JSE-listed real estate investment trust Growthpoint Properties will provide verified renewable energy certificates (RECs) to 26 branches of financial services firm Nedbank that use the power Growthpoint’s renewable energy small-scale embedded generator (SSEG) plants generate. The bank will offset its Scope 2 emissions across the branches located in Growthpoint-owned shopping malls and offices in five provinces, which together cover 8 200 m2 of retail space.
Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has scolded South Africa’s coal industry for remaining largely silent during national debates over the country’s energy future, saying its absence has allowed anti-coal sentiment to dominate public discourse. Speaking at a coal industry colloquium hosted by coal advocacy organisation FFF Carbon, in Johannesburg, on November 7, he said the sector had failed to advocate for its continued role in South Africa’s energy mix.
Research and consulting firm PBS Development Consulting has recommended the establishment of a dedicated ‘Just Transition Worker Fund’ to ensure South Africa’s climate transition addresses inequality, employment precarity and uneven municipal capacity. Speaking at the Just Transition Labour Centre’s (JTLC’s) inaugural Annual Policy Conference, in Sandton, on November 6, PBS researcher Mamokete Modiba said the fund should enable differentiated access across stakeholders and municipalities, particularly those in rural areas that are less resourced than metropolitan counterparts.
Battery systems are now playing a key role in helping industries manage tariff pressures and ensure continuity of operations, says solar and storage solutions provider RenEnergy Africa business development head Juandre Pitout. He says battery energy storage systems (BESSs) are fast becoming a practical tool for South African businesses aiming to lower energy costs and bolster power security.
The growth of renewable energy and large-scale battery energy storage systems (BESSs) across Africa is accelerating, but it also introduces new safety challenges that demand advanced fire protection, warns fire engineering company ASP Fire CEO Michael van Niekerk. The company is helping to address this gap through its partnership with Pyro Brand, which distributes the German-developed PyroBubbles technology in South Africa.
The decreasing cost of solar infrastructure is driving a rapid shift in how South African businesses approach their energy needs, with renewable energy becoming a central part of strategies to counter loadshedding and rising electricity tariffs. Engineering consultancy SRK Consulting South Africa MD Andrew van Zyl says the affordability of solar power is reshaping the local energy mix and helping companies reduce their exposure to grid disruptions and escalating costs. He adds that the integration of battery energy storage systems (BESS) is further strengthening the value of renewables by allowing businesses to use stored energy when it is most needed.
South Africa’s energy narrative is evolving. Where it was once focused on deploying new renewable power plants to address generation deficits, the conversation has now shifted toward flexibility, the ability to store, shift and dispatch electricity when and where it is needed most, says Pele Green Energy (PGE) GM Nicolas Lecomte. “As renewable-energy capacity grows across the country, maintaining grid stability despite intermittency has become essential. With South Africa moving toward a more decentralised and decarbonised energy system, battery energy storage systems (BESSes), particularly those using lithium-ion technology, are emerging as one of the most critical enablers of this new era.”
Battery energy storage systems (BESSs) are becoming a key part of Africa’s transition to renewable energy, as it helps make the power grid more stable, flexible and secure across a continent that is still facing infrastructure and policy challenges, says renewable-energy company Enel Green Power. Battery systems are vital for connecting renewable sources, such as solar and wind, to national grids, with BESS technology providing the balancing power needed for renewables to meet increased electricity demand, without affecting grid reliability.
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) registered 181 generation facilities during the second quarter (July to September) of the 2025/26 financial year. These facilities boast a total capacity of 1 401 MW and an estimated investment value of R30.78-billion, Nersa points out in a statement.
Following consultations with the Department of Energy and Electricity (DEE) on an initiative to procure new grid infrastructure from private consortiums, local Industry has again urged government to specify minimum percentages of locally sourced products and services for the upcoming procurement of Independent Transmission Projects (ITPs). In a joint statement, the Steel and Engineering Industries Federation of Southern Africa, the Power Line Association of South Africa and the Manufacturing Circle highlighted that the country’s existing transmission infrastructure had been delivered by local contractors and manufacturers, and that this capability remained largely intact.
INDUSTRY NEWS
- Growthpoint to provide renewable energy certificates for 26 Nedbank branches that are using its …November 7, 2025 - 4:04 pm
- Ramokgopa chides coal industry for its silence in energy debateNovember 7, 2025 - 3:04 pm
- Consultancy calls for creation of ‘Just Transition Worker Fund’ to address climate-linked …November 7, 2025 - 3:04 pm
WHERE TO FIND US
Address
9 Yellow Street
Botshabelo Industrial Area
Botshabelo, Free State
Call / Email Us
Tel: +27 (0) 61 956 6772
Email: info@transfix.co.za
