Global energy demand rose 1% last year and record renewables growth did nothing to shift the dominance of fossil fuels, which still accounted for 82% of supply, the industry’s Statistical Review of World Energy report said on Monday. Last year was marked by turmoil in the energy markets after Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which helped to boost gas and coal prices to record levels in Europe and Asia.
Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa confirmed that the National Energy Crisis Committee (Necom) was considering a public–private partnership model to accelerate the building of the R210-billion-worth of grid infrastructure required to connect new generators to the grid, especially in provinces with potent wind and solar resources. Speaking during his weekly briefing on the implementation of the Energy Action Plan on Sunday, Ramaokgopa stressed that there was no intention of relinquishing State ownership of the grid, and that any arrangements would, thus, need to align with that condition.
Regulator-licensed South African electricity trader Enpower Trading is promoting wheeling and trading over municipal networks as a way of combatting the trend of “off-grid flight”, which poses a threat to electricity income that can contribute more than half of a municipality’s overall revenues. There is a growing demand from independent power producers (IPPs) and traders to transport, or wheel, electricity across both Eskom and municipal networks and such demand is expected to grow in light of reforms that could result in IPPs and traders seeking multiple customers for their surplus generation.
South Africa’s plan to split state power utility Eskom Holdings into three units envisions most of its R439-billion of debt being allocated to the generation business, which used most of the money. About R40-billion of debt will be held by the transmission unit, which is expected to be established this year, and R30-billion by the distribution unit, with the balance going to the generation division, Eskom said.
Remote control solution Schréder ITERRA offers site managers a robust, cost-effective and futureproof platform to run their infrastructure with the utmost flexibility for adapting lighting to any scenario or activity while maximising energy savings and providing the best possible experience for employees, visitors and managers. The solution requires no unnecessary cabling, no programmable logic controller, and is not a complicated commissioning process. Schréder ITERRA is the 100% wireless control system for indoor and outdoor industrial facilities and large areas, the company says, adding that it is based on a Bluetooth mesh network, and it offers a plug-and-play solution able to control all luminaires and floodlights using standard DALI, DALI-2 or 0-10V/1-10V protocols.
Comprehensive energy audits and advanced lithium-ion batteries have enabled renewable energy company Blockpower to ensure a stable and high-quality power supply for The Emerald development, in Gauteng’s Hyde Park, while significantly reducing carbon emissions and promoting environment-conscious development. The company specialises in designing and installing hybrid renewable energy plants.
Eskom has inked a two-year contract with its former chief operating officer Jan Oberholzer to oversee projects at Kusile and Koeberg, members of Parliament’s Standing Committee on Public Accounts (Scopa) heard during a visit to Eskom headquarters Megawatt Park on Wednesday. Oberholzer officially retired in April this year, with the board saying it planned to scrap the position of COO upon his departure. His retirement followed the contentious exit of former chief executive officer André de Ruyter.
South African energy and chemicals group Sasol and Danish decarbonisation technology company Topsoe have formed a 50:50 JV to develop, build, own, and operate drop-in sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) plants globally. The fuels will be produced primarily from non-fossil feedstock – such as green hydrogen, biomass and sustainable sources of carbon dioxide – using Sasol’s Fischer Tropsch and Topsoe technologies, such as its Hydroflex solution to process vegetable oils, waste oils, or fats into HEFA-based SAF.
The Kingdom of the Netherlands and South African State-owned power utility Eskom have signed a letter of intent to collaborate on the development and implementation of just energy transition (JET) initiatives to support job creation and community upliftment around the Grootvlei power station. The initiatives are aimed at increasing job creation, driving economic growth and improving the local environment surrounding the Grootvlei power station as it transitions from coal generation into a renewable energy hub.
The City of Cape Town has secured €100-million (R2-billion) in development finance for infrastructure projects. The loan is to be provided by France’s development bank, Agence Francaise de Developpement (AFD). The bulk of the funding (49%) will be directed to water and sanitation, followed by public transport initiatives called urban mobility (24%) and access to electricity (17%).
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