The ChemCity Renewable Energy Cluster focuses on developing viable projects which harness and/or create energy alternatives that are derived from natural sources, as well as being environmentally friendly. These projects are thus completely renewable resulting in little or no damage to the environment.

Projects that form the basis of the team’s project portfolio include:

• Biodiesel: as an alternative fossil mineral diesel, the renewable energy cluster dedicates considerable time and effort to SMME projects that can viably produce biodiesel on a sustainable basis. The team assists entrepreneurs to draw up business plans as well as identify viable feedstocks that can be sourced on a continuous basis. Projects falling within the ambit of the cluster include the production of biodiesel from used cooking oil – the most popular source of feedstocks from an SMME perspective. Various other feedstocks are also constantly under investigation.
• Ethanol gel: projects that fall under this category involve all aspects of the value chain, including ensuring feedstock (bioethanol) availability, production of bioethanol, and formulation of the gel and distribution of the final product. All of these projects also involve the establishment of ethanol distribution centres based on market related research, with the business development of key role players already underway. The projects additionally seek to engage municipalities to activate Free Basic Alternative Energy policies and create opportunities for ethanol gel use.
• Solar: solar renewable energy projects are still fairly new in South Africa. Opportunities in this field are currently being explored by the ChemCity team, with a number of projects already receiving assistance.
• Project evaluations: apart from the renewable energy cluster’s main focus categories, it also assists with project evaluation. Examples of projects currently under investigation include the production of bioethanol from switch grass; the production of bioethanol/biodiesel from wood waste; as well as seeking out biodiesel opportunities in agricultural sectors, and looking at Central Energy Fund related projects in the bioethanol and biodiesel sectors.

In all of these areas market analysis/research is crucial in order to understand concept feasibility, with the team working to identify key success factors for each product. These include the following:

• product education and awareness
• product availability
• product quality
• product pricing
• community involvement
• project feasibility studies
• access to business development services, such assistance with business plans
• ongoing market and industrial analysis in the chemical and related sectors
• sharing of skills and knowledge
• developing the SMME sector and creating sustainable jobs.