Solar power’s decade of falling costs is thrown into reverse

A key selling point that made solar energy the fastest-growing power source in the world – rapidly decreasing costs – has hit a speed bump. Solar module prices have risen 18% since the start of the year after falling by 90% over the previous decade. The reversal, fueled by a quadrupling in the cost of the key raw material polysilicon, threatens to delay projects and slow uptake of solar power just as several major governments are finally throwing their weight behind it in an effort to slow climate change.
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Critical structural reforms taking too long – BLSA

The structural reform required to transform South Africa’s economy has “frustratingly” progressed very little, even with the establishment of Operation Vulindlela, Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso asserts.

She says organised business has consistently argued that South Africa’s economy needs structural reforms – changing the fundamental capacity of the economy through policy – if it is to grow.

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IDC highlights role in Redstone CSP project

The 100 MW Redstone concentrated solar power (CSP) project demonstrates that South Africa is using modern technologies, including renewables, as it transitions to adopting clean sources of energy, says Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) CEO TP Nchocho. After having recently reached financial close, construction on the R11.6-billion project has started. It is expected to reach commercial operation in the fourth quarter of 2023.
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Operation Vulindlela ‘close to resolving’ debate on easing path for distributed power projects

Deputy Finance Minister David Masondo reports that Operation Vulindlela is close to resolving an ongoing policy discussion within government on the reforms needed to increase electricity supply “by allowing the private sector to invest more freely in its own generation”. Delivering his Budget Vote speech on Thursday, Masondo again described the shortage of electricity as “the single biggest threat to our economic recovery, apart from Covid-19”.
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Sustainable construction ethos prioritised by manufacturer

Cement additive manufacturing company CHRYSO Southern Africa has installed a solar electricity generating system at its Jet Park manufacturing facility, in Gauteng; this forms part of the company’s efforts to lower its carbon footprint. The installation was completed in January and consists of 393 solar panels with a capacity of 400 W each. The panels can collectively generate 157 kWp through five 27.6 K inverters. 
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Numsa, NUM says Eskom fails to ‘engage meaningfully’ in wage negotiations

Labour unions the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) and the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) on May 20 said State-owned power utility Eskom’s management team had refused to “engage meaningfully” in ongoing wage negotiations. In a joint statement, the unions said Eskom was attempting to “frustrate” the process.
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Energy efficiency financing must be scaled up to unlock opportunities

There is considerable opportunity and potential to be unlocked in energy efficiency projects in South Africa, but more needs to be done with regard to financial solutions to catalyse a take up of opportunities, speakers said during a webinar hosted by industry organisation the South African Energy Efficiency Confederation on May 20. Carbon Trust Southern Africa head Benjamin Curnier said the organisation was working with the South African National Energy Development Institute and the Department of Minerals Resources and Energy, along with the World Bank, to see what kind of financial interventions could be deployed in the market to drive energy efficiency.
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New research shows South Africa well-placed to export ‘green iron’ to EU

Initial research conducted for the Deep Decarbonisation Pathways (DDP) project in collaboration with the National Business Initiative (NBI) indicates that there is an emerging opportunity for South Africa to produce so-called “green iron” for export to international steelmakers seeking to transition away from the use of carbon-intensive coking coal in the production of the basic material. The green-iron research forms part of a broader initiative, involving NBI, Business Unity South Africa and the Boston Consulting Group, to develop decarbonisation pathways for domestic industry that could also support the country’s proposed “just transition” to a more climate-resilient economy.
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Shoprite to expand solar-powered refrigeration fleet by 39 trucks

The Shoprite Group will, by the end of June, have added 39 solar-powered refrigerated rigid trucks to its existing solar-powered fleet of 749 trailers, says group sustainability manager Sanjeev Raghubir. “It’s the first time we are adding solar-power nitrogen refrigerated rigid trucks to our fleet. It is also a first for Africa.”
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Judge to rule after South Africa sued over Sasol, Eskom pollution

A judge is set to rule after the first ever case filed against the government over its alleged failure to crack down on air pollution emitted by power plants operated by Eskom Holdings and refineries owned by Sasol. The case was filed in the Pretoria High Court by groundWork, an environmental-rights organization, and the Vukani Environmental Justice Movement in Action in 2019 and was heard by Judge Colleen Collis this week. The respondents in the case include President Cyril Ramaphosa, Environment Minister Barbara Creecy and provincial officials.
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