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Developer highlights latest bidding round as milestone

Bid Window 5 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) is a key milestone along South Africa’s energy path and confirms government’s commitment to address power generation shortages in the country, says independent power producer (IPP) Globeleq chief development officer Jonathan Hoffman. “This was an important and necessary signal to the local wind energy sector, which needs predictability and a steady flow of procurement over the coming years to justify the investment in new capacity. This is also important for international suppliers, who have to prioritise certain countries,” explains Hoffman.
October 1, 2021 by

Wind energy push could help turbocharge SA’s economic recovery

The restart of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme’s (REIPPPP’s) Bid Window 5 (BW5), following a considerable hiatus, has brought with it with substantial investment and commitment. This demonstrates that developers can address the electricity-generation needs of the country and climate change commitments, says the South Africa Wind Energy Association (SAWEA).
October 1, 2021 by

Atlas project to be finalised

Local wind energy collaboration the South African Wind Energy Programme (SAWEP) is in the final stages of completing the Wind Atlas for South Africa (WASA) Phase 3 project this year, says SAWEP project manager Andre Otto. SAWEP is a multiyear technical assistance project, funded by the Global Environment Facility to support government in promoting the large-scale commercialisation of wind energy.
October 1, 2021 by

Positive prospects for wind energy

The outlook for the local wind energy sector is “exciting and positive” when considering the wind energy projects that have been implemented throughout South Africa in recent years, which capitalised on increased investor and developer interest in renewable-energy projects, states engineering consultancy WSP in Africa power director Dinesh Buldoo. “There is significant investor enthusiasm in the local power sector, as evidenced by the submissions for the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme and Bid Window 5 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).
October 1, 2021 by

Project a blueprint for renewables future

The Oya Energy Hybrid dispatchable facility, which consists of colocated solar, wind and battery storage energy, will form a blueprint for the way in which South Africa’s energy grid will be able to operate on 100% renewable energy, says energy project developer G7 Renewable Energies MD Dr Killian Hagemann. G7 Renewable Energies is the lead developer in the Oya Energy Hybrid dispatchable facility, in the Komsberg Renewable Energy Development Zone in the Western Cape, which was awarded preferred bidder status in the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP) this year.
October 1, 2021 by

Event celebrates ten-year milestone

The annual Windaba Conference and Exhibition 2021, will take place on October 7 and 8 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre as part of celebrating the wind industry’s being operational in South Africa for ten years, says South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) chairperson Mercia Grimbeek. “Windaba is the flagship event for SAWEA, and we are fortunate enough to have a physical conference again. We’re celebrating ten years of SAWEA’s existence, the roll-out of megawatts of wind energy that we have achieved and the roll-out of wind energy that we intend to achieve in the next ten years.”
October 1, 2021 by

Eskom mulls legal options as Energy Regulator rejects MYPD5 application

The Energy Regulator has voted to reject Eskom’s fifth multiyear price determination (MYPD5) application for the three financial years from 2022/23 to 2024/25 and will now request the utility to make a new submission under a new methodology, which is yet to be finalised. The State-owned utility told Engineering News & Mining Weekly that it was “considering the options available to it in terms of the law” following the decision and stressed that it was committed to ensuring that the required legal and consultation processes were followed.
September 30, 2021 by

Sun Exchange secures $2.5m convertible note financing

Crowd-based solar leasing platform Sun Exchange has secured $2.5-million in convertible note financing from Mauritian private equity fund ARPF, which is advised by London-based ARCH Emerging Markets Partners (ARCH). This follows the company’s close of a $4-million Series A funding round in 2020, led by a $3-million investment from ARCH.
September 30, 2021 by

Germany commits €100m to Sefa to unlock private investment in renewable energy

The German government will contribute €100-million to the African Development Bank’s Sustainable Energy Fund for Africa (Sefa), affirming its commitment to efforts to tap Africa’s renewable energy potential and drive its transition to clean energy sources. The funding will be used to unlock private sector investment in green baseload projects. Specifically, it will support technical assistance and investment in power generation, transmission and distribution to increase penetration of renewable power in African grids.
September 30, 2021 by