The steam generator replacement project, which is central to Eskom’s R20-billion programme to extend the 40-year design life of the Koeberg nuclear power station by a further 20 years, marked a major milestone this week with the arrival of the first units in Cape Town. The project, which was sanctioned by the Eskom board in 2010 and approved by the National Nuclear Regulator, involves the replacement of all six steam generators at Koeberg’s two units.
Renewable-energy jobs rose to 11.5-million globally last year, from 11-million in 2018, with the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry retaining its leading position with 3.8-million jobs, a new study shows. The ‘Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review 2020’, published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena), estimates that 3.1-million of these solar PV jobs are in Asia, which added 55 GW of the 97 GW of new solar PV installed globally last year.
The South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) welcomes Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe’s gazetted Section 34 Ministerial determination to procure more renewable energy from independent power producers (IPPs). SAWEA enthuses that this step takes the wind energy sector one step closer to unlocking an estimated R40-billion a year in investment.
State-owned electricity utility Eskom has issued a no-obligation request for information (RFI) in a bid to gain insight into what flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) technologies are currently available and to assess their potential suitability for deployment at the Medupi power station, in Limpopo. In a public notice, Eskom said the installation of FGD at Medupi by June 2025 formed part of a legal covenant with the World Bank, which loaned the South African utility $3.75-billion in 2010 largely for the purposes of building the 4 800-MW power station.
Renewable Energy company juwi Renewable Energies has appointed former MD Greg Austin as Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regional director, effective October 1.
He has worked in the renewable energy sector since 2000 and joined juwi in 2012 as South Africa MD.
President Cyril Ramaphosa says the Gazetting of a Ministerial determination enabling the development of more than 11 800 MW of new electricity capacity by independent power producers (IPPs) signals government’s intention to move ahead with one of the key reforms needed to unlock growth and investment in the ailing economy, which has been further knocked by the Covid-19 pandemic. In his weekly newsletter, the President said that several additional reforms would be implemented in the energy sector in the coming months, along with other economic reforms to establish a firm and enduring foundation for the return to growth and job creation that South Africa sorely needs.
TSX-V-listed Giyani Metals Corporation says it is encouraged by the endorsement of high-purity manganese as a critical component of cathode chemistries, as discussed during the Tesla Battery Day event on September 22.
Tesla announced that the cathode chemistry for its intermediate range vehicles and non-industrial stationary storage units will contain one-third, or 33%, manganese.
The grievance procedure brought against Eskom COO Jan Oberholzer has been brought to finality and he has been cleared of all wrongdoing in a payment dispute with a contractor, construction company Aveng, power utility Eskom said in a statement on September 25.
Following a court’s findings against Eskom on a payment dispute with Aveng, Eskom approached Advocate Nazir Cassim, seeking his counsel on the way forward in his investigation into an employee’s grievance against Oberholzer.
Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe on September 25 gazetted a Section 34 Determination to procure energy from independent power producers.
This paves the way for Bid Window 5 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.
The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) and the Independent Power Producer (IPP) Office has set the long-stop date for projects under the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP) to start commercial operation as the end of June 2022.
The programme was gazetted by the department on July 17, with the aim of filling the current short-term energy supply gap that South Africa has, which the Integrated Resource Plan 2019 has determined to be 2 000 MW.
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