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The Two Oceans Aquarium is committed to strengthening its greener endeavours to minimise its impact on the environment. It is also committed to educating schools and influencing the way people interact with renewable energy in addition to its marine conservation work.
The aquarium’s latest initiative is a collaboration with Project 90 by 2030, an NGO specialising in energy efficiency, renewable energy, and carbon-footprint reduction options. This strategic partnership has resulted in the installation of wind turbines and a grid-connected solar photovoltaic system (a solar panel system used to convert sunlight into electricity) on the roof of the aquarium, and is the first of its kind in Cape Town.
The aim of the installations is to reduce the energy consumption of the aquarium’s administration block and achieve carbon neutrality for this specific area. A Sunny WebBox has been installed to record their progress with the project. This is an energy-efficient data-logger that displays, records and processes solar and wind-generation data.
Mike de Maine, Technical Manager at Two Oceans Aquarium, is budgeting to increase the solar panels by 30 PV panels next year to run the aquarium’s entire office block off them. De Maine also plans to change all the light bulbs to energy saving in order to reduce the light usage in the aquarium by 40 percent. Since 2009, de Maine has reduced the aquarium’s energy consumption by 12 percent and by early next year, aims to reduce it by 30 percent.
“Aquariums have to walk the talk”, says de Maine, continuing to explain how “aquariums can’t promote saving the planet without trying to do it themselves.”
Project 90 by 2030 agrees, “This project not only aims to ensure that a section of the aquarium can become carbon-neutral, but also that the 450, 000 annual visitors are educated about efficient energy use, energy savings and the human impact on the environment.”
The Two Oceans Aquarium prides itself on being a source of education as well as demonstration venue for renewable energy. Each year, it offers 50, 000 school children the choice of two programmes, either a guided tour by aquarium-trained teachers or environmentally focused classroom sessions.
The Two Oceans Aquarium’s green vision is in constant development. It also has two worm farms at its Shoreline Café to consume waste and compost, has banned the use of plastic bags, and has ordered the recalibration of their chilling units to ensure they are running as efficiently as possible. Furthermore the Two Oceans Aquarium Environmental Education Centre’s “Oceans in Motion” outreach van, is covered in solar panels.
Images/video courtesy Two Ocean’s Aquarium:
Image 1 – Wind Turbine at entrance to Two Oceans Aquarium
Image 2 – Hybrid Grid-Tied Solar Photovoltaic and Wind System