About Walter Sisulu
Get in touch
Email Address:
Contact Numbers:
Mthatha: 047 502 2100
Butterworth: 047 401 6000
East London: 043 702 9200
Potsdam: 043 708 5200
Chiselhurst: 043 709 4000
7. Affordable and Clean Energy
At iYunivesithi Walter Sisulu, expanding renewable energy infrastructure and advancing clean energy research are vital priorities for institutional sustainability and operational resilience. Faced with regional grid instability and escalating electricity costs, the university has made substantial capital investments in on-site solar photovoltaic (PV) generation, green building standards, and international policy research on the "Just Energy Transition.
Campus Solar PV Generation & Energy Efficiency
- R10 Million Potsdam Solar PV Pilot Project. Read the story. Walter Sisulu invested R10 million to establish a pilot grid-tied solar photovoltaic energy generation system at the Potsdam Delivery Site in Buffalo City. The system comprises 486 solar panels with an overall generation capacity of 274 kW (250 kW output) linked to inverters and tied directly into the Low Voltage Main Point of Supply. Panel distribution across the site includes: 108 panels on lecture room blocks, 90 panels on the auditorium, 72 panels on the Great Hall, 54 panels on the administration block, 54 panels on carports, and 108 ground-mounted panels. Designed to reduce monthly municipal electricity costs, lower diesel consumption during load shedding, and establish a baseline for rolling out solar energy infrastructure across all university campuses.
- 188kW Hybrid Solar System at Potsdam Engineering Building. Read the story. Walter Sisulu commissioned a specialised 188kW Hybrid Solar Installation at the Potsdam Engineering Building. The installation serves as a regional benchmark for higher education clean energy adoption, attracting official delegation visits from institutions such as the University of Zululand to study its design and integration.
- Green Star Building Standards & Infrastructure Renewal. As part of its capital development framework, Walter Sisulu incorporates environmental performance controls to manage its carbon footprint and work toward Green Star Ratings on new infrastructure, such as the newly completed Technopark Engineering Building.
Energy Policy Research & International Engagement
- BRICS Parliamentary Forum on "Just Energy Transition". Dr. Zukiswa Roboji from Walter Sisulu presented key research at the BRICS Parliamentary Forum in Johannesburg titled "Energy issues in BRICS Countries: Just Transition of Coal to Hydrogen Energy Commission". The paper advocated for international policy frameworks that protect workers and vulnerable communities against job insecurity and social displacement as economies transition from coal mining to green hydrogen economies.
- China-South Africa Power Generation Collaboration. A senior delegation from Walter Sisulu —led by the Executive Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Built Environment and Information Technology—engaged with the Executive President of the China Electricity Council and supporting industry CEOs. Discussions centered on technical knowledge exchange, joint research, and capacity development in power generation and distribution.
- Ministerial Built Environment Policy Engagement. Co-hosted the 1st CBE/Walter Sisulu International Conference for Sustainable Construction at the Potsdam Site, engaging South Africa's Deputy Minister of Public Works and Infrastructure, Sihle Zikalala, on policy frameworks to adopt solar energy, wind power, and energy-efficient building materials to drive job creation and climate resilience.
Academic Partnerships & Community Energy Outreach
- Stellenbosch University Renewable Energy Partnership. Walter Sisulu signed a strategic agreement with Stellenbosch University’s Centre for Renewable & Sustainable Energy to share technical expertise, align policy positions, and promote public dialogue on renewable energy solutions.
- Solar-Powered Aquaponics & Community Technology Transfer. Read the story. The Sustainable Marine and Freshwater Resource Management and Economic Development (SMAFED) research unit partnered with local cooperatives (OTCDC and FEWCOOP) to construct solar-powered recirculating aquaculture systems. Replaces grid electricity dependency with solar power to drive community water pumps and fish-farming filtration systems, transferring low-carbon technology to rural youth and female farmers.
This account is drawn from the iYunivesithi Walter Sisulu Sustainability Impact Progress Report, prepared against the Times Higher Education Sustainability Impact Ratings methodology.
The Sustainable Development Goals icons are United Nations marks, used here for information. The content of this publication has not been approved by the United Nations and does not reflect the views of the United Nations or its officials or Member States. Read the Sustainable Development Goals.
