Engineering News | Electricity

https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Follow @EngNewsZA

Advertise on this page? Click Here to Learn More

Electricity News

UK reports 2019 was a record year for renewable electricity generation

By: Rebecca Campbell 9th April 2020 In a report issued on April 9, the British Department for Business, Energy & Industrial Strategy reported that, based on provisional figures, last year had been a record year for the production of electricity using renewable technologies in the UK. Renewable electricity generation last year was... →

KSB ensures availability of pumps for water, sanitation and electricity

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 9th April 2020 Pumps critical to the provision of water and sanitation services, as well as pumps used in the generation of electricity, are being fully supported during the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown period, says supplier KSB Pumps and Valves. It assures end-users that it has far-reaching contingency plans... →

KSB Pumps and Valves workers repairing a boiler circulating pump and motor

Epping Property advances solar power for industrial buildings

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 9th April 2020 The current power crisis in South Africa is having an extremely negative impact on many levels; and business owners, particularly those in the manufacturing and industrial sector, are having to grapple with the knock-on effects of lost working hours and the negative consequences such as... →

Frost & Sullivan highlights opportunities in the wind turbine materials market

By: Marleny Arnoldi 9th April 2020 The increasing demand for energy worldwide and traditional energy independence owing to volatile oil prices is encouraging governments globally to harness the potential of renewable energy, especially through wind turbines. Research firm Frost & Sullivan says the wind turbine materials market... →

Kibo advancing assets despite Covid-19 related delays

By: Simone Liedtke 8th April 2020 Multi-asset energy company Kibo Energy is continuing to advance its portfolio of assets during the “unprecedented time” of the global fight against Covid-19, which is creating a changing landscape and having lasting implications that are still unknown at this stage. It is within this context that... →

Eskom’s Bernard Magoro appointed as new head of IPP Office

By: Terence Creamer 8th April 2020 The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) announced on Wednesday, April 8, that former Eskom executive Tshifhiwa Bernard Magoro had been appointed as the new head of the Independent Power Producers Office (IPPO). The appointment would be effective from May 1. →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Tshifhiwa Bernard Magoro

Eskom extends bidding deadline for short-term power purchase scheme

By: Terence Creamer 8th April 2020 Electricity utility Eskom has extended the deadline, to May 11, for responses to a request for proposals (RFP) to participate in its Short-Term Power Purchase Programme (STPPP), owing to the imposition of a 21-day lockdown in South Africa in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The initial bid... →

Wärtsilä to help deliver hybrid power solution for Saudi Arabia gold mine

By: Donna Slater 8th April 2020 Energy technology group Wärtsilä will supply the equipment, as well as engineering and technical advisory services for a 44 MW hybrid power plant to be installed at the Mansourah & Massarah gold mine, in Saudi Arabia. It will be the first newbuild power project in the country to use a hybrid... →

Wärtsilä 32TS generating set

Ramaphosa places Ndabeni-Abrahams on special leave for violating lockdown regulations

By: Sane Dhlamini 8th April 2020 President Cyril Ramaphosa has placed Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams on special leave for two months, one of which will be unpaid, for violating the regulations of the national lockdown amid the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic. A recent social media... →

Minister of Communications and Digital Technologies, Stella Ndabeni-Abrahams

Ground-breaking R488m fund seeks to catalyse green-economy SMMEs

By: Terence Creamer 7th April 2020 An innovative new fund has been launched in South Africa to incentivise fund managers to invest in small, medium-sized and microenterprises (SMMEs) that are able to generate verifiable green outcomes and jobs in the energy, water, waste, infrastructure and land-management sectors. The... →

South African private equity firm teams up with IPP to develop 14.7 MW hydro plant in Kenya

By: Terence Creamer 7th April 2020 South African private equity firm teams up with IPP to develop 14.7 MW hydro plant in Kenya South African private equity fund manager Metier has signed an agreement with Tembo Power, of Mauritius, for the joint development of the 14.7 MW Kaptis project, a run-of-river hydropower project near the... →

The 5.25 MW Sindila hydropower project, in Uganda.

Governments urged to integrate clean energy into Covid-19 stimulus packages

By: Terence Creamer 6th April 2020 Economic stimulus measures adopted in response to the Covid-19 pandemic should embrace sustainability and climate goals, International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) director-general Francesco La Camera argues in the agency’s Renewables Capacity Statistics 2020 report. Released on April 6, the... →

Both large, small markets suffering solar PV supply chain effects

By: Marleny Arnoldi 3rd April 2020 The disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic on Chinese solar photovoltaic (PV) manufacturing companies has prompted a major jolt in the global solar PV supply chain, says analytics and consulting company GlobalData. “The resulting shortage of PV components is disrupting the industry at a... →

Energy storage demand remains high despite global slowdown

By: Marleny Arnoldi 3rd April 2020 If Covid-19 mitigation measures continue to be extended, effectively curtailing the movement of goods and people, through the second quarter of this year, research and consultancy group Wood Mackenzie (Woodmac) says it will have to lower its global energy storage deployments forecast for the year... →

Eskom wants Medupi Unit 3 defect repairs completed on schedule despite Covid-19 restrictions

By: Terence Creamer 3rd April 2020 State-owned electricity utility Eskom has not shifted its April 9 deadline for returning Medupi Unit 3 to service, despite work restrictions imposed at the Lephalale site, in Limpopo, in response to the Covid-19 pandemic. The unit was shut for 75 days on January 26 to address defects that... →

Photo by Bloomberg
All work has been stopped on Kusile units 4, 5 and 6 for the duration of the lockdown

Adopt QCBS mindset – Cesa

By: Darren Parker 3rd April 2020 Industry association Consulting Engineers South Africa (Cesa) is embarking on a focused marketing drive in the second quarter of this year as part of a renewed effort to raise awareness surrounding quality cost-based selection (QCBS) within the public and private sectors. QCBS is the notion that... →

Cesa CEO Chris Campbell discusses some of the key concerns facing the consulting engineers sector in South Africa. Camerawork: Nicholas Boyd. Editing: Nicholas Boyd. Recorded: 06.03.2020

Building for sustainability promotes valuable returns

3rd April 2020 There is a direct link between the stability of an economy and ongoing development, says consulting engineers firm WSP Africa structures regional director Johan Piekaar. Currently, the local construction and property industries are experiencing a lull owing to reduced expenditure by government on... →

Photo by Creamer Media
CONSTRUCTIVE BUILDING Implementing a sustainable building philosophy provides value-add throughout the value chain

New chair of financially beleaguered Necsa outlines priorities

By: Rebecca Campbell 3rd April 2020 The financially-beleaguered South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa), which falls under the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE), had a new board appointed in late January, to oversee and turnaround the agency. The chairperson of this new board, which has a term of three... →

Schneider Electric academy develops smart energy management skills

By: Schalk Burger 3rd April 2020 As global power capacity is set to double by 2040, and with 80% more renewable sources than there are currently, Schnieder Electric is providing energy management training to meet the needs of heterogeneous and automated buildings and infrastructure, says Schneider Electric head of sustainability... →

juwi awarded Touwsrivier solar O&M contract

By: Donna Slater 2nd April 2020 Renewable energy company juwi Renewable Energies has been awarded the contract for the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the Touwsrivier concentrated photovoltaic (CPV) solar project in the Western Cape, effective April 1. The contract was awarded to juwi’s’ subsidiary, juwi Solar ZA O&M 1. →

Self-generation could be key for economic recovery – organisations

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 2nd April 2020 The economy’s recent descent into a recession has piled pressure on the government to throw a lifeline to businesses constrained by State-owned utility Eskom’s load-shedding; while the current onset of the Covid-19 pandemic is a further shock that the economy will have to overcome. In light of... →

Janine Espin

Gumede appointed regulator member at Nersa

By: Marleny Arnoldi 2nd April 2020 Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has appointed Nhlanhla Gumede as a full-time regulator member of the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa). Gumede will primarily be responsible for electricity regulation for five years, effective April 1. →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Nersa chairperson Jacob Modise

Eskom to temporarily shut Koeberg Unit 2

By: Donna Slater 2nd April 2020 From midnight on April 3, power utility Eskom will take Unit 2 of the Koeberg nuclear power station, in the Western Cape, offline. The unit is scheduled to return to service by April 30, if not required before then. From midnight on April 3, power utility Eskom will take Unit 2 of the Koeberg... →

Taxis allowed 100% of capacity only with masks – Mbalula

By: Sane Dhlamini 1st April 2020 Transport Minister Fikile Mbalula announced on Wednesday that taxis could carry their full loads during the national lockdown, provided that all passengers wore masks. Mbalula was addressing taxi operators and commuters at the MTN Taxi Rank in Johannesburg after he held discussions with the... →

Transport Minister Fikille Mbalula

Perdekraal installs all turbines just ahead of the lockdown

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 1st April 2020 Perdekraal East Wind Farm installed its forty-eighth and final wind turbine, two weeks ahead of schedule, on March 24. The final lifting was a celebratory moment for the largely South African crew, who have since left the construction site, in compliance with the Covid-19 lockdown, which came... →

Final turbine lifting

Wind IPPs given some clawback relief as Eskom issues surprise force majeure notices

By: Terence Creamer 1st April 2020 In its force majeure notice to wind independent power producers (IPPs), Eskom has indicated that, should the system operator issue an instruction to a wind farm to reduce energy output during the period of the Covid-19 lockdown, the IPP would be granted an extension equivalent to the period of... →

Rosatom complies with South African, other countries' safety measures

By: Rebecca Campbell 1st April 2020 The South Africa-based Central and Southern Africa Office of Russian State-owned nuclear energy group Rosatom has assured that it is both complying with the 21-day lockdown now in force in South Africa (to counter the Covid-19 pandemic) and continuing to support its customers. In a statement... →

Eskom gearing up to run philosophy maintenance ‘as a project’ following Covid-19 hiatus

By: Terence Creamer 1st April 2020 State-owned electricity producer Eskom is gearing up to implement philosophy maintenance as a centralised project across its unreliable coal fleet, where ongoing breakdowns have increased the risk of growth- and confidence-sapping load-shedding. The utility’s board has given its approval for the... →

Eskom issues force majeure to wind plants amid low demand

By: , Bloomberg 1st April 2020 Eskom Holdings told operators of some independent wind-power plants that it won’t need their power at certain times of day due to lower demand amid a national shutdown. The amount of power generated from wind is at its highest early in the morning when Eskom’s need is lowest, said Sikonathi... →

Wind farms under construction to declare force majeure

By: Donna Slater 31st March 2020 Twelve wind farms that are still under construction have declared force majeure, as they are are not deemed to be essential service providers during the 21-day national lockdown. The South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) says that, following consultation with the Department of Energy’s... →

The Noupoort Wind Farm is one of the 22 wind farms that will continue generating power during the lockdown period as it was previously operational and not under construction

SANEDI says 12L tax incentive is paying off

By: Marleny Arnoldi 31st March 2020 The South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) says government’s 12L Tax Incentive has delivered more than 24 TWh in energy savings since November 2013. This equates to a total gross rebate of nearly R20-billion to South African taxpayers. →

Eskom donates learning academy to government for use as quarantine site

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 30th March 2020 To assist in the fight to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, State-owned utility Eskom has handed its Academy of Learning (EAL) centre in Midrand, Johannesburg, over to the government to be used as a quarantine site. The facility, which has 416 beds and other facilities, will be used to accommodate... →

WEC unpacks energy investment needs

By: Marleny Arnoldi 30th March 2020 The World Energy Council’s 2019 World Energy Trilemma Index indicates there has been a step change in progress toward basic access in some African countries, with many having made substantive improvements, particularly in access to energy and clean cooking under the United Nations Sustainable... →

Mantashe sustains 1 MW licence-exemption cap despite calls for higher threshold

By: Terence Creamer 27th March 2020 Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe Gazetted an amended version of Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act on March 26, which the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) said further clarified the requirements for generation for own use for facilities of under 1... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe

KZN MEC says dept has adopted zero tolerance on price hiking amid lockdown

By: Sane Dhlamini 27th March 2020 KwaZulu-Natal economic development, tourism and environmental affairs MEC Nomusa Dube-Ncube says her department is in communication with the management of Spar KZN with the view of terminating contracts of franchise owners who are involved in price hiking. This follows consumer complaints that... →

KZN MEC for EDTEA Nomusa Dube-Ncube

Eskom postpones ‘philosophy maintenance’ as it shuts units in response to drop in demand

By: Terence Creamer 27th March 2020 State-owned electricity producer Eskom has reported that demand dropped by more than 6 000 MW on the afternoon of March 26 as businesses shut in anticipation of the start of the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown. The utility also indicated that a further reduction in demand was anticipated for the... →

Industry reaction to Minister’s call for higher levels of clean-coal investment

By: Mamaili Mamaila 27th March 2020 There is much scepticism domestically and internationally about the potential for clean-coal technology (CCT). In South Africa, however, there has been an amplification in recent months of calls for accelerated efforts to be made to finding innovative solutions to the serious environmental and... →

Photo by GE
POWER PLANT OPTIMISATION Eskom’s Kusile power station’s use of the wet flue gas desulphurisation technology ensures lower emissions

Company Post

Download Our New Tools and Instruments Catalogue

more

Topics In These Articles

RSS Feed

About

Engineering News is a product of Creamer Media.
www.creamermedia.co.za

Other Creamer Media Products include:
Mining Weekly
Research Channel Africa
Polity

Newsletters

Sign up for our FREE daily email newsletter

Receive daily sector news alerts

More

Subscriptions

We offer a variety of subscriptions to our Magazine, Website, PDF Reports and our photo library.

Subscriptions are available via the Creamer Media Store.

View store

Advertise

Advertising on Engineering News is an effective way to build and consolidate a company's profile among clients and prospective clients. Email advertising@creamermedia.co.za

View options

Subscribe