(Photo credit: Soapbox South Africa)

A multidisciplinary team comprising of four postgraduate students from Stellenbosch University (SU) developed a prototype eco-friendly wind reader which saw them winning R10 000 in the 2023 SDG (Sustainable Development Goals) Soapbox South Africa Challenge.

In its second year, the Challenge brought together teams from various South African universities to compete against one another to conceptualise and develop innovative and sustainable solutions for challenges faced by business.

The SU team comprised of Sungeni Karonga, MPhil in Sustainable Development at the Centre for Sustainability Transitions; Asmaa Tbaeen, PhD in Mathematics; Mayur Rabadia, MEng in Electrical Engineering; and Joseph Muthuli, an MSc in Mathematics, and were assigned to find a practical solution to a problem faced by Burgan Cape Terminal (VTTI).

Burgan Cape Terminal (VTTI) “receives and distributes” fuel and “plays a vital role, strengthening the country’s secure fuel supply”. Wind readers play a crucial part in providing information on weather conditions – wind speed, wind direction, humidity, and temperature.

Based on their research, said Karonga, wind readers were typically made from plastic, metal, brass, and iron. “These materials are quick to corrode, are non-biodegradable, and are not sustainable. It became clear that we needed to brainstorm ways to redesign a wind reader that avoided these materials,” said Karonga.

“By creating an eco-friendly wind reader, we addressed Burgan Cape Terminal’s commitment to sustainability and safety to its community, clients, and staff. We also addressed their lack of access to power with a solar powered solution that was both environmentally friendly and easily accessible,” added Karonga.

The SU team consulted closely with Burgan Cape Terminal (VTTI) and their engineering and operations team to develop the prototype which will have an expected lifespan of between five and seven years. The team was randomly chosen and recruited by Soapbox South Africa based on the criteria specified by Burgen Cape Terminal (VTTI).

Each team member brought their specific expertise to the challenge. “I was focused on coming up with a solution for accurate wind measurements and therefore designed a 3D model of an electronic circuit for wind measurements whereas the other group members focused on the sustainability and durability part. Overall, the research conducted by the different members came together,” said Rabadia.

Teams were judged on the long- and short-term impact on the SDG’s, innovation, originality, sustainable impact, technical feasibility, scalability, and economic viability.

According to Amelia Francis, Team Lead responsible for Business Development at Soapbox South Africa, the goal of the challenge “was to mobilise students and organisations on more purposeful matters and drive innovation on real case challenges for organisations” – all done within the backdrop of the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

“Throughout the challenge, the teams were encouraged to develop their ideas into realistic well-founded solutions with a goal of creating a better future,” added Francis.