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

**挑战**:c.南非85%的电力来自燃煤发电，南非是全球最大的温室气体排放国之一。国有的Eskom公司为南非提供95%的电力，但发电站经常发生故障或进行维护，导致“负荷减少”。**生物能源**（=可再生能源）生命周期短，有可能取代化石燃料。随着生物质的生长，它从大气中吸收碳，在焚烧时释放出来。这使得生物质=**碳中性。****市场机会：**SA拥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，甘蔗种植在夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省。然而，产量受到害虫（如茎螟虫）的影响，并且由于食物/住房资源的竞争，土地利用受到严格审查。**净零转型：**项目通过利用联盟的独特能力/创新来提高生物能源作物的产量，从而帮助能源生产，同时不影响粮食/住房用地，从而响应生物能源需求，实现公正/包容性净零转型。**目标**:*通过采用/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。*调查城市土地地区（=Camperdown, KwaZulu-Natal），通过引入创新的水培技术，扩大生物能源生产，否则将不适合住房/食物。*就上述技术提供包容性/可访问性培训。**目标群体：**项目目标为Camperdown（夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省），一个城市聚居区。德班西北60公里；彼得马里茨堡东南20公里处。坎普尔顿正在迅速扩张，但存在：*严重的城市贫困。青年失业率上升。*妇女缺乏就业机会。**更广泛的利益/影响：**项目将提高生物能源生产力/产量/降低成本，同时为夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省坎珀down提供经济发展/就业/教育/培训/公平/生活质量/公众赋权/社会包容**项目产出：***部署监测技术，跟踪生物能源作物（=甘蔗）内的害虫，以提高产量。*在Camperdown（夸祖鲁-纳塔尔省）示范用于生物能源（=甘蔗）生产的水培技术，否则将不适合用于住房/食物。*市场数据。*焦点小组/培训/研讨会/GESI冠军。*部署/参与/培训/校准/数据/算法报告。*影响评估。*开发计划。*文学/材料/社交媒体。**竞争优势：***使用低成本人工智能/太阳能驱动声传感单元（命名为PollyTM）加强害虫监测，提高生物能源作物的产量（10%），并将结果显示在web应用程序中，以改进决策。*在城市地区用低成本的SMART水培系统（命名为GYO系统）种植生物能源作物，否则这些作物将不适合住房/食物。GYO系统允许更大/更高/更重的作物，而收获时间<50% /消除土传疾病。**合作伙伴：*** **AgriSound (Lead)（英国中小企业）**,（英国农业科技创业公司，专注于害虫物联网解决方案），** *作物健康与保护（CHAP）（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农业科技公司，专注于水培系统的开发，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).