Africa’s industrialisation will require gas as additional energy source

Africa will require more energy sources than renewables to ensure the continent’s growth and its industrialisation, International Gas Union secretary general elect Andy Calitz told delegates attending the virtual Africa Gas Forum, on March 2. He said natural gas was already considered to be one of the most important sources of electricity in Africa, and that its use was likely to continue.
/by

Finance secured for Golomoti Solar construction

InfraCo Africa, part of the Private Infrastructure Development Group, and its project partner, independent power producer JCM Power, have announced their commitment to finance construction of the 20 MWAC Golomoti Solar project with a 5 MW/10 MWh lithium-ion battery energy storage system (BESS). Golomoti Solar will be the first commercial-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) plant in Malawi to include a BESS and, along with its sister project, Salima Solar, Golomoti is among the first commercial-scale solar PV plants in the country.
/by

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

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 competitive and rapidly evolving market. Commissioned by United Nations Industrial Development Organisation (UNIDO) and the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) and written by Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies (TIPS), the report noted that South Africa already had pockets of excellence in both areas, whereas the business cases for cell manufacturing and recycling still had to be established.
/by

Rolls-Royce signs MoU with Estonian company on small modular reactors

UK-based industrial technology group Rolls-Royce has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Estonian company Fermi Energia. The purpose of the MoU is to study the potential to deploy small modular nuclear reactors (SMRs) in the Baltic country. All aspects of such a deployment, including cooling, economics, emergency planning, grid suitability, human resources, licensing feasibility and the supply chain, will be covered in the study. Rolls-Royce leads a consortium of companies and UK research centres, known as UKSMR, which is designing an SMR small nuclear power plant that would be constructed from standardised components manufactured in factories, using advanced manufacturing processes. This approach would drive down costs and rapidly speed up construction times, as the SMR and its associated plant would be delivered to the construction site in modular and component form and there assembled under a weatherproof canopy.
/by

Mantashe sees new industries emerging from South Africa’s renewables-led drive to boost …

South Africa’s move to increase electricity generation capacity provided a “unique opportunity” for the development of new industries, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe said this week. Addressing delegates virtually during Canada’s annual Prospectors and Developers Association Convention, Mantashe highlighted that South Africa’s Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan, developed in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, emphasised the importance of addressing the country’s long-standing electricity supply deficit so as to use energy as a “catalyst for economic growth”.
/by

Glencore refutes Molefe’s State capture inquiry testimony

Diversified miner Glencore says the suggestion that it had involved President Cyril Ramaphosa, who used to be the chairperson of the Optimum coal mine, in the acquisition of Optimum Coal Holdings (OCH) with a view to, or with the expectation of leveraging his influence to achieve amendments to OCH’s coal supply agreement (CSA) with power utility Eskom is “false and baseless”. This is in response to allegations made by former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe at the Zondo Commission on March 2. According to News24.com, Molefe claimed that Glencore had used its relationship with Ramaphosa to try to extort money from Eskom when the parties were renegotiating the CSA.
/by

UN chief urges wealthy nations to phase out coal use by 2030

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called on wealthy nations to end coal use by 2030 so the world can meet its goals to curb global warming, urging G7 nations to make that commitment before or at a leaders’ summit in June.

In a video message to a virtual gathering of the “Powering Past Coal Alliance”, Guterres said emissions-cutting pledges by governments fell far short of what is needed to limit climate heating to 1.5 °C above preindustrial levels.

But if immediate action were taken to end use of what he called the dirtiest, most polluting and increasingly costly fossil fuel in power generation, “then we have a fighting chance to succeed”, he added.

/by