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Competition Tribunal approves two separate renewable energy transactions

The Competition Tribunal has unconditionally approved two mergers, by the same acquiring firm in the renewable energy sector after determining that both transactions are unlikely to substantially prevent or lessen competition in any relevant market, or have a negative impact on the public interest.

The acquiring firm – Revego Africa Energy Fund Partnership, a limited partnership, represented by Revego General Partner (RF) in its capacity as general partner – is a South African company.

May 28, 2021 by

Davies calls for a New Deal-style recovery strategy that eschews austerity

Former Trade and Industry Minister Dr Rob Davies is urging the South African government, in which he served as a Cabinet Minister from 2009 to 2019, to implement a New Deal-style recovery programme to address the economic damage arising from both Covid-19 and more than a decade of economic drift. Speaking during a recent virtual launch of his new book, Davies cautioned that a retreat to austerity could result in a long and politically destabilising period of stagnation. The recovery effort, he said, had to be of a scale commensurate with the economic damage inflicted by the pandemic to avoid widening inequality and a deepening of poverty.
May 28, 2021 by

Irena to launch latest version of data platform

As resource assessment continues to be a challenge in renewable energy project development processes, the extensive research in resource data and improved modelling approaches have led to the development of better high-resolution resource data, the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) says.

Irena will launch its Global Atlas for Renewable Energy 4.0 on May 31, which serves as a free online resource data repository and assessment platform.

May 28, 2021 by

AfDB provides $140m loan for Tanzania hydropower project

Finance institution the African Development Bank Group and the government of Tanzania have signed loan agreements totalling $140-million to finance the construction of the 50 MW Malagarasi hydropower plant in Western Tanzania. The agreements cover a $120-million sovereign loan from the bank and $20-million from the Africa Growing Together Fund (AGTF), which is administered by the bank.
May 28, 2021 by

UK researchers announce major advance in developing practical nuclear fusion reactors

The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has announced the successful testing of a new concept on its MAST Upgrade experiment, which could remove one of the major problems in the development of nuclear fusion energy. Currently, the world derives nuclear power from fission, which involves, to simplify, the ‘splitting’ of atoms. Fusion would generate nuclear power by smashing atoms together (which is what happens in stars and which gives them their energy). A major problem is the removal of …
May 27, 2021 by

South Africa’s about-turn on solar panels raises industry ire

South Africa’s plans to buy emergency power, already the subject of a court challenge, face fresh controversy after a local-content requirement for solar-panel frames was scrapped subsequent to the award of the tenders. The 65% local-content requirement on aluminium frames for photovoltaic panels was waived by South Africa’s Department of Trade, Industry and Competition on May 12. That followed an application by ARTsolar, which along with a local unit of China’s Seraphim Solar will be the only beneficiaries of the exemption.
May 27, 2021 by

Four energy scenarios that may define Southern Africa’s energy transition

Four vastly different energy transition scenarios, from very ambitious to the least ambitious, were posited by management advisory Africa International Advisors integrated energy practice leader Henry Gilfillan this week. The four scenarios, presented during a webinar on hydrogen, gas and renewables on May 26, included one in which the energy status quo, especially in South Africa, changes little.
May 27, 2021 by

South Africa may need to save indebted State firms, Finance Minister says

South Africa’s cash-strapped State companies may struggle to refinance their debts, requiring the government to provide support, Finance Minister Tito Mboweni said. The ten most-indebted State firms have an estimated R289.9-billion in loans maturing by the end of March 2025, Mboweni said in a written reply to a parliamentary question. Those include power utility Eskom Holdings, which has R401-billion in liabilities and has already received several bail-outs.
May 27, 2021 by

Electricity liberalisation up to 50 MW will support economy, allow more renewables, storage, …

Business organisation the National Employers’ Association of South Africa (Neasa), in its comments on the proposed amendments to Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA), called for the liberalisation of electricity generation up to 50 MW. It also called for wheeling and for definitions to be updated to clarify renewable plus storage project limits.
May 26, 2021 by