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

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 to parliament.
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BlueNova undertakes 1 MWh battery export to Namibia

Energy storage solution company BlueNova Energy has undertaken its first international export of an intelligent Energy Storage System (iESS).

The iESS is a containerised energy unit, which will be installed at the Timbila Nature Reserve in Namibia, as the heart of an offgrid solar-powered system.

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DBSA appoints Rakgate to head Infrastructure Fund

The State-owned Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has, from October 1, appointed Mohale Rakgate as its new group executive for the Infrastructure Fund, which has been established by government to support an accelerated roll-out of economic and social infrastructure. Infrastructure is expected to feature strongly in South Africa’s economic recovery plan, which will be considered by Cabinet following consultations with business, labour and community representative at the National Economic Development and Labour Council in August and September.
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Ethiopia bans flights over dam for security reasons – aviation chief

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 threaten its main supply of water.
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Spanish solar tracking group establishes formal presence in South Africa

Spanish solar tracker and structures specialist STI Norland has, since the start of October, established an active presence in South Africa, which it views as an attractive market for utility scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. An office and warehouse facility is being established in Port Elizabeth, in the Eastern Cape, and STI Norland South Africa is headed by Duncan Palmer, who has been appointed as CEO.
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