Fall in energy efficiency investment threatens climate goals – IEA

Investment in energy efficiency worldwide is on course to fall by 9% in 2020, the International Energy Agency (IEA) forecasts, warning that the Covid-induced slump threatens international climate goals. The agency’s ‘Energy Efficiency 2020’ report estimates that global primary energy intensity will improve by less than 1% this year, its weakest rate in a decade and well below the level of progress needed to meet climate, pollution-reduction and energy-access targets.
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Upscaling of wind technician training needed to support 14.4 GW roll-out

The planned growth of South Africa’s wind-energy sector over the coming decade, and beyond, will require a material upscaling of the country’s training infrastructure to ensure that there are sufficient South African wind technicians trained to support the building and maintenance of an expanding turbine fleet. South African Wind Energy Association CEO Ntombifuthi Ntuli indicated on Thursday that more than 1 700 wind turbine service technicians would be required by 2030 to help build the 14.4 GW of new wind capacity outlined for installation by that date, as well as to service a fleet of some 17.7 GW.
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Financing instruments need to be overhauled for a successful just transition

Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS) points out that South Africa needs to overhaul its existing financing mechanisms and instruments if communities are to truly benefit from a just energy transition to a green economy.

This emerged as a central theme during a TIPS-hosted development dialogue webinar, which was held to discuss a number of possible options to finance the just transition process in South Africa.

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