The BioEnergy Atlas for South Africa is a repository of information, tools, and data supporting the bioenergy industry in South Africa.
The atlas provides the following:
It is aimed at policy-makers within multiple tiers of government and national institutions as well as researchers and industry stakeholders. The atlas is a flexible, collaborative platform with open-access data and tools designed to stimulate the bioenergy industry in South Africa.
The BioEnergy Atlas for South Africa provides data, decision support tools, databases (designed to foster collaboration), and open-source toolkits for calculating the costs of bioenergy implementation through various stages of a bioenergy project lifecycle.
The BioEnergy Atlas contains several investigative reports on the potential and availability of biomass distribution, and typology of energy-related infrastructure, processes for conversion of biomass into energy products, and the assessment of impacts. These reports are supplemented by fact and data sheets published in the atlas.
The BioEnergy Atlas has partnered with various organisations to publish case studies where the tools and data developed in the Bioenergy Atlas have been used to assist with stakeholder project implementation. These case studies include:
1. Sugarcane
2. Invasive Alien Plants
3. Forestry residue
4. Women in BioDiesel
The BioEnergy Atlas utilises an advanced spatial-logistical modelling platform developed by the BEA team to perform techno-economic feasibility analyses.
The modelling platform has been developed to assist with parameterisation of costs of transport (via road networks as well as off-road), cost of conversion (including Capex and Opex), and potential impacts (greenhouse gas emissions).
The BioEnergy Atlas provides advanced tools for interpreting and understanding the Bioenergy model outputs. Together, these form a decision support system that can be used to determine the locations in South Africa where the implementation of bioenergy products may be feasible.
The BioEnergy Atlas contains tools designed to foster collaboration within the bioenergy value chain – the BioEnergy Atlas company register allows organisations to register with the atlas and make them findable and searchable through the BEA company database, creating a platform that fosters collaboration.
Information about contact details and support.
Datascience@SAEON.ac.za
+27 (12) 534 3504
South African Environmental Observation Network
56 Florence Street
Colbyn
Pretoria
0083
South Africa
PO Box 2600
Pretoria
0001
South Africa
