State-owned utility Eskom says the rejection, by the Energy Regulator, of its latest allowable-revenue application has created a regulatory vacuum for the electricity supply industry. “Eskom is accordingly considering how to proceed, and is taking advice on its position following the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) decision,” the utility said in a statement on Friday.
US Deputy Special Envoy for Climate Dr Jonathan Pershing has described South Africa’s latest climate pledge as “extraordinary” and says the US and other donor countries will seek to support South Africa’s ambition to transition to a decarbonised economy “by the middle of this century” with concessional finance. Pershing visited South Africa this week as part of a broader delegation of climate envoys from the UK, France, Germany and the European Union during which meetings were held with government Ministers and officials, trade unions, business and civil society.
The UK government has released regulatory consultation proposals for the regulation of future nuclear fusion technology and power plant design, development, construction and operation. These were contained in a document called the Fusion Green Paper, which was published on Friday. The public and industry have until December 24 this year to submit their comments, suggestions, concerns and other responses to the proposals. Whereas nuclear fission (used in all existing nuclear power plants) releases energy by splitting atoms, nuclear fusion releases energy by smashing together atoms (specifically, hydrogen atoms). Fusion is the process that fuels the Sun and all other stars. Fusion would not have issues fission has, such as having to store and reprocess spent fuel, or having to deal, after decommissioning, with large and highly radioactive components. The main waste product from fusion would be (non-radioactive) water.
BP and Eni are seeking to raise up to $2-billion for their emerging oil and gas joint venture in Angola as both firms attempt to reduce their own debt to help build up renewables businesses, banking and industry sources said. BP and Eni announced in May that they had entered into talks to merge their oil, gas and liquefied natural gas (LNG) operations in Angola to form one of Africa’s largest energy companies.
Western fossil fuel companies investing in Africa face a significant risk of regulatory action that’s getting more explicit as the world moves to try to tackle dangerous climate change, a US climate envoy said on Friday. During a virtual media briefing while in South Africa as part of a continental trip, US Deputy Special Envoy for Climate Jonathan Pershing urged investors to consider whether investing in fossil fuels was worthwhile.
Zimbabwe has allowed the export of 200 000 t of excess power coal because of limited intake at its biggest coal-fired power plant, which is beset by frequent breakdowns, the coal producers association said on Friday. The Southern African nation’s six coal miners have a standing arrangement to supply 300 000 t of coal to Hwange power station every month but constant breakdowns of ageing equipment mean the plant is taking in less coal.
Following the commissioning of the world’s largest off-grid solar-battery hybrid system for the mining industry, at the Fekola gold mine, in Mali, expectations to reduce the mine’s heavy fuel oil consumption by over 13-million litres a year and to lower carbon dioxide emissions by an estimated 39 000 t/y have already been exceeded, Suntrace business development and sales manager Ralf Jungebloed tells Mining Weekly. “Solar production, to date, indicates that the plant will exceed initial power production estimates,” he adds.
World Bank Group member IFC and Burkina Faso energy company Sodigaz have entered into an agreement to boost access to cleaner energy solutions for thousands of households and businesses in Burkina Faso. Under the agreement, the IFC’s advisory services team will support Sodigaz to upgrade and expand its liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) distribution and service stations, increase solar home kit sales and introduce solar minigrid solutions.
One of the preferred bidders participating in South Africa’s Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP) has confirmed that government has delayed the deadline of financial close to end of January. The delay was foreseen, but not confirmed by September 30, which was set as the deadline for financial close.
In this opinion article, Herbert Smith Freehills Africa Group co-head Martin Kavanagh and finance practice senior associate Joanne Elson write about their predictions for the use of energy storage solutions across sub-Saharan Africa, as well as the key areas for consideration when developing and financing those solutions.
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