Mast on Saturday, February 1, 2020

3
W
E ARE now going to
create some
correlations and
connections that energy has
through what we shall call
energy nexus. These shall
include: climate change - energy
correlation; water – energy
- environment nexus; water-
energy-food-waste nexus. And
energy is placed at the centre
of this nexus to emphasise its
importance.
Let’s talk about climate
change-energy correlation
So how is climate change
related to energy? In the
previous articles we have
endeavoured to define and
describe in some level of detail
what climate change is and
what energy is. 25 per cent of
the Greenhouse gas emissions
(GHGs) are attributed to
power generation/electricity.
This is quite a significant
portion that essentially
indicates that a quarter of the
climate change effect is from
electricity generation and
consumption.
To start with, when putting
up a power plant of whatever
primary energy source
utilisation, land is cleared, dams
are erected and nature/natural
ecosystem disturbed in one
way or another. We now know
that change of land usage can
result in GHGs being emitted
into the atmosphere such as
when putting up a power plant.
There is what is commonly
referred to as embedded
energy in, say, the manufacture
Let’s talk about energy nexus
of energy conversion technolo-
gies such as turbines,
generators, solar PV panels, etc.
This means that energy has
already been consumed at
manufacturing stage with a
corresponding carbon-emission
(relative to its emission factor).
The grid emission factor
refers to the carbon dioxide
- equivalent (CO2-equiv)
emission factor associated with
1 unit or 1kWh of electricity
generated and in the case of say
a coal-fired plant, this is
estimated to be approximately
1kgCO2-e per 1kWh);
meaning that every time 1kWh
of electricity is generated, 1kg
of CO2-equiv. is emitted from
the generation process.
The Power Plant once set up
will use a form of primary
energy source such as
petroleum, natural gas, biomass,
coal, etc., which when burnt
will release GHGs in the
process of converting its
chemical energy into thermal
energy to heat up the water as
prime mover for the turbines.
These GHGs in their carbon
dioxide equivalent notation are
more for fossil fuels than they
are for other fuels, otherwise
known as clean fuels such as
Nuclear (fission and fusion of
Uranium) for example.
As we continue to demand
more electricity that has to be
generated using one of the
primary energy sources, we are
inadvertently contributing to
climate change. Globally, the
primary energy sources used
the most for electricity
generation are coal, followed by
natural gas with coal being the
dirtiest/most polluting of all
energy sources. There are now
attempts through technological
advancements to reduce
carbon emissions into the
atmosphere through such
interventions as carbon capture
and storage (CCS).
Let’s talk about energy-
water-environment nexus
The energy-water-environ-
ment nexus shall focus mainly
at the energy-water correlation
having already expensed with
the energy-climate change that
is in effect the energy-environ-
ment correlation.
To generate electricity, water
is required. Even when we
consider other technologies
such as solar PV, water is used
at manufacturing of these
panels and when in use, some
water is used to clean up the
panel surfaces in order to
retain their performance
efficiency. To get water, often
electricity is used to power the
technology that has to pump
the water, purify the water,
treat the water, and even store
the water. Traditional water
treatment processes are very
energy intense such that the
more water we need, the more
energy is demanded. In talking
about the energy-water-envi-
ronment nexus, we cannot help
but touch a bit on the
water-energy-food-waste nexus
with water and energy being
the two common elements.
Water security, energy security
and food security are
inextricably linked and as such
require a suitably integrated
approach. Waste is added to
the nexus as it presents a
by-product that has potential
for conversion into a useful
resource.
Energy waste in the form of
heat can be found useful in
preheating or drying applica-
tions. Food waste as in
bio-waste can be converted
into energy through various
conversion processes such as
biodigestion where biogas
(methane) is generated and the
remaining digestate is used as
manure to apply back into the
food production. Unused food
waste/ bio-waste adds to the
amount of waste that goes to
landfill sites and renders
destruction of our environment
through air and water pollution.
Spent energy sources such as
ash from coal and biomass
burning as well as spent
uranium fuel rods from nuclear
reactors can be an environmen-
tal hazard especially if not well
handled and disposed of.
The water-energy-food
nexus is central to sustainable
development. Demand for all
three is increasing, driven by a
rising global population, rapid
urbanisation, changing diets and
economic growth. Water is a
finite resource having to serve
exponentially more people and
usages, and so ensuring
everyone has access to a
reliable supply is crucial to
human survival and sustainable
progress. As water resources
become more stretched, the
energy and food sectors’
dependence on water, and the Let’s talk S.E.E
fact that all three underpin
several of the Sustainable
(Sustainability,
Development Goals, means that Energy, Environment)
decision-makers in all three By Eng, Chisakula
domains are now increasingly Kaputu
focusing on water resource
management, ecosystem expert and Sustainability
protection and water supply Practitioner with over 25
and sanitation as part of their years of experience
policy and practice (excerpt (Industrial Mining,
from the World Water Fund Academia, Power
publication.) Infrastructure/ESI,
In conclusion, let it be known Electrical consultancy and
that one of the implications of energy advisory &
not living within our environ- consultancy).
mental limits sustainably Reproduction of this
(energy and environmental article in full or in part
sustainability) is climate change. without written express
The follow up articles shall permission from the
delve more on energy author is forbidden. Send
sustainability and sustainable your comments to:
development, so keep reading. chisakula.kaputu@see.
co.zm, WhatsApp: +27 79
The author is an energy 163 3545

Bill Gates’ daughter Jennifer gets We’re owed 8 months

engaged to Egyptian showjumper
THE daughter of philanthropists
Bill and Melinda Gates, Jennifer,
23 has announced she has got
engaged to her Egyptian partner,
Nayel Nassar, 28.
Gates and Nassar have been
dating since 2017 and their
engagement happened while on a
skiing trip.
The couple enjoy show
jumping and have been together
at several shows across the
world.
Gates in her Instagram
announcement said, “I can’t wait
to spend the rest of our lives
learning, growing, laughing and
loving together.”
Gates in a past interview with
CNN said her boyfriend
supported her and described their
shared love for horse sports as
“incredible”. - BBC
Katongo highlights importance of promotion of national values
By Christopher Miti
THE Ministry of National
Guidance and Religious
Affairs says people from
various sectors of society have
the province was expected to
pick it up and continue with
the exercise.
“Issues of democracy and
constitutionalism are
everywhere, issues of morality
seen how it is uniting us as One
Zambia, One Nation and the
programmes that you have put
in place are impacting
positively on us as nationals in
Eastern Province in particular.
The people in this province are
actually happy his Excellency
created such a ministry,” said
Lombe.
salary arrears not 5
- museum union official
By Edwin Mbulo in Livingstone
WE are actually owed eight months in salary areas, a Livingstone
trade unionist Aaron Ndumba has clarified.
And Ndumba, who is Livingstone Museum University of
Zambia and Allied Workers Union (UNZAAWU) branch
chairperson, has appealed to President Edgar Lungu to help resolve
the salary crisis that has hit the movable heritage custodians.
National Museums Board (NMB) workers have threatened to
stage a work stoppage effective February 3 over unpaid salary
areas dating back to February last year.
“Our workers are stressed and may have not have been so
accurate when giving you information on what is actually owed to
us by government. We would also like to apologise for the use of
political sentiments when venting out their anger on what is owed
by government...but what is happening is that the government
owes us eight months salary areas which will be nine by end of
January this year. What we are owed is as follows: February,
March, April and May last year. We were paid June, July and
August salaries and since then nothing has been paid to-date,”
Ndumba said.
He added that Livingston Museum workers were paid the
January 2019 salary from resources that management sourced but
other museums did not get paid.
“We are appealing to the Head of State, His Excellency Edgar
Chagwa Lungu to prevail on the treasury and the Ministry of
Tourism to pay us,” Ndumba added.
Last year in November then tourism permanent secretary Amos
Malupenga averted a sit-in protest by museums workers when he
asked to be given a few days to sort out the salary arrears.

Chilubi is not a war

a bigger role to play in the
promotion of good national
values.
Speaking when he paid a
courtesy call on Eastern
and ethics, we are talking
about teenage pregnancies, we
are talking about underage
drinking, all these are within
the core of our society. Like

zone - UPND official

Province deputy permanent
secretary Josphat Lombe on
Wednesday before the start of
a sensitisation exercise on
national values in Chipata,
Petauke, Katete and Nyimba,
ministry director for human
resource and Administration
William Katongo said there
was need to mainstream
national values.
“The main purpose of
mainstreaming the values is to
encourage a positive and
desired behaviour patterns in
the society and also to foster
societal transformation of our
country. These values that we
are looking at include morality
and ethics, patriotism and
national unity, democracy and
constitutionalism, human
dignity including social justice,
good governance. We believe
these in all sectors of society
have a role to play whether
people are in the civil society
or at home; that is why we are
having an inclusive sensitisa-
tion,” Katongo said.
He said after the sensitisa-
tion exercise, the local team in
we said, I think in article 92,
the President is expected
to inform the country
through Parliament to give a
report on how the national
values have been inculcated in
the citizenry. So we expect that
in Eastern Province we should
be able to say ‘we had 500
pregnancies and this year there
is a reduction because of
mindset change, ” Katongo
said.
He said the change that they
were envisaging contributes to
the development of the
country.
And Lombe said the
provincial administration was
happy that the ministry
extended the sensitisation
exercise on national values and
principles to the province.
He said the creation of the
Ministry of National Guidance
Religious Affairs was good
because in a nation where
values and principles were not
followed, it was difficult to
develop.
“So far the ministry has
performed very well, we have
By Siabana Kelvin in Kasama
THE UPND says Chilubi Island is not a
war zone area, and the deployment of
over 800 police officers is an exaggera-
tion by the police command in Northern
Province.
Northern Province UPND political
consultant Cephas Bwalya said the number
of police officers deployed to maintain law
and order in the Chilubi parliamentary
by-election campaigns was just too much
and was making it difficult for the
opposition to freely campaign.
Bwalya said as much as it was the
responsibility of the police officers to
provide security and peace for politicians
and resident, the high presence of the
officers was making people not to move
freely in and out of the Island.
He said it was disturbing that instead of
protecting and guarding all the political
players involved in the campaigns, the
police has mainly concentrated on
victimising the opposition, especially
UPND members.
“It is surprising to note that ever since
the campaigns started in Chilubi early this
month, the UPND members have been
falsely accused and slapping with charges
by the police in order to demoralise our
campaign strategy,” Bwalya said.
He said the police were playing
psychological mind-boggling games by
torturing the UPND campaign team by
following them unnecessary whenever they
were doing their campaign at any time of
the day.
Bwalya said it was disheartening that the
police were even going to houses rented by
the UPND and searching their members
just to instill fear in them.
“It is just a by-election, why taking more
than 800, both uniformed and plain clothes
police officers to patrol and monitor all
different localities of the Island as if the
opposition political opponents participating
in the elections were dangerous to the
ruling party and the residents?” Bwalya
asked.
He urged the police to work according to
their ethics not by siding with the ruling
party because the salary they get at the end
of the month was from the Zambian
taxpayers.
Bwalya said the three members of the
UPND currently in custody were innocent
as the machete, the catapults and other
unknown objects which the police claimed
they had found them with were just given
to them by the police officers against their
will in order to paint the UPND black.
He said it was surprising that recently a
PF member hacked a UPND member on
the neck but the police have not yet
arrested anyone.
Bwalya said the police were venting
their anger on the UPND for being used in
an unprofessional manner by the PF
campaign team.
However, Northern Province
Commissioner of Police Richard Mweene
said the police officers in Chilubi do not
have any political inclination because it
was their mandate to serve Zambians at
any level.
Mweene said the police would not
tolerate lawlessness from any individual in
Chilubi because peace was cardinal for the
Islanders, before, during and after the
elections in the area.