The ISEC 3rd International Sustainability Energy Conference 2024 featured over 400 participants from 35 countries, 80 presentations and 100 posters in Graz on April 10-11. Ministers from Austria and Brazil were featured alongside government and industry representatives, manufacturers and researchers. Dr Francois Rozon, who successfully defended his dissertation in January, published two articles in the past twelve months and graduated in March 2024, was a part of the highly successful conference.
Dr Rozon presented part of his PhD research focusing on the adoption of renewable energy by industry, with a deep dive into the South African beverage sector. Francois shared a 3-stage framework for industrial decarbonisation, an assessment of the South African beverage energy consumption and CO2 emissions and a decision tree to help guide long-term decision-making. His presentation was well received, along with contributions from others focusing on decarbonisation solutions in Sub-Sahara Africa.
Johannes Koke, a visiting professor from Osnabrück University in 2022, presented a poster that showcased research on techno-economic modelling of PV-driven high-temperature heat pump systems for a typical beverage facility. The poster, a product of the ongoing collaboration between Prof McGregor, Dr Rozon, and Prof Koke, featured the coefficient of performance for different heat pump configurations and a levelised cost of heat comparison against solar thermal systems.
Stellenbosch University’s active participation, representing STERG and the CRSES, was a testament to the commitment to renewable energy and decarbonisation solutions. The contributions were well-received, and our presence was warmly welcomed. Looking ahead, the next ISEC in April 2026 will provide another platform to showcase the ongoing research and implementation work in Southern Africa. Dr Rozon, a postdoctoral fellow with the CRSES and the Mechanical Engineering Department at Stellenbosch University, intends to be a part of it.
Credit: Dr Francois Rozon