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Without rooftop solar investments, loadshedding would be worse, study shows

Amid the energy challenges facing South Africa, residential solar energy company GoSolr says radical steps must be taken to secure the country’s energy supply and notes that solar energy will have a key role to play in ensuring security of supply.

In its inaugural quarterly solar update, or Light Paper, the company points out that South Africa experienced 68 days of loadshedding in the first quarter of this year.

April 29, 2024 by

Eskom says generation recovery plan gathering momentum

During a State of the System address hosted on Friday, Eskom confirmed its generation recovery plan (GRP) is making tangible progress, with various coal-fired power station units having been refurbished, repaired or optimised. Launched in April 2023 following extensive stakeholder engagements, including with power station managers, the GRP aims to address challenges affecting South Africa’s energy availability factor (EAF) within a two-year timeframe.
April 26, 2024 by

Eskom anticipates limited winter loadshedding amid generation improvements

Newly appointed Eskom group CEO Dan Marokane has provided assurances that loadshedding during the upcoming winter months will likely be contained at Stage 2, thanks to improvements in generation performance across the coal-fired power station fleet.

As of April 26, Eskom has marked 30 consecutive days without loadshedding, which Marokane said on Friday was a “good moment” to reflect on. He attributed the achievement to the success of the generation recovery plan (GRP) implemented by the State-owned power utility since April 2023.

April 26, 2024 by

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