Political interference undermining South Africa’s coal potential – Prevost

South Africa has the potential to be the strongest producer, user and exporter of coal on the continent, but political interference prevents this from happening, XMP Consulting senior coal analyst Xavier Prevost has said. “We are actually not fulfilling our role the way we should and the reason why is simply because we are blocked by politicians that think they’re doing what’s best, but they’re not,” he told delegates at nonprofit organisation FFF Carbon’s 2024 Middelburg Coal Conference, in Mpumalanga, on October 17.
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Scatec making final preparations for construction of R3bn Northern Cape battery project

Renewable-energy group Scatec says it is making final preparations to start construction of the R3-billion Mogobe battery energy storage system (BESS) project, which reached financial close on October 16. The 103 MW/412 MWh project is located near Kathu, in the Northern Cape, and has been awarded a 15-year power purchase agreement under South Africa’s inaugural Battery Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme bid window.
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German energy expert says energy transition a mistake

Transitioning to wind and solar is probably one of the greatest mistakes that humanity has ever made, German commodity trading company HMS Bergbau president Dr Lars Schernikau said at nonprofit organisation FFF Carbon’s 2024 Middelburg Coal Conference in Mpumalanga, on October 17. “It’s a very uncomfortable and unpopular thing to say,” he admitted, highlighting numerous often ignored challenges posed by the ongoing energy transition.
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Menar MD pushes back on request to lower prices

Coal and manganese mining group Menar MD Vuslat Bayoğlu has pushed back on a request by Energy and Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s special adviser Silas Zimu for domestic coal suppliers to State-owned utility Eskom to lower their prices for the next three years in order for the utility to decrease the tariff increases it has applied for. Speaking at nonprofit organisation FFF Carbon’s 2024 Middelburg Coal Conference in Mpumalanga, on October 17, Bayoğlu acknowledged that there was a need for affordable electricity, but said it was impossible for miners to lower coal prices owing to stringent and expensive new mining safety requirements.
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