Entries by

Report indicates growth in global market

Research company ResearchAndMarkets’ 2022 report shows that the global battery energy storage system (BESS) market is expected to grow from $4.4-billion in 2022 to $15.1-billion by 2027, at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 27.9%. The growth of this market is mainly driven by the increasing demand for grid energy storage systems owing to ongoing grid modernisation, growing penetration of lithium-ion batteries in the renewable energy sector, and the rising trend of low-carbon and less fossil fuel-based economies and the ongoing renewable energy revolution.
July 1, 2022 by

Best practices for small businesses

Experienced engineers are crucial in such a critical and technically-minded sector as engineering, and it is consequently not surprising that the industry players place a premium on the employment of those who have the years under their belts, says engineering firm Zimile Consulting Engineers CEO Shawn Gama.
July 1, 2022 by

Batteries and decentralised power seen as key way to boost security of supply

Industry body the South African Energy Storage Association chairperson Mikhail Nikomarov emphasises the importance of a decentralised power system and the benefits it can provide, and how this can be supported using battery energy storage systems (BESS) in the local market. “Energy storage through batteries doesn’t have to be centralised like other forms of storage such as pumped storage hydropower.”
July 1, 2022 by

Company to triple battery, solar energy storage electronics capacity

Energy technology company General Electric (GE) is tripling manufacturing capacity for its solar and battery energy storage power electronics systems by the end of this year to 9 GW/y, linked to strong growth in backlogs over the past few months and a robust demand outlook. The systems are manufactured at GE’s newly launched Renewable Hybrids factory in Vallam, near Chennai, India.
July 1, 2022 by

Cesa challenges Sanral’s decision to cancel tender

Industry body Consulting Engineers South Africa (Cesa) is challenging the decision by the South African National Roads Agency Limited (Sanral) board to cancel critical infrastructure tenders worth R17.5-billion on the basis that the adjudication process was flawed owing to the involvement of design engineers in the tender adjudication process.
July 1, 2022 by

Growthpoint struggles to secure diesel amid power cuts

Growthpoint Properties, South Africa’s largest real estate investment trust, said its running out of diesel to operate generators at some of its buildings as the country grapples with the worst electricity shortage since 2019. In a letter to customers at one of its sites in Johannesburg the company said it suppliers are struggling to keep up as Eskom Holdings, the national power utility, cuts as much as 6 000 megawatts from the national grid after a pay strike disrupted operations.
June 30, 2022 by

Eskom: NUM, Numsa deals with divisions, allege ‘fake news’ as members reject 7% increase

After a week of protests at Eskom operations that no one has claimed responsibility for plunged the country into Stage 6 load-shedding, two unions are now dealing with members who are pushing for an outright rejection of a new wage offer. The National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa), the National Union of Mineworkers (NUM) and Solidarity are expected to return to wage talks at the Central Bargaining Forum (CBF) on Friday. Several reports have said Eskom has upped it’s offer to 7%, though there has been no official confirmation on that. 
June 30, 2022 by