Musina-Makhado SEZ, USAID to launch a renewable energy strategy

Limpopo’s proposed mega-industrial complex the Musina-Makhado Special Economic Zone (SEZ) will, in partnership with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), launch a Renewable Energy Strategy in March. The strategy would serve as a blueprint to guide investments in the province’s energy cluster, while promoting sustainable development, Limpopo Premier Stanley Chupu Mathabatha noted during his State of the Province Address on February 23.
/by

LED lighting solution for university auditorium

Lighting manufacturer BEKA Schréder has supplied the light-emitting diode (LED) lighting solution for the new auditorium at the Ga-Rankuwa Campus of tertiary institute Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), located in Pretoria in Gauteng. TUT is the largest contact university in South Africa, providing quality education to more than 60 000 students every year. The university has seven faculties and nine campuses.
/by

Solar fitting illuminates loadshedding shadows

Ongoing loadshedding has put significant pressure on the South African building industry, as productivity can be affected if companies do not have backup power or reliable alternative lighting solutions. It also causes significant damage to electrical products, resulting in them failing unexpectedly and prematurely.
/by

Mavuso, Ackerman question efficacy of ‘Mafia State’ to turn the economy around

Realistically, South Africa will not see meaningful gross domestic product (GDP) growth within the next five years, Citadel Investment Services advisory partner and chief economist Maarten Ackerman has said. He spoke alongside Business Leadership South Africa CEO Busi Mavuso during a post-budget event hosted by auditors KPMG on February 23.
/by

CEF hits out at De Ruyter for ‘wild allegations’ about Russian involvement in SA gas power plans

The Central Energy Fund (CEF) has lashed out at former Eskom CEO André de Ruyter for speculating that Russia could be involved in its plans to take over soon-to-be-decommissioned plants and turn them into gas power stations. The CEF said it was “unfortunate” that it was put in a position where it had to respond to De Ruyter’s allegations.  
/by

Moves under way to appoint acting Eskom CEO, as De Ruyter’s interview sends shockwaves

The South African government reports that an acting Eskom CEO will be appointed “in due course” following the sudden departure of CEO André de Ruyter. De Ruyter’s exit more than a month before his expected departure of March 31 was confirmed hours after the airing of an explosive television interview in which he offered startling details about high levels of criminality at the utility and also indicated that a high-ranking “politician” was directly involved in corruption at Eskom.
/by

Investments in renewables reaches record, but inequitable high

Global investment in energy transition technologies – including energy efficiency technologies – reached $1.3-trillion in 2022, a new report ‘Global Landscape of Renewable Energy Finance 2023’, published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) and Climate Policy Initiative (CPI), shows. The investment was a new record high, up 19% from 2021 investment levels and 50% higher compared with investment before the pandemic in 2019.
/by

TotalEnergies, Sasol, Air Liquide sign CPPA for renewable energy developments

Energy company TotalEnergies has signed corporate power purchase agreements (CPPA) with Sasol South Africa and Air Liquide Large Industries South Africa for the supply of 260 MW of renewable electricity over 20 years. TotalEnergies will develop a 120 MW solar plant and a 140 MW wind farm in the Western Cape province to supply about 850 GWh/y of green electricity to the Sasol’s Secunda site.
/by

De Ruyter to leave Eskom with immediate effect

Andre de Ruyter, the chief executive of South Africa’s State power utility Eskom, will leave the company with immediate effect, Eskom said on Wednesday. Eskom said in a statement that the decision was taken following a special meeting between the company’s board and de Ruyter.
/by

Godongwana announces R254bn Eskom debt-relief package, with terms and conditions

Engineering News editor Terence Creamer gives an overview of the 2023 Budget delivered by Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana, including the announcement of a R254-billion Eskom debt-relief package and the conditions that apply to that package; the assumption that it would only work in tandem with tariff hikes and the user-pays principle being honoured; and the announcement of renewables tax incentives and loan support for small firms.
/by