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Great Venetia discoverer McKechnie now sees battery mineral exploration potential

The great exploration geologist who made the colossal and still-thriving diamond discovery against all odds at the Venetia diamond mine in Limpopo believes there is no reason why new battery and other specialist minerals cannot be discovered in South Africa, using the techniques that he applied in diamond exploration in those days. The highly experienced and hugely successful exploration geologist Bill McKechnie, who was heavily involved in greenfield exploration in South Africa, was also behind many other diamondiferous kimberlites, including The Oaks. 
May 25, 2021 by

SAPVIA elects new board, celebrates ten-year anniversary

During its May 18 annual general meeting, the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) elected a new board, comprising three new members, as it also celebrated ten years in existence and proactive policy advocacy and lobbying efforts.

The association states that it has been at the “forefront of transforming” South Africa’s economy and energy sector and that its new board has adapted to the rapidly changing industry and “embedding best practice to create a world-leading” renewables sector in South Africa.

May 25, 2021 by

Absa, Investec may back Karpowership’s South African energy deal

Absa Group, Investec and the Development Bank of Southern Africa indicated they could support a bid by a Turkish company to supply emergency power to South Africa, according to a person familiar with the situation. Conditional backing from the financial institutions, which has yet to be finalized and is dependent on undisclosed conditions being met, enabled Karpowership to offer to supply 1 220 MW of power from ship-based, gas-fired plants. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the banks haven’t publicly disclosed their involvement.
May 25, 2021 by

Eskom debt solution remains a ‘work in progress’ despite reduction to R401bn

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan reported on Tuesday that, while Eskom was able to reduce its debt by R83-billion, from R484-billion to R401-billion, during the 2021 financial year, efforts to find a lasting solution to the State-owned utility’s unsustainable debt remained a “work in progress”. Gordhan told lawmakers that the management of Eskom’s debt was one of the key priorities to return the entity to a sustainable path, but in a subsequent media briefing acknowledged that “we haven’t been able to move as fast as we thought we might be able to move”.
May 25, 2021 by

SANEDI encourages consumers to identify appliance energy efficiency labels

To mitigate climate change and help move South Africans towards being more energy efficient in the way they use electrical devices, the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) is encouraging individuals to consider their household energy use and find avenues to reduce consumption.

South Africa is the highest greenhouse-gas contributor in Africa, according to SANEDI, which also states that all the country’s citizens have a role to play in changing this situation.

May 25, 2021 by

50 MW reform won’t hurt Eskom and would stimulate recovery, leading proponent outlines in submission

The organisation whose initial analysis indicated that reforming Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act to exempt embedded generation projects of at least 50 MW in size from the country’s cumbersome licencing process could unlock 5 000 MW of new capacity within five years has made its formal submission on a draft amendment to the legislation. In the submission, Meridian Economics warns that South Africa’s electricity crisis is worsening and that the immediate capacity shortfall of between 4 000 and 8 000 MW is hindering South Africa’s economic recovery.
May 25, 2021 by

International Atomic Energy Agency announces hybrid nuclear-renewable energy research

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) has issued a call for research proposals, into hybrid nuclear and renewable energy systems. This call falls under the IAEA’s Coordinated Research Project (CRP). “Nuclear and renewables are the two principal options for low [carbon] emission energy generation,” points out the call document, which is entitled ‘Technical Evaluation  and Optimisation of Nuclear-Renewable Hybrid Energy Systems’. “However, synergies among these resources have yet to be fully exploited, and advantages of directly integrating these generation options are only now being explored for both the [electricity] grid and to provide energy for other commodity products.”
May 24, 2021 by

EIUG rejects ‘arbitrary licensing threshold’ as 10 MW versus 50 MW debate rages

Large electricity consumers have again called for proposed amendments to Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act, which governs the registration and licensing of distributed-generation plants, to be “meaningful” in a context where load-shedding cost the economy up to R160-billion in 2020 alone. Besides a submission by Business Unity South Africa (Busa) on the draft amendment, which was published for public comment on April 23, it has been confirmed that the Energy Intensive Users Group of Southern Africa (EIUG), the Minerals Council South Africa and the Aggregate and Sand Producers Association of South Africa (Aspasa) have all made separate submissions ahead of the June 4 closing date.
May 24, 2021 by

Solar power’s decade of falling costs is thrown into reverse

A key selling point that made solar energy the fastest-growing power source in the world – rapidly decreasing costs – has hit a speed bump. Solar module prices have risen 18% since the start of the year after falling by 90% over the previous decade. The reversal, fueled by a quadrupling in the cost of the key raw material polysilicon, threatens to delay projects and slow uptake of solar power just as several major governments are finally throwing their weight behind it in an effort to slow climate change.
May 24, 2021 by

Critical structural reforms taking too long – BLSA

The structural reform required to transform South Africa’s economy has “frustratingly” progressed very little, even with the establishment of Operation Vulindlela, Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA) CEO Busi Mavuso asserts.

She says organised business has consistently argued that South Africa’s economy needs structural reforms – changing the fundamental capacity of the economy through policy – if it is to grow.

May 24, 2021 by