Entries by

Access to water, logistics infrastructure major hurdles to hydrogen economy

One of the challenges standing in the way of South Africa becoming a world-class green hydrogen producer is that South Africa is a water-scarce country, and that enormous volumes of water are needed to produce hydrogen, law firm Bowmans associate Marga Jordaan has said. “[We] need to take into account sustainable water use for communities, which is also a constitutional right, and to weigh that up with the economic growth in respect of the export and production of hydrogen,” Jordaan said at a seminar at Bowmans’ offices in Sandton on November 29.
November 30, 2023 by

75 MW Umoyilanga hybrid project reaches financial close under much-delayed risk-mitigation round

The Umoyilanga hybrid renewables-battery project, which will supply 75 MW of dispatchable electricity daily from 05:00 to 21:30 when built, has officially achieved commercial and financial close and is expected to begin commercial operation in March 2025. The project is being developed by EDF Renewables and Perpetua Holdings, with financial backing from Nedbank, Rand Merchant Bank and the Development Bank of Southern Arica.
November 30, 2023 by

Night loadshedding drops to Stage 5

Eskom announced a marginal drop in loadshedding on Thursday due to improved generation recovery and emergency reserves.  Stage 3 loadshedding kicked in at 10:00, and will continue until 16:00, when Stage 4 will resume. However, Stage 5 loadshedding will be implemented from 20:00 until 05:00 on Friday, instead of the previous Stage 6. 
November 30, 2023 by

IEA to seek ‘achievable’ 4% a year global energy efficiency improvement goal at COP28

Global body the International Energy Agency (IEA) will seek to secure commitments from all governments to improve the global average rate of energy efficiency from 2% a year to 4% a year at the United Nations Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP) 28 to be held in Dubai from November 30. This goal of doubling yearly energy efficiency improvement is not only achievable but will help to address a significant amount of the greenhouse-gas emissions reductions targets, and improve energy security and help to reduce energy prices, IEA executive director Dr Fatih Birol said during the launch of the IEA ‘Energy Efficiency 2023’ report, on November 29.
November 29, 2023 by

UK’s BII to invest R125m on Northern, Eastern Cape wind farms

UK development finance institution British International Investment (BII) will invest R125-million in two 140 MW wind farms in the Northern Cape and Eastern Cape to help tackle South Africa’s energy crisis and accelerate economic growth. The two wind farms are currently under construction, are expected to reach completion in 2024 and will provide clean, affordable energy to South Africa. This is part of a three-project cluster being co-developed by renewable energy investment company H1 Capital and energy company EDF Renewables.
November 29, 2023 by

Gore warns of ‘plateauing’ pace of delivery on power, logistics, crime reforms

Business Unity South Africa (Busa) president Adrian Gore has warned that the pace of delivery across the joint initiatives being taken with government on electricity, logistics and crime is “plateauing” and has called for a greater sense of “urgency and determination” to re-establish momentum. In a joint statement released following the latest high-level meeting between business and government convened by President Cyril Ramaphosa on Tuesday, Gore attributed the recent lack of progress to “delays in regulatory and other approvals, as well as a slippage on the implementation of strategic plans, and the alignment of these to workable funding solutions”.
November 29, 2023 by

World Bank grants consent for legal separation of Eskom’s Transmission division

State-owned utility Eskom announces that multilateral development bank the World Bank, a key strategic creditor of the entity, has granted its consent for the proposed legal separation of the Transmission division from Eskom Holdings to the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA). “The World Bank’s consent marks a significant milestone in advancing our turnaround plan and contributing towards a sustainable resolution of the country’s energy crisis. It is subject to certain conditions, example, confirmation that all the necessary suspensive conditions required to operationalise NTCSA have been met.
November 28, 2023 by

As Eskom outlines worsened prognosis, City Power confirms loadshedding schedule review amid …

Having outlined an improving power system prognosis for the working week on Sunday, following the shock implementation of Stage 6 on Friday November 24, Eskom has since reported that the outlook has deteriorated and has declared Stage 4 until 5:00 on Saturday. A day earlier, a faster de-escalation in the intensity of rotational cuts was forecast, with Eskom indicating that, having reduced loadshedding to Stage 4 from 12:00 on Sunday, Stage 3 cuts would be implemented during the day until Friday, while being ramped up to Stage 4 during the late afternoons to navigate the evening peak and replenish emergency reserves overnight.
November 27, 2023 by

Graphics confirm 2023 as loadshedding’s annus horribilis

South Africans are already painfully aware that 2023 has been a devastating year for power disruptions, with the latest bout of Stage 6 loadshedding having provided yet another traumatic reminder of just how far away South Africa is currently from fully addressing its supply deficit. A pain that was reportedly felt even more intensely by the residents of Johannesburg, who were subjected to City Power’s new schedule, which some have concluded was implemented at a Stage 8 intensity. A claim that City Power has denied.
November 27, 2023 by