The UK is working with South Africa on a project to turn sugar into energy on an industrial scale

A groundbreaking project led by UK agricultural technology company, York-based specialists in bioacoustic artificial intelligence technology in agriculture, AgriSound, is working with the UK Agri-Tech Center and South Africa-based GYO Systems to help improve sugarcane yields through improved crop pest monitoring. The project will also explore the use of innovative hydroponic technologies with the aim of increasing the growth of bioenergy production in South Africa.

As 85 percent of South Africa’s energy is generated from coal, the project will have a significant impact on renewable energy production across the country. AgriSound will deploy an innovative “Polly” insect listening device to enable growers to track and eliminate the increasing damage caused by devastating pests such as the Eldana Stalk Borer. The data generated will enable actionable results that will help growers harvest higher sugarcane yields in a sustainable and nature-based manner, all within existing production areas, thus avoiding compromising competing land priorities.

In addition to better pest monitoring, the project will also explore increasing bioenergy production near urban areas that would otherwise be uninhabitable or edible, through the introduction of innovative, low-cost hydroponic technologies. This element of the project will target Camperdown in KwaZulu-Natal, an urban settlement located near one of South Africa’s main sugar cane growing areas, approximately 60 kilometers northwest of Durban and 20 kilometers southeast of Pietermaritzburg. The initiative will directly benefit disadvantaged communities in the area and the team will provide inclusive and accessible technology training.

“The greater availability of sugarcane could potentially be used to produce bioenergy, a type of renewable energy that can replace fossil fuels,” said Dr Jenna Ross OBE from the UK Center for Agricultural Technology. “As biomass grows, it absorbs carbon from the atmosphere, which is then released when burned. This makes biomass carbon neutral. Therefore, sugarcane offers huge economic and environmental benefits to South Africa. However, given the serious impact of crop pests on crop yields and the excessive use of land for crops, which are under strict control due to competing food/housing resources, this project aims to solve two pressing local problems in one fell swoop, all while working closely with local communities to provide employment and economic development opportunities.”

South Africa’s critical energy production challenges are also exacerbated by ongoing episodes of load shedding, which often leave more than half of the population without electricity due to inadequate energy infrastructure. The use of bioenergy has great potential to be a game changer in the country’s pursuit of sustainable development and the need for more reliable energy sources.

The AgriSound-led project has received a grant of over £200,000 from African innovation collaboration Innovate UK for Net Zero Places.

“We are on an ambitious mission to move South Africa towards a net zero carbon economy by optimizing bioenergy production,” added Casey Woodward, founder and CEO of AgriSound. “This project is more than just an agricultural innovation; it’s about transforming the country’s energy landscape and uplifting citizens to continue on their own terms. We started work this month and our project goal is to harness the power of nature-based solutions to revolutionize South Africa’s agricultural landscape. We expect it to help address the energy crisis and climate change, while delivering significant economic and social improvements, and reduce the country’s carbon footprint within 12 months. AgriSound’s long-term plan not only aims to increase energy generation, but will also ensure that the land remains fertile and available for future food and housing needs.”

Photo: Representatives of the British Agricultural Technology Center and GYO Systems with project participants from Camperdown in KwaZulu-Natal, who will be working on the hydroponic element of the project.

Additional information:

AgriSound

British Center for Agricultural Technology