Germany says new funding of R6.2bn will help support South Africa’s just energy transition

Germany has announced that its new funding commitment of R6.2-billion (€355-million) for South Africa includes funding for the country’s “just transition towards climate neutrality”. The announcement of the two-year funding commitment follows government-to-government negotiations, led on South Africa’s side by the National Treasury, on South African-German development cooperation, which took place on October 5 in Pretoria.
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TNPA to issue renewables RFP for seaports in November

The State-owned Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) reports that it will release a request for proposals (RFP) in November for the procurement of between 50 and 80 MW of renewable energy across its eight commercial seaports. The RFP issuance follows on from the receipt of about 30 responses to a request for information issued on July 22 to gauge market appetite for such a programme.
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Load-shedding to be suspended on Saturday morning after record spell

Load shedding will be suspended at 05:00 on Saturday morning due to lower weekend demand and adequate emergency generation reserves, Eskom said in a statement on Friday.  The embattled power utility has implemented a record spell of unbroken rolling power cuts as it suffered a series of breakdowns at many of its key power stations in recent weeks. 
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Shoprite increases solar capacity by 82% in 12 months 

The Shoprite group says it has increased its installed capacity of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems by 82%, to 26 606 kWp, over the past 12 months. The 143 674 m2 of solar panels at 62 sites is equivalent to the size of 20 soccer fields.
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Offshore wind farms a potential energy source

Offshore wind farms have received less attention in the transition to net zero, primarily owing to technology barriers linked to higher capital costs and the lesser adoption of the technology, says University of Pretoria (UP) former master’s student and current engineering unit manager Sibusiso Nozakuzaku, who conducted a study on the feasibility of offshore wind farms. These challenges are observed globally, and are not specific to South Africa, adds UP sustainable management senior lecturer Dr George Alex Thopil, who was Nozakuzaku’s supervisor.
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Shoprite clinches R3.5bn in sustainability-linked loans

The Shoprite group has finalised R3.5-billion in sustainability-linked loan agreements, with the aim to expand its key environmental programmes as part of a wider sustainability strategy.  The finance agreements include a R2-billion loan from Standard Bank, as well as an R800-million sustainability-linked loan and a R700-million green loan from Rand Merchant Bank for investment in environmental projects. 
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Cape Town to build first solar plant in Atlantis next year 

The City of Cape Town plans to build its first grid-connected solar plant next year as one of its interventions to end load-shedding over time.  The city has issued the tender for the engineering, procurement and construction of a 7 MW solar photovoltaic facility in Atlantis. 
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Increased generation capacity of wind farms to boost decarbonisation

The increase in capacity of wind energy generation is a key benefactor for the country to decarbonise its power sector, says South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) CEO Niveshen Govender. Over the past year, operational wind projects have reduced carbon emissions by 8.1-million tons.
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WASA Phase 3 has reached completion

The Wind Atlas for South Africa (WASA) Phase 3 project, which anchored the development of wind resource mapping-capacity, reached completion at the end of 2021, says energy research institution South African National Energy Development Institute GM Dr Karen Surridge. The objective in all phases of the WASA project was to employ quantitative ground measured wind resource and modelling methods to assess the wind resource across South Africa. This is designed to support industry and government in the planning and rollout of large-scale exploitation of wind power in South Africa, she notes.
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Sasol addresses food security, unemployment in its communities

Energy and chemicals group Sasol has launched Bridge to Work (BtW), a portfolio of initiatives aimed at reducing unemployment in its communities across the country. This is done by developing emerging farmers and improving access to economic opportunities for the youth, women, and adults out of work by providing training in critical skills such as agriculture, motor mechanics, welding, technology and digital business management skills.
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