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Hydropower News

Egypt says latest round of GERD talks are 'last chance' before second dam filling

By: Reuters 6th April 2021 The latest meeting between Egypt, Sudan and Ethiopia over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam may be the last chance to re-launch talks before it is filled for the second year in a row, Egypt said in a statement on Sunday. The meeting concludes on Monday in Kinshasa. Previous attempts at reaching... →

New independent utility emerges to pursue private-to-private power niche

By: Terence Creamer 30th March 2021 A new independent power utility has been established in South Africa to sell electricity directly to private and municipal customers rather than to Eskom. Branded Earth & Wire, the company aims to build a large-scale portfolio of renewable-energy assets and enter into power purchase agreements... →

Photo by Earth & Wire
One of Earth & Wire's existing facilities

UK Climate Investment Finance delivers 254 MW of renewable projects in South Africa

By: Schalk Burger 25th March 2021 The UK international climate finance programme, UK Climate Investments, has helped finance three renewable energy projects with a combined capacity of 254 MW in South Africa in South Africa. The inauguration of the 4 MW run-of-river hydropower facility Kruisvallei Hydro, in the Free State, on... →

Kruisvallei Hydro

Sudan's cabinet backs UAE mediation in border, dam disputes with Ethiopia

By: Reuters 24th March 2021 Sudan's cabinet has backed an initiative for the United Arab Emirates to mediate in a dispute over Sudan's border with Ethiopia, and over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the Sudanese information minister said on Tuesday. Tensions surrounding the control of farmland in al-Fashqa, on... →

Senqu river bridge construction tender launched in early March

By: Schalk Burger 23rd March 2021 The tender for the construction of the largest of three bridges that will span the Polihali reservoir and that will be built as part of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project (LHWP) Phase 2 – the Senqu River bridge – was released on March 4. The bridge will be the first extradosed bridge, which... →

Fossil fuels found accountable for millions of deaths

By: Halima Frost 19th March 2021 Fossil fuels are, through a marked contribution to air pollution, accountable for 8.7-million deaths globally in 2018, which adds to the mounting evidence that air pollution from ongoing dependence on fossil fuels is detrimental to global health, says University College London (UCL) associate... →

POISON Fossil fuels are responsible for millions of deaths globally every year

Research shows promise in decarbonisation drive

By: Halima Frost 19th March 2021 The research of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) into accelerated decarbonisation scenarios for the South African power system confirms considerable opportunity to accelerate decarbonisation at low or zero net cost, says CSIR electrochemical energy technologies research... →

SAVING FOR THE FUTURE Battery storage can become a substantial contributor to maximizing the efficacy of renewable energy

Sustainability leader ramps up ESG strategy

By: Halima Frost 19th March 2021 Energy management and automation company Schneider Electric has begun to implement its new Schneider Sustainability Impact (SSI) programme for 2021 to 2025, in the hopes of significantly accelerating its progress to being a more sustainable company. The programme is built on six long-term... →

ZANELLE DALGLISH Our vision of sustainability is holistic and ecosystemic, as it covers all environmental, social and governance topics

AfDB funds $530m Angola electricity project to expand renewable energy, regional connectivity

By: Creamer Media Reporter 18th March 2021 Development finance institution the African Development Bank (AfDB) has committed $530-million to finance the construction of a 343 km, 400 kV central-south transmission line that will connect the north and south transmission grids in Angola and allow for the distribution of clean energy between... →

Sudan formally requests four-party mediation over Ethiopian dam

By: Reuters 16th March 2021 Sudan's prime minister has written to the African Union, the United Nations, the European Union and the US to formally request their mediation on the Nile water being used to fill Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), the Sudanese foreign ministry said on Monday. Prime Minister Abdalla Hamdok... →

Creecy proclaims three more REDZ

12th March 2021 Creamer Media's Chanel de Bruyn speaks to Engineering News Editor Terence Creamer about the proclamation of three more Renewable Energy Development Zones and why these are important for the country's just transition. →

Creecy proclaims three more REDZ

Egypt's Sisi ups pressure for Ethiopia dam deal on Sudan visit

By: Reuters 8th March 2021 Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called on Saturday for a binding deal by the summer on the operation of a giant Ethiopian hydropower dam, as he made his first visit to neighbouring Sudan since the 2019 overthrow of Omar al-Bashir. Egypt also signalled support for Sudan in a dispute with... →

Kruisvallei hydro project comes on line

By: Marleny Arnoldi 4th March 2021 Power project developer Red Rocket has announced the start of commercial operations at the 4 MW Kruisvallei hydropower plant, along the Ash River between Clarens and Bethlehem, in the Free State. The completion of the plant comes almost two years since construction began on March 26, 2019. →

NGO International Rivers calls on SA not to support Grand Inga scheme

By: Schalk Burger 23rd February 2021 International rivers and river communities rights nongovernmental organisation International Rivers has called on South Africa to withdraw its agreement to offtake electricity from the Inga 3 hydropower project being built in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). South Africa continues to... →

Construction on Inga 3 hydropower project could start by year end, ambassador says

By: News24Wire 17th February 2021 Democratic Republic of Congo's ambassador to Ethiopia and the African Union, Jean Le'on Ngandu Ilunga has hinted that construction on the Inga 3 hydro-power project could start by the end of the year. "We believe in the coming month we will see concrete steps towards implementation. Towards the... →

Filling Ethiopia's Renaissance Dam in July threatens Sudan's security - Minister

By: Reuters 8th February 2021 Any unilateral step by Ethiopia to fill its hydropower project, called the Renaissance Dam, in July would directly threaten Sudan's national security, Sudanese Irrigation and Water Resources Minister Yasser Abbas said on Saturday. Sudan is also proposing a mediation role for the United States,... →

ZRA clarifies stakeholder engagement process, confirms Batoka construction has not started

By: Marleny Arnoldi 2nd February 2021 Binational organisation the Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) has reiterated and clarified its Covid-19-impacted stakeholder engagement process amid preparations to start building the multibillion-dollar 2 400 MW Batoka Gorge hydropower project on the border between Zambia and Zimbabwe. The... →

Scatec acquires SN Power

By: Schalk Burger 1st February 2021 Renewable power producer Scatec on February 1 confirmed that it had received all necessary approvals for its $1.16-billion buyout of SN Power from Norfund and that all suspensive conditions have been met. “This acquisition forms a very important part of our broadened growth strategy, with... →

Moody’s upgrades Enel’s long-term credit rating

By: Donna Slater 25th January 2021 Credit rating company Moody’s Investors Service has upgraded the long-term rating of energy company Enel to Baa1, from the previous level of Baa2, with a stable outlook. The ratings agency has also affirmed the Prime-2 short-term ratings of the subsidiaries Enel Finance International and Enel... →

Three-way talks on Ethiopian dam reach new impasse

By: Reuters 11th January 2021 Negotiations between Ethiopia, Sudan and Egypt, in a long-running dispute over the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) on the Blue Nile, have reached a new impasse, the three countries said on Sunday. "We cannot continue this vicious cycle of circular talks indefinitely," Sudanese irrigation... →

Tembo Power appoints new financial structuring MD

By: Donna Slater 5th January 2021 Africa-focused hydropower developer Tembo Power Holdings (TPH), formerly Tembo Power Limited, has appointed Jacques Barouhiel to lead its financial structuring business as MD. TPH is an independent power producer (IPP) with a focus on small hydropower in sub-Saharan Africa. It holds rights over... →

Proposed 2 400 MW Batoka Gorge hydro scheme to have major impact on adventure tourism

By: Terence Creamer 2nd December 2020 The main environmental and social impacts of the propose 2 400 MW Batoka Gorge Hydroelectric Scheme (BGHES) on the Zambezi river, including serious negative impacts on adventure tourism and on the habitat of a rare bird species, were highlighted during a virtual stakeholder engagement on... →

Batoka Gorge site

Africa’s ‘staggering’ hydropower potential discussed at event

20th November 2020 Hydropower plays a key role in all of the African Development Bank's (AfDB’s) High Five priority areas that are intended to support the continent's achievement of the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goals. This is according to AfDB power systems development director Batchi Baldeh, who... →

ENERGY EVENT The potential for hydropower in Africa is staggering

Renewables display Covid immunity with record 2020 and strong outlook

By: Terence Creamer 10th November 2020 New additions of renewable-energy capacity worldwide will increase to a record level of almost 200 GW this year, shrugging off the demand slump that accompanied the Covid-19 crisis and which negatively affected the demand for fossil fuels. In addition, a new International Energy Agency (IEA)... →

Sasol unveils first carbon-offset deal as it seeks yet more projects

By: Terence Creamer 2nd November 2020 Energy and chemicals group Sasol reports that it has secured more than 100 000 carbon credits in a transaction concluded under the South African Carbon Offset Administration System (COAS), set up to facilitate the listing, transfer and retirement of such credits to offset carbon tax liabilities.... →

The 7 MW Bethlehem Hydro IPP

Ethiopia slams pressure after Trump remark on destroying dam

By: Bloomberg 26th October 2020 Ethiopia slammed international pressure regarding its long-running dispute with Egypt and Sudan over a hydropower dam on the Nile River, after US President Donald Trump suggested Cairo could destroy the dam. “Ethiopia will not cave in to aggressions of any kind,” the office of Ethiopian Prime... →

Scatec Solar advances growth strategy through hydropower developer acquisition

By: Simone Liedtke 16th October 2020 European photovoltaic (PV) company Scatec Solar will be acquiring 100% of the shares in hydropower developer and independent power producer (IPP) SN Power from Norwegian investment fund Norfund for just over $1.17-billion. The acquisition forms an important part of Scatec’s broadened growth... →

Ethiopia says GERD dam will begin generating power in next 12 months

By: Reuters 5th October 2020 Ethiopia's giant new hydropower dam on the Blue Nile will begin generating power in the next 12 months, the country's president said on Monday. “This year will be a year where the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam will start generating power with the two turbines," Sahle-Work Zewde said in a speech... →

Ethiopia bans flights over dam for security reasons - aviation chief

By: Reuters 5th October 2020 Ethiopia has banned all flights over its giant new hydropower dam on the Blue Nile for security reasons, the head of its civil aviation authority said on Monday. Ethiopia is locked in a dispute with Egypt and Sudan over its $4-billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Cairo has said could... →

Solar retains top jobs spot as renewables employment climbs to 11.5m

By: Terence Creamer 29th September 2020 Renewable-energy jobs rose to 11.5-million globally last year, from 11-million in 2018, with the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry retaining its leading position with 3.8-million jobs, a new study shows. The ‘Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review 2020’, published by the International Renewable... →

Cameroon seeking to build $3bn dam to export electricity

By: Bloomberg 18th September 2020 Cameroon will build a $3-billion hydropower plant as part of an ambitious plan to make the central African nation an exporter of electricity by 2035. The 810 MW Grand Eweng project on the Sanaga river, a joint venture between the government and the US-based energy company Hydromine, is the fifth... →

Zambezi River Authority gears up for community consultations on proposed 2 400 MW Batoka Gorge hydro scheme

By: Terence Creamer 1st September 2020 The Zambezi River Authority (ZRA) is preparing to conduct disclosure meetings with communities in Zambia and Zimbabwe whose land or livelihoods could be affected by the construction of the proposed 2 400 MW Batoka Gorge Hydro Electric Scheme (BGHES), a transboundary project located 47-km... →

Batoka Gorge Hydro Electric Scheme site

Ethiopia seeks US clarification on reports of planned aid cut

By: Bloomberg 31st August 2020 Ethiopia asked the US government to clarify reports it may withhold about $130-million of aid in a bid to pressure the Horn of Africa nation to review its plans to fill a new dam that have affronted its neighbors. “We have asked for clarification on reports of the United States’ decision not to... →

Sudan and Ethiopia pledge to push for deal on Blue Nile dam

By: Reuters 26th August 2020 Ethiopia's prime minister and Sudan's leadership said on Tuesday they would make every effort to reach a deal on a giant hydropower dam on the Blue Nile that has caused a bitter dispute between Addis Ababa and Cairo over water supplies. Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan failed to strike an agreement on... →

Congo hydrogen plant being considered by European turbine maker

By: Bloomberg 21st August 2020 German turbine makers and natural gas companies are exploring producing green hydrogen in the Democratic Republic of Congo, home to what could become the world’s largest hydropower complex. Should the project go ahead Congo would join Morocco as a potential site for hydrogen production in Africa.... →

Noncarbon future epitomises ideal energy mix

By: Mamaili Mamaila 21st August 2020 In about 2060, the ideal energy mix would be one with only non-carbon sources, such as wind, solar, pumped hydro and hydrogen, says global energy advisory UL. →

JAMES TRUDEAU It is “very critical” that Eskom increases its energy storage capacities to support a more diversified energy portfolio

Madagascar solar roll-out to address access issues, reduce fossil fuel dependency

By: Donna Slater 18th August 2020 Renewable energy, real estate and free zone project developer Groupe Filatex is rolling out a series of renewable energy power projects in Madagascar in partnership with Canada-based energy development company Dera Energy as part of its efforts to address a dire electricity deficit, increase... →

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