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Sakeliga threatens litigation if Eskom cuts Tshwane metro’s electricity

Business community Sakeliga has sent a letter of demand to State-owned Eskom, indicating that any attempt to cut the supply of electricity to the Tshwane metro will lead to urgent litigation.    Sakeliga’s letter follows repeated threats made since August 23 by Eskom that the beleaguered utility might cut all electricity supply to Tshwane because of the metropolitan municipality’s overdue debt of R1.6-billion. This would include cutting electricity provision to those businesses and residents who dutifully pay their utility bills every month.   Sakeliga said on September 2 that, while it supports legal and rational debt recovery by Eskom, it does not condone such wholesale threats that are both illegal and irrational. 
September 2, 2022 by

Virginia gas project Phase 1 reaches completion

Helium and domestic natural gas producer Renergen completed the development of Phase 1 of its Virginia Gas Project in July and has started with commercial operation. The project comprises the development of 52 km of gas assemblage pipeline and cryogenic liquefaction processing facilities located across Welkom, Virginia and Theunissen, in the Free State.
September 2, 2022 by

Gas resources to meet future power demand

Following its recent and substantial oil and gas discoveries, Senegal is preparing to ensure that its vast natural gas resources help meet future electricity demand and put an end to the excessive electricity prices undermining its economy. Senegal’s domestic gas reserves will mainly be used to produce electricity. Authorities expect that domestic gas infrastructure projects will come online between 2025 and 2026, provided there is no delay, says Wärtsilä senior analyst Joonatan Huhdanmäki.
September 2, 2022 by

Consultancy announces involvement in new project

Research consultancy Birguid has announced its official involvement in conducting research for the Luiperd-Brulpadda project, which is expected to produce its first gas by the end of 2025. The project entails the development of the Luiperd and Brulpadda gas condensate fields on Block 11B/12B of the Outeniqua basin, 175 km off the shore of the southern coast of South Africa.
September 2, 2022 by

Gas a viable decarbonisation source

Decarbonisation can be implemented by the introduction of gas as a replacement of fossil fuels such as coal and diesel, says strategic research and advisory company Birguid senior associate Patience Panashe Panashe tells Engineering News that the benefits asserted from the use of liquified natural gas (LNG) includes its inexpensive features, as well as its efficiency and safety for the environment. 
September 2, 2022 by

Company receives funding for decarbonisation tech

Global New York Stock Exchange-listed industrial company General Electric (GE Gas Power) announced it has secured $4.2-million in federal funding from the US. The funding is part of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E) OPEN 2021 programme, which prioritises the advancement of transformational technologies supporting a more decarbonized energy system.
September 2, 2022 by

ssLNG plants available locally

Designers and suppliers of liquified natural gas (LNG) equipment PolaireTech’s modularised small-scale plants for the liquefaction of natural gas to produce LNG are now available in South Africa.   Commercial deployment of small-scale LNG (ssLNG) plants is driven by the need for cheaper alternatives as compared to crude oil derived fuels. The use of LNG as a replacement fuel presents an opportunity for ssLNG plants.
September 2, 2022 by

Cabinet approves Just Transition Framework for implementation

Cabinet has approved the Just Transition Framework, which was published by the Presidential Climate Commission in July following extensive consultation, for implementation and has indicated that a detailed implementation plan will be developed for integration into government planning and budgeting. The framework includes an estimate that South Africa will require at least $250-billion over the next three decades to transform its energy system and at least $10-billion to support workers and communities with compensation, retraining, relocation, and rehabilitation of regions and communities.
September 1, 2022 by

Umoja Incubator programme calls for submissions for renewable energy projects

The recently launched Umoja Incubator programme on renewable energy held a roadshow in Cape Town on August 31, to share information about the programme and encourage local renewable energy project developers to apply. This forms part of a series of roadshows held across the continent. Serengeti Energy Operations communications and events manager Austin Ouma told Engineering News that, since the launch of the programme in June, roadshows have also been held in, for example, Kigali, Rwanda and Côte d’Ivoire.
September 1, 2022 by

Rich nations to fund 80% of South Africa’s climate plan with loans, some hard to unlock

About 80% of the-billions of dollars pledged by rich nations for South Africa’s shift away from coal will be loans, not grants, and some may be hard to unlock due to national rules protecting domestic jobs, an official familiar with the matter said. Last year the United States, European Union, Britain, France and Germany committed to investing $8.5-billion over three to five years to help South Africa reduce its carbon emissions, which are among the world’s highest because it depends on coal for 80% of its electricity.
September 1, 2022 by