After two successful webinars that unpacked the use of air-cooled condensers (ACC) for recoverable energy in power generation, thermal solutions specialist Industrial Water Cooling (IWC) aims to address future clients and investors at this year’s Enlit Africa 2024, which will be held at the Cape Town International Convention Centre from May 21 to 23. According to IWC the ACC technology, incorporating partial evaporative cooling, can play a transformative role in harnessing recoverable energy and using it for power generation.
Of the 103 countries that in 2020 pledged to reduce global carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane emissions by at least 30%, 54 are African, says global technology giant Siemens South Africa CEO sub-Saharan Africa Sabine Dall’Omo. These countries have agreed to implement Nationally Determined Contributions and national adaptation plans underscoring their commitment to combating climate change.
With a surge in the adoption of residential and commercial solar power generation, global professional services firm Aon South Africa highlights that the expansion of the solar industry comes with considerable risks and challenges. Aon asserts that any solar installation poses a potential fire risk and emphasises the importance of ensuring that there is sufficient spacing from any combustible storage and roof underlay material, which must be confirmed as non-combustible. The firm adds that cabling should also be fire-resistant and located away from critical components where possible. The location of an installation is also crucial to allow fire brigades quick and safe access to the panels, ensuring that hydrant water pressure can reach the panels, especially when mounted on structures such as a roof.
The deadline for South Africa’s recently launched third battery energy storage bidding round, or bid window three (BW3), has been extended by three months to October 31, following a recent deadline extension for the concurrent second battery bidding round from April 30 to June 6. Independent Power Producer Office head Bernard Magoro indicated during a Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (BESIPPPP) briefing that the BW3 extension had been granted on May 8, following requests from prospective bidders and amid ongoing congestion in securing grid-access cost estimate letters (CELs) from Eskom.
The current loadshedding reprieve is not a result of excessive diesel burning to pacify voters but rather a consequence of government and business coming together to made headway in solving South Africa’s electricity crisis, Energy Council of South Africa (ECSA) CEO James Mackay has said. Sceptical South Africans have been speculating that the weeks-long halt in loadshedding was a ploy by the ruling party to obtain more votes ahead of the May 20 national elections.
Clean and renewable energy solutions company Ener-G-Africa (EGA) on Thursday officially opened its new biomass stove and cookware manufacturing facility, in the Western Cape province town of Paarl. The factory will produce two different types of stoves, and two different ranges of cooking pots. “Our factory is a stainless steel factory, using only South African manufactured stainless steel, which is world-class,” highlights EGA business development manager Dave Lello. “We have equipped it with the latest technology machines, including a fibre laser cutter, a range of presses, bending machines, and polishing machines, among others.”
A total of 432 Cape Town households have applied to earn cash from selling their excess solar power to the city. These applications will now be assessed to determine their eligibility.
South Africa will provide a new timeline for the shutdown of coal-fired power plants in a bid to secure about $2.5-billion in climate finance, an agency in President Cyril Ramaphosa’s office said. The timetable to be proposed to the Climate Investment Funds in June aims to ensure the country remains on track to obtain funding under the so-called Just Energy Transition Partnership — a $9.3-billion pact with some of the world’s richest nations. Under the agreement, first announced in 2021, South Africa will receive the assistance on condition it cuts its dependence on coal, which accounts for four-fifths of the nation’s electricity output. Early last year, South Africa told its partners in the pact it planned to delay the planned shutdown of coal-fired plants — 14 of which are operated by state utility Eskom — to address record electricity outages. The authorities didn’t set new closure dates. “What we are presenting to the CIF is an adjustment to the decommissioning plan linked to an emissions target that we have to achieve,” said Neil Cole, a finance manager at the Project Management Unit, which is overseeing the JETP for South Africa, within the presidency.
Growth in solar and wind power pushed renewable generation to a record 30% of global electricity production in 2023, putting a global target to triple renewable capacity by 2030 within sight, a report by think tank Ember said. Cutting fossil fuel use and emissions in the power sector is seen as vital to meeting global climate targets. More than 100 countries at the COP28 climate summit in Dubai last year agreed to triple renewable energy capacity by 2030.
The Milken Institute and the Motsepe Foundation have announced Aftrak and Omnivat as winners of the Milken-Motsepe Prize in Green Energy – a $2-million innovation competition to reward entrepreneurs working to expand access to reliable, affordable and sustainable offgrid electricity in Africa. Aftrak, an initiative based out of the UK and Malawi, was awarded the $1-million grand prize for its easily assembled solar microgrid and custom-designed tractors, which have tripled agricultural yield, increased farmer incomes and provided electricity to remote communities.
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