Offshore wind energy offers value to energy mix

Offshore wind energy has significant potential to provide a consistent source of renewable energy and create jobs in South Africa. While there are challenges to overcome, such as grid upgrades and maintenance costs, the benefits of offshore wind make it a promising solution to the country’s energy needs, says energy consultant Harmattan Renewables director Chanda Nxumalo. She explains that the World Bank estimates that there are about 49 GW of potential for fixed offshore turbines and about 852 GW of potential for floating turbines. This translates to about 900 GW of potential energy capacity.
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Windaba focuses on wind energy sector impact

The twelfth edition of Windaba, hosted by the South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA), will focus on the impact of wind energy, its role in the energy mix, and related industry and energy challenges. The event will be held from October 3 to 5 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. “We’ve established a track record in South Africa and proven that the technology works. Now we will be focused on impact,” says SAWEA CEO Niveshen Govender, commenting on the theme of this year’s Windaba: Beyond the Turbines.
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Supplemental solutions beneficial

Temporary power generation supplier Aggreko, an official sponsor at this year’s Manufacturing Indaba being held at the Sandton Convention Centre, in October, states that climate change is a hot topic in today’s world – and for good reason. With the last decade reported as the warmest on record, climate change is beginning to affect the manufacturing industry “in a big way”.
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Energy transition creating waves in local automotive sector

With the global energy transition sparking a need for participants in the South African automotive industry to reconsider business models to ensure sustainability, advisory firm KPMG is assisting clients in the sector to better grasp the impact of the transition. The company is helping clients draft strategies for holistically tackling the transition, owing to some not having a complete understanding of its impact across the entire automotive ecosystem, says KPMG automotive sector lead Dex Machida.
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SA’s wind-energy potential is vast and not geographically constrained

Despite no wind energy projects being selected as preferred bidders in the sixth bid window (BW6) of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), the South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) says there is significant untapped wind potential in South Africa, with viable wind resources even being identified in areas previously not considered a first choice for wind energy project development. No wind projects were selected in BW6, owing to grid capacity in the traditional wind-resource-rich regions of the country having been accounted for as of 2022.
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South Africa needs to look internally before going global on hydrogen

As South Africa progresses its hydrogen strategies and plans as a means to mitigate climate change and to bolster security of energy supply, the country needs to look internally before embarking on global outflows. Speaking at the Hydrogen Africa conference, held in Johannesburg from September 27 to 29, Richards Bay Industrial Development Zone Company COO Muze Shange said that amid the conversations surrounding hydrogen developments and exports is the need for focus around South Africa’s own needs and its own demands.
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Small set of common ESG standards should govern access to capital for critical minerals …

BHP CEO Mike Henry has called for a “small set of common standards” covering environmental, social, and governance (ESG) to underpin the access to capital required to unlock investment in the critical minerals needed for the transition to electric vehicles and renewable energy generation. Speaking at the International Energy Agency’s (IEA’s) inaugural critical minerals summit in Paris, France, Henry argued that there were currently too many standards for the same ESG dimensions.
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Vodacom to complete Midrand campus solar PV installation by year-end

African connectivity, digital and financial services company, Vodacom is on track to finalise the transformation of its Midrand campus, in Gauteng, into a 10.5 gigawatt-hours-a-year grid-based solar photovoltaic plant by December, about five months ahead of schedule. Tracy Hancock tells us more.
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Schneider rejoins GBSA to advance low-emissions office buildings

Automation and energy management company Schneider Electric has rejoined the Green Building Council of South Africa (GBSA).

The company says the move confirms its commitment to promoting and enabling sustainable practices in the local building industry.

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Eskom aiming not to breach Stage 4 loadshedding this summer

Eskom is aiming to limit loadshedding to Stage 4 during the summer months to the end of March by restricting unplanned breakdowns to 14 500 MW during what is also its high-maintenance season, when planned outages of about 7 000 MW will be implemented. Interim CEO Calib Cassim indicates that the addition of 2 880 MW from the Kusile power stations will be critical for narrowing the prevailing supply/demand gap in the coming months and providing the space required for maintenance.
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