Infrastructure and import substitution at heart of new master plan’s vision for steel revival

A new master plan aimed at stabilising South Africa’s steel industry and creating a platform for the revival of the country’s embattled downstream steel fabricators was signed by representatives from business, labour and government on Friday. The ceremony, which took place amid the constant hum of heavy machinery at Hall Longmore’s factory in Wadeville, in Gauteng, was address by Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel, who said a new partnership was required if South Africa was to rebuild a “strong, competitive and job-rich steel industry”.
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University spinoff company develops energy, water efficiency solution for schools

Stellenbosch University (SU) spinoff company GreenX Engineering’s initiatives to help equip Cloetesville Primary School, in Stellenbosch, with energy-saving technology ensured that it became the first school in South Africa to receive an electrical performance certificate (EPC). The school received an A-rating for the electrical consumption of the system, with 17 kWh/m2.
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DTIC says to resolve Atlantis SEZ challenges

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) has committed to resolving the challenges flagged by investors during a site visit to the Atlantis Special Economic Zone (SEZ), in the Western Cape, earlier this week, Deputy Minister Nomalungelo Gina says. Major challenges faced by investors in the renewable energy sector that are located in the SEZ were highlighted during the visit, including concerns around policy uncertainty surrounding the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) and speeding up the process of the Bid Window 5 implementation, as well as local content manufacturing on designated steel products.
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South Africa on its way to decentralised power system – SAWEA

The South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) has welcomed President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement that the licensing-exemption threshold for companies to produce their own electricity will be increased from 1 MW to 100 MW. SAWEA says it views this as another indication the country is well on its way to a decentralised, and decarbonised, renewable energy generation power system.
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Nersa welcomes 100 MW embedded-generation licensing-exemption decision

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has welcomed the announcement by President Cyril Ramaphosa that Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act will be amended. The President on June 10 announced that embedded-generation facilities of up to 100 MW would be exempt from licensing requirements.
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Eskom experiencing increase in electricity theft, illegal connections

State-owned power utility Eskom says it is experiencing an increase in electricity theft, especially in high-density areas, which leads to the failure of its equipment. Eskom warns against illegal connections, meter tampering and buying electricity from illegal syndicates, stating that this leads to distribution network overloading and damage to Eskom’s infrastructure.
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Consultancy alters green processes due to Covid 19

Owing to the Covid-19 lockdown restrictions in South Africa last year, sustainability consultancy Solid Green altered its processes to assist the City of Johannesburg (CoJ) in meeting its net zero carbon goal by 2030, developing an EcoDistrict methodology for the city.
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Hydrogen company enters collaboration with solar company

Global hydrogen company Nel Hydrogen Electrolyser, a division of Nel ASA, has entered a collaboration with global provider of comprehensive solar photovoltaic (PV) solutions First Solar to develop integrated PV hydrogen power plants.
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Pioneers for sustainable urban regeneration

An urgent shift from traditional market practice towards the ‘green industrial revolution’ is underway, hence specialised commercial property financial services company TUHF’s advocating for the following of green and sustainable building principles in the construction and building industries.
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Woods participation in the circular economy

The Wood Structural Engineering Department at the University of Pretoria (UP) says policy needs to be developed to ensure wood forms part of the circular economy. A circular economy is an economic developmental approach designed to benefit businesses, society and the environment. In contrast to the ‘take, make, waste’ linear model, a circular economy is regenerative and aims to gradually decouple growth from the consumption of finite resources.
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