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Renewable Energy News

World emissions kept in check as rich nations kick coal habit

By: , Bloomberg 11th February 2020 Global emissions from energy held steady in 2019 for the first time in three years as developed nations continued to move away from coal power and toward renewable energy and natural gas. Even as the world economy grew, energy-related carbon dioxide emissions remained at 33.3-billion tons.... →

Google abandons plans to buy stake in Africa’s biggest wind park

By: , Bloomberg 10th February 2020 Vestas Wind Systems is shopping for a new buyer for its 12.5% stake in Africa’s largest wind farm after Google dropped plans to purchase it following project delays. The Danish turbine manufacturer blamed the Alphabet unit’s decision to pull out on “delays relating primarily to the transmission... →

South Africa to fast-track continental infrastructure projects

By: , Bloomberg 10th February 2020 South Africa will fast-track four continent-wide infrastructure projects in which it’s involved, including a $14-billion dam on the Congo river, President Cyril Ramaphosa said as the country assumed the chair of the African Union (AU) in Addis Ababa. The country will drive the Inga III power... →

Consortium makes Richards Bay gas-to-power proposal in response to DMRE’s call for emergency solutions

By: Terence Creamer 7th February 2020 A black-empowered consortium that includes companies with extensive gas-to-power experience has made a formal submission to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) in which plans for power generation plants capable of adding between 300 MW and 3 300 MW to South Africa’s grid within... →

The proposed site of the Mhlathuze Energy project

Ramaphosa calls for SA, Germany to tackle energy challenges

By: African News Agency 6th February 2020 As German chancellor Angela Merkel began a state visit to South African on Thursday, president Cyril Ramaphosa called for greater cooperation between the two nations on clean energy, low carbon growth and skills training. Speaking after bilateral talks with Merkel, Ramaphosa said they had agreed... →

AMSA says regulatory changes could open way for 100 MW Vanderbijl solar farm

By: Terence Creamer 6th February 2020 Steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) believes there is potential to develop a 75 MW to 100 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant adjacent to its Vanderbijlpark mill, in Gauteng. The JSE-listed company is also convinced that such a project could proceed relatively quickly should South... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
AMSA CEO Kobus Verster

DRC to benefit from rise in global copper demand

By: Kim Cloete 5th February 2020 Canadian mining company Ivanhoe Mines chairperson Robert Friedland is capitalising on the rising need for more copper globally, with a mission to restore the Democratic Republic of Congo’s (DRC's) position as the number one producer of copper metal in the world. Friedland told the 2020 Investing... →

Ivanhoe Mines chairperson Robert Friedland addresses the Investing in African Mining Indaba. Video and editing: Nicholas Boyd.

Mazars says Mboweni facing a daunting task as he prepares to deliver the 2020 Budget

By: Simone Liedtke 4th February 2020 The upcoming National Budget is likely to be a “watershed moment” for South Africa, accounting and consulting group Mazars tax partner Bernard Sacks said on Tuesday. Speaking to media at a pre-Budget briefing, he said the Budget itself would, however, not be a “watershed Budget”. →

The video looks at some of the highlights from Mazars tax partner Bernard Sacks' presentation during a panel discussion, giving media some insight into the South African economy and what to expect ahead of the National Budget later this month, while also briefly discussing what can potentially solve power utility Eskom’s challenges. Video: Creamer Media’s Kutlwano Matlala. Editing: Creamer Media’s Nicholas Boyd.

Hydrogen fuel cell technology ‘not too far away’ – Sibanye-Stillwater

By: Martin Creamer 4th February 2020 Even though society had begun to move towards battery electric vehicles, hydrogen fuel cell technology would be the real disrupter of the electric vehicle market, Sibanye-Stillwater CEO Neal Froneman predicted on Tuesday. Sibanye-Stillwater is the world’s largest primary producer of platinum,... →

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Sibanye-Stillwater CEO Neal Froneman

Thousands of jobs wait for next wind farm bid round, says association

By: Marleny Arnoldi 4th February 2020 Thousands of jobs await a Ministerial determination to give the green light for the next round of wind farms to be built. South Africa Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) says South Africa’s energy transition is poised to unlock economic growth and deliver thousands of much-needed jobs at a time... →

Solar power overwhelming choice of self-generating mines – Minerals Council

By: Martin Creamer 3rd February 2020 The new potential self-generation electricity projects being proposed by Minerals Council South Africa members are overwhelmingly solar power projects, along with some solar-diesel hybrid power projects for overnight operations, and “a little bit” of baseload coal. “The vast majority are... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Minerals Council CEO Roger Baxter

Minister keen to get generation outside of Eskom going soonest

By: Martin Creamer 3rd February 2020 Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe is keen to get electricity generation going outside of Eskom as fast as possible with a view to creating a competitive environment that will lower the cost of electricity. Speaking at a media conference at the Investing in African Mining... →

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

Video: Minerals Council chairperson Mgojo talks about electricity self-generation

By: Creamer Media Reporter 3rd February 2020 Minerals Council South Africa chairperson Mxolisi Mgojo on Monday told delegates and media attending the Investing in African Mining Indaba 2020, in Cape Town, that the council had been speaking to the National Energy Regulator of South Africa, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy and... →

Minerals Council South Africa chairperson Mxolisi Mgojo discusses electricity self-generation at the 2010 Investing in African Mining Indaba. Video and editing: Creamer Media's Nicholas Boyd.

Video: Baxter discusses mining industry's electricity self-generation plan

By: Creamer Media Reporter 3rd February 2020 Minerals Council South Africa CEO Roger Baxter on Monday stressed that the reliability of electricity supply was critical for the mining industry. This followed an announcement by Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe earlier in the day that government would make it easier for... →

During a media briefing held at the Investing in African Mining Indaba 2020, in Cape Town, on Monday, Minerals Council South Africa CEO Roger Baxter spoke about how mining companies were seeking reliable electricity supply. Video and editing: Nicholas Boyd.

Mantashe eases constraints on mining companies' ability to generate own electricity

By: Kim Cloete 3rd February 2020 Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has assured mining companies in South Africa they will be able to generate their own energy to counter severe energy constraints. He also on Monday announced that government would be talking to investors about establishing a generating company... →

Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy, Gwede Mantashe, says mining companies will be able to generate their own energy in the light of severe energy constraints. The announcement was received with great applause by thousands of delegates to the Investing in African Mining Indaba in Cape Town. Video and editing: Nicholas Boyd.

Egypt, Ethiopia, Sudan say final agreement on Blue Nile dam ready by next month

By: Reuters 3rd February 2020 Ministers from Egypt, Ethiopia and Sudan said on Friday a final agreement will be signed by the end of February on the giant Blue Nile hydropower dam that sparked a years-long diplomatic crisis between Cairo and Addis Ababa. The countries have been at odds over the filling and operation of the... →

Mining companies can generate own power without licenses – Mantashe

By: News24Wire 3rd February 2020 Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe told delegates at the Mining Indaba in Cape Town on Monday that government had conceded that it must allow mining companies to produce energy for their own use. is remarks echoed sentiments from an address he made on Sunday evening about... →

Mineral Resources & Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe

Deep-cycle flow batteries being deployed in mobile network towers

By: Schalk Burger 31st January 2020 Compact, deep-cycle zinc-bromine flow batteries made by ASX-listed battery manufacturer Redflow are being deployed in telecommunications towers in South Africa and the company aims to serve similar needs in key African markets, says Redflow CEO and MD Tim Harris. The company is rolling out its... →

TIM HARRIS Redflow has deployed its batteries in commercial, industrial and micro-grid applications in Australia, the Pacific and Thailand

Govt urges coal sector to step up pace in rolling out clean technologies

By: Kim Cloete 30th January 2020 Government has assured the coal mining sector that coal will remain a vital part of South Africa’s energy mix, but has called on companies to step up the pace in adopting clean coal technologies. Department of Mineral Resources and Energy director-general Thabo Mokoena told delegates attending... →

Cosatu wants infrastructure funded by pensions

By: , Bloomberg 30th January 2020 The Congress of South African Trade Unions (Cosatu), a key ruling party ally, is pushing senior members of government to consider its proposals to rescue the State’s indebted power utility before next month’s budget. In addition to suggestions it made in a November document that civil servants’... →

Engineers call for restarting of ‘successful’ IPP programme to address power crisis

By: Terence Creamer 29th January 2020 Consulting Engineers South Africa (CESA) president Sugen Pillay urged government on Wednesday to urgently restart its “successful” renewable-energy procurement programme to help address the country’s prevailing electricity crisis. Briefing the media in Johannesburg, Pillay said CESA was... →

Wind and solar bodies urge Minister to urgently publish determinations needed to kick-start power procurement

By: Terence Creamer 28th January 2020 The heads of South Africa’s wind and solar industry bodies urged Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe on Tuesday to publish, without delay, the Ministerial determinations required to unlock the procurement of much-needed electricity capacity in line with the Integrated Resource... →

De Ruyter says getting independents onto power grid will be costly

By: , Bloomberg 28th January 2020 Andre de Ruyter, Eskom Holdings’ CEO, said that while he favours letting companies generate their own power there will be significant initial costs if they are to sell their excess generation into the South African grid. Frustrated by regular power cuts, mining and industrial companies have been... →

Opinion: Amazing SA inventions of 2019

By: Martin Zhuwakinyu 27th January 2020 South Africans are an innovative lot. Much of the world knows about Chris Barnard, the surgeon who performed the world’s first heart transplant in 1967, but many other citizens of this great nation who introduced a multiplicity of amazing innovations in various fields remain below the radar.... →

EV pilot programme can help Rwanda go green

By: Cameron Mackay 24th January 2020 Electric mobility through electric vehicles (EVs) in Rwanda can help the country in its efforts to go green, says Volkswagen South Africa (VWSA) CEO Thomas Schäfer. This comes after Volkswagen launched a pilot project in the country in October last year, where it introduced its first EV in Africa. →

Photo by Creamer Media
THOMAS SCHÄFER Africa will develop in many ways with cooperation. We need to learn to work together across the continent, find shared value, and ways of collaborating

Wind sector calls for IRP 2019 to be implemented

By: Tasneem Bulbulia 23rd January 2020 The South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) says the wind industry supports government’s plans to reconsider how energy is supplied in South Africa, so that the electricity generation system can evolve and adapt to fit the country’s rising energy demand. However, it asserts that the... →

SAB, AB InBev ahead of renewable energy target for 2020

23rd January 2020 AB InBev and SAB procurement and sustainability VP Taryn Rosekilly started off by giving Engineering News and Mining Weekly a bit of insight into the company’s plans for 2020 in the lead up to its renewable energy goal. →

SAB, AB InBev ahead of renewable energy target for 2020

‘Significantly enhanced' shareholder scrutiny to be expected, Eskom’s De Ruyter says

By: Terence Creamer 22nd January 2020 Eskom’s new CEO is not overly troubled by the prospect of shareholder intrusion in the State-owned electricity utility, saying that a high level of shareholder scrutiny is to be expected given the current crisis at the organisation. The only way to ensure that the shareholder does not assert its... →

Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter

Spain's ACS withdraws from Inga 3 hydro project in Congo

By: Reuters 22nd January 2020 Spain's ACS is withdrawing from the multibillion-dollar Inga 3 hydroelectric project in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the company said on Tuesday, dealing a further setback to plans to develop Africa's largest hydro plant. A consortium led by Actividades de Construccion y Servicios signed a... →

Urgent decisions needed to address substantially worsening electricity outlook, CSIR warns

By: Terence Creamer 21st January 2020 Several critical policy and regulatory decisions are required by the end of the first quarter of 2020 at the latest if South Africa has any hope of closing what the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is now forecasting will be a growing gap between electricity supply and demand... →

Dr Jarrad Wright

Children across South Africa learn about renewables in vernacular

By: Simone Liedtke 21st January 2020 English, Afrikaans, Xhosa and Setswana speaking children across South Africa are learning about the role that wind power is playing as the world transitions to renewable power for a cleaner, healthier planet through a beautifully illustrated story book, named Let the Wind Blow. The South African... →

World risks 'disaster' as reuse of natural resources declines

By: Reuters 21st January 2020 The proportion of raw materials the world is reusing has fallen, researchers said on Tuesday, warning of a "global disaster" as annual consumption of natural resources rose to 100-billion tonnes for the first time. Just 8.6% of the 100-billion tonnes of materials – including minerals, metals,... →

Local lithium-ion battery plant to open its doors this year

By: Irma Venter 20th January 2020 The Megamillion Energy Company intends to be Africa’s first large-scale producer of lithium-ion batteries, with a mandate to make batteries “in Africa, for Africa’s benefit first”. Megamillion aims to have Africa’s first lithium-ion battery production pilot plant up and running in the second half... →

Nechan Naicker

Editorial Insight: Time to act

By: Terence Creamer 17th January 2020 The return of load-shedding, together with what is a truly dire prognosis for system stability, should surely have been the wake-up call government required to finally begin implementing its very own Integrated Resource Plan 2019 (IRP 2019). Instead, the only indication that the Department of... →

Despite IRP gaps, the outlook for solar in SA has strengthened

By: Terence Creamer 17th January 2020 One of the first questions posed to Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe after Cabinet finally approved the 2019 edition of the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2019) in October related to the ongoing capacity addition gaps for solar photovoltaic (PV). While the IRP 2019 envisages... →

Despite IRP gaps, the outlook for solar in SA has strengthened

By: Terence Creamer 17th January 2020 One of the first questions posed to Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe after Cabinet finally approved the 2019 edition of the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2019) in October related to the ongoing capacity addition gaps for solar photovoltaic (PV). While the IRP 2019 envisages... →

Malawi seeking a strategic investor for 350 MW hydropower plant

By: Marcel Chimwala 17th January 2020 The Malawi Government is seeking a strategic investor to develop the 350 MW Mpatamanga Hydro Power Plant on the Shire River, which is estimated to cost US$472-million. →

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