100 MW of OCGT power to be available in Gauteng by April – Lesufi

Johannesburg power utility City Power would, on behalf of the Gauteng government, add 100 MW of electricity capacity to the grid to assist the Gauteng province in its goal to reduce the impact of loadshedding on residents. The 100 MW would be generated using open-cycle gas turbine technology and this would later be expanded to 300 MW, Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi said in his State of the Province Address on February 19.
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HotBot geyser devices deliver energy savings, lower power surges to grid

Since launching its HotBot devices for smart geyser management in 2020, energy solutions developer Plentify has recorded considerable energy savings across its user base, as well as lower demand surges to the grid following loadshedding. Fifteen years since State-owned power utility Eskom started implementing loadshedding, the scheduled power cuts are still wreaking havoc on the economy, including through impacts on power infrastructure and household finances. However, tools such as HotBots help to address some of these issues, says Plentify.
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Eskom urges public not to build structures below high-voltage powerlines

State-owned utility Eskom has noticed an escalation in homes and other structures being built within power line servitudes, which is the land below and adjacent to a power line. “This is not only against Eskom regulations but also poses a number of safety risks. We therefore appeal to the public to stop doing this,” Eskom has emphasised in a statement.
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Climate Change Response Fund to channel resources to adaptation, early-warning systems – Creecy

Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy reports that the Climate Change Response Fund announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa in his State of the Nation Address (SoNA) has been established to support the development of early-warning systems, as well as for adaptation projects to improve the climate resiliency of infrastructure amid the growing threats posed by extreme weather events. Addressing the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) in Johannesburg, Creecy said that there was also potential to use the fund as a “channel” for financial resources that could be made available to developing countries following the recent operationalisation of a loss and damage fund.
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Loadshedding to reduce to Stage 2 from 10:00 on Friday

Eskom has announced that it will be reducing loadshedding to Stage 2 from 10:00 on Friday, following the return of additional generating units. The utility says emergency reserves are also adequate and it expects lower electricity demand.
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Pipeline progress enhances Southern Africa’s energy market, capacity

Gas is a key enabler for economic growth and social development in the Southern Africa region, and a cleaner alternative to fossil fuels, says joint venture (JV) Republic of Mozambique Pipeline Investments Company (Rompco) CEO Mlandzeni Boyce, who underscores the importance of gas as a “transitional bridge between coal and renewable-energy sources”. Established as a JV between the governments of South Africa – represented by the South African Gas Development Company (iGas) – and Mozambique, represented by Companhia Moçambicana de Gasoduto (CMG), along with integrated energy and chemical company Sasol, Rompco plays a strategic role in connecting Mozambique’s rich gasfields with South Africa’s energy market.
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Event aims to catalyse change, progress in next decade

With a focus on long-term sustainable development and innovation, African energy sector-focused event Africa Energy Indaba (AEI) aims to catalyse change and progress over the next decade. The 2024 iteration of this event will be a “prime example” of this ongoing event’s relevance to the industry, says event organiser Siyenza Management MD Liz Hart, who says the event “reflects a comprehensive strategy designed to address both immediate and future energy challenges while aligning with broader goals of environmental conservation and economic empowerment”.
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Solutions provider offers financing model for solar

Solar solutions provider Candi Solar is offering a financing model to companies who cannot afford the commonly significant upfront expenditure for solar energy installations. The initiative addresses a pressing need in the South African market, where conventional financial instruments fail to effectively address more than 90% of companies, says co-founder and FD Fabio Eucalipto. He adds that it is “a gap that Candi Solar is eager to bridge”.
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Solar not to blame for recent Stage 6 loadshedding – SAPVIA

Industry organisation the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) has moved to factually dispute Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa’s recent statement that “nonperforming renewables” were the cause of Stage 6 loadshedding having been implemented late last week. SAPVIA CEO Dr Rethabile Melamu said the Minister’s comments at the weekend misrepresented the role that renewable energy, and in particular solar PV, had to play in the nation’s energy mix.
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Former IPP Office head now sees definite role for private sector in grid development

The former head of South Africa’s Independent Power Producer (IPP) Office, Karen Breytenbach, believes there is a compelling case for the injection of private sector investment to accelerate the roll-out of new electricity grid infrastructure, as has been proposed by Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. She cautions, however, that significant consultation is still required to ensure that any institutional and regulatory frameworks developed to support such investment is sensitive to the risk posed by the natural-monopoly character of such infrastructure, as well as the commercial realities of funders and potential investors.  
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