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Electricity News

Risks linked to South Africa’s more ambitious decarbonisation pledge not yet ‘adequately addressed’

By: Terence Creamer 23rd September 2021 Minerals Council South Africa has signalled its support for South Africa’s transition to a low-carbon economy, but is concerned that the immediate risks associated with the country’s more ambitious decarbonisation targets are not being adequately addressed. CEO Roger Baxter told participants to a... →

China bailing on overseas coal should be a boon for renewables

By: Bloomberg 23rd September 2021 If China puts the same financial heft behind green energy in emerging nations as it has in developing fossil fuels projects overseas, it’ll be a step change for global investment in renewables. President Xi Jinping told the United Nations General Assembly this week that China will accelerate... →

Sasol's revised decarbonisation commitments

23rd September 2021 Sasol has announced revised and accelerated decarbonisation commitments. Engineering News Editor Terence Creamer unpacks the significance of the 2030 target and the group’s promise to be net-zero by 2050. →

Sasol's revised decarbonisation commitments

AIIM says six more solar PV projects reach commercial operation

By: Schalk Burger 22nd September 2021 Six more solar photovoltaic (PV) projects situated in the Northern Cape and North West provinces have reached commercial operation, infrastructure equity investment management company African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) reported on Wednesday. These projects include the 50 MW De... →

Exxaro, Cennergi developing 70 MW solar project in Lephalale

By: Simone Liedtke 22nd September 2021 Diversified miner Exxaro Resources’ renewable energy subsidiary, Cennergi, will develop the 70 MW Lephalale solar project to supply the Grootegeluk coal mine, near Lephalale, Limpopo. The group announced on Wednesday that Exxaro Coal and Cennergi had concluded a term sheet, setting out material... →

Exxaro's Tshikondeni Microgrid

Sasol triples 2030 decarbonisation target, makes net-zero by 2050 pledge

By: Terence Creamer 22nd September 2021 Chemicals and energy group Sasol has announced a material acceleration of its decarbonisation plans, confirming that it will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by 30% by 2030 rather than by the much-criticised 10% level to which it initially committed. CEO Fleetwood Grobler has also pledged... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Sasol CEO Fleetwood Grobler

Importance of sustainable energy underlined

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 22nd September 2021 In dealing with its current energy crisis, South Africa must ensure that it shores up reliable short- and long-term supply options that adhere to sustainable energy objectives. This was indicated by speakers on the first day of the 11th yearly Sustainability Summit on September 21, during the... →

Coalition puts pressure on govt to cancel plans for new coal-fired power

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 22nd September 2021 Environmental and climate justice groups have called on Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe and regulatory authority the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) to abandon plans to develop 1 500 MW of new coal-fired electricity. “The development of new coal-fired power is... →

China to stop building new coal-fired power projects abroad

By: Bloomberg 22nd September 2021 China plans to stop building new coal-fired power plants abroad, President Xi Jinping said at a virtual United Nations General Assembly meeting on Tuesday. The announcement came a year after Xi surprised world leaders by pledging to make China carbon-neutral by 2060 after reaching peak emissions... →

President Xi Jinping addressing a virtual United Nations General Assembly meeting on Tuesday.

Nersa approves Karpowership generation licences

By: News24Wire 22nd September 2021 The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has approved three generation licences for floating powership provider Karpowership. The decision was taken at a special meeting of the energy regulator on Tuesday afternoon. The regulator approved generation licences for Karpowership at... →

Nkabane says South Africa will move ahead with nuclear procurement in 2022

By: Terence Creamer 21st September 2021 Deputy Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Dr Nobuhle Nkabane says that South Africa plans to issue a request for proposal (RFP) for a 2 500 MW nuclear programme by the end of March 2022 and complete the procurement in 2024. In an address to the sixty-fifth general conference of the... →

Photo of the Koeberg nuclear power station

The only allocation made in the IRP 2019 for nuclear relates to extending Koeberg's life

Banks balk at backing emergency power bidders

By: Bloomberg 21st September 2021 A court case filed by a losing bidder in South Africa’s emergency power program threatens to delay the provision of the electricity by months as banks balk at providing funding because of the risk of an adverse judgment. Officials at three of the seven preferred bidders selected to provide power... →

Sasol, Imperial explore hydrogen options for decarbonising long-haul trucking

By: Terence Creamer 21st September 2021 South African companies Sasol and Imperial Logistics have entered into an agreement to explore options and solutions for decarbonising heavy-duty long-haul trucking, including through the use of fuel cell electric (FCE) trucks fuelled by green hydrogen. Sasol has already announced its intention... →

An Imperial Logistics truck

iREREP to have 30-year lead time, private sector to be responsible for technical and financing aspects

By: Donna Slater 20th September 2021 The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) launched its Integrated Renewable Energy and Resource Efficiency Programme (iREREP) by opening its request for information (RFI) on September 20, saying its 30-year lead time is aligned with government’s National Infrastructure Plan 2050... →

Cabinet endorses more ambitious carbon pledge ahead of Glasgow summit

By: Terence Creamer 20th September 2021 Cabinet has approved a revised – and more ambitious – Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) carbon mitigation target range for 2030 ahead of the upcoming COP26 gathering, which will take place in Glasgow, Scotland, in November. In a statement, Cabinet announced that South Africa had revised... →

Photo by Creamer Media
Eskom plans to decommission 11 GW of coal by 2030

Plan to replace SAFARI-1 with multi-purpose nuclear reactor gets Cabinet nod

By: Terence Creamer 20th September 2021 Cabinet has approved the setting up of the multi-purpose nuclear reactor project to replace the current SAFARI-1 nuclear research reactor, owned by the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa). The research reactor, located at Pelindaba, west of Pretoria, is a leading global producer of... →

The Pelindaba complex, west of Pretoria

Eskom CEO bemoans slow pace of talks on cutting R402bn debt

By: Bloomberg 20th September 2021 Talks about reducing the South African state power utility’s R402-billion debt to a manageable level are taking too long, its CEO Andre de Ruyter said. Eskom Holdings, which produces most of South Africa’s power, can’t meet its running and debt service costs and is dependent on government... →

Sasol, NRF call for energy transition and green economy solution proposals

By: Donna Slater 17th September 2021 Integrated energy and chemicals company Sasol and the National Research Foundation (NRF) are requesting research proposals on science and engineering projects that can enable Sasol’s and South Africa’s energy transition, as well as the development of the country’s green economy. Of interest to... →

PetroSA mulls geothermal as way to offset ‘decommissioning liability monster’

By: Terence Creamer 17th September 2021 Embattled State-owned gas-to-liquids refiner PetroSA is considering plans to harness geothermal energy from its mature or depleted gas wells to produce electricity and delay decommissioning. Addressing a conference in Cape Town this week, Central Energy Fund (CEF) CEO Dr Ishmael Poolo reported... →

Photo by Creamer Media
PetroSA refinery in Mossel Bay

SAPVIA speaks out on Suntech Solar’s court application against the DTIC

By: Simone Liedtke 17th September 2021 The South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) has been named as a respondent in an application filed by local renewable energy supplier Suntech Solar Power South Africa earlier this month. Suntech Solar has taken the decision to challenge the Risk Mitigation Independent Power... →

Sefa provides $1m to modernise Africa’s hydropower fleet

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 17th September 2021 African Development Bank (AfDB) managed fund, the Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (Sefa), has approved a $1-million grant for the modernisation of Africa’s aging hydropower fleet. The grant will fund the mapping and evaluation of African hydropower facilities’ rehabilitation needs. →

Energy transition opportunities, risks

17th September 2021 Creamer Media's Chanel de Bruyn speaks to Engineering News Editor Terence Creamer about the need for South Africa to compile a clear country commitment to net-zero and to find a common vision and action plan around the just transition, as well as about the growth potential for hydrogen and energy... →

Energy transition opportunities, risks

New online portal launched to showcase African green recovery projects

By: Terence Creamer 17th September 2021 A new web-based platform, which will showcase green stimulus projects across Africa, has been officially launched. The portal, which can be found at http://agsp.nepad.org/, was unveiled this week by South Africa’s Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy in her capacity as... →

Refrigeration system to cut energy costs available

By: Halima Frost 17th September 2021 With South African retailers looking for ways of recovering from the latest lockdown, as well as the looting and vandalism, an opportunity to decrease costs on the system that comprises the bulk of their energy spend, which is refrigeration, has arisen. “All food retailers rely on refrigeration... →

A large solar installation on a clients roof installed by EP Refrigeration, which is grid-tied and decreases the clients reliance on grid power

LIGHT WORK Adding a solar installation to a company's refrigeration unit deceases the cost of running the unit off grid power alone

Global citrus demand increases refrigeration demand

By: Halima Frost 17th September 2021 A global increase in demand for South African-grown citrus, as well as more export regulations, has resulted in a substantial increase in demand for refrigeration capacity, says local refrigeration manufacturer EP Refrigeration business development head Dawie Kriel. “We not only need to add... →

A roof top refrigeration system installed by EP Refrigeration at a produce packing house

FRUITFUL SERVICES An increased need for refrigerated storage and transport capacity in the citrus sector is being addressed by EP Refrigeration

Company can cater to high retrofitting demand

By: Cameron Mackay 17th September 2021 Software solutions provider ABB Electrification has experienced high demand from the local market for energy-efficient systems related to integrating automation into electrical and mechanical systems, particularly in terms of retrofitting these products into older buildings. “These... →

Image of a smart building in South Africa

ENERGY EFFICIENT BUILDINGS Older buildings consume up to twice as much energy as new construction. Retrofitting existing buildings with more efficient technologies is however possible

Association releases new training manual

By: Halima Frost 17th September 2021 Last month, South African Refrigeration and Air Conditioning Contractors Association (Saracca) released its updated training manual, which will be implemented, from this month onwards, by heating, ventilation, air-conditioning and refrigeration (HVAC-R) training providers throughout South Africa.... →

Metal pipes of a correctly installed pipe system for the HVACR system

HOW TO... The association has released a new installation manual which will be used by training providers form this month

Apollo Africa partners with WePower for renewable energy market platform

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 16th September 2021 South African energy company Apollo Africa has announced a partnership with global energy technology company WePower, as well as the development of its Apollo Platform, subject to normal regulatory approvals. The partnership aims to accelerate the energy transition in the Southern African... →

GE Renewables, Fraunhofer enter research partnership for 3D printing for wind applications

By: Simone Liedtke 16th September 2021 NYSE-listed GE Renewable Energy, research institute Fraunhofer IGCV and 3D printing systems manufacturer voxeljet have entered into a research partnership aimed at developing the world’s largest three-dimensional (3D) printer for offshore wind applications in order to streamline the production of... →

Global alliance for sustainable energy formed

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 16th September 2021 A group of global leaders from across the renewable energy value chain and the sector’s innovation ecosystem on September 16 launched a new organisation aimed at ensuring renewables are wholly sustainable for people and the planet and lead a just transition away from fossil fuels. The partners,... →

Zimbabwe turns to Mozambique, Zambia to Ease 12-Hour Power Cuts

By: Bloomberg 16th September 2021 Zimbabwe asked Mozambique and Zambia to supply it with more electricity as it tries to fill a power shortfall that’s led to outages of 12 hours a day. “We are in discussions with Mozambique for the recently commissioned power plants to give us an additional 180 MW,” Energy Minister Soda Zhemu... →

Kibo Energy invests in UK waste-to-energy project

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 16th September 2021 JSE-listed renewable energy company Kibo Energy has signed a heads of terms with Aim-listed gasification solutions company EQTEC to acquire a 54.54% interest in the proposed 25 MW Billingham waste gasification and power plant at Haverton Hill, in Teesside, in the UK. It is expected that Kibo will... →

South Africa’s battery energy storage market poised for growth

By: Terence Creamer 16th September 2021 A South African energy project finance specialist estimates that the country’s near-term battery energy storage project pipeline could grow to about R53-billion over the coming three years, potentially making the country one of the largest adopters of such systems globally. The estimate includes... →

UN council urges Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan to restart dam talks

By: Reuters 16th September 2021 The UN Security Council on Wednesday urged Egypt, Ethiopia, and Sudan to resume African Union-led talks to reach a binding deal "within a reasonable timeframe" over the operation of a giant hydropower dam on the Blue Nile in Ethiopia. Egypt and Sudan had both called on the council to help resolve... →

Rich nations head to South Africa seeking coal exit deal

By: Bloomberg 16th September 2021 Four of the world’s richest nations will send a delegation to South Africa as soon as next week to seek a deal to begin closing the country’s coal-fired plants, according to people familiar with the matter. Officials from the US, UK, France and Germany are looking for an agreement with Eskom... →

BlueNova opens Intelligent Energy Storage Systems production facility

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 15th September 2021 South African energy storage company BlueNova Energy on September 15 launched its new office and factory space in Pretoria East. The official opening of the new Intelligent Energy Storage Systems (iESS) production facility marks a critical milestone towards achieving BlueNova’s production goal... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Tasneem Bulbulia
A BlueNova iESS system

Coalition plans marches in pursuit of a just transition

By: Simone Liedtke 15th September 2021 Youth leaders, civil society groups, trade unions and grassroots movements under the Climate Justice Coalition have expressed dissatisfaction with the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) and will, as a result, hold planned nationwide marches, it said on September 15. The coalition... →

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