BioTherm’s Excelsior wind farm works for bird conversation

Working in collaboration with conservation organisations, BioTherm Energy’s Excelsior wind energy facility, in the Western Cape, is pioneering the wind industry’s approach to conserving avifauna.

The programmes that are being implemented go beyond looking at the potential impact of the wind farm on birds through mitigation, but are also aimed at a net gain in priority species, including Cape Vulture, Black Harrier, Verreaux’s Eagle and Martial Eagle.

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Fair Cape Dairies takes step towards going off-grid with new solar plant

Fair Cape Dairies has installed a 560 kW solar power plant at its operations, allowing it to produce fresh milk off grid during daylight hours. This facility will generate about one-million kilowatt-hours of energy and will save about 400 000 kg of carbon dioxide a year.
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To keep Koeberg going, Eskom must convince regulators it has enough money

If it wants the legal right to keep the Koeberg nuclear power station running, Eskom will have to convince nuclear regulators – and, perhaps, the courts – that it has the money to do so. Under rules published by minerals and energy minister Gwede Mantashe Friday, anyone who wants to keep an old nuclear generator going is required to “demonstrate availability of financial and human resources” for as long as the extension applied for.
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Karpowership’s record South Africa deal estimated at R218bn

Karpowership, a unit of the Turkish Karadeniz Energy Group, is on track for its longest contract to date to supply power from vessels to South Africa in a deal worth as much as R218-billion ($15-billion). The company that advertises a “fast, flexible, reliable” solution of floating electricity generation was named last week as a preferred bidder for three projects fueled by liquefied natural gas to provide 1 220 MW of electricity. The program is aimed at closing a supply gap in South Africa that’s resulting in periodic blackouts.
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Big business to approach government with solutions for accelerating infrastructure spending

Big business in South Africa plans to approach government with a series of solutions aimed at narrowing the ever-widening gap between the country’s fixed-investment spending targets and the dismal reality of declining spending on both social and economic infrastructure. Through the National Development Plan, South Africa has set an official goal of increasing gross fixed capital formation to 30% of gross domestic product (GDP) with the aim of using such spending to create the platform for economic growth and improved service delivery.
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Electricity sector developments

Creamer Media’s Chanel de Bruyn speaks to Engineering News Editor Terence Creamer about the details of the nature and pricing for projects selected as preferred bidders for the emergency bid window; the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s view of the future; and global wind installations having reached a record level in 2020 but still not being sufficient to meet net zero carbon targets.  
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Company plays maintenance role

Engineering solutions specialist BMG plays a critical role in the sugar sector, not only during the operational period of sugar production, but also in off-crop seasons, when maintenance and refurbishment on sugar farms and at mills is essential. BMG works closely with sugar farmers and engineers at mills by providing engineering components and support services, to enhance production efficiencies, minimise downtime and extend equipment service life.
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Global wind installation step change required to meet net-zero goal

Despite Covid-afflicted 2020 emerging as the best-ever year for global wind-energy installations, a new industry report argues that the rate of yearly deployments will have to more than double before the end of the current decade if onshore and offshore wind generators are to make their rightful contribution to restricting the rise in the average global temperature to no more than 1.5°C above pre-industrial levels. The Global Wind Energy Council’s (GWEC’s) newly released ‘Global Wind Report 2021’ shows that installations increased by 53% to 93 GW last year when compared with 2019.
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South Africa’s updated climate pledge to be released for comment after Cabinet approves NDC draft

South Africa’s Cabinet has approved the country’s updated draft Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) in response to climate change, which will be released for public consultation next week. The updated NDC outlines South Africa’s target for limiting greenhouse gas emissions as required in line with the country’s status as a signatory to the Paris Agreement on climate change.
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UK Climate Investment Finance delivers 254 MW of renewable projects in South Africa

The UK international climate finance programme, UK Climate Investments, has helped finance three renewable energy projects with a combined capacity of 254 MW in South Africa in South Africa. The inauguration of the 4 MW run-of-river hydropower facility Kruisvallei Hydro, in the Free State, on March 25 followed the successful delivery of the 110 MW Perdekraal East Wind Farm, in the Western Cape, in October 2020 and the 140 MW Kangnas Wind Farm, in the Northern Cape, in November 2020, UK Climate Investments notes in a statement.
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