Carel Ballack
The Sustainable Energy Society of Southern Africa (SESSA) has appointed Carel Ballack permanent ombudsman to mediate and arbitrate for the successful resolution of customer complaints, and to help members interpret and understand their responsibilities in terms of SESSA's code of conduct.
Ballack moved into the sustainable energy industry in 1999 when he and a partner imported unfinished amorphous silicon panels to develop systems such as solar powered traffic lights that would find a market in southern Africa. According to a SESSA statement, Ballack has "broad experience" with sustainable and efficient energy technologies. He succeeds Colin Bain, who handled the portfolio previously on a contract basis.
In a separate development, SESSA was granted the mandate to establish a national heat pump division following meetings in Cape Town, Durban and Johannesburg with heat pump industry stakeholders. The society already represents over 500 members through its solar water heating division and an additional 120 through its photovoltaic division.
SESSA ambassador Irvan Damon says the heat pump division was created as an industry mouthpiece to facilitate the expansion of a more energy efficient energy landscape. He says the heat pump industry provides commercial and domestic users with "essential technology" and plays an important role as South Africa moves towards more sustainable energy use.
The heat pump division will elect its own executive committee, which will be responsible for management of the division, supported by the national SESSA office. The chairperson of the division will sit on the SESSA council to provide monthly feedback on the division’s progress.
Damon says one of the society’s first tasks on behalf of its new members will be to engage with Eskom on how best to ensure the success of the heat pump rebate programme “and beyond”. SESSA has undertaken to share its experience in rolling out the solar water heater programme with Eskom and the heat pump division to overcome obstacles pertaining to the rebate programme.
The society’s objectives also include the education of end-users; creation of awareness of heat pump technology; setting and enforcement of standards; management of supplier-end-user disputes, and informing the sector of policy movements.
Contact Irvan Damon, SESSA, Tel 011 513-4017, irv@sessa.org.za
