Independent electricity retailer Earth & Wire has secured land and servitudes, executed the environmental studies and received environmental approval to build a 1 300 MW transmission substation close to Somerset East, in the Eastern Cape. It plans to start construction on the substation later this year, using a self-build option to ensure the energy from the generation assets can be evacuated to off-takers without facing delays in grid connection, the company says.
Development finance institution the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has announced the availability of funding towards green economy development projects and programmes under the Green Fund. The Green Fund has been set up to contribute towards a range of goals in transitioning to a greener economy, including the financing of projects and programmes that reduce the impact on climate change, the institution says.
The South African Renewable Energy Master Plan’s emerging actions discussion document represents a significant opportunity to create new jobs and contribute to South Africa’s gross domestic product (GDP) through yearly production across the value chain, says renewable energy developer Nordex Energy South Africa.
Through implementing the plan, the country’s GDP is expected to receive up to a R182-billion a year boost, while the employment of 39 000 people would be required to deliver 2 600 MW of new renewable energy capacity a year by 2030.
Energy research and projects organisation the Global Energy Association has seen a sharp rise in the number of countries represented by candidates for the yearly Global Energy Prize. The association hopes to expand its international representation, as developing countries are playing an increasingly significant role in world energy, says president Sergey Brilev.
South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) is seeking to appoint a service provider to develop a framework for the procurement of 2 500 MW of new nuclear capacity. The department has published a terms of reference document for such a service provider and a compulsory briefing session will be held virtually on February 16 for potential bidders. The actual tender will close on February 25.
South Africa’s Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has issued a statement supporting the release of a Request for Information (RFI) by the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) for a new multipurpose nuclear research reactor (MPR). The Department noted that the project, to replace the existing SAFARI-1 research reactor, had been approved by the Cabinet last September. SAFARI-1 is located at Necsa’s complex at Pelindaba, west of Pretoria. “The DMRE believes that this project will ensure South Africa remains amongst the top four global radioisotopes producers as well ensuring continuation of research and development on nuclear technology,” affirmed the Department in its statement. “This places Necsa on path to provide much needed radioactive isotopes for medical and industrial applications, execution of research through beam lines, bolster massive infrastructure development and create thousands of sustainable jobs which are essential for our economy.”
Botswana said its seeking companies to build and operate a 200 MW concentrated solar power plant, its biggest clean energy project to date. In an announcement on Tuesday, the Energy Ministry issued an invitation for companies to pre-qualify for the program, which would involve financing its construction and completing the project by 2027. The state-owned Botswana Power Corporation will buy the electricity produced.
Groupe Filatex, Madagascar’s largest employer, has made two acquisitions to boost its electricity generation on the island nation and to develop power storage capacity. The company bought a 40 MW heavy fuel oil power plant in Madagascar’s capital, Antananarivo, from New York-based Symbion Power for an undisclosed amount and paid €10-million for a 41% stake in France’s Energiestro, which is developing flywheel storage technology, it said in statements sent to Bloomberg.
Eskom officially suspended load-shedding on Tuesday after a material reduction in the level of unplanned outages across its coal fleet, which fell to below 12 000 MW after having surged to about 16 000 MW on Monday. Planned outages of just over 5 000 MW were being implemented as of Tuesday afternoon.
South Africa’s problem is one of a “fossil fuel dependency crisis”, rather than an “energy crisis”, renewable power producer Scatec sub-Saharan Africa GM Jan Fourie posits. He says the country’s energy shortfalls, primarily driven by poor performance at an ageing fleet of coal-fired stations, are addressed in South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan of 2019, which commits to a shift away from coal, with a proposed 25% of South Africa’s total power to come from renewables by 2030.
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