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CapeNature takes Cederberg office off-grid

Biodiversity conservation organisation CapeNature is installing a 75 kW solar photovoltaic system at its offices in Algeria, in the Cederberg region of South Africa’s Western Cape.

The Cederberg wilderness is three hours outside of Cape Town and the organisation strives to continuously improve its reserves.

June 9, 2021 by

Chinese small modular nuclear reactor demonstration plant approved for construction

The China National Nuclear Power (CNNP) company has received approval to build its small modular reactor (SMR) demonstration plant at Changjiang in China’s southernmost (and island) province of Hainan, “World Nuclear News” has reported, citing a CNNP notice to the Shanghai Stock Exchange. CNNP is a subsidiary of the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC). The demonstration SMR is designated the ACP100. The project will be owned by the CNNC Hainan Nuclear Power Company, which is a subsidiary of the CNNP (and not a direct subsidiary of the CNNC). The full title of the actual SMR project is the Hainan Changjiang Multipurpose Small Modular Reactor Technology Demonstration Project.
June 9, 2021 by

Masterplan to position South Africa as ‘globally significant’ renewables manufacturer

Department of Mineral Resources and Energy director-general Advocate Thabo Mokoena reports that government intends using the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM), which is currently being drafted, to position the country as a “globally significant” producer of inputs used in renewable-energy plants. In a keynote address to the virtual Enlit Africa conference on Tuesday, Mokoena said the SAREM would help “coordinate the renewable-energy requirements” to support such an industrialisation drive and to boost manufacturing employment.
June 9, 2021 by

Global supply chain squeeze, soaring costs threaten solar energy boom

lobal solar power developers are slowing down project installations because of a surge in costs for components, labor, and freight as the world economy bounces back from the coronavirus pandemic, according to industry executives and analysts interviewed by Reuters. The situation suggests slower growth for the zero-emissions solar energy industry at a time world governments are trying to ramp up their efforts to fight climate change, and marks a reversal for the sector after a decade of falling costs.
June 9, 2021 by

Presidency backs hydrogen strategy, as new report confirms viability of ramp-up to 3.8mt/y by 2050

Green hydrogen has been identified by The Presidency as the first of five ‘Big Frontier’ strategic investment opportunities and will be directly involved in the finalisation of a much-anticipated ‘Hydrogen Strategy and Investor Roadmap’ Infrastructure & Investment Office head, Dr Kgosientso Ramokgopa, reported during a webinar on Tuesday that attracting investment to support the development of a green-hydrogen industry was viewed as increasingly important by The Presidency to raising fixed investment to 30% of gross domestic product in line with the National Development Plan’s – the figure currently about 17%.
June 8, 2021 by

SAHPRA registers Janssen Covid-19 vaccine with conditions

The South African Health Products Regulatory Authority (SAHPRA) announced on Monday the registration of the Janssen Covid-19 vaccine on March 31, with conditions. SAHPRA CEO Dr Boitumelo Semete-Makokotlela explained that one of the conditions is that the vaccine be manufactured under conditions of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) as determined by SAHPRA and aligned with global best practice.
June 7, 2021 by

South Africans to remain focused on delivering Economic Reconstruction and Recovery Plan

With economic growth fundamental to a brighter future for South Africa, Busines Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso suggests it is the “only way to turn the trajectory of government’s fiscal position as it will boost earnings” and, therefore, tax collection and start to get debt under control. She adds that it is also an important component to solving the unemployment crisis, which has been exacerbated by 1.4-million fewer people in employment, compared with before the Covid-19 pandemic.
June 7, 2021 by