As Africa faces growing climate threats – from droughts and floods to rising temperatures – the continent’s infrastructure must become more resilient. Consulting engineering company Alpenglow Consulting says consulting firms are now critical actors in designing projects that not only withstand these challenges but also help communities adapt and thrive. Innovative design, data-driven climate modelling and collaboration with financiers and governments are the means through which consulting firms are embedding climate resilience at every stage of infrastructure development, says Alpenglow Consulting consultant Mbamwabi Chilembo.
Black wattle trees, an invasive species, outcompete native plant species, thereby reducing biodiversity and significantly impacting on water resources, which is why Eastern-Cape-based wildlife reserve Lalibela approached the Coega Biomass Centre (CBC) for a mutually-beneficial solution. Black wattle, Acacia mearnsii, is an invasive species that arrived in South Africa from Australasia. A single adult tree can absorb up to 40 ℓ/d of underground water, and the plants spread rapidly. According to the National Environmental Management Biodiversity and the Alien and Invasive Species Regulations, landowners are legally required to manage these species.
The World Bank Group and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) have agreed to collaborate on supporting the safe, secure and responsible use of nuclear energy in developing countries. The partnership agreement, signed by World Bank Group president Ajay Banga and IAEA director-general Rafael Mariano Grossi, formalises multiple engagements between the two institutions over the last year, and marks the World Bank Group’s first concrete step to reengage with nuclear power in decades.
Cabinet has approved export controls and an electricity incentive for South Africa’s ferrochrome industry after receiving an update on the socioeconomic impact of the continued decline of the industry. At its meeting on Wednesday, Cabinet gave the Department of Electricity and Energy the go-ahead to finalise a government-industry agreement for an electricity tariff realignment in support of the ferrochrome sector.
Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has again rebuffed allegations of a conflict of interest in the selection of independent power producer (IPP) Mulilo as a preferred bidder during the recent public procurement of battery energy storage systems (BESS) at pre-selected substation sites. Besides defending the integrity of the BESS procurement process overseen by the IPP Office during a nearly four-hour meeting of the Portfolio Committee on Electricity and Energy on June 26, the Minister also responded to questions posed by members of Parliament from the uMkhonto weSizwe Party and Economic Freedom Fighters during a plenary session in the National Assembly later that afternoon.
Global emissions from energy grew 1% to a record 40.8 Gt of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) in 2024 as total energy demand rose 2% to a new high of 592 exajoules (EJ), the latest ‘Statistical Review of World Energy’ shows. Produced for the second time by the Energy Institute, in collaboration with Kearney and KPMG, the review marked its seventy-fourth edition, having been produced until 2023 by energy group BP.
South Africa needs to move fast on renewables, get its gas infrastructure ready, scale up storage and clear the grid connection backlog to keep the lights on and meet climate goals. If it gets these elements right, South Africa can move closer to realising its vision of a modern, resilient and affordable power system, says financial advisory services company Cresco and financial services firm Standard Bank Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB) in their June 2025 ‘Energy Market Projections’ report.
Wind power was a very appropriate renewable energy technology for South Africa, G7 Renewable Energies CEO Dr Kilian Hagemann told Engineering News, in an exclusive interview at the recent Africa Energy Forum, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. In fact, he noted, a decade ago, there was more wind energy capacity entering the South African market than solar energy capacity. However, since then, the amount of solar energy capacity had greatly increased, creating a more balanced situation. This was because the barriers to entry into the local market were higher for wind than for solar.
Africa added more than 4.5 GW new hydropower capacity in 2024, up from 2 GW in 2023, and hydropower now accounts for 20% of the continent’s total electricity generation, industry organisation the International Hydropower Association (IHA) says. According to its ‘2025 World Hydropower Outlook’, the capacity added in 2024 more than doubles the development of the preceding three years.
The Johannesburg-based Solareff group last week cut the ribbon on its new off-grid, 720 m2 regional office and warehouse in Cape Town. Chief commercial officer DeVilliers Botha says the engineered solar PV and battery energy storage solutions (BESS) group had only two Cape Town employees four years ago, with this number now at 22.
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