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IRP to be reviewed frequently, says DMRE

By: Kim Cloete 3rd March 2020 The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) says it has started with its work to implement the Integrated Resources Plan (IRP) 2019 from a policy and regulatory point of view. A Section 34 determination is needed to operationalise the IRP 2019, which supports a diverse energy mix. →

Companies urged to gear up for gas revolution in Mozambique

By: Kim Cloete 3rd March 2020 Key players in the gas industry have urged the South African government and companies to gear up for the tremendous opportunities that the gas resources uncovered in Mozambique will offer. A final investment decision (FID) has been taken for two projects, while the FID for a third project is... →

Germany moves into hydrogen with lessons from Opec, Russia

By: , Bloomberg 3rd March 2020 Germany is taking its first steps to build an economy based on hydrogen instead of fossil fuels, seeking to deliver both green growth and to avoid being trapped by a small cartel of suppliers. Ministers have been quietly lining up deals with nations including Nigeria that might produce hydrogen... →

Fund helps to bring 8 major African projects to fruition

By: Marleny Arnoldi 2nd March 2020 Finance organisation, the Private Infrastructure Development Group’s Emerging Africa Infrastructure Fund (EAIF), last year garnered $242-million worth of new loan commitments towards projects in Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Mozambique, Uganda and Côte d’Ivoire. The EAIF’s loan portfolio grew by... →

Perdekraal East, Kangnas wind farms both receive last loads

By: Marleny Arnoldi 2nd March 2020 All turbine components have been successfully transported to two of the country’s largest wind farms. The final loads for the Perdekraal East Wind Farm arrived on February 21, while the final loads for Kangnas Wind Farm arrived on February 26. →

The last load onward to Perdekraal East Wind Farm

DMRE plans to resume solar water heater programme

By: Simone Liedtke 28th February 2020 The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) is finalising an internal audit on a bidding process to enable the finalisation of contractual arrangements with appointed service providers for the department’s National Solar Water Heater Programme. Following the conclusion of the audit, the... →

Implats evaluating 200 MW solar power plant in Zimbabwe

By: Martin Creamer 27th February 2020 Zimbabwe platinum group metals mining company Zimplats is in the midst of a feasibility study to evaluate the construction of a 200 MW solar power plant, Implats CEO Nico Muller said on Thursday. Speaking to Mining Weekly following the company’s interim dividend reinstatement and generation of... →

Implats CEO Nico Muller talks to Mining Weekly’s Martin Creamer. Video Editing: Nicholas Boyd. Video: Kutlwano Matlala.

Cities to receive grant funding in efforts to boost infrastructure development

By: Simone Liedtke 26th February 2020 Cities will receive grant funding through the integrated city development grant to institutionalise an effective system for preparing programmes and projects. This is in an effort to continue expanding the tools available for South African provinces and municipalities to improve spending, after... →

Private electricity generation identified as most urgent structural reform for reigniting growth

By: Simone Liedtke 26th February 2020 With a weak economic outlook characterised by a real gross domestic product that is expected to grow at 0.9% in 2020, 1.3% in 2021 and 1.6% in 2022, South Africa is in dire need of far-reaching structural reforms to achieve faster economic growth. In contrast, global economic growth is expected... →

Ethiopia asks US to postpone final talks on Blue Nile dam

By: Reuters 26th February 2020 Ethiopia has asked the United States to postpone what was expected to be the final round of talks on the giant Blue Nile hydropower dam, it said on Wednesday, delaying the potential resolution of a dispute that sparked a years-long diplomatic crisis. "We have asked that we need more time for... →

Ghana weighs debt buyout to restructure costly power deals

By: , Bloomberg 26th February 2020 Ghana is considering to buy out the debts of independent power producers as a step toward restructuring contracts and reducing its power bill, according to people familiar with the matter. West Africa’s second-biggest economy currently pays as much as $500-million a year for power it doesn’t... →

Sasol confirms making 600 MW own-gen proposal in response to DMRE RFI

By: Terence Creamer 24th February 2020 Sasol CEO Fleetwood Grobler confirmed on Monday that the energy and chemicals group made a submission to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy in line with its request for information (RFI) on possible emergency electricity solutions that could be “grid-connected in the shortest time at... →

Sasol CEO Fleetwood Grobler on the need for a culture change at the company following major cost overruns at its US project. Camera Work: Kutlwano Matlala. Editing: Nicholas Boyd. Recorded: 24.2.2020

SAB calls for ‘clear process’ on self-generation licence applications

By: Simone Liedtke 24th February 2020 South African Breweries (SAB) on Monday published a call for a clear process to be implemented with regard to generation license applications above 10 MW, which it says will assist the company in achieving its sustainability vision. The company welcomed the government’s commitment in this year’s... →

Solar energy storage demand drives LoggerV2 sales

By: Tracy Hancock 24th February 2020 Interest in affordable energy-storage monitoring amid current power constraints and the green energy drive has been exponential in driving the uptake of the LoggerV2, says local lithium-ion battery storage solutions manufacturer Solar MD. “Demand is increasing for Solar MD’s energy-storage... →

Nigeria clears hurdle for Africa’s second-biggest hydro plant

By: , Bloomberg 21st February 2020 Nigeria will build the second-largest hydroelectric plant in Africa after the government settled a legal dispute that was delaying the project, Power Minister Sale Mamman said. “We have now overcome the major problem stopping this project and it is nearly over,” Mamman said in an interview in... →

As South Africa prepares to resume renewables procurement, new global report points to rising popularity of auctions

By: Terence Creamer 21st February 2020 As South Africa prepares to restart its electricity procurement programmes, following a five-year hiatus, the global popularity of competitive auctions as the preferred instrument for procuring renewable energy has again been highlighted in a newly released report. Published by the International... →

Cape Town adds more energy to Indaba

By: Cameron Mackay 21st February 2020 The decision to host this year’s Africa Energy Indaba at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on March 3 and 4, rather than in Johannesburg, where it was hosted previously, has resulted in increased interest from African and global delegates to attend the event, says Africa Energy Indaba... →

ENERGISING AFRICA The sub-Saharan and East African regions will feature strongly at the indaba as electricity demand in these regions, and the rest of Africa, is growing

New energy paradigm can drive Africa’s development

By: Schalk Burger 21st February 2020 Africa can meet its major sustainable energy and development goals without becoming more energy intensive, as it has a unique opportunity to use renewable energy, natural gas and energy efficiency to meet its development needs and provide reliable and modern energy services. This is the... →

Energy institute to focus on IRP at Indaba

By: Cameron Mackay 21st February 2020 The publication of the long-awaited Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) in October last year will be a significant focus area for State-owned energy researcher the South African National Energy Development Institute (Sanedi) at this year’s Africa Energy Indaba. “The publication of the IRP provides... →

BARRY BREDENKAMP We certainly don’t have to re-invent the wheel, there are many African countries doing exceptional work in this area, and we can learn from them

LED company aims to benefit from trade agreement at Indaba

By: Cameron Mackay 21st February 2020 This year’s Africa Energy Indaba will provide light-emitting-diode (LED) technology provider Grandstage Trading with opportunities to explore how it will achieve its objectives through the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA), which will be a significant topic... →

CHRISTINE MASAITI An important factor of the discussions at the indaba which could be of great benefit is encouraging the public to move to LED lighting technology

Indaba increases prospect of project funding

By: Cameron Mackay 21st February 2020 The Africa Energy Indaba provides an ideal opportunity for State-owned export credit agency (ECA) the Export Credit Insurance Corporation of South Africa (ECIC) to become more involved in the funding of significant energy infrastructure projects. “The Indaba raises the ECIC’s profile as an... →

ATTRACTING THE GLOBE The ECIC’s mandate from government is to make local exports attractive to international buyers to attract foreign income, stimulate local economic growth and create jobs

Company launches lithium solar battery range

21st February 2020 Lithium iron phosphate batteries – the battery of the future – provide powerful solutions to consumers and commercial enterprises alike, particularly in solar installations. For South Africans, however, taking advantage of these batteries has been hindered by a high price tag as a result of... →

SUNNY SIDE UP With the Max Li range, home owners and small businesses will have a battery solution to help use solar technology - be it off-grid or grid-tied

Power cuts push businesses towards alternative solutions

By: Natasha Odendaal 21st February 2020 With the prevalent load-shedding now a part of South Africa’s long-term reality, the private sector is increasingly seeking solutions to minimise the operational and financial implications of the crisis. In the spotlight as an alternative to the national grid is the deployment of battery storage,... →

DBSA provides funds to Mozambican supplier of solar home systems

By: Marleny Arnoldi 20th February 2020 The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has committed project funding to Ignite Mozambique, a local company that aims to supply solar home systems in rural Mozambique. The DBSA made the announcement during the Global Off-Grid Solar Forum and Expo 2020, on Thursday, adding that it would... →

I'm not dithering on more energy capacity, says Mantashe

By: African News Agency 20th February 2020 Mineral Resources And Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe on Thursday said there was no deliberate delay on his part in bringing more renewable power to the grid to solve South Africa's energy crisis, but simultaneously declined to commit to timelines on signing up additional capacity. "One of the... →

ARCH invests $16.5m in African distributed solar provider

By: Marleny Arnoldi 19th February 2020 London-based advisory firm ARCH Emerging Markets Partners’ Africa Renewable Power Fund will provide CrossBoundary Energy (CBE) with up to $16.5-million in equity funding. This will help CBE develop and finance new commercial and industrial solar assets, which will in turn provide businesses... →

Mantashe says Ministerial Determinations needed to unlock IRP 2019 are finalised and await Nersa’s concurrence

By: Terence Creamer 19th February 2020 Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe announced on Wednesday that the Section 34 Ministerial Determinations required to give effect to the Integrated Resource Plan 2019 had been finalised and were currently serving before the National Energy Regulator of South Africa in order to... →

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe

Grid-scale containerised energy storage system launched in South Africa

By: Darren Parker 19th February 2020 Energy solutions company BlueNova Energy, part of JSE-listed Reunert Group, on Wednesday launched its grid-scale Intelligent Energy Storage System (iESS) at Reunert Park, in Midrand, where the first unit has been installed to support businesses occupying the office park. The BlueNova Energy iESS,... →

The BlueNova iESS

New Concor chief sees surge in issuance of large tenders as sign of possible construction turnaround

By: Terence Creamer 19th February 2020 Newly appointed Concor CEO Lucas Tseki believes the strong flow of tenders in the last quarter of 2019 could signal that the domestic construction market is finally bottoming out. He is also cautiously optimistic that infrastructure-focused departments and State-owned enterprises (SOEs) are, at... →

Concor CEO Lucas Tseki

Eskom CEO says it wants hand in negotiating IPP pricing

By: African News Agency 18th February 2020 Eskom wants to play a role in negotiating the price at which new and existing independent power producers sell electricity to the embattled utility, CEO Andre de Ruyter told MPs on Tuesday, "It is very important that [with] the roll-out of the new IPP programme that Eskom, as the ultimate buyer... →

Photo by Donna Slater
Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter

South Africa’s ‘Energy War Room’ to meet for first time

By: , Bloomberg 18th February 2020 South Africa’s Energy War Room, a grouping of the main cabinet ministers responsible for the power industry, will meet for the first time this week since being reconstituted by President Cyril Ramaphosa in December as the country battles an electricity crisis that’s stalling economic growth. The... →

Cape Town energy company to install hybrid solar PV system at Botswana lodge

By: Marleny Arnoldi 17th February 2020 Engineering, procurement and construction company 1Energy has been awarded a contract to design and install an energy system at a luxury lodge in Botswana. The hybrid energy system at the Xigera Safari Lodge will comprise a 400 kW solar photovoltaic plant, which will be supported by Tesla... →

Renewables bodies call for clear timelines after Ramaphosa commits to restarting IPP procurement

By: Terence Creamer 14th February 2020 South Africa’s wind and solar industry bodies have welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s commitment, made in his 2020 State of the Nation Address (SoNA), to restarting the long-delayed Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). However, they have also called on... →

South African Wind Energy Association CEO Ntombifuthi Ntuli

Ramaphosa announces far-reaching actions to boost power generation ‘outside of Eskom’

By: Terence Creamer 13th February 2020 President Cyril Ramaphosa on Thursday announced far-reaching and practical interventions to address South Africa’s growth- and confidence-sapping electricity crisis, including several steps to “significantly increase generation capacity outside of Eskom”. He also warned, however, that... →

President Cyril Ramaphosa

South Africa poised to add 3.3 GW of wind power by 2024 – GWEC

By: Terence Creamer 13th February 2020 The Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) is forecasting that South Africa will emerge as the leading wind energy market in Africa and the Middle East over the coming five years, with installations of 3.3 GW by 2024. In a statement released this week, the council reported that only 894 MW of new wind... →

Uganda says Chinese firm applies to build $1.4bn power plant on the Nile

By: Reuters 12th February 2020 A Chinese firm has applied to Ugandan authorities for a licence to develop a $1.4-billion hydropower plant that could potentially expand the country's generation capacity by 40% according to a regulatory official and papers seen by Reuters. The firm, POWERCHINA International Group Limited (PIGL),... →

Business urges Ramaphosa to use SoNA to clear way for private energy generation ‘at scale’

By: Terence Creamer 11th February 2020 Organised business has urged President Cyril Ramaphosa to use his upcoming State of the Nation Address (SoNa) to announce that the regulations needed to enable “private sector energy generation at scale” will be put in place urgently by Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe so as... →

President Cyril Ramaphosa will deliver his State of the Nation Address on Thursday evening

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