Ramokgopa says assessment will determine what powers he needs to close 10 GW electricity deficit

Newly-appointed Minister of Electricity, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, reports that he will conduct an assessment over the coming seven to 14 days to help determine what powers he will request President Cyril Ramaphosa to transfer to him to tackle a supply deficit of about 10 000 MW. Ramokgopa’s deficit estimate, which he communicated during an interview on SAfm, is larger than the 4 000 MW to 6 000 MW shortfall previously communicated by Eskom and implies that the energy availability factor of the coal fleet is unlikely to recover as strongly as has been suggested by other government leaders.
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Kgosientso Ramokgopa appointed ‘transitory’ Minister of Electricity as Ramaphosa seeks …

As anticipated, Kgosientso Ramokgopa has been appointed as South Africa’s Minister of Electricity, a position which President Cyril Ramaphosa described as transitory and which has been created specifically to coordinate efforts to tackle the “severity and frequency of loadshedding as a matter of urgency”. “The Minister in the Presidency for Electricity will liaise with other relevant Ministers to ensure coherence in the issuing of directions during the National State of Disaster.
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Loadshedding ramped up to Stage 5 after multiple breakdowns

Following the failure of five generating units on Monday, Stage 5 loadshedding will be implemented from 16:00 until 05:00 on Tuesday, Eskom said. Stage 4 loadshedding will resume from Tuesday morning. 
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NMU, merSETA host solar boat competition to inculcate skills

The Nelson Mandela University (NMU), in collaboration with the Manufacturing, Engineering and Related Services Sector Education and Training Authority (merSETA), recently held the inaugural NMU Solar Boat Competition, in Gqeberha. Technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges and technical high schools participated in the competition. The event exposed learners and students to solar technologies and helped them develop essential skills to design and manufacture a simple solar-powered boat. The goal of the three-hour endurance race was to cover the longest distance in the time limit, with sunlight the only power source allowed for propulsion. The event was also about developing skills and interest in these areas among the youngsters.
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DTIC to act as one-stop shop for streamlining of energy project applications

The Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) has been designated as the “single department” referred to in the recently published State of Disaster (SoD) regulations to coordinate the “streamlining and expediting of applications and decision-making procedures for regulatory processes related to energy generation projects”. The appointment is catered for under Regulation 5(1)(e) and the Presidency’s Rudi Dicks reports that the clause is in line with the National Energy Crisis Committee’s initiative to established a one-stop shop within government specifically to expedite regulatory approvals for electricity projects.
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Nuru receives additional $1.5m for solar PV in the DRC

The Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC’s) first solar photovoltaic (PV) metrogrid developer Nuru has secured an initial $1.5-million from investors in a convertible note round ahead of the close of its Series B funding round. The investment is a bridge to bolster the company’s $25-million Series B equity fundraise, which will be invested by a consortium of international investors at financial close.
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South Africa says rich nations should fund green hydrogen

Rich nations have an obligation to fund South Africa’s development of green hydrogen as part of a global effort to decarbonise, according to the Presidency’s infrastructure chief. The most industrialized nation on the continent that depends on coal to generate 80% of its electricity has plans to attract as much as $250-billion into green hydrogen, an emerging technology used to split water using renewable energy.
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AEP Energy to showcase mobile solar solution at Africa Energy Indaba

Solar park operator and owner AEP Energy will be advancing its global expansion plans at this year’s Africa Energy Indaba (AEI) by showcasing its unique mobile solar container, the MooV Solar. The MooV Solar container boasts a capacity of between 90 kW and 150 kW, depending on the end-user’s requirements, and is fully mobile, making it a cost-effective and instant solution for a range of industries including disaster response, military use, industrial applications, agricultural production and public power suppliers.
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Downsized M&R seeks salvation in mining and renewables after ‘devastating’ period

Murray & Roberts (M&R) CEO Henry Laas has described the group’s loss of control over RUC Cementation Mining Contractors as a consequence of its Australian holding company, or MRPL, having been placed into voluntary administration as a particularly “tragic” consequence of recent “devastating” developments. MRPL and its subsidiaries together with Clough, previously M&R’s largest business unit by far, entered voluntary administration on December 5 after Clough experienced serious funding pressures as a result of factors such as Covid disruptions and a surge in working capital requirements at two key projects, Traveler and Waitsia.
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South Africa must prioritise decarbonisation, as $1.5bn of exports to EU are at risk

South Africa should prioritise its decarbonisation strategy, as it has a carbon intensity much higher than most countries, and $1.5-billion of exports to the European Union (EU) are at risk in the short term. That figure is likely to increase when more products are covered under the EU’s Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), said policy development research institution Trade and Industrial Policies Strategies (TIPS).
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