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

** 挑战 **：南非（SA）约85%的电力是通过燃煤产生的，而SA是全球最大的温室气体排放国之一。国有的Eskom为南非提供95%的电力，但发电站经常发生故障/维修，导致“负荷下降”。生物能源 **（=可再生能源）生命周期短，有可能取代化石燃料。随着生物量的增长，它从大气中吸收碳，在焚烧时释放。这使得生物量=** 碳中性。市场机会：** 南非具有巨大的生物能源潜力。甘蔗（生物能源=乙醇）提供了巨大的经济/环境回报。在南非，由于热带气候，夸祖鲁-纳塔尔种植甘蔗。然而，产量受到害虫的影响（例如，由于粮食/住房资源的竞争，土地使用受到严格审查。净零过渡：** 项目通过利用财团的独特能力/创新来增加生物能源作物的产量，从而促进能源生产，同时不影响用于食品/住房的土地使用，以应对生物能源需求，并实现公正/包容性的净零过渡。目标 **：* 通过调整/部署创新的声学监测技术来跟踪害虫，以获得可操作的结果，从而提高甘蔗产量。调查城市土地（=坎珀当、夸祖鲁-纳塔尔），通过采用创新的水培技术，扩大原本不适合住房/粮食的生物能源生产。提供关于上述技术的包容性/无障碍培训。目标群体：** 项目目标是Camperdown（夸祖鲁-纳塔尔），一个城市定居点，位于德班西北约60公里处;彼得马里茨堡东南20公里处。坎珀当正在迅速扩大，但有：* 严重的城市贫困。青年失业率上升。妇女就业机会不足 **更广泛的效益/影响：** 项目将提高生物能源生产率/产量/降低成本，同时为夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省坎珀当提供经济发展/就业/教育/培训/公平/生活质量/公共赋权/社会包容 ** 项目产出：* 部署监测技术，跟踪生物能源作物（=甘蔗）中的害虫，以提高产量。在Camperdown（夸祖鲁-纳塔尔）示范水耕技术，用于生产生物能源（即甘蔗），否则就不适合住房/粮食。市场数据 *重点小组/培训/讲习班/GESI冠军。报告部署/参与/培训/校准/数据/算法。*影响评估。开发计划。*文献/材料/社交媒体。**竞争优势：* 通过使用低成本AI/太阳能驱动的声学传感单元（命名为PollyTM）增强害虫监测，提高生物能源作物的产量（10%），并将结果显示为Web应用程序，以改善决策。*在城市地区的低成本智能水培系统（命名为GYO系统）中种植生物能源作物，否则将不适合住房/食物。GYO系统允许更大/更高/更重的作物，同时<50%的收获时间/消除土传疾病。合作伙伴：*AgriSound（牵头）（英国中小企业）**，（英国农业科技初创企业，专门从事针对虫害的物联网解决方案），* 作物健康与保护（Crop Health and Protection）（英国RTO）**，（农业创新中心-英国政府农业科技战略的关键组成部分），*GYO Systems（SA SMME），**（SA农业科技，专门从事水耕系统开发，制造和安装）。

**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).