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Unlocking grid immediately through curtailment a priority, Cassim confirms

Eskom interim CEO Calib Cassim has described unlocking grid connection capacity, using curtailment, as an urgent priority while Eskom and other stakeholders assess funding options to expand the transmission network. Speaking at a climate conference in Johannesburg, Cassim reported that discussions were under way on how to ensure that more renewable-energy independent power producers (IPPs) were connected to the grid ahead of the large-scale grid-related investment that was being planned.
October 18, 2023 by

Energy crisis being addressed, but implementation is slow, admits DMRE DG

One of the biggest positive developments over the last 12 months has been the “convergence of ideas on what we need to do to resolve the energy crisis”, says Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) director-general (DG) Jacob Mbele. “We come from a period where people were pushing for certain technologies, but there is now almost general consensus around the fact that we first have to fix what we have to ensure that we have energy security.”
October 18, 2023 by

Mantashe seeks to extend the life of Eskom’s coal-fired power stations

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has called on the private sector to “please and come talk to us” if they have any ideas on extending the life of South Africa’s fleet of coal-fired power stations. “There are many that have been earmarked for decommissioning because they are near the end of their life, but there is a view that is growing in Cabinet that many of them must have their life extended.”
October 18, 2023 by

South Africa should not be pushed into a corner on just energy transition funding – Eskom, SANEDI

While any funding of South Africa’s embattled energy sector is welcome, South Africa should not “be pushed into a corner” on how this money should be spent, says South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) CEO Dr Zwanani Titus Mathe. “South Africa should not be dictated to on what technologies should be considered. Of source we should consider renewables…but the negative impact may be that we may be told to use this money only for solar or wind, and not for clean coal [projects].
October 18, 2023 by

Africa not a major player in solar energy – yet

All the critical minerals necessary for all renewable and battery energy technologies are found in Africa, highlighted consultancy and data company Rystad Energy senior partner and head of analysis Per Magnus Nysveen. He was addressing the Critical Minerals Africa conference, at the Cape Town International Convention Centre on Tuesday. Nysveen defined renewable energy as encompassing geothermal as well as solar and wind power. Batteries were also low carbon energy sources and included both mobile (vehicle) and stationary applications.
October 17, 2023 by

Experts highlight the potential of recoverable energy power generation

Significant additional clean electricity can be generated economically by combining dry and wet cooling technologies at power plants, Industrial Water Cooling (IWC) consulting and research and development manager Dr Hanno Reuter, who is also an extraordinary professor at Stellenbosch University, has said. In a webinar discussion hosted by Creamer Media on October 11, he noted that the combination of recoverable, renewable and conventional energy power generation was a good solution for the power generation industry worldwide.
October 17, 2023 by

Nedbank concludes R2.1bn bond to fund private renewable energy projects

Financial services firm Nedbank has concluded a R2.1-billion Green Private Power Tier 2 Bond, listed on the sustainability segment of the JSE, with the proceeds to focus on notionally funding private renewable energy projects in South Africa. Private renewable energy power projects refer to commercial and utility-scale renewable energy projects with private corporate offtakers. These projects will play a pivotal role in advancing renewable energy capacity, accelerating the transition to a low-carbon economy and lending support to the underlying corporates’ own sustainability objectives.
October 17, 2023 by