AECI commissions 1 MW solar project at Chem Park factory

JSE-listed chemicals group AECI has installed and commissioned a 1MW solar project at Chem Park, its AECI Chemicals manufacturing site, in Johannesburg. The Chem Park project marks the first stage of a four-phase solar programme approved by the AECI executive committee in 2021, and the company plans to eventually install 14.3 MW solar capacity at selected AECI operating sites in South Africa.
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LHDA marks milestone in Polihali dam construction

The Lesotho Highlands Development Authority (LHDA), consultants and contractors on the Polihali dam have marked an early construction milestone – the diversion of the Senqu river by the pre-cofferdam, and the subsequent diversion of the river into and through the diversion tunnels ahead of the construction of the cofferdam upstream of the Polihali dam wall.  “This is quite an achievement to the engineering fraternity. It is a key moment of the construction programme because unless this happens, no other elements of dam construction can happen. It had to happen now because the timing of it during the winter season without rain was critical.  If you miss it by a week or two, you may miss the entire window by another 12 months.
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Presidency says progress being made to increase grant funding for Just Energy Transition …

The Presidency is exploring several avenues for increasing the grant component in the financing of South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP), following broad-based stakeholder criticism about the limited nature of such funding in the initial $8.5-billion pledge made by various developed countries. The head of the Presidency’s JET-IP project management unit (PMU), Joanne Yawitch, reports that discussions are under way with multilateral funding institutions, philanthropic organisations and developed economy governments about additional grant allocations for JET-IP projects and that the details are currently being finalised.
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Stanlib Asset Management acquires Solareff, GridCars; enables PPAs

Stanlib Asset Management has acquired 51% of Solareff, through its Stanlib Infrastructure Fund II.  Stanlib Asset Management is a local investor in sustainable infrastructure.
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FNB to roll out solar power systems to 100 branches

Financial services provider FNB will install solar power systems at 100 of its branches across the country to prevent downtime during times of loadshedding, while also mitigating the environmental impact of its operations. The initiative will start with branches in Mthatha, in the Eastern Cape; Bethlehem and Phuthaditjhaba, in the Free State; and Zeerust, in the North West. It is part of the bank’s commitment to environmental sustainability and operational resilience.
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DMRE aims to unveil battery storage preferred projects in two months after receiving 17 bids

A total of 17 bids have been received in response to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy’s (DMRE’s) inaugural public procurement for battery energy storage system (BESS) projects. The BESS request for proposals was launched on March 7 with an initial bid submission deadline of July 5, which was subsequently postponed to August 2 as a result of delays to the issuance of cost estimate letters for grid connections.
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Electricity reforms prioritised amid uneven progress

South Africa’s electricity reforms are again being prioritised amid uneven progress. Engineering News editor Terence Creamer unpacks the developments.  
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Standard Bank seeks to access green finance for household renewable power systems

Financial services firm Standard Bank is investigating the use of edge certification frameworks for renewable energy systems in households to enable it to access international green funding that it can then lend on to households to accelerate the rate of installation of renewable energy systems. Accessing sustainability, or green, finances requires certification and there is low penetration of edge certifications in homes older than five years, which makes it difficult for the bank to provide the required assurances to access green finances for household projects, says Standard Bank homeowners’ advice and services platform LookSee executive head Marc du Plessis.
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Firm invests in ‘greener’ solutions for sustainable future

JSE-registered real estate investment trust (REIT) Liberty Two Degrees (L2D) is beefing up its electricity generation supply to meet its environment, social and governance (ESG) targets. L2D development executive Melinda Isaacs says the company – which specialises in rental property in the retail, hotel and office space, with a portfolio valued at over R10-billion – is focusing on sustainability projects that have a good return on investment and will reduce operational expenditure.
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Market hindered by interest rates, economic stagnation

The commercial property market experienced a 5.6% decline in sales activity in the first quarter of 2023, compared with the same quarter in 2022, owing to numerous factors, including rising interest rates and the oversupply of office space, says property valuations custodian South African Institute of Valuers (SAIV) president Dianne de Wet. “I don’t think we’ve seen the full impact of the interest rate increases as this takes time to filter through and I believe that we may see another interest rate increase soon, even if it’s just a 25-basis point increase. There’s also the risk of the decline in vacancy rates being arrested,” notes De Wet.
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