Global renewable power prices soar on heavy demand, chaotic supply chain

Prices for wind and solar power in major global markets have climbed nearly 30% in a year as developers have struggled with chaotic supply chains and surging costs for everything from shipping to parts to labor, according to a report published on Wednesday. Contract prices for renewables jumped 28.5% in North America and 27.5% in Europe in the last year, according to a quarterly index by LevelTen Energy that tracks the deals, known in the industry as power purchase agreements (PPAs).
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ArcelorMittal studies 100 MW renewables projects for Gauteng and Western Cape

Steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa has initiated feasibility studies for two 100 MW renewable energy projects to supply electricity to its existing facilities in Gauteng and the Western Cape. The studies should be finalised during 2023/2024, the company said in a statement.
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DFFE invites public comment on standard for the development of power lines, substations

The Department of Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment (DFFE) has opened channels for the public to comment on the ‘Standard for the Development of Power Lines and Substations within Identified Geographical Areas Revision of August 2021’, which negates the need for environmental assessments in certain instances in which power lines and substations will be developed.  The public consultation process was launched through the publication, on April 7, of Government Gazette 46209 in terms of the National Environmental Management Act.
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Global governmental clean energy spending up 50% over past five months

The International Energy Agency’s (IEA’s) Sustainable Recovery Tracker’s latest update shows that clean energy spending earmarked by governments in response to the Covid-19 crisis had risen by 50% over the past five months to more than $710-billion worldwide. However, “troubling” imbalances persisted between regions.
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Eskom aiming to unlock 1 000 MW through Mpumalanga land lease bidding process

State-owned electricity utility Eskom has initiated a bidding process for the leasing of generation land in Mpumalanga to independent power producers (IPPs) and CEO André de Ruyter indicates that there is sufficient grid capacity available to support renewables projects with a combined capacity of about 1 000 MW. Speaking following the resumption of load-shedding on April 11, De Ruyter said the request for proposals (RFP) documentation had been issued on April 8, with a closing date for submissions of April 29.
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LHDA awards Polihali Operations Centre construction contract

L&M, a joint venture between Lesotho company LSP Construction and South Africa-registered Mofomo Construction, has been awarded the tender for the construction of the Polihali Operations Centre by the Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA). The construction of the centre is a critical component of Phase II of the Lesotho Highlands Water Project’s (LHWP’s) advance infrastructure.
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Stage 2 load-shedding to resume at 17:00

State-owned power utility Eskom said that Stage 2 load-shedding will resume at 17:00 on April 12 and will again be suspended at 05:00 on April 13 owing to the continued shortage of generation capacity. Load-shedding had been suspended at 05:00 on April 12, after being implemented from 18:00 the night before, but the constrained supply situation will persist throughout the week, with the possibility that more load-shedding is likely to be implemented should the generation capacity deteriorate further, the utility says.
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GWO, GWEC partner up to map out global energy transition workforce training needs

International trade association the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) and nonprofit industry body the Global Wind Organisation (GWO) have signed a new two-year agreement to map out workforce training needs. This is being done in an effort to support the development of renewable energy by helping meet the demand for skilled workers who are needed to fill an increasing number of jobs that will be are being created during the global energy transition.
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Decarb.Earth to aggregate projects, help SMEs in South Africa decarbonise

London-based sustainable power start-up Decarb.Earth aims to enable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) reduce their emissions by aggregating SME decarbonisation projects on a platform to make investments by financiers more attractive. Large corporates may be able to tap funding from banks and other lenders to transform their energy sources, installing large-scale projects that have the potential to feed excess energy back into the grid for profit.
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Creecy insists move to appeal Highveld air pollution judgment is not designed to delay regulations

Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy has moved to appeal parts of a landmark High Court judgment recognising air pollution as a violation of the Constitutional rights of citizens living in the Highveld Priority Area – a 31 000 km2 region that includes parts of Mpumalanga and Gauteng. The judgment was handed down by Judge Colleen Collis on March 18, after environmental justice group groundWork and Mpumalanga community organisation Vukani approached the court for an order stipulating that regulations be published to govern the air-quality improvements required to meet the goals of a plan published in 2012, yet never implemented.
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