DHL expands EV logistics centres to manage transportation of batteries

Logistics company DHL is expanding and refining its development of an end-to-end electric vehicle (EV) battery logistics supply chain solution to bridge the gap between moving EV battery materials and finished products between manufacturing plants.

The increase in demand for battery logistics solutions is being driven by a variety of pressures; while in Africa the move to EVs in the two-wheel, three-wheel and public transport markets is part of a global shift to alternative fuels.

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Cars.co.za buys into Karoo off-grid solar project through Sun Exchange

Global solar leasing platform Sun Exchange has announced that South African automotive platform Cars.co.za has bought into a project that provides off-grid solar power, as well as battery storage, to the Karoo Fresh commercial farm. By using the Sun Exchange platform to buy more than 16 000 solar cells, valued at more than R2.5-million, Cars.co.za says it hopes to leverage its balance sheet to drive sustainable energy, while also creating an alternative income stream for its business over the 20-year life span of the solar project.
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Zero Carbon Charge aims to start roll-out of solar-powered electric vehicle charging stations …

Zero Carbon Charge (ZeroCC) is unashamedly pro-electric vehicle (EV), but believes that driving an EV only makes a difference when charged by renewable energy. ZeroCC director Andries Malherbe says that charging an EV using the conventional energy on tap in South Africa – in other words, Eskom power, generated from its fleet of coal-fired plants – will do very little to alleviate the poor air quality in the country.
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S Africa can ease effect of natural disasters through technology

Deploying “cutting-edge” solutions at South Africa’s water treatment plants will assist the country in mitigating the severe impact of natural disasters, such as the drought in Nelson Mandela Bay, in the Eastern Cape, and the flooding in KwaZulu-Natal, while addressing the poor state of infrastructure, says technology company ABB Power and Water local division sales manager Joyce Moganedi. Considerable capital is being pumped into managing the effects of these disasters, with provincial capital Bisho allocating R10.5-million towards Eastern Cape drought relief during the 2021/22 financial year, and former KwaZulu-Natal premier Sihle Zikalala stating that R30-million was allocated to restore water supply following floods in the province.
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Millions injected into water tech over past 7 years

The Water Technologies Demonstration Programme (Wader) has invested about R43.5-million in 46 projects from 2015 to 2022 as the technology arm of the National Water Research, Development and Innovation Roadmap. The Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) has been the primary funder of the programme and has invested close to R39-million, says Water Research Commission (WRC) Wader manager Dr Manjusha Sunil.
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Nedbank secures $350m sustainability-linked syndicated loan facility

Financial services company Nedbank, through its London branch, has signed and closed a $350-million sustainability-linked syndicated term loan facility, with a margin contingent on the company’s performance in terms of two internal key performance indicators, namely renewable energy consumption as a percentage of the total energy consumption and reduction of total Scope 1 and 2 emissions. The proceeds will be used for the refinancing of the remaining balance outstanding under the $500-million syndicated term loan facility dated November 5, 2019, of which $250-million was prepaid in 2021, as well as general corporate purposes, the bank said on October 20.
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BII relaunches in South Africa with pledge to support clean energy, inclusive growth

UK development finance institution British International Investment (BII) has launched under its new name in South Africa and has reaffirmed its commitment to invest to accelerate South Africa’s economic dynamism. The institution will deploy its patient, long-term capital toward scaling climate finance and expanding the country’s clean energy capacity, increasing investments into economic transforming sectors and backing productive and inclusive opportunities across the country.
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Cabinet endorses Just Energy Transition Partnership Investment Plan ahead of COP27

Cabinet has officially endorsed the Just Energy Transition Partnership Investment Plan (JETP-IP) following a presentation it received at its latest meeting, held on Wednesday October 19. “After welcoming a presentation on the JETP and the JETP-IP, Cabinet endorsed the
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Loadshedding planned for the weekend

Stage 3 and 2 loadshedding will again be implemented continuously from 16:00 on Friday until 05:00 Monday morning, Eskom said. Stage 3 loadshedding will continue to be implemented until 05:00 on Friday morning. Loadshedding will then be suspended for the day.
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America’s new nuclear power industry has a Russian problem

US firms developing a new generation of small nuclear power plants to help cut carbon emissions have a big problem: only one company sells the fuel they need, and it’s Russian. That’s why the US government is urgently looking to use some of its stockpile of weapons-grade uranium to help fuel the new advanced reactors and kick-start an industry it sees as crucial for countries to meet global net-zero emissions goals.
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