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Municipalities central to resolving energy security issues, says panel  

During the closing panel of the Electricity Forum, Manufacturing Circle executive director Philippa Rodseth said municipalities were the missing piece of the energy security puzzle and an elephant in the room in terms of South Africa achieving a just energy transition. From an industrialisation perspective, she said, the rubber hits the road when municipalities start being engaged – they either enable power to operations or compromise on business’ ability to operate, owing to either a lack of electricity infrastructure and maintenance thereof, or mismanagement of administrative matters.
October 20, 2021 by

To cut carbon emissions, Germany needs to keep nuclear plants open and close coal plants

A study, commissioned by Berlin-based science and the environment association Ökomoderne e.V. and executed by Finnish not-for-profit research company Think Atom, has concluded that Germany’s current policy of closing its nuclear power plants early would result in the country releasing no less than a billion tons of carbon dioxide emissions. Germany still had six operating nuclear reactors, but they were all scheduled to close down next year, despite being a major source of low-carbon electricity for the country. If, however, Germany kept the reactors operating and generating electricity, and instead closed down coal-fired power stations, the country would be able to completely terminate coal-fired electricity generation by 2028. This would be ten years sooner than planned by the administration of previous Chancellor (currently interim Chancellor) Angela Merkel, pointed out the “One Billion Tons” report, as the study has been named.
October 20, 2021 by

Zimbabwe’s power utility to finish new coal-fired units in 2022

Zimbabwe’s State-owned power utility expects to complete the addition of coal-fired units next year, bucking a global trend to reduce reliance on the fossil fuel. The $1.5-billion expansion by Zimbabwe Power Company and China’s Sinohydro will finish one unit next year in September and another in December, adding 600 megawatts. That’s intended to replace 920 megawatts of existing capacity prone to breakdowns, according to Forbes Chanakira, site manager for the Hwange Power Expansion project.
October 20, 2021 by

Energy transition holds greatest promise for growth, job creation and development

A transition away from fossil fuel-based electricity to renewable-based electricity in South Africa can contribute significantly to job creation, growth and increased availability of electricity to support other commercial activities, four investment and energy specialists noted during a discussion on October 19. Investment management company Futuregrowth portfolio manager and head of unlisted credit Paul Semple said the move away from reliance on a monopolistic and coal-based energy sector to new sources of generation located around the country would need to involve the private sector, which has capital to invest in the energy sector.
October 19, 2021 by

Construction company agrees to pay fine, but denies it contravened Competition Act

A Gauteng-based construction and electrical civils company called Maziya General Services has agreed to pay a R300 000 penalty for allegedly colluding on a City Power tender in June 2018.

The tender related to the appointment of labour contractors for the installation and maintenance of medium- and low-voltage infrastructure including public lighting and major capital expenditure projects.

October 19, 2021 by

Construction company agrees to pay fine, but denies it contravened Competition Act

A Gauteng-based construction and electrical civils company called Maziya General Services has agreed to pay a R300 000 penalty for allegedly colluding on a City Power tender in June 2018.

The tender related to the appointment of labour contractors for the installation and maintenance of medium- and low-voltage infrastructure including public lighting and major capital expenditure projects.

October 19, 2021 by

South Africa’s electricity woes continue to place manufacturing at risk

The lack of reliable electricity supply is not only leading to lost production and increased costs across South Africa’s shrinking manufacturing sector, but has left enterprises unable to plan, invest and grow, Manufacturing Circle executive director Philippa Rodseth warned on Tuesday. Speaking at the start of a two-day electricity forum hosted jointly with the Industrial Development Corporation to discuss collaborative solutions to the ongoing problem, Rodseth said load-shedding remained an area of great concern, as did inadequate investment and poor maintenance by municipal distributors.
October 19, 2021 by

Wind sector manifesto sets out eight steps for govts to reach climate goals

The global wind energy sector has released a manifesto calling on governments to get serious about the energy transition and to work with the private sector to rapidly scale up wind and renewable energy installations.

The 90 wind energy companies and associations that contributed to the manifesto say annual wind installations need to scale up by four times the current levels for the world to reach net zero emissions by 2050.

October 18, 2021 by

Where a $5bn green incentive runs into politics of coal

The world’s richest countries are courting South Africa as a model of how to transition to a more climate-friendly future from a dependency on coal. While $5-billion of cheap loans and grants are on offer as a first step, transforming Africa’s most industrialized economy demands more than cash. It needs to win over power brokers like Gwede Mantashe, a former coal unionist who is now energy minister and chairman of the ruling African National Congress, to weaken the nation’s reliance on the black rock.
October 18, 2021 by