Author Archive for: Engineering News

The active partnership between South Africa-based solar solutions provider Blockpower SA and German-managed microgrid integrator Dhybrid has resulted in the completion of a 1.4 MWp, 1 MVA, 480 kWh hybrid solar system at an agriculture estate, in Zimbabwe. The Tanganda Tea Company, which operates several agriculture estates in the Chipinge district, procured the services of Blockpower to install a hybrid solar solution for its tea processing plant.

Eskom will implement stage 2 load-shedding from 16:00 to 21:00 on Thursday night due to generation issues, combined with the severe cold weather, the power utility announced.  “Unfortunately, a generation unit each at Tutuka and Medupi Power Stations were forced offline this afternoon, increasing the capacity constraints on the power system,” Eskom said. 

Zambian geothermal explorer Kalahari GeoEnergy’s ongoing feasibility study has modelled an initial power capacity of between 5 MW and 7 MW on the shallow outflow reservoir within the Bwanda section of the Bweengwa river geothermal resource area. The feasibility study is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of this year.

The eThekwini municipality, which has been badly affected by recent deadly rioting and looting, is pushing ahead with its electricity procurement plans and has issued a request for information (RFI) as part of preparations for the procurement of 400 MW of new generation capacity from independent power producers (IPPs). The RFI is in line with the city-region’s recently adopted Energy Transition Policy, encompassing the eThekwini Integrated Resource Plan, which outlines a phased transition to it sourcing 40% of its electricity from renewable-energy sources by 2030, and increasing that to 100% by 2050.

Electronics manufacturer LG Electronics has announced its commitment to transition completely to renewable energy by 2050.

The announcement, made in LG’s sustainability report, follows an earlier promise to achieve carbon neutrality by 2030 through its Zero Carbon 2030 initiative, in which the company pledged to reduce carbon emissions in the production stage to 50% of its 2017 baseline.