Eskom to hit CO2 targets despite coal plant extension, CEO says

South Africa’s state power company Eskom will meet its target to reduce carbon emissions by 71-million metric tons a year by the end of the decade, its new CEO said on Friday, despite scrapping plans to retire six coal-fired power stations by then. But CEO Dan Marokane said Eskom’s immediate priority was bringing an end to the power blackouts that have devastated the economy of Africa’s most industrialised nation over the past few years.
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Hudaco’s interim performance hampered by suspended loadshedding

Diversified consumer and engineering products group Hudaco has faced a challenging start to the 2024 financial year, with the reduction in loadshedding negatively impacting on some of its alternative energy businesses, resulting in an overall lacklustre set of interim results. “It’s been a rather challenging six months for us, I think for most of South African business. There was reduced loadshedding, but we have an up and down factor in that, when there is loadshedding, we have some businesses that tend to perform well, but when there’s no loadshedding, that business kind of falls away,” Hudaco CEO Graham Dunford said at the release of Hudaco’s interim results for the six months ended May 31.
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The future of Operation Vulindlela

Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses the issues tackled during Phase 1 of Operation Vulindlela and the successes achieved thus far; the likelihood of Operation Vulindlela continuing as programme of action under the new government of national unity; and what could be on the agenda during Phase 2.
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Event to highlight key African projects

The upcoming African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energy 2024 conference will focus on critical industry issues and investment opportunities in Africa’s energy sector, including discussion on key energy projects and Africa’s burgeoning green hydrogen industry. The conference will be held from November 4 to 8 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre in Cape Town.
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System converts LPG to hydrogen

Hydrogen-focused startup HYENA has successfully developed a process to convert liquid petroleum gas (LPG) into clean electricity using its innovative POWER POD system at its new development facility in Cape Town.   “We’re revolutionising clean energy by converting LPG into electricity with our innovative POWER POD system,” says HYENA CEO Niels Luchters.
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Government interventions key for hydrogen development

Green hydrogen is hailed as critical for a low-carbon energy future, with Africa well-positioned to be a key player in this sector. However, realising the continent’s potential requires African governments’ intervention to derisk and encourage investments, according to global law firm A&O Shearman. The A&O Shearman team, comprising Africa group head and partner Tim Scales, energy and infrastructure partner Antoine Haddad, energy and infrastructure partner and project finance specialist Alessandra Pardini, London-based projects, energy, natural resources and infrastructure partner Troy Edwards and Johannesburg-based projects, energy, natural resources and infrastructure partner Alexandra Clüver, state that notable projects in Morocco, which could capture up to 10% of the global market, and initiatives in Mauritania, Djibouti, Namibia and South Africa, showcase Africa’s potential as a future global hub for green hydrogen production.
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