Business as usual despite genset demand spike

Generator set (genset) manufacturer Atlas Copco Power Technique business development manager Philip du Plessis says the business is always prepared to try to close any sale that comes its way, regardless of factors influencing the market. “While we do see an increase in inquiries under these difficult circumstances – which is good for us – we still find that general enquires for our gensets come through regardless of load-shedding,” he explains, referring to how bouts of load-shedding have served to increase leads and enquiries for new gensets.
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Eskom estimates Bedfordview electricity supply will be restored by Dec 4

State-owned power utility Eskom is making progress with repairs to a damaged cable that caused electricity supply interruptions at the Bedfordview substation and expects to fully restore supply by December 4.

Eskom reports that it has started working on the second joint, after successfully completing the first joint of the damaged cable, despite challenges posed by the rain.

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M&R expects to grow order book beyond R60bn level

JSE-listed engineering and construction group Murray & Roberts (M&R) expects to growth its order book beyond the current level of R60-billion on the back of growing demand for its services. “Over the next three years, the group expects most of its revenue to be generated by its two international business platforms, being the mining and the energy, resources and infrastructure platforms,” M&R said in a business update released to coincide with its seventy-third annual general meeting.
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Eskom power transition lacking energy, says LTM Energy CEO

State-owned power utility Eskom, South Africa’s largest emitter of greenhouse gasses, is not adapting to change fast enough, as the world races to achieve net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 by adopting greener energy solutions, says local energy services company LTM Energy CEO Dhevan Pillay. South Africa is the fifteenth largest carbon emitter globally, with Eskom responsible for about 43% of the country’s total carbon emissions, owing to its significant reliance on coal-fired power to generate electricity. About 1 t of carbon dioxide is emitted for every MWh produced, according to Eskom’s 2021 Annual Sustainability Report.
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Iberdrola, H2 Green Steel plan mega green hydrogen plant

Global wind power group Iberdrola and Swedish startup H2 Green Steel plan to build a vast renewable hydrogen plant on the Iberian peninsula to power the production of iron used to make steel with drastically reduced carbon emissions. The European Union is pushing the development of a supply chain for “green” hydrogen – made by splitting water molecules with renewable electricity – to replace the millions of tonnes of “grey” hydrogen – made with coal or natural gas – that its industry consumes every year.
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Judge to rule next week on latest Eskom-Nersa legal wrangle

Judge Jody Kollapen has reserved judgment in Eskom’s application to have the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (Nersa’s) rejection of its latest revenue application set aside as irrational and unlawful. Following a virtual hearing on December 1, Kollapen indicated that he expected to publish a determination, along with his reasons, next week.
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Illegal connections: About 700 Soweto homes in the dark after Eskom disconnects its power

About 700 houses in Diepkloof Zone 3, Soweto, are in the dark after Eskom disconnected its power supply to the area. Eskom accused residents of illegally connecting electricity to their homes and disconnected them last week.
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Eskom CEO sees end to crisis in shift from coal

South African state power utility Eskom sees an opportunity to emerge from years of crisis by shifting from coal-fired power generation towards natural gas and renewables, its chief executive told Reuters. Eskom has implemented power cuts for more than a decade in Africa’s most industrialised nation that have held back economic growth and deterred investment. It has roughly R400-billion of debt that it services through regular government bailouts.
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Faster-than-ever renewable electricity growth supports emergence of a new global energy economy

Stronger policies and raised climate goals leading into COP26 are driving renewables to new records, but faster deployment across all key sectors is needed to reach net zero, the International Energy Agency (IEA) says in a new report. It adds that the growth of the world’s capacity to generate electricity from solar panels, wind turbines and other renewable technologies is on course to accelerate over the coming years, with this year expected to set a fresh all-time record for new installations.
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Tesla’s SA partner raising renewable energy’s profile in SA

US automotive manufacturer Tesla’s South African partner, Rubicon Group brought the first Tesla Model X Performance Edition all-electric sports utility vehicle into the country to raise renewable energy’s profile in the country. Simone Liedtke, who saw a demonstration of the vehicle, tells us more.
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