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Sudan and Ethiopia pledge to push for deal on Blue Nile dam

Ethiopia’s prime minister and Sudan’s leadership said on Tuesday they would make every effort to reach a deal on a giant hydropower dam on the Blue Nile that has caused a bitter dispute between Addis Ababa and Cairo over water supplies. Ethiopia, Egypt and Sudan failed to strike an agreement on the operation of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) before the reservoir behind the dam began being filled in July. But the three countries have returned to talks under African Union mediation.
August 26, 2020 by

Africa Prize selects 2020 finalists ahead of virtual event

A more affordable, effective cervical cancer screening device, a digital platform to help farmers plan and distribute crops, a new way to secure banking through facial recognition, and a tool that monitors the condition of solar photovoltaic (PV) installations are the four innovations selected as finalists for the Royal Academy of Engineering’s 2020 Africa Prize for Engineering Innovation. The finalists were selected from a shortlist of 15 African innovators, who have all received eight months of training and support through the Africa Prize.
August 25, 2020 by

IHS Markit says growth in world oil demand expected to plateau

London-based global information provider IHS Markit says the growth in global oil demand is expected to taper off, with global crude oil demand plateauing just below pre-pandemic levels. According to the company’s new analysis, global oil demand, currently at 89% of pre-Covid-19 levels and rising, is expected to level off at between 92% to 95% of demand prior to the pandemic.
August 25, 2020 by

Stanlib acquires stake in Mulilo Group

South African asset manager Stanlib’s Infrastructure Investments unit has acquired a 10% equity stake in Mulilo Energy Holdings, which is a R1.8-billion privately-owned renewable energy developer. This transaction is strategic and complementary to both companies, Mulilo says.
August 25, 2020 by

DEFF revokes emergency directive for Karpowership

The Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) has revoked a Section 30A directive granted to Turkish power ship operator Karpowership for activities linked to the emergency generation of electricity.

When Karpowership initially submitted its request, the company indicated that South Africa’s electricity supply was under threat because of the increased pressure on the healthcare system as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.

August 25, 2020 by

Initiative launched to stimulate adoption of fast-growing energy management standard by South …

An initiative is under way to accelerate the adoption by South African industrial firms of the international energy management standard ISO 50001, which is designed to help improve the performance of a company’s energy-intensive assets to support cost savings and emission reductions. Although ISO 50001 is the fastest-growing standard globally, it has not been widely embraced by South African firms, with domestic adoption rates lagging those being reported in Asia, Europe and North America, as well as those being achieved in African countries such as Morocco, Tunisia and Egypt.
August 25, 2020 by

Botswana, Namibia set to sign 5 GW solar energy plan

Botswana and Namibia are set to sign an agreement to develop solar projects of as much as 5 GW through installations built across their mostly flat, sunny landscapes. The southern African nations are working with US government initiative, Power Africa, to help structure the deal, Namibian Mines and Energy Minister Tom Alweendo said in an interview on Friday. The electricity will mainly be exported across the region.
August 24, 2020 by

DMRE launches procurement process for 2 000 MW of ‘dispatchable’ power

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has formally initiated the much-anticipated procurement process for 2 000 MW of emergency power under its so-called Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP). The request for proposals (RFP) bid documentation will be available online from 8:00 on August 23, the DMRE said in a statement on Saturday August 22.
August 22, 2020 by

Eskom Transmission head says policy, legislative and regulatory changes needed to facilitate …

The head of Eskom’s Transmission division has outlined some of the progress being made to establish an Independent Transmission System Operator (ITSO) but has also warned that full separation will take time and will also require major policy, legislative and regulatory changes. The creation of the ITSO is seen as key to levelling the playing field between Eskom power stations and independent power producers (IPPs) and had, thus, been identified as a priority by the Department of Public Enterprises in its ‘Roadmap for Eskom in a Reformed Electricity Supply Industry’, published in November.
August 21, 2020 by

ARB says financial year ‘will be well remembered’ for Covid-19, other challenges

JSE-listed investment and property holding company ARB Holdings says sluggish economic growth and the collapse in business confidence became a “secondary concern” this year, as regulations and national lockdown restrictions were implemented to halt the spread of Covid-19. ARB owns investments in related trading and distribution businesses, including 74% of ARB Electrical Wholesalers and 60% of Eurolux.
August 21, 2020 by