SWEET SUCCESS: Driving net zero transition by accelerating bio-energy (sugarcane) production in South Africa

甜蜜的成功：通过加速南非生物能源（甘蔗）生产推动净零转型

• 批准号: 10104991
• 金额: $ 21.96万
• 依托单位: AGRISOUND LIMITED
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Demonstrator
• 财政年份: 2024
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2024 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 未结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=10104991
• 关键词: SWEET; SUCCESS; Driving; net; zero

**CHALLENGE**: c.85% of South Africa(SA)'s electricity is generated via burning coal, with SA being one of the largest global greenhouse-gas emitters. State-owned Eskom supplies 95% SA's electricity, but power stations are regularly broken/undergoing maintenance, leading to 'loadshedding'.**BIO-ENERGY**(=renewable energy) has a short life cycle with potential to replace fossil fuels. As biomass grows, it absorbs carbon from atmosphere, released when incinerated. This makes biomass=**carbon neutral.****MARKET OPPORTUNITY:**SA has substantial bio-energy potential. Sugarcane (bio-energy=ethanol) offers massive economic/environmental rewards. In SA, sugarcane is grown in KwaZulu-Natal due to tropical climate. However, yields are impacted by pests (e.g., Stalk Borer), and land-use is under heavy scrutiny due to competing food/housing resources.**NET ZERO TRANSITION:**Project responds to bio-energy demand, and just/inclusive net zero transition, by utilising consortium's unique capabilities/innovations to increase yields of bio-energy crops, subsequently aiding energy generation, whilst not compromising land-use for food/housing.**AIM**:* Increase yields of sugarcane by adapting/deploying innovative acoustic monitoring technologies to track pests for actionable outcomes.* Investigate urban land areas (=Camperdown, KwaZulu-Natal) for expanding bio-energy production that would otherwise be inappropriate for housing/food through introducing innovative hydroponic technologies.* Deliver inclusive/accessible training on aforementioned technologies.**TARGET GROUP:** Project targets Camperdown (KwaZulu-Natal), an urban settlement approx.60km northwest of Durban; 20km southeast of Pietermaritzburg. Camperdown is rapidly expanding but has:* Severe urban poverty.* Rising youth unemployment.* Lacks employment opportunities for women.**WIDER BENEFITS/IMPACT:** Project will boost bio-energy productivity/yields/reduced costs, whilst delivering economic development/jobs/education/training/equity/quality of life/public-empowerment/social inclusion to Camperdown, KwaZulu-Natal**PROJECT OUTPUTS:*** Deployment of monitoring technologies to track pests within bio-energy crops(=sugarcane) to increase yields.* Demonstrate hydroponic technologies in Camperdown (KwaZulu-Natal) for bio-energy(=sugarcane) production that would otherwise be inappropriate for housing/food.* Market data.* Focus groups/training/workshops/GESI Champions.* Reports on deployment/engagement/training/calibration/data/algorithms.* Impact assessment.* Exploitation plan.* Literature/materials/social media.**COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE:*** Improved yields(10%) of bio-energy crops from enhanced pest monitoring using low-cost AI/solar driven acoustic sensing unit(named=PollyTM) with results displayed as web app for improved decision-making.* Growing bio-energy crops in low-cost SMART hydroponic system (named=GYO Systems) in urban areas that would otherwise be inappropriate for housing/food. GYO System allows for larger/taller/heavier crops while <50% harvest time/eliminating soil-borne diseases.**PARTNERS:*** **AgriSound (Lead) (UK SME)**, (UK agri-tech start-up specialising in IoT solutions for insect pests),* **Crop Health and Protection (CHAP)(UK RTO)**, (Centre for Agricultural Innovation-key component of UK government's Agri-Tech strategy),* **GYO Systems (SA SMME),** (SA agri-tech specialising in hydroponic systems development, manufacture and installation).

**挑战**：C.85％的南非（SA）的电力是通过燃烧的煤炭产生的，而SA是全球最大的温室气体发射器之一。国有埃斯科姆（Eskom）提供95％的SA的电力，但电站定期破坏/经过维护，导致“负载”。** Bio-Energy **（=可再生能源）具有较短的生命周期，具有替代化石燃料的潜力。随着生物量的生长，它会吸收大气中的碳，并在焚化后释放。这使生物量= **碳中性。****市场机会：** SA具有巨大的生物能量潜力。甘蔗（生物能=乙醇）提供巨大的经济/环境奖励。在SA中，由于热带气候，甘蔗生长在夸祖鲁 - 纳塔尔省。但是，收益率受到害虫的影响（例如，茎虫），由于食品/住房资源的竞争，土地利用受到了严格的审查。食物/住房的土地利用损害。对上述技术的包容性/可访问培训。 Pietermaritzburg东南20公里。露营地正在迅速扩大，但有：*严重的城市贫困。*不断上升的青年失业。*缺乏妇女的就业机会。部署监测技术以跟踪生物能源作物（=甘蔗）内的害虫，以提高产量。部署/互动/培训/校准/校准/数据/算法。*影响评估。*开发计划。*文献/材料/社交媒体。在低成本的智能水培系统（名称= GYO系统）中的生物能农作物在城市地区，否则不适合住房/食物。 GYO系统允许更大/更高/较高的农作物，而<50％的收获时间/消除土壤传播疾病。农业技术策略），*** GYO Systems（SA SMME），**（SA Agri-Tech专门从事水培系统开发，制造和安装）。