The South African energy industry had to take stock of its actions and ensure that it not only focused on rapid results in the short term but also on long-term sustainability, South African National Energy Association (Sanea) chairperson Brian Statham said on Thursday at the 2014 Sanea Energy Awards ceremony, in Sandton.

He noted that in selecting the winners in the respective categories, Sanea considered whether the work done was delivering on its promises and whether it would deliver benefits over a longer period of time.

“We need more patience, perseverance and courage to resist the temptation to go the quick route [and instead] build foundations and substance that will endure and be valid for the years ahead,” he stated.

In explaining why 2014 had seen a limited number of shortlisted projects, despite a significant increase in entries received, he pointed out that it was also “no longer sufficient to merely imitate what others have done before. It is important to develop, progress, innovate and adapt”.

The Sanea 2014 awards covered three categories – energy, energy projects and energy education.

Stellenbosch University (SU) Centre for Renewable and Sustainable Energy Studies head Professor Wikus van Niekerk was the winner of the 2014 Sanea Energy Award for his contribution to renewable energy in South Africa, particularly in the solar space, while Nedbank and the SU Carbon Footprinting Guide won the Sanea Energy Education Award.

Further, joint winners were announced in the Sanea Energy Project category. Exxaro Resources and Tronox Namakwa Sands were selected as a winner for their Namakwa Sands cogeneration project, while Woolworths was rewarded for its Good Business programme. 

Meanwhile, in the South African National Energy Development Institute (Sanedi) Renewable Energy Center of Research & Development (Record) Renewable Energy Research Excellence (Rere) Awards, Ecovest was the winner in the Commercial Application category for its ECOlite solar home lighting product.

In the Sanedi Record Rere Young Researcher 2014 award category SU student Karel Malan won for his masters project that focused on developing a control system for a single heliostat.