Shutdown of oil refineries requires more oil imports

Local manufacturers and independent blenders of petroluem byproducts have to increase import expenses, owing to the shutdown of oil refineries, says lubricants manufacturer Oilflow director Enoch Qua-Enoo. “The closure of oil refineries has resulted in a detrimental position for companies operating in the global market, owing to limited options to source base oil. Import rates are constantly increasing, which ignite the increase of commodity costs.”
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Stage 2 load-shedding to continue throughout Thursday night as Eskom faces depleted storage dam …

In addition to the load-shedding currently underway, Stage 2 load-shedding will be implemented throughout Thursday night. It was previously set to stop at 22:00, Eskom said on Thursday. Stage 2 load-shedding will then continue to be implemented at 05:00 – 22:00 daily until Saturday night.
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Green hydrogen policies, standards and practices still to be ironed out

While international blocs and countries have made headway in defining green hydrogen standards, certifications and regulations, there remain significant gaps in terms of the readiness of countries worldwide to develop a global renewable hydrogen economy, panellists highlighted during a legal and policy framework session at the 2022 Hydrogen Economy Discussion earlier this week. Standards are critically important to develop a global renewable green hydrogen economy, and international energy standards are necessary to harmonise systems, develop frameworks to comply with laws and technical standards and promote interoperability and the safety of citizens, said delegation of the European Union to South Africa trade policy officer Darryn Allan.
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New Energy Council CEO says unlocking transition-aligned investment is his key focus

Newly appointed Energy Council of South Africa CEO James Mackay says he will prioritise initiatives that will help unlock sustainable energy investments in South Africa, which he describes as being at the start of what will be a challenging multidecade transition. Mackay’s appointment as the council’s inaugural CEO was announced on September 8 and will become effective from October 17.
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JUWI to operate 85 MW solar park in South Africa

Renewable energy group JUWI Renewable Energies has taken over the operations and maintenance (O&M) of the 85 MW De Aar 1 solar farm, which is located 500 km north of the coastal city of Port Elizabeth in South Africa. The solar farm, the third largest under management by JUWI in the Europe, Middle East and Africa (Emea) region, was developed under Bid Window 1 of South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).
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‘Disappointing’ drop in BCI not a signal of protracted recession despite GDP contraction

The RMB/BER Business Confidence Index (BCI) fell from 42 to 39 in the third quarter, with 61% of the 1 200 senior executives surveyed in August unsatisfied with prevailing business conditions. Confidence among retailers and wholesalers remained comparatively high, while a notable improvement in sentiment among new vehicle dealers partly offset a 17-point deterioration in building confidence.
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City of Tshwane cuts power to Pretoria golf estate over R16m debt from illegal power connections

The City of Tshwane has disconnected electricity to more than 400 homes at Copperleaf Golf Estate in Pretoria in a bid to recover more than R16-million debt. The municipality visited the estate on Tuesday and found that numerous homes had bypassed their electricity meters.
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Eskom recovers the R30m it ‘unlawfully’ paid to former CEO Brian Molefe

Power utility Eskom says it has recovered the R30-million it “unlawfully” paid to its pension fund for the benefit of its former CEO Brian Molefe in 2016.  This follows a ruling by the North Gauteng High Court in July, which confirmed that Molefe needed to pay back portion of the pension that had already been paid out to him, about R10-million. 
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Hydrogen key part of green economy, but as part of diversified energy ecosystem

While hydrogen is expected to become a key element of the green economy worldwide, owing to the need to significantly reduce greenhouse-gas emissions to limit climate change within a short space of time, it is expected to be part of a diversified energy ecosystem.  There are applications for hydrogen in many sectors, but the sectors that have historically used hydrogen are expected to lead in its adoption, followed by other critical uses, air and gas handling products company Howden Renewable Hydrogen global market director Salah Mahdy said on September 6. 
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Struggles to implement projects holding back South Africa’s green hydrogen plans

Despite South Africa’s significant potential to become a major global player in green hydrogen production, platinum group metals producer Anglo American Platinum CEO Natascha Viljoen has voiced concern over how the country’s significant social and political challenges are undermining the ability to get hydrogen projects off the ground.  “If we consider everything that is required for us to build capital projects, to have access to land, to deliver on these projects, crime and corruption and our ability generate the skills are concerns,” she said during the second yearly Hydrogen Economy Discussion conference, held in Johannesburg on September 6. 
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