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Solar rental firm begins testing roll-out model for underserved communities

Local solar-as-a-subscription service provider Wetility is deploying a rooftop solar solution in a lower-income community as part of a proof-of-concept study to firm up the feasibility of extending the offering to other underserved areas. COO Franta Pour tells Engineering News that the company’s current focus is on the provision of bundled solar-battery rental solutions to more affluent households and small and medium-sized businesses, where attention is shifting progressively from security of supply to electricity bill savings.
April 25, 2024 by

Tumble in storage battery costs to boost shift to renewables, says IEA

An expected sharp fall in battery costs for energy storage in coming years will accelerate the shift to renewable energy from fossil fuels, the International Energy Agency (IEA) said on Thursday. While renewable energy by itself is already much cheaper than coal and gas-fired plants, weather can interrupt solar and wind power and must be paired with energy storage systems to provide reliable sources of energy.
April 25, 2024 by

South Africa aims to set up three JET-aligned skills development zones

Three Just Energy Transition (JET) skills development zones focusing on renewables and grids, electric vehicles and green hydrogen value chains are proposed for implementation under the larger JET Investment Plan (JET-IP), for which pledges of $11.5-billion have been made by several developed countries. The zones will be anchored to specific educational institutions, most likely technical and vocational education and training (TVET) colleges selected for their proximity to the priority sectors, where education and training will be tailored towards a specific JET focus and where catalytic interventions will be undertaken and partnerships with business developed.
April 24, 2024 by

Blue Energy signs 20-year green power deal with wheel manufacturer

Local developer and operator of clean energy infrastructure, Blue Energy Africa, has signed a 20-year deal with Borbet South Africa (SA) for the procurement of power from renewable-energy sources. Founded in 1962 by Peter Wilhelm Borbet, the family-owned company has five locations in Germany, as well as one each in Austria and South Africa, with the latter in Gqeberha.
April 24, 2024 by

Gauteng govt rolls out 6.3 MWh of solar power at 27 healthcare facilities

The Gauteng Provincial Government (GPG) has installed and commissioned a combined equivalent of six independent microgrid power plants through the installation of rooftop solar photovoltaic (PV) and battery storage at 27 prioritised health institutions across the province. The total combined capacity of these solar installations amounts to 6.3 MWh, while the combined battery storage component adds up to a total of 15.6 MWh. These have been installed at 11 public hospitals, nine primary health care clinics, and eight community healthcare centres throughout the province. A twenty-eighth facility will be integrated next month.
April 23, 2024 by

IEA expects another record year for EVs in 2024, but sales remain concentrated

The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects electric vehicle (EV) sales to rise to a record 17-million in 2024, representing more than one in every five passenger cars sold, but with sales likely to remain highly concentrated in the Chinese, European and US markets. Sales rose by 35% last year to a record level of nearly 14-million units, lifting the number of EVs on the road globally to 40-million, and with battery electric cars accounting for 70% of the electric car stock.
April 23, 2024 by

Zambia seeks power imports for key mining sector

Zambia’s State-owned electricity utility Zesco said on Monday it is seeking to import power to avert an energy deficit that could affect output in Africa’s second-largest copper producer. The southern African country generates 86% of its electricity from hydropower stations. Power generation has been hit by a severe drought induced by El Nino – a weather phenomenon resulting from the abnormal warming of the waters in the eastern Pacific, which raises temperatures globally.
April 23, 2024 by