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Renewable energy could be light at end of load-shedding tunnel, says SAWEA

Local wind energy lobby organisation the South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) reports that, as South Africa continues to struggle with the crippling effects of prolonged load-shedding, recent indicators point to a “light at the end of the tunnel that is lit by renewable energy”.

As such, the organisation highlights that, within a short week, three key factors happened that will promote renewable energy, going forward.

September 15, 2020 by

DMRE targeting December for initiation of fifth renewables bid window

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has clarified that it is aiming to release bid documentation for the so-called fifth bid window (BW5) of the South Africa’s renewable-energy procurement programme in December, following receipt of the regulator’s concurrence with a Ministerial determination that clears the way for the resumption of procurement. The Section 34 Ministerial determination has not yet been formally published in the Government Gazette, but the DMRE indicated to Engineering News & Mining Weekly on Monday that it intended Gazetting the document “before the end of next week”, having received the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s concurrence on September 2.
September 14, 2020 by

Locally produced hot water innovation reduces household energy costs

Using heat pump systems manufacturer EMS Holdings’ domestic 200 ℓ integrated heat pump system can save households between 60% and 70% of their monthly electricity costs as it uses home-grown efficient technology.

EMS Holdings CEO Franco Diedericks, speaking during this year’s Electra Mining Africa 2020 Connect virtual event – for which Creamer Media’s Engineering News & Mining Weekly is a partner – on the theme of innovation and the status of the South African manufacturing sector, says the technology was developed in-house following the development and large-scale roll-out of large water heating technologies.

September 11, 2020 by

Maynier urges urgent Gazetting of determination for new power projects

The Western Cape government has urged Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe to urgently Gazette the final Section 34 Ministerial Determination that would open the way for the procurement of 11 813 MW of new electricity capacity. On Thursday, Mantashe announced that the National Energy Regulator of South Africa had provided its concurrence to a determination, delivered to it in February, that seeks to implement the technology allocations included in the Integrated Resource Plan of 2019 (IRP 2019).
September 11, 2020 by

CSP towers’ impact on birdlife lower than expected, can be reduced

A study conducted by Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of AgriSciences has found that the 50 MW Khi Solar One facility, near Upington, is impacting on the surrounding bird life, but not to the extent expected.

It is also possible to reduce the impact that concentrating solar power (CSP) towers might have on bird populations by managing the infrastructure well, especially during downtime when it is not generating power, says the faculty’s HP van Heerden, after completing research at South Africa’s only CSP tower.

September 11, 2020 by

Renewable-energy masterplan process advancing

Work on  the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM) is officially under way, with the first industry working group meeting having taken place on August 26. SAREM is one of 14 industry specific masterplans being developed under the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC’s) national masterplan process, which was launched in July 2019.
September 11, 2020 by

Medupi conveyor belt repaired

State-owned power utility Eskom says the conveyor belt that feeds coal into the Medupi generation units, which failed on the evening of September 9, has been repaired and is back in service.

This has lowered the risk of load-shedding.

September 11, 2020 by

System available for transformer monitoring

Pretoria-based industrial technology and solutions provider RTS Africa Technologies (RTS) has recently announced the increased availability of its Gen5 System, developed specifically for transformer oil dissolved gas analysis (DGA) for distribution transformer monitoring.
September 11, 2020 by

Company underlines lithium-ion forklift battery benefits for warehouses

Local industrial lithium-ion battery distributor CHASE Technologies GM Brent Frazer explains that the company’s lithium-ion phosphate (LiFePO4) battery packs for forklifts present a more cost-effective, maintenance-free and environment-friendly option for forklift users. These battery packs provide a reliable power source when compared to the older, traditional lead acid battery option in forklifts used in materials handling for warehouses.
September 11, 2020 by