Energy storage company Balancell has cut the ribbon on its new R80-million assembly plant in Ndabeni, Cape Town. The lithium ferro-phosphate battery assembler’s previous facility was limited to 250 MWh capacity a year, with the new operation scaled up to 1 GWh.
South Africa is in talks with its international climate-finance partners over the provision of guarantees for loans for the construction of energy-related infrastructure. “We are managing, in particular, issues with our international partners” around guarantees, said Joanne Yawitch, head of the project management unit for the $9.3-billion pact within the South African presidency, at an event in the eastern town of eMalahleni on Friday. “We are on the edge of seeing some of that finance flowing.”
Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses government’s review of the current framework through which electricity capacity is procured from independent power producers; the reasons for the review; and what changes are being considered.
(Virtual Showroom): The completion of the solar borehole system in the Roots community, in Brits, located in South Africa’s North West province, spearheaded by pump supplier AxFlow AQS Liquid Transfer, has had a transformative impact on the lives of about 3 000 households. This initiative, backed by various stakeholders, has provided a reliable and sustainable water source, addressing a critical need in the community, marketing manager Melani du Plessis says.
The removal of the licensing threshold for embedded generation has boosted the renewable-energy market by allowing private-sector companies to procure energy directly from independent power producers (IPPs) and thereby facilitating greater investment across the renewable-energy landscape, says financial services company Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking (CIB). The company highlights that it will continue to scale up its historical commitment towards the renewable-energy sector, in line with the need to support socioeconomic development objectives while driving the transition to a zero-carbon energy system, thereby also advancing energy security and affordability.
Real estate investment company Fortress Real Estate Investments Limited (Fortress) continues to invest significantly in renewable-energy and green technologies to achieve its ambitious energy security strategy and decarbonisation targets. Data released in the company’s financial report for the year ended June 30, shows that Fortress has invested a total of R337.9-million in its solar roll-out programme to date, which has enabled it to generate 22 180 MWh of the 246 141 MWh the company consumes each year.
Despite enthusiasm for the development of a hydrogen economy from the public and private sectors, there remains a significant lack of coordination to effectively implement projects and bring the dream of a green hydrogen economy to life, according to energy technology company Mitochondria Energy System CEO and founder Mashudu Ramano. “What I think is necessary, is a coordinated effort throughout the various government entities and departments to have a single sort of point of contact coordinating these developments,” he said during a webinar hosted by Creamer Media earlier this month.
In South Africa, solar and wind are viable and established energy sources, notes digital automation and energy management company Schneider Electric. Unfortunately, it is limited to when the sun is shining, and the wind is blowing, which is why energy storage forms such an important part of the energy generation infrastructure. In exploring the variability of solar in the US state of California, energy producers have observed a trend now referred to as the “Duck Curve”. In essence, the Duck Curve observes a drop in net load (or the demand remaining after subtracting variable renewable generation) in the middle of the day, when solar generation tends to be highest.
South Africa’s disproportionate reliance on coal for electricity generation is poised to add further upward pressure on tariffs by exposing local businesses to carbon taxes that could make up over 35% of their electricity costs by 2034. This finding is contained in research conducted by Discovery Green in partnership with EY’s Africa Sustainability Tax division, which Discovery Green head Andre Nepgen says points to there being significant cost implications for those South African businesses subject to carbon tax.
Despite welcome relief from loadshedding in South Africa, a total of 3.3 GW of renewable energy projects were registered with the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) this year, with more than 2 GW registered in the third quarter alone. Analysis conducted by Gaylor Montmasson-Clair, senior economist at Trade and Industrial Policy Strategies, indicates that the surge in registrations during the quarter, from 606 MW in the first quarter and 732 MW in the second, could be attributed to a few large projects.
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