Technology Development and Commercialisation in South Africa through the Centres of Competence

Technology Development and Commercialisation in South Africa through the Centres of Competence

Vuyani LingelaChief Director, International Research,

Department of Science and Technology, South Africa

International Conference on Scientific and Technological Innovation: National Experience

and International Cooperation

ICSTI Headquarters, Moscow, RussiaWednesday, 29-30 May, 2013

Vuyani Lingela, ICSTI, Moscow, Russia, 29 May 2013

Background

• In South Africa, the Centres of Competence (CoC) programme was initiated by the Department of Science and Technology in 2007.

• The purpose of the CoC is to promote technology commercialization by creating an environment for collaborative technology development partnerships between industry, higher education, research institutions and government.

• CoCs are collaborative entities established and preferable led by industry, and resourced by highly qualified researchers and engineers.

• Non-South African companies, universities, and research organizations can also participate in the South African CoC.

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International experience

• Several countries are implementing similar programmes, including some ICSTI member states, although the do not call them CoC.

• The common aims of these programmes are to -– close the collaborative gap between industry, universities and research

organizations along the technology development value chain, – provide support for technology development and integration, – provide support for development of technology capabilities, – provide support for development of productive human capacity, and – enhance commercialization of R&D outcomes.

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Purpose of this presentation

• To stimulate discussion on the CoC concept among ICSTI member states and associate partners.

• Promote cooperation on CoC with ICSTI member states and associate partners.

• Learn from the experiences of ICSTI member states and associate partners.

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Centres of Competence in South Africa

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Centres of Competence in South Africa

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Satellite Sensor Centre of Competence

• Introduction– DST plans to establish CoC in optronics and synthetic aperture radar

(SAR) to support South Africa's future space programme.

• Functions– Give sustainable quality optronics and data support to the South

African industry.– Implement innovative technology methods and management at all

levels of the satellite sensor value chain.– Develop technology in cooperative and coordinated programmes, to

create new and innovative products.

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Hydrogen Infrastructure

• Introduction– Development of hydrogen generation systems and prototypes linked to

renewable energy sources as well as hydrogen storage and distribution technologies.

– Co-hosted by the North-West University (NWU) and Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR)

• FunctionsHySA Infrastructure focuses on the following key technologies: – Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Electrolysers and Electrolyser systems linked

to renewable energy– Hydrogen storage (other than metal hydride systems)– Hydrogen reticulation and delivery– Systems integration (hydrogen production and delivery)– PGM recycling

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Hydrogen Catalysis

• Introduction– Tasked with the establishment of a technical and scientific base for

distinctly South African contributions to the global hydrogen and fuel cell technology know-how.

– Co-hosted by the University of Cape Town and Mintek

• FunctionsDevelopment of – H2 Fuel Cells

– Fuel Processors– H2 / Reformate Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Devices

– Portable Power Systems

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HySA Systems Integration &Technology Validation Competence Centre

• Introduction– HySA Systems is hosted by the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and

is located at the South African Institute for Advanced Materials Chemistry.

• FunctionsResponsible for the development, prototyping, testing, validating and

commissioning of the following key technologies:– Membrane Electrode Assemblies (MEAs) for High Temperature (HT)

Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cells – HT-PEM fuel cell stacks– Metal hydrides for hydrogen storage and compression– Li-ion batteries and system integration of Energy Storage Devices for

domestic and automotive applications

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Nuclear Technologies in Medicine and the Biosciences Initiative (NTeMBI)

• Introduction– The objective of NTeMBI is to be a national technology platform to cover the

complete innovation process, from groundbreaking discovery research to the successful introduction of new products and services into the market.

• Functions– Functions as a high level R&D and Innovation initiative to implement new

strategic initiatives relating to nuclear technologies in medicine and the biosciences on a local, regional and international level.

– It is envisaged that this will lead to the development of significant additional R&D and Innovation capacity in South Africa, and

– the introduction of new products and services into the African and international markets.

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SA HIV/Aids Research and Innovation Platform (SHARP)

• Introduction– Forms part of the DST's efforts to fund HIV/AIDS research, facilitate the

development of innovative technology solutions, and develop safe and affordable HIV/AIDS-related technologies.

• Functions– One of the projects will validate a method for testing resistance to

antiretroviral drugs that is cheaper and more accurate than the current method.

– Another will investigate the role of natural "killer" cells that prevent HIV transmission.

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DQS competence centre for medical devices

• Introduction– The development of the DQS [Deutsche Gesellschaft zur Zertifizierung von

Managementsystemen] CoC for medical devices started in 2008.

• Functions– DQS provides international accredited certification, assurance and training in the field of

Health, Safety, Environment and Quality disciplines, adding value to organisations by identifying improvement opportunities to effectively manage pure and speculative risks.

• Impact– More than 1,200 customers have been certified by DQS according to the various standards of

this business sector; and – with its excellent service DQS continues to support them anywhere in the world. This growth

is also a result of increasing international requirements.

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Titanium Centre of Competence

• Introduction– The TiCoC is designed to support the long-term goal of establishing a

competitive titanium industry in South Africa that spans the entire value chain (from primary production to the manufacture of final components).

• Functions– Significant progress has been made over the past six years with the

development of the technology building blocks for the future South African titanium industry.

• Impact– The CSIR’s new method delivers titanium metal powder that is

subsequently fused together to produce dense metal parts.

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Primary Titanium Commercialisation Plan

Titanium Centre of Competence

SA Titanium Industrialisation Plan

2010 2011 2012 2013 20152014 2016 2017 2020 202120192018

Primary Ti metal powder production (CSIR Process)

Basic Development

Bench-Scale Pilot PlantProduction: 2 kg/h

Semi-Commercial Test Facility Production: 500 ton/a

Commercially Pure (CP) Ti

World-Class Commercial PlantProduction: 20 000 ton/afirst: CP Ti ; then Ti Alloy


Biocomposite Centre of Competence

• Introduction– Focuses on the development of appropriate product technology

platforms for construction, packaging, automotive, aerospace and general moulded products and human capital development to support the industry.

• Functions– Development of natural fibre-based panels for aerospace applications

using environmentally benign flame-retardant treatment.– Development of product technologies for the built environment that

have resulted in initial natural fibre reinforced prototypes of insulation panels and insulated roof panels.

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Biocomposite focus areas

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The South African Fluorochemical Expansion Initiative (FEI)

• Introduction– FEI is an initiative of the Department of Trade and Industry ,which is

included as a key program ("fluorspar beneficiation") in Government’s Industrial Policy Action Plan of 2010-11 (IPAP2)

– In addition to this R&D program, is the establishment of a multipurpose fluorination pilot plant also funded by the DST, which would form the core of a centre of competence for fluorochemical development in South Africa

• Functions– The pilot plant will include the production of semi commercial quantities

of new fluorochemical products for market penetration, demonstration of new technology developed in the laboratories and developing data for commercial scale-up purposes.

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Fluorspar Beneficiation

Calcium Fluoride<20 US cents/kg

Hydrogen Fluoride~2 USD/kg

Fluorine >10

USD/kg

Fluorochemicalproducts

>30 USD/kg

Local & export

Industrial/ Consumer

goods

World largest reserves>40 million tons

>100 yrs at current supply


OPC Competence Centre

• Introduction– The OPC [open connectivity via open standards] Competence Centre

(OCC) of South Africa works in conjunction with OPC Africa and the OPC Foundation to provide quality OPC services in the region.

– The Centre offers a number of services to the local OPC community which includes training, product certification and

• Functions– The OCC provides vendor-neutral support to local vendors, developers

and end users in all aspects related to OPC technologies

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Profibus Competence Centre

• Introduction– The Regional Profibus Association (RPA) of southern Africa recently

lent its support to IDX online in the formation of the continent's first and only Profibus Competence Centre (PCC).

– Profibus, internationally, is considered one of the world's leading industrial Fieldbus standards

– These centres offer services to the Profibus community in the form of technical support and training

– Functions– Offer services to the Profibus community in the form of technical

support and training

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South Africa-Mongolia R&D Cooperation

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South Africa-Mongolia R&D Cooperation

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Thank You

Vuyani LingelaChief Director: International Research

Department of Science and Technology

Tel: +27 12 843 6517Fax: +27 86 681 0051

Email: [email protected] Bag X 894, Pretoria 0001, South Africa

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Technology Development and Commercialisation in South Africa through the Centres of Competence

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