ONE man’s solution to the country’s energy woes has been turned down by Eskom on the day the parastatal hears how much it can squeeze the consumer in electricity tariffs.

National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa) will decide today on the tariffs Eskom can set for electricity – and it seems likely to be an increase between 35% and 45%.

A meeting last week between Eskom and Paul Greyshock, from Madagascar-based firm Cyclocean, did not go well.

Eskom turned down the offer from Greyshock to look into harnessing energy from the Agulhas current – a current that flows off the coast here in East London.

In December, Greyshock had been based in East London for more than a month researching the technology he would present to Eskom.

Now he has decided to take the research to Florida in the US – making it likely South Africa has lost out on an alternative to Eskom.

“This natural free source of energy is a solution to South Africa’s future energy demands and global warming,” Greyshock said in December.

Five years of research had gone into the project.

Greyshock said if the project was implemented, a survey of the ocean current and ocean floor would be conducted and a test unit set in place to determine an optimum location for future units.

“The energy in Agulhas is more than all the coal in the world,” Greyshock said at the time.

Cyclocean’s proposal to Eskom was for “a joint-risk between Eskom and Cyclocean” and was valued at R150000 (operational costs for six months).

Last week, Greyshock finally met with Eskom officials. Yesterday, he said Eskom had declined to become involved in the project at this stage.

He said Eskom told him they didn’t have the finance, and they would rather focus on the two new power stations in their care. Although the door has been left open for a partnership, Greyshock will be taking his research to Florida, where currents are similar to those here.

“They’ve been responsive there,” Greyshock said. “I don’t think Eskom was ready for this – (the technology) may be a bit ahead of its time.”

Eskom failed to provide comment on the meeting. – Daily Dispatch