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First South African city readies to seek private power generation

By: Bloomberg 1st July 2021 Ethekwini, the South African municipality that includes the port city of Durban, plans to seek initial proposals for the construction of 400 MW of power generation. The so-called request for information will be the first by a South African municipal area since the government said last year that... →

Hydropower important for storage, just transition to low-carbon electricity – IEA

By: Schalk Burger 30th June 2021 Hydropower's role in achieving a clean energy transition and in supporting the faster expansion of solar and wind generation capacity, is undervalued, the International Energy Agency's (IEA's) inaugural 'Hydropower Special Market' report states. Hydropower has a key role in the transition to... →

Time billing solutions in battery storage

By: Anna Moross 25th June 2021 Energy storage is becoming a critical part of business operations and a vital element of the economy, particularly in the manufacturing sector, says solar energy company Blockpower director Kyle Bohnsack. →

ENERGY STORAGE 250kVA, 1MWh containerised battery system in operation within Sabi Sands South Africa

Wind an energy storage game changer – association

By: Anna Moross 25th June 2021 Wind energy is important in driving potential demand for energy storage, says nonprofit organisation South African Wind and Energy Association (SAWEA) CEO Ntombifuthi Ntuli. →

KLIPHEUWEL WIND FARM The demand particularly pertains to . . . the hybridisation of wind energy, which allows for electricity to be generated from two or more sources with storage

Decentralised power projects on a positive trajectory, says Nedbank CIB’s Peo

By: Donna Slater 24th June 2021 The South Africa power sector is undergoing a major shift towards decentralised power projects as a “massive energy crisis” grips the country, says Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) infrastructure, energy and telecommunications head Mike Peo. Speaking during an Infrastructure Africa... →

New global costs report confirms new renewables are undercutting existing coal

By: Terence Creamer 22nd June 2021 The cost of electricity from new solar and wind plants is increasingly undercutting the operating costs alone of existing coal‑fired power plants and strengthening the case for their early retirement, a newly released International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) report confirms. Published on... →

South Africa adds $1bn solar-battery project portfolio to RMIPPPP preferred bidder list

By: Terence Creamer 2nd June 2021 The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has announced the appointment of three additional preferred bidder projects under the 2 000-MW Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP), following the completion of “value for money negotiations” with... →

Renewables to take lion’s share of energy investment in 2021, but still falling short of net-zero goal

By: Terence Creamer 2nd June 2021 Renewables projects are expected to account for 70% of a record $820-billion in new power generation investment in 2021, as global electricity deployments exceed those of oil and gas for the sixth year in a row. Nevertheless, a new International Energy Agency (IEA) report warns that energy... →

Four energy scenarios that may define Southern Africa’s energy transition

By: Donna Slater 27th May 2021 Four vastly different energy transition scenarios, from very ambitious to the least ambitious, were posited by management advisory Africa International Advisors integrated energy practice leader Henry Gilfillan this week. The four scenarios, presented during a webinar on hydrogen, gas and... →

Electricity liberalisation up to 50 MW will support economy, allow more renewables, storage, says Neasa

By: Schalk Burger 26th May 2021 Business organisation the National Employers' Association of South Africa (Neasa), in its comments on the proposed amendments to Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA), called for the liberalisation of electricity generation up to 50 MW. It also called for wheeling and for definitions... →

Diamond explorer Bill McKechnie feels South Africa has battery mineral exploration potential

By: Martin Creamer 25th May 2021 The renowned exploration geologist linked to the colossal and still-thriving diamond discovery against all odds at the Venetia diamond mine in Limpopo, believes there is no reason why new battery and other specialist minerals cannot be discovered in South Africa, using the techniques that he... →

Exploration geologist Bill McKechnie interviewed by Mining Weekly’s Martin Creamer. Video: Darlene Creamer

Mantashe again swats away calls for 50 MW licence-exemption cap on distributed plants

By: Terence Creamer 18th May 2021 Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has again swatted aside calls for a 50 MW licence-exemption threshold for distributed-generation plants, describing such calls, which have been made by organised business and even endorsed by Eskom, as “academic” in light of a departmental... →

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

EPC contracts for Sukari solar project awarded

By: Simone Liedtke 4th May 2021 Gold miner Centamin has awarded engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) contracts for its 36 MW solar farm and 7.5 MW battery-energy storage system at the Sukari gold mine, in Egypt, to renewable energy specialist juwi Renewables and systems integrator company Giza Systems. juwi has been... →

The Sukari mine site, in Egypt

Nedbank makes pioneering ‘zero fossil-fuel exposure by 2045’ pledge

By: Terence Creamer 22nd April 2021 South Africa’s Nedbank Group released an ambitious new energy policy on April 22, containing a commitment to reduce its exposure to all fossil fuels to zero by 2045, as well as a pledge to halt all new thermal coal-mine financing by January 1, 2025. Simultaneously, Nedbank said it would scale up... →

Opinion: South Africa's wind energy sector has role to play in reaching a net zero carbon economy

21st April 2021 In this article, South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) CEO Ntombifuthi Ntuli writes about the South African wind energy sector's role on the road to a net zero carbon economy by 2050. Following the release of the Global Wind Energy Council’s 'Global Wind Report 2021', the buzz in the... →

The Klipheuwel Wind Farm in the Western Cape

Energy expert writes to government calling for overhaul of RMIPPPP ahead of July financial close

By: Terence Creamer 19th April 2021 An energy expert has written to the Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI) and the Independent Power Producer (IPP) Office to highlight the expensive shortcomings of the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP), which he says should be replaced by a... →

Cabinet expected to approve Hydrogen Society Roadmap by early 2022 at latest

By: Terence Creamer 14th April 2021 South Africa’s Hydrogen Society Roadmap (HSRM) will be presented for Cabinet approval either before the end of the year or early next year and should outline how the country’s resource advantages should be leveraged to produce green hydrogen, as well as to integrate hydrogen-related technologies,... →

New PEM generators launched

By: Mc'Kyla Nortje 9th April 2021 Renewable-energy and hydrogen supply company Nel Hydrogen launched the MC250 and MC500 containerised large-scale proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers. The PEM electrolysers represent automated megawatt-class on-site hydrogen generators, using a modular containerised design for ease of... →

PEM ELECTROLYSER The new generators are integrating the 1.25 MW PEM cell stack

South Africa requires more than 21 GW of energy storage for least-cost 100% renewables

By: Schalk Burger 31st March 2021 Energy and marine equipment manufacturer Wärtsilä South Africa on March 31 said the country would need more than 28 GW of flexible assets, including more than 21 GW of energy storage and more than 6.8 GW of flexible gas power capacity, to run on 100% renewable energy at the lowest cost. The... →

South Africa’s draft climate pledge offers quicker emission cuts, but seeks steep rise in yearly climate funding to $8bn

By: Terence Creamer 30th March 2021 South Africa’s draft updated Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) unveiled by Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy on March 30, proposes quicker emission cuts, but also outlines the need for a step change in international climate finance to support the country’s... →

Photo by Creamer Media's Donna Slater
Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy

Against the odds, solar-plus-storage project emerges with lowest RMIPPPP bid

By: Terence Creamer 23rd March 2021 The fact that a hybrid generation project – combining solar photovoltaic (PV), a battery energy storage system (BESS) and a small portion of gas – emerged with the lowest evaluation price in the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP) has been described as... →

128 MW Karoo hybrid project to blend wind, sun and batteries to provide dispatchable power

By: Terence Creamer 19th March 2021 The lead sponsor of a 128 MW hybrid facility named as a preferred bidder under South Africa’s Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP) reports that the project is pioneering globally in the way it will use co-located wind turbines, solar photovoltaic (PV) arrays,... →

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

Bidding for renewables finally opens as powership-heavy ‘emergency’ projects are unveiled

By: Terence Creamer 18th March 2021 Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe released the names of the eight preferred bidders – including three powership projects – selected as part of government’s 2 000-MW ‘emergency’ procurement programme and also launched the much-anticipated fifth bid window (BW5) for the... →

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

Local lithium-ion batteries to help businesses manage load-shedding

By: Schalk Burger 17th March 2021 Local residential and commercial lithium-ion battery company iG3N has designed a battery storage solution to enable businesses to store and use energy. The solution is designed with a lifespan of ten years, says iG3N co-founder Tumi Mphahlele. →

National strategy seen as key first step for countries keen to tap green-hydrogen potential

By: Terence Creamer 9th March 2021 The publication of a national hydrogen strategy has been identified by the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) as the crucial first pillar in an evolving four-pillar policymaking toolbox for countries that are either planning to export or import green hydrogen as part of their... →

South Africa urged to play to strengths as its plots role in lithium-ion battery value chain

By: Terence Creamer 3rd March 2021 A newly released study of the potential for developing a lithium-ion battery value chain in South Africa concludes that the country should prioritise minerals beneficiation and mining, as well as battery manufacturing as it seeks to carve out a niche for itself in what is a fast-growing, highly... →

De Ruyter urges greater industrial policy integration with renewables roll-out

By: Terence Creamer 1st March 2021 South Africa would be foregoing an “extraordinary opportunity” should it fail to develop local manufacturing capacity around its large-scale and multidecade deployment of renewable energy, Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter argued on Monday. Speaking during the opening session of the virtual Africa Energy... →

Storage high on the agenda for emerging economies

19th February 2021 Energy storage coupled with renewable energy ensures less intermittent supply of power, thereby solving balancing and system reliability issues, the Africa Energy Indaba stated in a January press release. →

SHAKING UP THE INDUSTRY Energy storage technologies are viewed as a potential game-changer for widespread adoption of renewable energy generation throughout Africa

Eskom could launch bidding for repurposing and repowering of Komati within two months

By: Terence Creamer 16th February 2021 State-owned power utility Eskom is preparing a pioneering request for proposals (RFP) for the repowering and repurposing of the Komati power station, in Mpumalanga, which is among the first four coal plants scheduled for decommissioning in the coming few years. Eskom just energy transition office... →

The Komati power station

Solarise Africa adds Rwanda, Uganda, Zambia to renewable leasing solutions

By: Schalk Burger 10th February 2021 Renewable energy leasing solutions company Solarise Africa has announced its expansion into Rwanda, Uganda and Zambia after signing a partnership agreement with turnkey energy services company Centennial Generating. The partnership adds seven projects in Rwanda, spread across the education,... →

As miners gear up for virtual shindig, commodities offer hope amid pandemic gloom

By: Nadine James 29th January 2021 Despite the ongoing uncertainty caused by the global Covid-19 pandemic, the mining industry continues to play a crucial role in the global economy, proving how resilient and adaptable it is, says international exhibition organiser Hyve Group. The mining sector has fared reasonably well during the... →

Evaluation of emergency-power bids ‘by February’, with renewables bidding to open in ‘first quarter’

By: Terence Creamer 25th January 2021 The evaluation of the 28 bids received under South Africa’s Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP) is anticipated to be concluded by February 2021, the IPP Office has confirmed with Engineering News. The preferred bidders, it adds, will be announced as soon as... →

Raising distributed-generation licensing threshold to 50 MW would unlock at least 5 000 MW in five years, survey shows

By: Terence Creamer 20th January 2021 Lifting the licensing threshold for distributed-generation projects to 50 MW or higher could unlock an estimated 5 000 MW of additional capacity in five years and go a long way to rapidly easing South Africa’s debilitating power supply constraints. This is the conclusion of a Meridian Economics... →

Multinational power company launches microgrid solution

11th December 2020 Last month, multinational power solutions provider Cummins announced the launch of its new PowerCommand Microgrid Control product line for managing, coordinating and optimising distributed energy resources (DER) – such as the MGC300 and MGC900. →

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