Load-shedding escalated to Stage 6

Load-shedding will be escalated to Stage 6 on Tuesday from 16:00 to 22:00, Eskom has announced. Stage 4 Load-shedding will then be implemented from 22:00 to 00:00. Load-shedding will then be reduced to Stage 2 until 05:00 on Wednesday morning. From 05:00 until 16:00 on Wednesday, load-shedding will be implemented at Stage 4. Load-shedding Stage 6 will then again be implemented at 16:00 to 22:00 on Wednesday evening.
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Anglo investing in expansion of organic waste upcycling company Sanergy

Diversified mining multinational Anglo American is leading the latest investment round of organic waste upcycling business Sanergy, which has operations in Kenya. Sanergy’s solutions are helping to transform how fast-growing cities in the developing world manage waste by upcycling it into high-value agricultural and energy products, such as insect-based protein for animal feed, organic fertiliser for regenerative farming and biomass fuel for sustainable, localised power sources, Anglo American said in a statement on June 28.
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Three South African technologies pitch for Innovate UK funding

During a briefing by energy technology innovation and funding network Innovate UK for technology innovators and entrepreneurs on June 27, three South African technology companies presented their innovations for potential funding from the UK organisation. The three companies also served as examples of what characteristics Innovate UK requires to disburse funding to technology development companies, including commercial suitability and sustainability, positive social impact and environmental sustainability.
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Mitochondria Energy to build a fuel cell manufacturing facility in the Vaal SEZ in 2023

Hydrogen fuel cell developer Mitochondria Energy is planning to build a hydrogen fuel cell manufacturing facility in the Vaal Special Economic Zone (SEZ) forming part of the wider Hydrogen Valley development concept, with sod turning to start in 2023. In 2018, Mitochondria entered into a relationship with powertrain solutions developer AVL Engineering to develop Mitochondria’s own fuel cell – a project known as Project Phoenix.
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US to help fund study for deployment of small modular nuclear reactors in Romania

The administration of US President Joe Biden is to provide 50% of the funding for a Front-End Engineering and Design (FEED) study for the deployment of a small modular nuclear reactor (SMR), designed by US company NuScale, in Romania. The US contribution will be disbursed through the US Trade and Development Agency, the amount involved being $14-million. The other $14-million needed to fund the FEED will be provided by NuScale and by its Romanian partner company, Nuclearelectrica. The two companies plan to erect a NuScale VOYGR-6 SMR nuclear power plant (NPP) on the site of a former thermal power plant at Doicești in Romania. The FEED study will include various engineering and design studies and activities. It will also include additional technical analyses of the site at Doicești.
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Eskom warns of high risk of Stage 6 load-shedding on Tuesday night amid ongoing strike

Power utility Eskom has warned that it may have to implement Stage 6 load-shedding from this evening, following a deterioration in its generation capacity overnight. COO Jan Oberholzer noted in a media briefing on Tuesday morning that there is a significant risk that the utility may have to implement Stage 6 load-shedding, although Eskom would do what it could to avoid that.
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Power trip: While Stage 4 drags on some unions want Pravin, but Eskom heads to CCMA

While Eskom has put its plans in motion to end protests that have disrupted its operations and break the deadlock at its wage talks, unions in the negotiations are split on whether the impasse may need an intervention from Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan. Historically, an intervention from Gordhan worked in unions’ favour. Following Gordhan’s intervention into the three-year deal Eskom inked with labour in 2018, the utility went from offering a 0% increase to granting 7.5% increase in year one and 7% in the subsequent two years.
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G7 edges closer to ditching pledge to end fossil-fuel financing

The Group of Seven (G7) is moving toward reversing a commitment to halt the financing of overseas fossil-fuel projects by year’s end, a proposal now viewed favorably by most members, according to people familiar with the matter. G7 leaders meeting in the Bavarian Alps are converging on a reference to the increased role of gas projects, a consequence of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine straining their energy supply.
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