There is considerable potential for Africa to capitalise on the opportunities presented by the green hydrogen economy, and for South Africa to be the hub out of which this is done; however, a key requirement of this will be collaboration. This was the key message from opening keynote speakers during the first day of the Hydrogen Africa Conference and Expo 2022, held in Sandton on September 28.
The Eskom board has been reduced to just five non-executive directors, from a necessary 13, after the resignation with immediate effect of Busi Mavuso on Tuesday soon after a short meeting between the board and Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan. Mavuso, who is also the executive director of Business Leadership South Africa, was the sole remaining chartered accountant on the board and chairperson of the two-person finance and investment sub-committee.
With nearly a third of the country not yet electrified, Eskom believes its containerised micro-grids – made of repurposed shipping containers – are an innovative way to solve for energy access, says its general manager for Just Energy Transition, Mandy Rambharos. Rambharos and Eskom CEO André de Ruyter on Wednesday participated in the Africa Renewable Investments Summit, held in Cape Town.
Load-shedding will remain at Stage 4 throughout the night, Eskom announced on Wednesday evening. Previously, it downgraded load-shedding to Stage 3 during night-time. However, its diesel stocks are running low after a vessel that was supposed to offload diesel at Mossel Bay couldn’t berth due to rough seas. Eskom depends on diesel-fired Open-Cycle Gas Turbines in Ankerlig, Cape Town, and Gourikwa near Mossel Bay for emergency power.
Karpowership, the Turkish company seeking to supply 1 220 MW of power to South Africa, will refile an application to the environment department in a bid to move its project forward at a time when the nation is suffering its worst-ever power cuts, a person familiar with the situation said. The application will be filed by Jan. 8 and a response from the department will be given by the end of March, the person said, asking not to be identified as a public statement hasn’t been made. The company will then aim to complete its financial arrangements in May and electricity from its gas-fired power plants mounted on ships may be supplied about a year later, the person said.
Beverage producer South African Breweries (SAB) has launched its first environment, social and governance (ESG) strategy, and will release its first Global Reporting Initiative-compliant ESG report in November. Speaking at the launch of the SAB ESG strategy in Johannesburg on September 28, SAB corporate affairs VP Zoleka Lisa said the company’s ESG strategy was built around eight strategic priorities: climate action; water stewardship; entrepreneurship; diversity and inclusion; circular packaging; smart agriculture; responsible consumption; and ethics and transparency.
Meeting air quality standards would warrant Eskom decommissioning as much as 16GW of its coal-fired power stations immediately, which would exacerbate load shedding to unprecedented stages, according to CEO André de Ruyter. De Ruyter on Wednesday laid out Eskom’s vision for a just energy transition at the Africa Renewables Investment Summit, held in Cape Town.
The South African Renewable Energy Technology Centre (Saretec), which is based at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT), together with the Global Energy Alliance for People and Planet (GEAPP) have signed a partnership agreement with Eskom for the development of a new training facility to be established at the soon-to-be-decommissioned Komati power station.
Mercedes-Benz South Africa co-CEO Mark Raine has urged South Africa to move with greater speed in finalising its electric vehicle (EV) support framework, which he argues should be “holistic” and include measures that both sustain local production and stimulate domestic demand. The South African government has already indicated that it plans to support a manufacturing transition from internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles to so-called new energy vehicles, including EVs, and is currently consulting on a roadmap for the sector.
The Smart Energy Solutions for Africa (SESA) consortium has launched its first ‘SESA Call for Entrepreneurs’ funding round. Small and medium-sized enterprises, particularly women-led, with a focus on sustainable energy solutions in Ghana, Malawi, Morocco and South Africa, are encouraged to apply.
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