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Sasol upscales renewables roll-out ambition to 900 MW, starts plotting big green-hydrogen role

JSE-listed Sasol announced on Monday that it would pursue a 900 MW renewable-energy roll-out at its Secunda and Sasolburg complexes by 2030, raising its initial deployment target of 600 MW by 50%. President and CEO Fleetwood Grobler said that the upscaled plan would be pursued in partnership with others, including Air Liquide, which recently acquired Sasol’s 16 air separation units at Secunda for R8.5-billion.
February 22, 2021 by

Ocean energy fund expected to boost sector

Ocean energy professional network Ocean Energy Europe (OEE) has appointed risk and insurance consultancy Renewable Risk Advisers to carry out the design of a brand new European and European Union-funded insurance fund for the ocean energy sector as part of the OceanSET project. The project is expected to cut the costs of the first commercial projects and accelerate the roll-out of this new industry.
February 19, 2021 by

Coal demand from Eskom to normalise, says South32

Coal demand from State-owned power utility Eskom is expected to normalise, following low demand over the past few months, diversified miner South32 COO Mike Fraser said during a media call to discuss its interim results, on February 18. He said the maintenance work being undertaken by should result in an increase in pull demand for coal, which should return to normal levels in the future. 
February 18, 2021 by

Shoprite expands solar PV project; 19 sites outfitted

Fast-moving consumer goods company the Shoprite Group has expanded its solar photovoltaic (PV) programme, with 19 of its sites in South Africa and Namibia now boasting rooftop PV installations.

There are now 18 Shoprite Group stores throughout South Africa and Namibia that use solar power, including Checkers stores in Plettenberg Bay Mall, Woodlands, Parys, Sitari, Gordons Bay, Constantia, Hermanus and Whale Coast Mall.

February 18, 2021 by

DMRE says emergency-power deviation notice will not trigger legal challenge

On February 12, Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel published a Gazette notice granting the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) permission to deviate from the relevant Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment code of good practice for the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP). Through the RMIPPPP, government is aiming to procure 2 000 MW of ‘emergency’ power for operation by June 2022. The evaluation of the 28 bids received ahead of the submission deadline, which was extended to December 22 from an initial deadline of November 24, is under way and is expected to be completed this month.
February 18, 2021 by