Renewables alone will not solve energy crisis – NUMSA

The belief that renewable energy is the sole answer to South Africa’s energy crisis is irrational, National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (NUMSA) general secretary Irvin Jim has said.

“You can’t run a factory by wind or sun. What happens when there is no wind and the sun is behind a cloud? It is like lying to children by telling them you can do a braai with a torch,” he quipped to delegates attending the Metal Industries Collective Bargaining Summit in Johannesburg on May 25.

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At $1bn a day, solar investment to outpace oil for first time in 2023

The International Energy Agency (IEA) is forecasting that investment in solar will rise to more than $1-billion a day, or to some $380-billion for 2023 as a whole, increasing spending on the renewable technology to above upstream oil for the first time ever. The agency’s World Energy Investment also indicates that more than $1.7-trillion of the $2.8-trillion to be invested in energy globally this year, will be directed towards clean technologies, including renewables, electric vehicles, nuclear, grids, storage, low-emission fuels, efficiency improvements and heat pumps.
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Namibia signs agreement opening way for feasibility study of $10bn green ammonia project

Namibia has taken another step towards the creation of a green hydrogen industry, after President Hage Geingob’s Cabinet agreed this week to sign a feasibility and implementation agreement (FIA) with Hyphen Hydrogen Energy for a $10-billion project to produce two-million tonnes of green ammonia yearly by 2029. Hyphen, which is a Namibian-registered joint venture between Nicholas Holdings Limited and Enertrag, was awarded preferred-bidder status on the project, earmarked for development on some 4 000 km2 of land within the Tsau //Khaeb National Park, near Lüderitz, in November 2021.
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To unlock scarce grid capacity South Africa begins rethinking approach to curtailment

With insufficient grid capacity having been identified as the main constraint to the public procurement of the 28 GW of new electricity capacity allowed for by 2030 under various Ministerial determinations, IPP Office head Bernard Magoro reports that several new options are being considered to unlock existing grid capacity, including accepting some level of curtailment. Addressing the South African National Energy Association’s annual general meeting, Magoro reported that a cost-benefit analysis would be undertaken into whether curtailment should be factored into to future procurement rounds so as to unlock grid capacity, while additional transmission lines and substations are developed in parallel.
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South Africa weighs extending lives of larger coal power plants

South Africa is considering extending the lives of some of its biggest coal-fired power plants as the government seeks to bolster the country’s long-term energy security amid a deepening crisis. Kendal and Lethabo, two plants that represent about fifth of the State-owned power utility’s current capacity, are possible candidates, according to people familiar with the matter. Officials tasked with ending the crisis and making sure it doesn’t recur are looking at all options, the people said, asking not to be identified as the plans aren’t yet public.
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TNPA sets out to procure 20 MW of solar PV capacity for Richards Bay port

The Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has issued a request for proposals (RFP) for a service provider to design, build, test, commission, operate and maintain a 20 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant, with a battery energy storage system (BESS), for a period of seven years, at the Port of Richards Bay. “Securing alternative energy capacity forms part of TNPA’s Desired End State strategy that aims to enhance internal capabilities to ensure business continuity across the port system, while increasing business resilience and preserving the environment,” says TNPA renewable energy sector specialist Amanda Makgoga.
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Gordhan promises new-look Eskom by March as he outlines SOE Holdco progress

Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan says the restructuring under way at South Africa’s troubled State-owned electricity producer will result in a new-look entity that “will no longer be the old Eskom as we know it” by the end of March next year. Delivering his Budget Vote to lawmakers, Gordhan said the National Transmission Company of South Africa (NTC) would be fully operationalised by November and that the identities of its independent board members would be announced “shortly”.
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Eskom to implement Stage 5 loadshedding from 16:00

Power utility Eskom has announced that it will implement Stage 5 loadshedding in the evenings until further notice. Stage 5 loadshedding will be implemented from 16:00 until 05:00 and Stage 4 loadshedding from 05:00 to 16:00 every day.
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MTN issue two RFI’s for zero carbon renewable wheeling, on-site renewable solutions

Telecommunications giant MTN South Africa (SA) has issued two requests for information (RFI’s) for zero carbon renewable wheeling and on-site renewable solutions for various data centres and base transceiver station (BTS) sites across South Africa as the operator works to unlock off-grid, clean and reliable energy alternatives. This as MTN SA aims to gain an edge through renewable energy solutions across its footprint and meet its 2040 Net Zero targets.
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Vodacom working with Eskom on virtual wheeling platform to enable firms with distributed demand …

Mobile telecoms company Vodacom has approach Eskom with a ‘virtual wheeling platform’ concept that the communications group believes could assist it and other companies with distributed electricity demand profiles to meet their decarbonisation goals, while also contributing to lowering the risk of loadshedding. The proposed solution, an outline of which was presented by CEO Shameel Joosub during the 2023 edition of the South African Investment Conference in April, does not involve any specific new investments by either Eskom, Vodacom or potential participants.
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