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PVInsight tests its 20 000th solar PV module

Consider a large solar photovoltaic (PV) plant with 300 000 PV modules or panels as they are commonly called. How do you know whether they meet the quality or power output standards specified by the manufacturer? You will need to test 300 to 500 of them on a plant of this size, preferably before installation or on site if they are already installed. With solar PV being one of South Africa’s fastest growing industries, it is essential to independently test the quality, performance and durability of a sample of modules at every plant. The size of the sample is determined by the size of the plant according to specific standards.
July 4, 2023 by

Eskom starts prepaid electricity meter update 10 years after finding out they will go dark in 2024

Eskom recently announced that it will be starting a national rollout to update the 6.6-million prepaid electricity meters under its control before they become non-operational on 24 November 2024. The utility has known about the issue for more than 10 years, according to Don Taylor, the inventor of the first prepaid electricity meter, who is heading up the rollover project for the Standard Transfer Specification Association (STSA).
July 3, 2023 by

South Africa can’t afford to kick grid investment can down the road – Ramokgopa

Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa argues that South Africa should give urgent attention to the strengthening and expansion of the transmission grid to avoid any further extension of the prevailing loadshedding crisis, which he says has its genesis largely in the failure of government to respond timeously to the need to add new generation capacity. “We can’t kick the can down the road in a similar manner as we did with generation,” Ramokgopa said of transmission grid investment during his weekly briefing on the implementation of the Energy Action Plan.
July 2, 2023 by

Loadshedding suspended (briefly) on Friday night – then it’s Stage 3 at peak hours

Stage 3 loadshedding will be implemented from 16:00 on Friday until midnight. After that, it will be suspended until 16:00 on Saturday.  Stage 3 loadshedding will then be implemented again over the evening peak from 16:00 until midnight. This pattern will be repeated until further notice, Eskom said. Breakdowns have reduced to 14 374 MW of generating capacity, while the capacity out of service for planned maintenance has been boosted to 5 003 MW.
June 30, 2023 by

South Africa needs to deal with ‘energy poverty’ – Mantashe

South Africa must balance the need to cut emissions with increasing electricity access and developing its natural resources, according to the nation’s energy minister. “We can’t be only about decarbonisation,” Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy Gwede Mantashe said in a televised speech in Johannesburg on Friday. “We must deal with energy poverty.”
June 30, 2023 by

BYD announces launch Atto 3 EV in South Africa

Chinese electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Build Your Dreams (BYD) has officially launched its battery-powered Atto 3 crossover model EV in the South African market. At a launch event in Melrose Arch on June 29, BYD confirmed that the standard and extended Atto 3 ranges would be sold at a five-year, 100 000 km warranty and service plan.
June 30, 2023 by

Scatec’s 273 MW Grootfontein projects become first BW5 solar projects to reach financial close

Three solar photovoltaic (PV) projects bid under the much-delayed fifth bid window (BW5) of South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), which was implemented in 2021, have advanced to financial close. The Grootfontein projects, which are being developed by Scatec of Norway, have a combined capacity of 273 MW and a combined investment value of R5.1-billion.
June 30, 2023 by

Loadshedding pushes demand for battery electric storage

Amid an ongoing energy crisis and a global transition towards renewable energy, a significant need for battery energy storage systems (BESSs) has emerged in South Africa as a potential solution to help ease grid constraints. “Consequently, loadshedding has sparked an uptake in demand for BESS in the commercial, industrial, residential and large utility sectors,” says energy management and automation company Schneider Electric cluster automation director Dwibin Thomas.
June 30, 2023 by

Company embarks on BESS projects, encourages renewables deployment

Global engineering, procurement and operation company USP&E is providing various battery energy storage systems (BESSs) for South Africa to address rolling blackouts amid local energy constraints and an increasing need for renewable-energy deployment. The projects entail deploying advanced battery technologies, coupled with solar and wind power installations, to capture and store excess energy during peak generation periods, and release energy during high-demand periods or when renewable-energy sources are unavailable.
June 30, 2023 by