Mixed outlook

The recent period of decreased loadshedding has been met with tremendous scepticism by a South African public who have been burnt more times over the past 15-plus years than a lump of wet coal.... 

Private renewables procurement may mitigate boom-bust cycles curbing South Africa’s green industrialisation

The combination of public and private procurement of large-scale renewables in South Africa signals increased stability for manufacturers of key components, a new GreenCape report argues. Published... 

Eskom says modest R9m RCA request not a signal of alignment with Nersa on calculations

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has initiated consultations on Eskom’s latest Regulatory Clearing Account (RCA) application for the 2022/23 financial year, where Eskom is... 

Stage 16 loadshedding code seeks to reduce human error not signal imminent surge in cuts – Nersa

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has belatedly moved to quell concern that its recent approval of a new loadshedding code of practice, which increases the number of potential... 

South Africa’s ranking in World Energy Trilemma Index falls

South Africa has fallen to sixty-ninth from sixty-fourth on the World Energy Council’s (WEC’s) latest World Energy Trilemma Index which ranks more than 100 countries against the three key... 

Oil price eases but IEA says Middle East tensions heighten global supply risks

Despite a forecast of slowing oil demand and a likely peak in consumption by the end of the decade, the International Energy Agency (IEA) warned on Monday of heightened global oil security risks in... 

Solar PV body questions technology costs and build limits in draft IRP 2023

The South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) questions both the cost assumptions used for the technology in the draft Integrated Resource Plan 2023 (IRP 2023), as well as the 900 MW... 

Eskom board considers enlarging and extending Standard Offer Programme

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa reports that the Eskom board is considering lifting the current 1 000 MW allocation set aside for its Standard Offer Programme to 4 000 MW and extending... 

Attitudinal shift

It is estimated that about 2.5 GW of rooftop solar was installed across South Africa last year; a trend that was expected to continue at the start of this year given that some 5 GW of solar panels... 

Contract negotiations for Secunda sustainable aviation fuel project may be concluded by mid-2024

Contractual negotiations are under way between the developers of the HySHiFT sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) project, in Mpumalanga, and the intermediary company set up under Germany’s H2Global... 

South African fossil fuel subsidies hit record R118bn in 2023 - IISD

A new study has found that South Africa's fossil fuel subsidies tripled between 2018 and 2023, rising to R118-billion from R39-billion over the period, with subsidies having been increased largely... 

Ramokgopa says ‘degree of convergence’ reached with NTCSA on unlocking private participation in grid

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa reports that a “degree of convergence” has been reached between his Ministry and the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) regarding private... 

Eskom aims to keep breakdowns below 14 GW this winter as it cuts diesel budget

State-owned electricity utility Eskom will reduce planned maintenance to 3 000 MW during the upcoming winter season and will seek to keep unplanned breakdowns to below 14 000 MW in a bid to... 

Sasol granted permission to use load-based limit to regulate SO2 emissions from Secunda boilers

Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy has granted Sasol South Africa permission to employ a load-based limit to regulate the sulphur dioxide (SO2) of its Secunda boilers... 

Globeleq says R5.7bn Red Sands will be largest standalone battery storage project in Africa

Leading African independent power producer Globeleq says the 153 MW/612 MWh Red Sands project, which was recently awarded preferred bidder status under South Africa’s inaugural battery storage... 

Conclusions in opaque IRP 2023 are ‘incorrect and economically damaging’

In an excoriating assessment of the draft Integrated Resource Plan 2023 (IRP 2023), Meridian Economics points to serious problems with the modelling and cost assumptions used by the Department of... 

SAWEA wants IRP overhaul as it questions massively diminished role for wind in current draft

The South African Wind Energy Association’s (SAWEA’s) formal response to the draft Integrated Resource Plan 2023 (IRP 2023) questions both the modelling and assumptions used to determine the vastly... 

JV tests market appetite for LNG services

The Vopak Terminal Durban & Transnet Pipelines joint venture selected recently as the preferred bidder for a proposed liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal at Richards Bay has issued an expression... 

Out of step

Following wholly inadequate public consultations, stakeholders have submitted their written comments on the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy’s (DMRE’s) draft Integrated Resource Plan.... 

All conditions met for separation of NTCSA, but April deadline for full operationalisation missed

All the suspensive conditions opening the way for the National Transmission Company of South Africa (NTCSA) to be constituted as a separate, distinct and wholly-owned subsidiary of Eskom Holdings... 

TPT outlines actions to support 15% growth in citrus exports during 2024 season

Transnet Port Terminals (TPT) reports that it has recruited 200 additional cargo coordinators and has set up dedicated lanes for refrigerated containers at all KwaZulu-Natal container terminals in... 

Concrete towers selected for Impofu wind farm to bolster local content

Enel Green Power South Africa has confirmed that the Nordex manufacturing facility being set up in Humansdorp, in the Eastern Cape, will produce concrete wind tower sections for the three new wind... 

TNPA moves ahead with R60m seawater desalination project at Port of East London

South Africa’s State-owned Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has awarded a R60-million contract for the construction of a water desalination plant at the Port of East London, the country’s... 

Mantashe names South African National Petroleum Company board, interim CEO

The inaugural board of the South African National Petroleum Company (SANPC) has been announced by Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, who also confirmed Godfrey Moagi as the... 

BLSA calls for immediate reworking of IRP, describing assumptions as ‘spurious’

Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA), whose members include the largest domestic and foreign companies operating in South Africa, has added its voice to a growing chorus of opposition to the... 

Third battery storage programme seeks bids for five Free State sites

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has launched South Africa’s third public procurement round for utility-scale batteries, while also extending the bid submission deadline for... 

Important milestone

The passing of the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA) by the National Assembly earlier this month represents a significant milestone in the ongoing evolution and reform of South Africa’s struggling... 

IPPO moves seventh renewables bid deadline to May 30

The Independent Power Producer Office (IPPO) has confirmed that the deadline for submissions under Bid Window Seven (BW7) of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme... 

Mgojo says collaborative efforts will enable Transnet to report higher volumes than initially forecast

Business Unity South Africa president Mxolisi Mgojo reports that the collaboration between business and government to turn around the performance of Transnet could result in the struggling... 

Release of Gas Master Plan approved at Cabinet’s last official meeting ahead of May poll

Cabinet approved the publication of the long-awaited Gas Master Plan for public comment during what was the last formal meeting of the executive ahead of the May 29 election. However, Minister in... 

Energy major gears up to roll out solar across retail sites as it marks South African centenary

Energy group bp Southern Africa (bpSA) has set the expansion of its service station network in South Africa as a key priority as it moves to mark its centenary in a country where it first began... 

Record yet uneven renewables growth recorded in 2023, Irena report shows

Despite record renewable-energy installations of 473 GW last year, the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) says the pace of deployment remains well below that needed to match the global... 

Solar PV body questions technology costs and build limits in draft IRP

The South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) questions both the cost assumptions used for the technology in the draft Integrated Resource Plan 2023 (IRP 2023), as well as the 900 MW... 

Eskom board considers enlarging and extending Standard Offer Programme

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa reports that the Eskom board is considering lifting the current 1 000 MW allocation set aside for its Standard Offer Programme to 4 000 MW and extending... 

NTCSA unbundling secures lender consent, Ramokgopa confirms

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa reports that Eskom’s eight “lender groups” have given their consent to the establishment of the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) as a... 

Pele Green Energy looking beyond R2.5bn funding innovation as it hastens towards ‘South African IPP’ vision

Following its recent success in securing new public and private power purchase agreements, Pele Green Energy (PGE) is already having to consider additional funding options beyond the pioneering... 

Move to formalise deal on injecting private skills into Eskom amid plan to add and recover 10.6 GW by end-2025

Government and business have set a goal of increasing South Africa’s electricity generation capacity by 10.6 GW by the end of 2025 as part of ongoing collaborative efforts to tackle growth-sapping... 

Solar, battery, inverter imports surged to a record R70bn in 2023 as wind turbines recovered from two-year lull

South African imports of solar panels, lithium-ion batteries and inverters climbed to a record $3.8-billion last year, or about R70-billion, while imports of wind turbines began to recover... 

In play

Confirmation that the curtailment framework outlined by Eskom in January is available to wind independent power producers (IPPs) preparing project submissions under Bid Window Seven (BW7) of the... 

Transnet chief urges formal comment on Network Statement while acknowledging cool reception to tariff methodology

Transnet CEO Michelle Phillips has acknowledged the initial negative reaction to a proposed tariff methodology published for comment by the interim Infrastructure Manager (IM) alongside the...