Ghana is gunning for nuclear energy to account for 30% of its energy mix by 2070, with renewable energy set to account for about 20%. “We see three key energy sources play a leading role in the supply of energy for the people of this country. First, we want to expand renewable energy to about 20 000 MW by 2070. That will mean that renewable energy will account for 20% of the country’s energy mix,” Energy Ministry power directorate deputy director Seth Mahu told journalists in Accra last week.
Ghana’s Bui Power Authority (BPA), with the collaboration of the grid operator, is planning on constructing a new 50 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) farm, in Dagbon, in the north of the country. This is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year, BPA CEO Samuel Kofi Dzamesi has told Engineering News.
State-owned electricity utility Eskom is preparing to issue updated grid queuing rules that will outline how it plans to manage scarce grid connection capacity in a way that avoids “hogging” of capacity and ensures that only “shovel-ready” project are allocated capacity. The new approach is contained in what Eskom terms its Interim Grid Capacity Allocation Rules (IGCAR) document, which outlines a shift from the ‘first come, first served’ framework that has hitherto been implemented to one based on ‘first ready, first served’.
A recent survey shows there are about 30GW of wind energy projects in various stages of development. While South Africa has the skills to support the rollout of this generation capacity, the lack of grid capacity is the biggest hurdle in deploying the renewables, according to an industry expert. Niveshen Govender, CEO of the South African Wind Energy Association (Sawea), expressed optimism that wind generation capacity would increase tenfold from the current 3.4GW installed currently. He was citing the Renewable Energy Grid Survey, which was presented by Eskom officials to both the solar PV and wind energy associations earlier this month.
State-owned power utility Eskom has issued a tender seeking a service provider to drive the Komati Power Station socioeconomic development plan to assist with the transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Part of the plan includes the management and implementation of mitigation measures for the socioeconomic impacts resulting from the shutdown of the coal-fired generating units at Eskom’s Komati Power Station. The last of the coal-fired units at Komati reached its end of operational life in October 2022 and was shut down.
South Africa’s finance ministry has appointed a consultant to come up with a plan by August to allow utility Eskom to accept-billions in loans designed to help it cut its carbon emissions when the government has blocked it from taking on new debt. Wealthy nations, including Britain, France, Germany, the European Union and the United States, committed $8.5-billion at UN climate talks in November 2021 to help South Africa cut its emissions and accelerate a shift from coal, which provides most of its electricity generation.
Cape Town’s energy strategy, which has been released for public comment, envisages the addition of 650 MW of new independent generation within five years in line with the city’s stated goal of protecting itself against four stages of loadshedding by 2026. Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis indicates that the new supply will be secured from various sources, including from city-owned generators, independent power producers (IPPs), from residents and businesses feeding into the grid, as well as through wheeling and trading.
China and South Africa will deepen cooperation, trade and investment in new energy technologies to help South Africa overcome its energy challenges and reignite its economic growth. During the China-South Africa New Energy Investment and Cooperation conference, held in Sandton, on June 13, South Africa’s ambassador to China Siyabonga Cwele emphasised that the countries had reached a consensus on several global issues, including green or sustainable development, the digital economy, the just energy transition, technology exchange and skills required for the future.
The UK Government has announced that it awarding funding of £4.3-million (about R100.66-million) to seven British universities and technology companies to develop technologies necessary to create a space-based solar power (SBSP) sector, to provide the country with green energy. Of the funding, £3.3-million (some R77.25-million) will be provided by the Department of Energy Security and Net Zero, while the rest will come from the UK Space Agency. SBSP would see large solar arrays deployed in space, generating electricity, which would then be transmitted down to Earth, using wireless (microwave) technology, in a safe manner, and introduced into terrestrial transmission grids. Space-based solar arrays would be in sunlight for 99% of the time.
The zero-emission, green-energy-powered Energy Observer (EO) has docked in Cape Town for a visit of just more than a week. The vessel, which acts as an on-the-water laboratory able to test various forms of environmentally friendly energy, is covered in 202 m2 of solar panels.
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