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COP 28 to host fossil fuels debate

This year’s Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, referred to globally as COP 28 and being held from November 30 to December 12 in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), will look to address environmental issues, including decarbonisation targets and the “abolishment of fossil fuels”, by 2050. The US Environmental Protection Agency reports that fossil fuels are responsible for about 73% of all greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions globally.
December 1, 2023 by

Financial backing boosts decarbonisation initiative

Financial institution Standard Bank announced last month it had finalised an agreement to support global carbon project developer The African Stove Company (TASC) with funding for what is believed to be the first carbon credit project of its kind in South Africa. The carbon credit project has been designed to combat climate change and simultaneously drive positive social outcomes in rural areas.
December 1, 2023 by

Mantashe says special Cabinet meeting will consider IRP update after Ministers request time to …

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe confirmed that an update of the Integrated Resource Plan, which he has previously dubbed ‘IRP2023’, had served before Cabinet on November 29, but that his Ministerial colleagues had requested more deliberation time before approving the document for public consultation. Speaking in Pretoria at a briefing held to announce the identities of four battery storage preferred bidders, as well as to sign agreements opening the way for a hybrid solar/battery project, Mantashe also stated the IRP would be considered at a special Cabinet meeting scheduled for the coming week.
November 30, 2023 by

Four utility-scale battery projects worth R10bn selected following inaugural public tender

The South African government has selected preferred bidders for the development of four utility-scale battery energy storage system (BESS) projects in the Northern Cape, with a combined investment value of R10-billion. The four BESS installations will have a combine capacity of 360 MW/1 440 MWh, with three using lithium-ion battery technology, and one being a lithium-iron-phosphate solution.
November 30, 2023 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