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Energy transition also requires choices to ensure food, water security

While the jury is still out on how exactly climate financing will be used to set South Africa’s energy sector on a low-carbon path, there are various other impacts and changes to industries and households looming, that are not discussed as often.

Some of these issues and considerations were unpacked in a webinar hosted by the Black Energy Professionals Association, with comments from exhibition host Enlit Africa head of content Claire Volkwyn, research institute Trade and Industry Policy Strategies senior economist Nokwando Maseko and civic education institution Rosa Luxemburg Stiftung South climate justice project manager Dr Roland Ngam.

August 18, 2022 by

Namibian green hydrogen developer expects implementation agreement on $10bn project by year-end

Green hydrogen development company Hyphen Hydrogen Energy (Hyphen) is optimistic that the implementation agreement for a planned $10-billion project will be signed with the Namibian government by year-end. The signing of the implementation agreement will trigger the commencement of the front-end engineering and design phase of the project, which will be constructed over two phases with the eventual goal of producing 350 000 t/y of green hydrogen from 5 GW to 6 GW of renewable generation capacity and a 3 GW electrolyser.
August 18, 2022 by

California proposing to extend the life of its nuclear power plant

The Governor of the US State of California, Gavin Newsom of the centre-left Democratic Party, has circulated draft legislation among the State’s lawmakers that would extend the life of California’s one-and-only nuclear power plant (NPP), Diablo Canyon. The draft legislation has been shown to various US news media. Originally commissioned in 1985, the two-reactor NPP is currently due to be shut down in 2024-2025, with the first reactor being shut down in late 2024 and the second in August 2025. It currently provides the State with 8.6% of its electricity, but 17% of its zero-carbon electricity.
August 17, 2022 by

Stage 2 load-shedding to continue on Thursday amid more breakdowns

Stage 2 load-shedding will be implemented at 16:00 to 24:00 on Wednesday and at the same time on Thursday, Eskom announced. The breakdowns of a generation unit each at Duvha, Kendal and Kriel power stations during the last 24 hours, as well as the delays in returning units to service at Arnot, Kusile and Tutuka power stations have put a severe strain on the power generation system.
August 17, 2022 by

Tiger Brands moves to buy first 2 MW of solar from IPPs as part of big renewables ramp-up

Food and beverage manufacturer Tiger Brands is moving to procure 2 MW of solar across four manufacturing sites as part of a broader initiative to introduce renewable energy across 35 sites by 2030 to meet 65% of its electricity requirements. The initial capacity will be procured from independent power producers, or IPPs, which will supply the electricity under long-term power purchase agreements to Henneman Mill, in the Free State, King Foods, in the North West, as well as Tiger Brands’ beverages and home and personal care manufacturing plants in Gauteng.
August 17, 2022 by

Growthpoint invests R50m in solar-charged battery system for the Paarl Mall

JSE-listed real estate investment trust Growthpoint Properties is piloting a 4.5 MW battery system at Paarl Mall, in the Western Cape, for continuous, cost-efficient power supply, which will be partly charged by Paarl Mall’s new rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) plant. The R50-million system will extend the positive impacts of renewable, sun-powered energy around the clock, the company says.
August 16, 2022 by

Biggest South African city seeks power supply from private firms

Johannesburg’s municipality intends buying 500 megawatts of electricity from independent producers to help avert ongoing power outages in South Africa’s biggest city. A request for proposals is awaiting approval from the National Treasury and should be issued within weeks, Mpho Phalatse, Johannesburg’s mayor, said in an interview at Bloomberg’s Johannesburg offices on Monday.
August 16, 2022 by

Stage 2 load-shedding for Tuesday evening

Eskom has announced that Stage 2 load-shedding will be implemented from 16:00 to midnight on Tuesday evening. “There is also a high probability that load-shedding will require to be implemented during the same time on both Wednesday and Thursday evenings,” the power utility said. “The breakdowns of a single generation unit at Arnot Power Station and three at Tutuka Power Station during the last 24 hours, as well as the delays in returning units to service at Arnot, Kusile and Tutuka power stations have put a severe strain on the power generation system.” Currently, 4 550MW is out on planned maintenance, while another 14 182MW of capacity is unavailable due to breakdowns.
August 16, 2022 by