes to the development and enhancement of web-based solutions, further solidifying his reputation as a proficient and results-driven professional.
In summary, Brandon’s two years of experience in software development, coupled with his diverse skill set encompassing SQL, C#, HTML, CSS, PHP, and Python, reflect his commitment to excellence. His journey from an intern at Quantanite to a Junior Developer at Altron and now a Developer at Brundtland showcases his continuous growth and adaptability in the ever-evolving landscape of software development.
Lorenzo is a versatile software developer with a diverse technical background including nuclear science, engineering, finance, and data science. He possesses a strong foundation in both backend and frontend development, with experience in PHP, MySQL, HTML, CSS, JavaScript and Python. Additionally, he holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Nuclear Science and Engineering, demonstrating his analytical and problem-solving skills.
In the capacity of an Analyst at his previous workplace, Lorenzo played a crucial role in financial analysis, focusing on the mining and insurance sectors. With a keen eye for detail, Lorenzo developed intricate forecasting models to provide insightful projections for company forecasts and valuations. Proficient in financial data retrieval, he adeptly gathered, analysed, and interpreted data from reputable sources like Refinitiv and Bloomberg. A significant contribution was made to the creation of comprehensive reports that offered valuable insights into market trends and financial performance. Lorenzo was also instrumental in crafting visually impactful charts and tables, enhancing the accessibility and clarity of information within these reports. This experience not only refined his analytical skills but also deepened his understanding of the dynamic landscapes of the mining and insurance sectors, reinforcing his ability to contribute effectively to strategic decision-making processes.
As a Software Developer at Brundtland Consulting, Lorenzo is actively contributing to the advancement of their cloud-based solution, EPCAM. Leveraging a skill set that encompasses both frontend and backend development, he plays a crucial role in shaping the architecture and functionality of this innovative platform. Specializing in MySQL, HTML, CSS, and PHP, Lorenzo applies his expertise to create seamless and user-friendly experiences for EPCAM users. By working on both the frontend and backend aspects, he ensures a holistic approach to software development, resulting in a robust and efficient cloud-based solution. This role not only showcases Lorenzo’s technical proficiency but also highlights his commitment to contributing to the success of Brundtland Consulting’s software initiatives.
Sanjana is a recent Bachelor of Business Science graduate specialising in Finance and Accounting from UCT. Her academic background has equipped her with strong financial strategy, disclosure and analytical skills, which she aims to apply toward advancing sustainable business practices.
Passionate about environmental sustainability issues, Sanjana is dedicated to contributing to the transition toward a circular economy. Through additional studies, she gained valuable insights into climate change mitigation in developing countries and participated in the UN Sustainable Business Challenge, where she honed her problem-solving abilities and deepened her understanding of sustainable development goals.
In her current role as sustainability intern, she is eager to contribute, expand her knowledge, and support impactful initiatives. With a strong commitment to sustainability, she is determined to being a part of the solution to pressing environmental and social challenges.
Dumo holds over a year’s experience at an MBB Consulting Firm where she spent most of her time within the Climate and Sustainability Practice Area. During her time there, she worked in various, multidisciplinary teams developing and supporting client Just Energy Transition strategies. Her most notable contribution was driving a socio-economic model to forecast the net jobs impact for a power utility’s decarbonization strategy using economic principles and rigorous analyses to arrive at her recommendation.
It was through that experience that she developed her analytical and problem-solving skills and, acquired further knowledge into renewable energy. Other topics that she covered included conducting a Development Financial Institution benchmark and creating a portfolio funding tracker. Dumo holds a Bachelor of Business Science degree majoring in Finance and Accounting and a Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting from the University of Cape Town.
Dumo currently works as a Sustainability Consulting Intern where she looks to continue to build her knowledge base within sustainability and be a part of the solution for a more sustainable South Africa.
Emma Reinecke is a recent graduate of an LLM in environmental law from the University of Cape Town. She also holds an LLB and a BA from the University of Cape Town.
During her studies, Emma developed a thorough knowledge of land use planning, pollution law and international environmental law. She has a particular interest in climate change, and her masters’ thesis focused on how and to what extent the law can be used to protect the rights of future generations from the impacts of climate change. Emma additionally has a strong grasp of the South African legal landscape, including commercial transactions law, contract law and property law, which she studied during her law degree.
While interning at the Legal Resources Centre in Cape Town, Emma assisted the Land team in their efforts to protect local fisherman’s interests in the ecological preservation of South Africa’s Western Coast. She has in-depth knowledge of all of South Africa’s environmental legislation and is familiar with the legal processes and remedies available for the protection and advancements of environmental rights in courts, as well as the legal requirements around environmental impact assessments and the numerous environmental triggers and permits required for any large-scale developments with significant environmental impacts.
As a sustainability consulting intern, Emma is committed to further developing her knowledge and skills around all aspects of sustainability and working towards a brighter, more sustainable future.
Kalen has a background in environmental policy, climate strategy and renewable energy research, recently graduating with his MSc in Environmental Policy and Management from the University of Denver.
During his time as a student, Kalen conducted research on a variety of different sustainable topics, specifically on environmental policy & regulations, and how these can be utilized to develop strategies to help address the socio-economic implications of climate change. Along with his studies, Kalen worked as a researcher for the Universities Carbon Neutrality Task Force, helping develop carbon reduction strategies, environmental policies, sustainable initiatives, as well as educational workshops. Kalen also has experience in the renewable energy sector, co-ordinating projects and helping clients offset their emissions.
As a sustainable intern, Kalen has a keen interest on the circular economy, and wants to focus on utilizing his environmental knowledge and experience in research to help foster collaboration between the private and public sector to achieve net zero objectives.
Liam has a background in biology and marine biology. Having completed his undergraduate and honours degrees at the University of Cape Town, he continued his studies doing a master by coursework and research report in Environmental Sciences at the University of the Witwatersrand. Through these years of studying, he gained a strong appreciation for the environment, sustainability and environmental conservation. His master’s research focused on assessing the distribution of two invasive plant species under the current and possible future climates in the Inkomati Water Management Area, South Africa. His research developed a strong base of analytical skills, project work, problem-solving skills and written communication skills.
Liam is passionate about sustainability and protection of natural resources and wishing to contribute positively to climate change mitigation and adaptation. As a sustainability consultant intern, he wishes to further his knowledge of key sustainability principles and contribute to a more sustainable future for all.
South Africa’s national utility Eskom operates a fleet of the largest coal fired power stations in the world. To prevent undesirable price hikes and stranded assets, Eskom engaged Brundtland to develop a strategy aimed at ‘greening’ its generation mix. The Green Funding Strategy (GFS) looked at the gap between coal-based electricity and renewable electricity on a levelised costs basis and outlines the three strategic components that capacitate Eskom in closing this gap. In addition to providing the strategic direction, the GFS also provides an implementation roadmap to realise this objective in an efficient and effective manner.
Brundtland was contracted by the South African Cities Network (SACN) to develop an organisational strategic framework with the objective to further institutionalise and mainstream climate change action, strengthen systems, processes and capacity, and assist the City in working towards an updated Integrated Climate Change Strategy. The work focused on the organisational aspects and considerations rather than climate change content and sets out a roadmap gearing the organisation towards increased action in partnership with business and citizens. The development included intensive consultation of city departments and entities as well as engagement with the mayoral executive committee.
As one of the largest integrated pulp and paper producers in the world, Sappi has production activities in North America, Europe and South Africa. All these geographies are covered by some form of climate change mitigation regime. The Brundtland team assisted Sappi in the development of a global Climate Change strategy. The strategy balances Sappi’s exposure under the different mitigation regimes in such a way that it could maximize its upside under the different national and international policies and measures while reducing its potential risks by deploying an integrated Climate Change mitigation roadmap.
This three-year (2019 – 2021) project saw Brundtland partnering with the City of Cape Town (CCT) Transport, Human Settlements and Spatial Planning and Environment Directorates, to facilitate their green ambitions. The goal was to measure and monitor greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions following from which, targeted reduction strategies could be developed.
To this end, Brundtland firstly developed a carbon footprint for the three directorates. The footprint was calculated in line with the GHG Protocol: Corporate Accounting and Reporting Standard and implemented using EPCAM, an online monitoring platform for GHG and sustainability management developed by Brundtland. In addition to this, we developed a greenhouse gas mitigation plan achieving three key aims: the identification of potential carbon trading and investment opportunities, the technical input and support for the implementation of five carbon reduction projects as well as an internal capacity building programme.
EPCAM is an online or server-based platform geared towards supporting manufacturers in managing sustainability and technical performance in general. By determining client specific Key Performance Indicators and structuring the dataset accordingly, a tailor-made portal is developed for the client. The platform also includes modules for reporting on greenhouse gas emissions and the generation of carbon tax returns.
Sustainability portals are equipped with user friendly dashboards designed to your specification allowing managers to oversee the performance of various operations and benchmarking performance against internal targets and sector baselines. Data is collected using online forms tailored to the specific reporting facility. Currently EPCAM is used in sustainability monitoring and reporting by AFGRI, a leading agricultural services company, Philafrica Foods, the City of Cape Town and more than 40 clay brick plants in collaboration with the Clay Brick Association of South Africa.
Support is provided in monitoring energy, carbon, water and overall technical performance. Monitoring takes place on a monthly basis and is used to manage performance of various manufacturing facilities and commercial buildings. On an annual basis, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions are reported under the National GHG Emissions Reporting regulations (NGER).
Over the years, the monitoring of performance changed from ‘compliance driven’ to ‘performance driven’ whereby performance indicators and corresponding dashboards have been defined to provide a deeper insight in performance under different operating conditions. The tailor-made monitoring and reporting system is based on Brundtland’s proprietary EPCAMTM platform.
Smart Climate Opportunities is a joint initiative by the Dutch multinationals APG, Eneco, IBM, Royal KPN and PGGM. The Brundtland team was responsible for creating an online introductory course on climate change for the associated Climate Change Academy, including a general background to the topic, the Paris climate agreement, the economics of climate change, policy measures to combat global warming and renewable energy technologies. In addition to this, the services included a mapping of the current course offerings and curricula on climate change in the fields of economics, law, public policy and natural sciences by Dutch universities and colleges. Based on this information, a database was created, containing all available educational resources on the topic for stakeholders to tap into.
Sasol Limited is an integrated energy and chemical company. As a responsible corporate citizen, Sasol implemented secondary catalysts to mitigate N2O emissions at its Sasolburg and Secunda facilities. The project was registered and operated under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM ID: 0961) under extremely poor carbon market conditions, Brundtland structured and facilitated the sale of 243,896 CERs by Sasol to British Petroleum. Due to its in-depth carbon market knowledge and knowhow, the Brundtland team managed to structure the transaction at a price far above the going market rate at the time.
Sasol Limited is an integrated energy and chemical company. As a responsible corporate citizen, Sasol implemented secondary catalysts to mitigate N2O emissions at its Sasolburg and Secunda facilities. The project was registered and operated under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM ID: 0961) under extremely poor carbon market conditions, Brundtland structured and facilitated the sale of 243,896 CERs by Sasol to British Petroleum. Due to its in-depth carbon market knowledge and knowhow, the Brundtland team managed to structure the transaction at a price far above the going market rate at the time.
The African Sustainability Initiative (ASI) is a South African company that looks for ways to help transition the African economy onto a greener, cleaner and more sustainable path. ASI commissioned the registration of 5 programmes of Activities (poa) known as the Sustainability Platform under the Clean Development Mechanism:
- Southern Africa Solar Thermal Energy (SASTE)
- Southern African Renewable Energy (SARE)
- Southern Africa Solar Electrical Energy (SASEE)
- Southern African Fuel Switch (SAFS)
- Southern African Land Fill Gas to Energy (SALFGE)
Brundtland was appointed to register the SASTE and SARE programmes as PoAs under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The SASTE PoA was successfully registered on 15th May 2013. The SARE PoA covers South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Swaziland and was registered on the 25th of January 2013. The Brundtland team successfully designed cost effective, highly adaptable monitoring systems, plans and protocol to accommodate the different local circumstances.
Transalloys is the largest producer of SillicoManganese (SiMn) in South Africa. The production process of SiMn is very electricity intensive. Therefore, to address concerns around the climate change impact of the very carbon intensive power grid, Transalloys started the process of improving the electrical efficiency of its SiMn furnaces in late 2004. Furthermore, to ensure the financial viability of the energy efficiency project, Transalloys engaged the Brundtland team for the registration, monitoring, verification and commercialisation of the climate change benefits of the initiative under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). To date the project was registered under CDM ID: 1027 and has generated 77.7 million ZAR in revenue from the commercialisation of the Certified Emission Reductions (CERs) realised by the project.
The FX Group produces laminated boards for kitchens wardrobes, desks, display cabinets to name a few. The Brundtland team assisted the FX Group in raising finance for the 4.5 MW green power project. The total capital costs for the project are approximately R329 million with a further R35 million required for peak working capital. Following the identification of potential providers of grant, equity and debt finance from within its extensive ‘green funding and financing’ network, the team went on to develop a prospectus for the project and established an investor data room. Based on the different term sheets provided by interested parties, the Brundtland team assisted the FX group in developing the optimal funding and financing structure and started negotiations with potential investors. FX Group reached financial close in September 2017 with the Industrial Development Cooperation (IDC) as main financier and a guarantee facility from USAID. The biomass power plant is expected to be commissioned in 2020.
This EU co-funded three-year project is executed jointly by the Clay Brick Association of Southern Africa, Brundtland and our European partner, Partners for Innovation. The objective is to promote inclusive sustainable practices regarding the production of clay bricks and its use in the built environment. The project specifically targets Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) as well as the informal sector.
Brundtland is specifically involved in the development and implementation of a sustainability framework and transformation plan for the clay brick sector, which will clearly define sustainability indicators to be monitored during the production of clay bricks and their use within the built environment. In addition, Brundtland tailored a clay brick specific sustainability monitoring portal based on its EPCAMTM monitoring platform which assists clay brick makers in the monthly monitoring of various sustainability indicators relating to, among others, energy usage, water consumption, waste generation, air pollution and employment equity.
The Clay Brick Association (CBA) represents the formal South African clay brick producers. Since the production of clay bricks is covered under the Carbon Tax, Brundtland has assisted the CBA on an ongoing basis, both internally directed to its members and externally towards National Treasury (NT) and other government stakeholders. The main activity under this ongoing support includes the development of a sector specific Carbon Tax impact assessment tool. During the assignment, public comments to the different policy papers and the draft Carbon Tax bills was provided. Brundtland also assisted the CBA in the updating and finalisation of the sector benchmark to be used as a showcase example for other sectors on the request by NT.
Brundtland successfully applied for the inclusion of the Clay Brick Association of South Africa (CBA) in the EU funded SWITCH Africa Green programme. In this way, we assisted the industry association to access international funding targeted toward low-carbon project developers. This allowed the CBA to implement a three-year project to promote inclusive sustainable practices.
The SWITCH Africa Green programme was developed by the European Union in 2013, targeting four high-priority sectors: agriculture, manufacturing, integrated waste management and tourism. The aim is to support stakeholders in Africa in achieving sustainable development by transitioning to an inclusive green economy based on sustainable consumption and production. It provides opportunities for the private sector to move to more resource-efficient, environmentally sound business practices that also increase profitability, create green jobs and reduce poverty. The collaboration with partners in the public and private sectors aims at advancing green business development, eco-entrepreneurship and sustainable consumption and production practices.
The Ngodwana biomass project concerns a 25MW greenfield power plant located at the Sappi Ngodwana pulp and paper mill site in South Africa. The Project will source forestry and pulp and paper mill biomass residues from Sappi Southern Africa Ltd.’s for the generation of power in a power-only plant. The renewable electricity will be exported to the national grid where it will displace grid electricity, which in South Africa is largely generated by the state-owned entity Eskom and has a high carbon-intensity due to its considerable reliance on fossil-fuels such as coal and diesel.
Brundtland provided support to the successful registration of the GHG mitigation project under the Verified Carbon Standard (VCS). Services included finding the most appropriate methodology, writing the Project Description, including applicable monitoring plan, and guiding the project through the official validation process with the accredited auditor. The project was registered with the VCS on 5 May 2022 under the VCS ID: 1982 and title: “Ngodwana Biomass to Energy Project” (see below reference to the Verra Project Database for further information). The Brundtland team will also be involved with the first verification of the GHG emission reductions realised.
Brundtland and Geo Ingenieria S.A. (local Colombian partner) started the development of a regional renewable energy PoA under the CDM. This PoA was envisaged to include Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua and Panama. The focus of the programme is wind energy; however, it was envisaged to also cater for other renewable energy technologies (e.g. hydro and solar). The estimated annual generation of the initial four project activity instances is 382,634 MWh, thus the average GHG emission reductions is 92,710 tCO2e. Using the CDM documentation, the PoA was converted by our partner Geo Ingeneria into a VCS Grouped Project under VCS.
Durban Solid Waste is the waste management branch for the municipality of eThekwini (formally know as Durban). DSW operates the largest landfill in South Africa located at Bisasar road at which it installed a state of the art landfill gas extraction, utilisation and destruction facility. In March 2009, the Landfill gas to energy project was registered under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) with project ID: 1921. The municipality contracted Brundtland to realise the verification and commercialisation of the Certified Emission Reductions (CER) generated by the project from the 31st December 2012. To date the Brundtland team has realised the issuance and commercialisation of approximately 700,000 carbon credits from the project.
Both Vattenfall and Enel are among the largest utilities in the world. To mitigate their exposure both entities embarked on an elaborate green generation programme including the development of renewable energy projects under the South African Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Purchase (REIPPP) programme. Following a detailed Carbon Feasibility Study conducted by Brundtland in 2011 for two PV projects under development by MedEnergy Brundtland was commissioned by the Vattenfall Energy Trading Netherlands B.V. and Enel green Power to develop a Southern African Renewable Energy (SARE) Programme of Activities (PoA) under the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). The programme went into validation in August 2011 with Bureau Veritas as Designated Operational Entity. The PoA covers South Africa, Botswana, Lesotho, Mozambique, Namibia and Swaziland and was registered on the 25th of January 2013. Since its registration, Enel Green Power has become the largest developer of renewable Energy projects under the REIPPP Programme and Vattenfall joined the PoA for the development of projects in Southern Africa outside of South Africa itself.
The focus of this study was to develop Greenhouse Gas (GHG) emission performance guidelines for a selection of fourteen energy intensive South African sectors to inform climate change mitigation assessments and the allocation of carbon space as part of environmental authorisations for new entrants. The technical study reflects on GHG intensity performance standards used around the world, localises international standards and looks at locally established standards. Finally, local performance was compared to international standards.
The guidelines were established in close consultation with stakeholders from industry. Sector-specific meetings took place and a general public consultation workshop was conducted. The technical document will be used as a reference document for both government and industry.
The objective of the study was to conduct a detailed study on Waste to Energy technologies and practices that will enable the determination of future policy direction by the Department. As part of the assignment, Brundtland reviewed the environmental management legislative framework across various spheres of government, conducted a national and international analysis of relevant technologies, estimated the respective costs and benefits of the various technologies and mapped the availability of feedstock in the country. Moreover, against this context, the most appropriate, efficient and economically sensible technologies were identified.
An extensive stakeholder consultation took place whereby various meetings took place with operators of leading waste-to-energy projects in the country. In addition, stakeholder inputs were obtained by means of three regional workshops in Tshwane, Cape Town and eThekwini respectively.
The study was commissioned by the South African Department of Trade and Industry to examine the current policy and regulatory framework surrounding green road transport technologies in the country. The main objective was to provide the necessary information to guide effective policy, regulation and incentives to support the development of South Africa’s nascent green transport industry. The analysis focused on the following technologies: electric vehicles (EVs), compressed biogas (CBG) and compressed natural gas (CNG) vehicles as well as biofuels blending practices. The study provided an overview of projects and initiatives currently in the country and looked at a number of international success stories to distil key messages and lessons learned. The project was finalised with a skill transfer session for selected dti staff on data gathering and processing methods in this area.
As part of a wider support programme funded by UKDFID, the Brundtland team studied the uptake of biogas technologies and the use of biogas for transport particularly in South Africa. The team made a techno-economic evaluation of local biogas production, assessing potential sources of biomass, available technologies and the economic viability. As part of this, a comparative attractiveness assessment of biogas for transport versus the use of biogas for heating and electricity was performed. An international and national policy analysis took place to inform the synthesis of options for policy development that promotes the production and use of biogas as a transport fuel. The report has been published by the Department of Environmental Affairs.
INFINIT Value Engineering located in Spain is targeting the African market with their novel integrated Waste to Energy concept for municipal, forestry and agricultural waste. Activities concern the identification of appropriate municipal, industrial, agricultural and forestry waste streams, project development and attracting funding and financing from local and international funders/financiers. The integrated waste concept includes a combination of gasification, pyrolysis, bio-digestion and palletizing technologies. In case of municipal waste, up to 90% can be diverted from landfilling. The projects under development are envisaged to benefit from selling offsets under the South African carbon tax and as such emission reductions are being quantified considering various registration standards and methodologies.
Brundtland assisted with the development of business cases regarding commercial algae farming and industrial processing of human food supplements from the algae oil as well as animal and aquaculture feed from the algae cake. The assistance provided included assessment of the patent position, financial and market analysis as well as preparing a presentation slide pack to be used for finding project partners and approaching funders/financiers. The Brundtland team also facilitated introductions to the European Investment Bank, the Energy and Environment Partnership facility as well as Operation Phakisa an initiative of the South African government.
The South African government implemented a carbon tax in June 2019. Under the carbon tax, a performance allowance of up to 5% applies for companies that outperform the sector average GHG intensity benchmark. To implement the allowance, 17 sector benchmark proposals were submitted by industry to National Treasury. In partnership with Ricardo Energy and Environment, based in the UK, the objective of the project was to a review these 17 benchmarks on the basis of a standardised evaluation framework, including the following criteria: applied methodology, robustness, transparency, consistency, completeness, accuracy and uncertainty.
The project consisted of the development of a GHG benchmark evaluation framework based on international guidelines / best practices, a technical assessment of the benchmarks in line with the above criteria, the development of an implementation plan for corrective actions as well as engagements with the various stakeholders over the course of the project.