M.Ing.

Lephalale Municipality is a predominantly rural Municipality with 38 villages, two townships (Marapong and Onverwacht) and one town, Lephalale. Lephalale, formerly known as Ellisras, is a town situated in the “heart of the Bushveld” in Limpopo province. The town is growing rapidly and more industries are becoming concentrated within this small town. The construction of Medupi power station which is underway and other projects such as the expansion of Grootegeluk mine (coal 3 and 4 projects), and road developments in the area; have led to concern about the ambient air quality of the area. Other possible future projects are the Coal to Liquid project by Sasol and the Coal Bed Methane project by Anglo American Thermal Coal. The purpose of this study is to determine the ambient air quality impact of the Matimba power station in the Lephalale area. The AERMOD model and ambient air quality data obtained from Eskom’s Grootstryd and Marapong monitoring stations were used to assess the ambient air quality of Lephalale. Sulphur dioxide and Nitrogen oxides were investigated. Both the model’s results and the ambient air quality monitoring data indicated that the power station contributes to high -ground level concentrations of Sulphur dioxide. AERMOD simulated the nitrogen oxides results as nitrogen dioxide. From the study it is concluded that the power station is not the only source of nitrogen oxides. Nitrogen oxides concentrations were associated with low-level sources. The relationship between the criteria pollutants in this study was assessed. The study found that there is no relationship between sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides. This finding was used to support the idea that sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides are from different sources. It was also established that seasonality has an influence on the ground level concentrations of pollutants in the area.

The Matimba and soon to be completed Medupi power stations located in close proximity to the town of Lephalale are a cause for environmental concern due to the known effects that coal combustion has on air, soil and water quality. The Medupi power station is currently being constructed, while the Matimba power station may have already negatively altered the water quality of the rivers especially those downwind of the power stations. The Lephalala (perennial river, upwind), the Mokolo (perennial river, upwind) and Matlabas (seasonal river, downwind) Rivers were selected due to the locations relative to the power stations. The concentrations and flux of cations and sulphate ions within the rivers in the Waterberg District Municipality were investigated for any seasonal or annual patterns using monthly data from a single sampling station along each river. Data for the concentrations of sodium, potassium, magnesium, calcium, ammonium and sulphate were analysed in conjunction with river discharge, rainfall and ambient temperature data available for each hydrological year from 1999 to 2010. The data were converted to seasonal and annual values in order to determine the influence of the quality and quantity of coal combusted as well as climatic variables (rainfall, temperature and discharge) on ion fluxes measured. Sodium was the dominant cation in all rivers, reaching a maximum concentration of 0.0015 mol.ℓ-1 (in 2007), 0.0007 mol.ℓ-1 (in 2007) and 0.0006 mol.ℓ-1 (in 2001) in the Lephalala, Mokolo and Matlabas Rivers, respectively. Other cation concentrations were four times lower in the Lephalala and Mokolo Rivers, while they were eight times lower in the Matlabas Rivers. Sulphate concentrations were approximately nine, five and 15 times lower than the cation concentrations measured within the Lephalala, Mokolo and Matlabas Rivers, respectively. The mean summed cation flux was highest in the Lephalala River (0.0015 ± 0.0010 Eq.ℓ-1), which was approximately 1.7 and 2.1 times higher than summed cation fluxes measured in the Mokolo (0.0009 ± 0.0002 Eq.ℓ-1) and Matlabas (0.0007 ± 0.0006 Eq.ℓ-1) Rivers. Cation fluxes were highest during the rainfall season (summer and spring) in the river closest to the Matimba power station (Mokolo Rivers) while summed cation flux in the Lephalala and Mokolo Rivers (located further away from the power station) showed no specific seasonality. It was, however, noted that the cation fluxes during spring and winter were elevated for both rivers, possibly indicating

There is consensus that Eskom, South Africa’s main energy supplier, needs to expand its energy generating capacity in order to satisfy the growing demand for electricity, but there is less agreement on how it should do this. The existing supply is heavily reliant on thermal generation using coal, but the combustion of fossil fuels for electricity generation may contribute to climate change because it causes harmful greenhouse gases to be emitted into the atmosphere. This emission is something South Africa has committed itself to reducing. One way of achieving this is by the adoption of cleaner technologies for energy generation. One of these technologies is harnessing wind energy. The problem with harnessing wind energy is where to locate the turbines to harness the wind because these turbines ‘industrialise’ the environment in which they are located. They are a source of increased noise, a visual disturbance, cause increased instances of bird and bat mortality and the destruction of flora or the naturalness of the landscape in the areas in which they are located. The residents located near wind farm developments are most negatively affected and bear the greatest cost in this regard. A proper social appraisal of wind turbine projects would have to take this cost into account. Before such developments are approved there should be an assessment made of the impact on the residents, these impacts should be incorporated into the cost-benefit analysis. The negatively affected residents should also be compensated. The objective of this study was not to undertake a cost-benefit analysis of such a wind farm proposal, but to estimate the negative external cost imposed on nearby residents of such an industry, and thereby calculate appropriate compensation to be paid to these residents. Quantifying preferences for proposed, but not-yet developed, wind farms may be done by applying non-market valuation techniques, e.g. through one of the stated preference methodologies, such as a discrete choice experiment. The selected study site for providing guidance was one where Red Cap Investments Pty (Ltd) has proposed the development of a wind farm - in the Kouga local municipality. The basis for drawing conclusions was the analysis of the response samples of two groups of Kouga residents, distinguished by socio economic status; 270 from each group, 540 in total. The methodology applied to analyse the responses was a discrete choice experiment. The questionnaire administered included attitude, knowledge and demographic questions as well as a choice experiment section. The choice experiment section of the questionnaire required that the respondents choose between two different hypothetical onshore wind energy development scenarios and a status quo option. The hypothetical scenarios comprised different levels of wind farm attributes. The attributes included in the experiment were determined by international studies and focus group meetings. These attributes were: distance between the wind turbines and residential area, clustering of the turbines (job opportunities created by the wind farm development for underprivileged respondent group), number of turbines and subsidy allocated to each household. Three different choice experiment models were estimated for each socio-economic group: a conditional logit (CL), nested logit (NL) and a random parameters logit (RPL) model. It was found that, in the affluent respondent group, the simpler CL model provided the best fit. In the underprivileged respondent group, the RPL model, with the number of jobs created by the wind farm project as a random parameter1, explained by the gender of the respondent, provided the best fit. The estimated models identified distance as an important factor in both sampled respondent groups. Both respondent groups preferred that the wind farm be located further away from their residential areas. In addition to distance, the underprivileged respondent group also valued new job opportunities as an important determinant of choice. The affluent respondent group were very sensitive to densely clustered turbines but were almost indifferent between two of the effects coded levels of the clustering attribute “moderately close together” and “widely spaced apart”. Welfare estimates for the significant attributes in each socio-economic group were computed from the best fit models. Table 1 shows the resulting willingness to accept (WTA) compensation measures for distance in both socio-economic respondent groups.

Dissertation submitted in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree Master of Technology: Quality in the Faculty of Engineering at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2013 / Many top performing businesses, which achieve superior levels of success and sustainability, have a sound, implemented, and well maintained, Quality Management System (QMS). The correlation between business success and an implemented management system has been shown in numerous papers. This research, which culminates in a quantitative measure of QMS performance, was conducted at Eskom’s Koeberg Nuclear Power Station (KNPS). The power station is the operating leg of the Koeberg Operating Unit (KOU). The researcher is a QMS lead auditor in the KNPS Quality Assurance Department. A program of audits is planned based on the KOU quality and safety manual and the national regulatory licencing requirements. The audit monitoring program is then implemented over a three year period and considers all the management system processes which impact on nuclear safety and business performance. The individual audits each consider ISO 9001 criteria in context of the business area audited. Each major business area (e.g. design, maintenance, etc.) within the power station adheres to all generic ISO 9001 QMS clauses and considerations, such as documentation management, records management, etc. Each process or business area audit is thus effectively a QMS audit. The audit results, when combined are therefore a representative measure of the overall organisational QMS performance. The potential value to be gained from the audit results and data accrued over the monitoring period has not been optimised to maximise the return on investment to Eskom. The research problem statement thus proposes that the performance measurement capability of the quality management system at Eskom's Koeberg Power Station is insufficient. This diminishes management's ability to identify business risk resulting from management system deficiencies, which impacts negatively on business performance. The research question seeks to determine how the performance measurement capability of the QMS can be improved to assist management in identifying business risk resulting from quality management system deficiencies in order to improve business performance. The research objectives are supported by the literature study, which identifies the quality management methods currently used in order to measure and subsequently improve business performance. It also shows how QMS performance measurement, when deconstructed and analysed can provide the required insight for supporting management decision making. The research approach is considered inductive in that a theory is developed based on the collection and the analysis of that data. Applied research, will thus serve as the basis of the research methodology as it is considered the most appropriate research approach, based on the need to answer practical questions around the measurement of QMS performance philosophy. The research shows that by introducing additional theming and severity data into the secondary audit findings data, it is possible over time to extract high level strategic direction information when analysing the additional metadata. The dimensions and value of the QMS Performance measuring instrument are: Ø A cause and effect theming philosophy of audit findings providing an additional context to business improvement advice to management. Ø The provision of a QMS process deficiency locator / identifier which targets management action areas for improvement. Ø The provision of a quantitative measure of the management system performance, providing a reference from which to improve. By providing a quantifiable measure of an organisations QMS performance, a reference point is provided to gauge QMS performance and also render a definitive measure to enable performance improvement of the business.

Submitted in fulfillment of the requirements of the Degree of Master of Technology: Chemistry, Durban University of Technology, 2014. / This project arose out the need for a simple method to analyse NOM on a routine basis. Water samples were obtained from the Vaal dam, which is one of the dams used by a hydroelectric power station. Analysis was preceded by separation of NOM into the humic and non-humic portions. The humic portion was separated into two fractions by employing a non-ionic resin (DAX-8) to separate humic acid from fulvic acid. High performance size exclusion chromatography (HPSEC), equipped with an Ultraviolet( UV) detector and an Evaporative Light Scattering (ELS) detector connected in series, was used to obtain molecular weight distribution information and the concentration levels of the two acids. Mixed standards of polyethylene oxide/glycol were employed to calibrate the selected column. Suwanee River humic acid standard was used as a certified reference material. The molecular weight distributions (MWDs) of the isolated fractions of humic and fulvic acids were determined with ELSD detection as weight-average (Mw), number-average (Mn) and polydispersity (ρ) of individual NOM fractions. The Mw/Mn ratio was found to be less than 1.5 in all the fractions, indicating that they have a low and narrow size fraction. An increase in Mn and Mw values, with increasing wavelength for all three humic substances (HS) examined was observed. The HS, isolated from the dam water, was found to be about the same molecular weight as the International Humic Acid Standard (IIHSS). For the fulvic acid standard, the molecular weight was estimated to be around 7500 Da. Characterization of NOM was done to assist in the identification of the species present in the water. FTIR-ATR was used to as a characterization tool to identify the functional groups in the structure of the humic and fulvic acid respectively present in the Vaal Dam. Analysis of the infrared (IR) spectra indicated that the humic acids of the Vaal dam have phenolic hydroxyl groups, hydroxyl groups, conjugated double bond of aromatic family (C=C), and free carboxyl groups. The isolation method has proved to be applicable and reliable for dam water samples and showed to successfully separate the humic substances from water and further separate the humic substances into its hydrophobic acids, namely, humic and fulvic acids. It can be concluded that the Eskom Vaal dam composes of humic substance which shows that the technique alone gives a very good indication of the characteristics of water. The HPSEC method used, equipped with UV and ELSD was able to identify the molecular weight range of NOM present in source water as it confirmed that the Eskom Vaal dam contains humic substances as humic acid and fulvic acid and these pose a health concern as they can form disinfectant byproducts in the course of water treatment with chemicals. FTIR characterization was successful as important functional groups were clearly assigned. Lastly, the use of the TOC and DOC values to calculate SUVA was also a good tool to indicate the organic content in water. It is recommended to use larger amounts of water must be processed to obtain useful quantities of the humic and fulvic acid fractions.

Thesis (MDF)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Coal export mines in the Mpumalanga Highveld region of South Africa generate growing volumes of discard coal estimated to be in excess of a billion tonnes. It presents a significant pollution hazard. Discard coal has a usable carbon content that can be used in the generation of power through the application of fluidized bed combustion technology. The objective of this study was to evaluate its potential as an economically viable fuel source for generation of electricity at the Witbank coalfields. This study was motivated by advances in fluidized combustion technology and significant changes in the South African electricity market in recent years. A holistic approach was adopted considering regulatory policy, market, technical, environmental and economic factors in the use of discard coal as an alternative fuel source. The policy and regulatory environment was assessed from the perspective of the private sector as project developer and the most likely source of funding, given government’s funding constraints. An evaluation of the future pricing structure of electricity, energy resource mix, demand growth, future development of the coal market, production of discard coal and the cost of coal was conducted. Levelised cost of electricity methodology was used to conduct the economic feasibility for comparison with the cost of Eskom’s pulverised coal technology for its new power stations. The study found that generating electricity from discard coal presents a significant commercial opportunity as its levelised cost of electricity was found to be lower than Eskom’s levelised cost of electricity for its new power stations. Plant sizes of 125 MW to 1 000 MW were considered. For plant capacities of about 500 MW and larger, the cost of electricity was found to be competitive with the current average electricity price taking into account the cost of transmission/distribution and interest charges. This is on condition that the electricity is sold to Eskom or wheeled through Eskom’s grid and sold to third parties. Otherwise, plant capacity will be limited to the maximum demand from large local users, which is expected to be considerably less than 500 MW. Currently there is no regulatory certainty on wheeling mechanisms and charges and it is an area where major policy development is required. The development of a project could be hampered by policy uncertainty and because of Eskom’s monopoly position as single buyer. The favourable results and findings of the economic evaluation conducted during this study warrant further detailed feasibility studies.

A dissertation submitted to the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, in fulfilment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science June 2015 / Lephalale is the home of Matimba, one of Eskom’s coal-fired power stations. Matimba is the biggest power station with a dry cooling system in the world. There are other industries (including coal mines) currently in operation in close proximity to the station. This industrial area is expected to grow as more industrial activities are planned for the following years. These activities will aggravate the levels of air pollution and possibly result in it being a “hot spot” for air pollution. The impact of air quality on health is covered by the National Ambient Air Quality Standards (NAAQS), but the impact of air quality on the terrestrial and aquatic ecosystem is not known. Therefore, this study focuses on the deposition of nitrogen oxides (NOx) (as nitrogen dioxide (NO2)) and sulphur dioxide (SO2) within Lephalale in the Waterberg-Bojanala Priority Area. Additionally, inter-annual variability of NOx and SO2 ambient concentrations and back trajectories of air masses were analysed. The study obtained ambient air quality data and meteorological data from Eskom for the period 2008–2012, while additional meteorological data were obtained from the Agricultural Research Council (ARC) and the South African Weather Service (SAWS). An inferential model was used to estimate the dry deposition flux of SO2 and NOx (as NO2), and the Hybrid Single Particle Langrangian Integrated Trajectory (Hysplit) Model was used to cluster back trajectories of air masses. The results of the seasonal dry deposition velocities of SO2 (0.17 to 0.23 cm/s) and NOx (0.10 to 0.15 cm/s) (as NO2) were higher in summer and lower in winter. They were also within the magnitude of the deposition velocities found in previous studies in the Highveld. The high deposition velocities in summer were attributed to photosynthetically active vegetation, turbulence and solar radiation. However, seasonal dry deposition fluxes of SO2 and NOx were higher in winter across the years. The higher flux values in winter were attributed to higher ambient concentrations of the trace gases. Additionally, the annual dry deposition flux of SO2 ranged between 0.43 and 0.67 kg S ha-1 yr-1, while NOx (as NO2) ranged between 0.84 and 1.05 kg N ha-1 yr-1 over the period studied. The annual deposition flux values found in the current study are lower than those found in previous studies in the Highveld. This difference could be because of the lower ambient concentrations of SO2 and NOx observed in this study. There is an inter-annual variability of the ambient concentrations of SO2 and NOx during the period 2008–2012. However, the difference is not large or statistically significant. The dominant direction of the back trajectories of air masses is east and southeast across all seasons for the entire period of 2008–2012. This lack of seasonal pattern in back trajectories and source regions cannot explain the seasonal changes in ambient concentrations (SO2 and NOx). Hence, climatic factors (e.g. change in weather) or seasonal changes in combustion source intensity must be responsible.

Thesis (MTech (Quality))--Cape Peninsula University of Technology, 2009. / There is a South African Government initiative to use State-owned Enterprises (SOE's) to roll out a programme for the development and stimulation of local small businesses in South Africa. The state has requested SOE's to set targets on a voluntary basis to increase trade with small businesses, with the purpose of developing small enterprises to eventually enhance skills transfer, training and employment. However, when large customers such as Eskom Nuclear Generation require ISO certification as a prerequisite for a supplier to provide goods and/or services to them, most small businesses are unable to comply. The requirement of IS09000 compliance inhibits the ability of most small businesses to compete with their larger counterparts. Small businesses constitute as much as 90% of most world economies. They have many advantages to offer customers, such as a high level of flexibility, innovation and responsiveness to customer needs. These attributes can introduce healthy competition to the supply chain. Small businesses, by their very nature experience more risks, such as a higher vulnerability to volatile market forces and skills loss. In addition, they are generally less specialised.

Thesis (MA)--Stellenbosch University, 2013. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The West Coast Region (WCR) of the Western Cape Province in South Africa is earmarked for at least 13 windfarm developments. These proposed developments represent an investment in and a movement towards cleaner and alternative ways of energy generation. All developments that will alter the environment or landscape are usually received with some sort of opposition. The aim of this study was to determine whether or not the presence of wind turbines in the form of wind farms will have any affect on the sense of place of insiders of (residents) and outsiders (visitors) to the West Coast Region, the insiders’ attachment to their natural landscapes and the outsiders’ experiences of the region. In the context of multiple issues arising from a very complex discourse around the possible effects that the proposed windfarms are perceived to have in the WCR, this study approached the research topic from three perspectives of inquiry: (1) windfarms and people’s place attachment; (2) windfarms and landscape aesthetic and function interference; and (3) windfarms and its effect on tourism. The study area includes 15 towns of three subregions of the WCR, namely the Swartland, West Coast Peninsula and Bergrivier subregions. The research objectives are seven fold, namely (1) to establish a solid base and understanding of the concepts and constructs related to wind energy, landscape aesthetics and place attachment; (2) to review appropriate case studies reported in the international literature and apply relevant methodologies in this study; (3) investigate theories, types and models of public decision making to explore the degree to which these could be applied to windfarm support or objection in the WCR; (4) to critique current policies in windfarm establishment and discover whether and how these shape social objection to or support for windfarm development in the WCR; (5) to establish the perceptions and attitudes relating to wind turbines of three groups of actors (tourism industry, tourists and residents) in the WCR by conducting questionnaire surveys in 15 West Coast towns and villages and interpret these views in relation to the impacts of wind turbines on the local landscape; (6) to determine the insiders’ place attachments to the WCR, whether the presence of wind turbines will affect these attachments and whether their attachments influence decisions to support or oppose the proposed windfarm developments; and (7) to assess the extent to which the presence of wind turbines will affect the tourism value of the region. Primary data was further strengthened by semi-structured interviews, informal conversations and observation at public participation and specialized group meetings. Data was analysed using SPSS, Excel and ArcGIS. The findings indicate that respondents are concerned with issues related to the sustainability of the natural environment and that the residents of the WCR possess a strong sense of attachment to the region, but no clear indication was found that their place attachment serve as a reason for their opposition to the proposed windfarm developments. Although the support for windfarm development decreases from a national to a regional level and to the local level of in or close to the towns in which respondents reside, their opposition to windfarm development in the region cannot only be regarded as simple not-in-my-backyard (NIMBY) attitudes. Seventy-five per cent of the respondents regard the physical landscape of the WCR as very special, but would still support the development of windfarms in the region indicating that the respondents do not believe the construction of wind turbines in the WCR landscapes will influence the special character of landscapes negatively. There is no indication presently that the tourism industry would be affected negatively by windfarm development in the region as both residents and visitors do not believe that windfarms deter tourists from visiting certain areas and more than 90% of visitors indicated they would return to the WCR after a number of windfarms have been developed. It is recommended that a post-development impact study be conducted to determine the attitudes toward windfarm development in the WCR following the deployment of wind turbines. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Weskus-streek in die Wes-Kaap provinsie van Suid-Afrika word geoormerk vir ten minste 13 windplaas ontwikkelinge. Hierdie voorgestelde ontwikkelinge verteenwoordig ‘n belegging in en ‘n beweging na skoner en alternatiewe maniere van energieopwekking. Alle ontwikkelinge wat die omgewing of landskap sal verander word gewoonlik ontvang deur ‘n mate van teenkanting. Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal of die teenwoordigheid van windturbines in die vorm van windplase enige invloed op die plekbewustheid van inwoners van en besoekers aan die Weskus-streek, hulle gehegdheid aan die streek se natuurlike landskappe en besoekers se ervarings van die streek sal uitoefen. Binne die konteks van verskeie kwessies met hul oorsprong vanuit ‘n baie komplekse diskoers rondom die moontlike effekte wat vermeen word die voorgestelde windplase op die Weskus-streek sal hê, benader hierdie studie die navorsingsonderwerp vanuit drie navraagsperspektiewe: (1) windplase en mense se plekgehegdheid; (2) windplase en landskap estetiese en funksie steuring; en (3) windplase en die effek daarvan op toerisme. Die studie area sluit 15 dorpe uit drie substreke van die Weskus-streek in, naamlik die Swartland, Weskus Skiereiland en Bergrivier substreke. Die navorsingsdoelwitte is sewevoudig, naamlik (1) om ‘n konseptuele basis en verstaan van konsepte en konstrukte geassosieerd met windenergie-opwekking, landskap estetika en plekgehegdheid te kweek; (2) om toepaslike gevallestudies te hersien en sommige relevante metodologie vir die studie aan te wend; (3) om teorieë, tipes en modelle van publieke besluitneming te ondersoek ten einde te bepaal tot watter graad dit aangewend kan word tot windplaasondersteuning of teenkanting in die Weskus-streek; (4) om kritiek te lewer op huidige beleide van windplaasontwikkeling en te ontdek tot watter mate en hoe dit sosiale teenkanting of ondersteuning van windplaasontwikkeling in die Weskus-streek vorm; (5) om die persepsies en houdings van drie groepe deelnemers (die toerisme industrie, toeriste en inwoners) in die Weskus-streek te bepaal deur vraelysopnames in 15 Weskus dorpe te doen en hierdie sienings in verhouding met die impakte van windturbines op die plaaslike landskap te interpreer; (6) om die inwoners se plekgehegdheid tot die Weskus-streek te bepaal en of die teenwoordigheid van wind turbines hierdie gehegdheid sal affekteer en of hul gehegdheid besluitneming rakende die ondersteuning vir, of teenkanting teen, windplaasontwkkeling beïnvloed; en (7) om te bepaal tot watter mate die teenwoordigheid van windturbines die toerisme waarde van die streek sal affekteer. Primêre data is verder versterk deur semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude, informele gesprekke en waarneming by publieke deelname sessies en gespesialiseerde groepsvergaderings. Data is ontleed deur middel van SPSS, Excel en ArcGIS. Daar is bevind dat respondente besorg is oor kwessies rondom die volhoubaarheid van die natuurlike omgewing en dat die inwoners van die Weskus-streek ‘n sterk gehegtheid aan die streek het, maar geen definitiewe aanduiding is gevind dat hulle gehegdheid aan die streek as ‘n behoorlike rede vir hul teenstand teen die voorgestelde windplase aangevoer kan word nie. Alhoewel ondersteuning vir windplase afneem vanaf nasionaal na streeksvlak en die plaaslike vlak van binne of naby die dorp waar respondente woon, kan teenkanting teen die ontwikkeling van windplase in die streek nie slegs eenvoudig as ‘n nie-in-my-agterplaas houding (NIMAP) beskou word nie. Vyf-en-sewentig persent van die respondente ag die fisiese landskap van die Weskus-streek as baie spesiaal, maar ondersteun steeds windplaasontwikkeling in die streek wat aandui dat die respondente nie van mening is dat die oprigting van windturbines in die Weskus-streek landskappe die spesiale karakter van hierdie landskappe negatief sal beïnvloed nie. Daar is tans geen aanduiding dat die toerismebedryf negatief deur windplaasontwikkeling beïnvloed sal word nie aangesien beide inwoners en besoekers aangedui het dat hul nie van mening is dat windplase toeriste sal verhinder om sekere areas te besoek nie. Negentig persent van besoekers het aangedui dat hul steeds sal terugkeer na die Weskus-streek ná die ontwikkeling van ‘n aantal windplase. Dit word aanbeveel dat ‘n ná-ontwikkeling impakstudie onderneem word om die houdings jeens windplaasontwikkeling in die Weskus-streek ná oprigting van die turbines te ondersoek.