South Africa graft ombudsman holds hearings in renewables probe

South Africa’s graft ombudsman will hold a week of hearings as part of an investigation into the awarding of contracts to independent renewable power producers. The probe was established in 2019 after a complaint by a nongovernmental organisation that alleged “improper conduct and maladministration” by Eskom Holdings and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy, the Public Prosecutor’s spokesperson Oupa Segalwe said in a post on Twitter.
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Eskom’s biggest creditor sees barriers to debt-for-equity swap

South Africa’s Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF), the biggest investor in Eskom Holdings debt, said there were significant hurdles to a proposal that its bonds be converted to equity to help rescue the struggling power monopoly. The initiative, which has been backed by the country’s biggest labor unions, was first examined by the Public Investment Corporation (PIC), which manages most of the pension fund’s investments, but the GEPF has not been formally approached about a potential swap, its investment chief said.
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Total, Eni eye billion-dollar energy projects in Libya

France’s TotalEnergies and Italy’s SpA said they were ready to invest billions of dollars in Libya as the Opec nation emerges from a decade of conflict and civil war. “I want to contribute to Libya’s comeback,” TotalEnergies’ CEO Patrick Pouyanne said on Monday at an energy conference in the capital, Tripoli. “Some may see more boldness than wisdom in TotalEnergies’ decision to partner with Libya. I don’t. Where they see risks, I see the opportunities.”
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Eskom’s bondholders signal caution ahead of debt talks

As Eskom Holdings prepares to talk to investors about plans to address a multibillion-dollar debt load, the performance of the company’s bonds already suggests some skepticism from bondholders. The yield premium of Eskom’s 2028 dollar bonds without a government guarantee over those with state backing has widened almost 50 basis points since the beginning of October to the most in four months. The state-owned electricity company has 402 billion rand ($26 billion) of debt, of which about 70% is guaranteed by the government.
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Sasol aims to begin producing green hydrogen in Sasolburg from 2023

Energy and chemicals groups Sasol aims to begin producing 6 t/d of green hydrogen at its facility in Sasolburg by 2023, VP for climate change Shamini Harrington reports. In a presentation delivered during the Africa Green Hydrogen Forum, Harrington said that the green hydrogen would be produced using a combination of 60 MW of renewable electricity and existing assets, including existing electrolyser assets.
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SA-German energy partnership offering bursaries for Wits energy leadership courses

The University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) Business School has introduced a new stream in its existing Postgraduate Diploma (PGDip) in Management in the field of Energy Leadership, which offers a specialisation in electricity. Additionally, the South African-German Energy Programme and Capacitates for the Energy Transition (SAGEN-CET), a programme implemented by German development agency GIZ, is offering a limited number of bursaries for students who choose the electricity stream course as part of their PGDip at Wits Business School.
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New legal showdown to focus on lawfulness of Nersa’s proposed options for determining 2022 …

As Eskom and the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) head for another legal showdown, attention has turned to the legality and practicality of the regulator’s “preferred option” and timetable for ensuring that a tariff determination is made in time for implementation on April 1 next year. In a letter to Eskom, dated November 12, Nersa outlined four options, including:
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SAPVIA partners with Messe Frankfurt to deliver first ever Solar Power Africa trade show

South Africa’s position in driving the continent’s transition to renewable energy has been confirmed with the launch of the first ever Solar Power Africa trade show. Organised by Messe Frankfurt, in partnership with the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA), Solar Power Africa 2022 is the first event of its kind dedicated solely to solar power and energy storage and is expected to attract over 100 exhibitors.
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Earth & Wire, Vestas to cooperate on South African renewables projects

Independent power producer Earth & Wire has signed a letter of intent to launch a co-development cooperation programme with wind power manufacturer Vestas as a a key part in the overall development Earth & Wire’s portfolio of renewable energy projects in South Africa. The portfolio comprises wind, solar, biomethanol and green hydrogen, battery storage and biomass project opportunities.
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Nexans installs solar trackers at TotalEnergies’ former technical landfill in France

Solar energy equipment company Nexans Solar Technologies’ (Nexans’) Keylios solar trackers have been installed at the La Fenasse site, a former Technical Landfill Center located near Béziers in southwestern France, which is currently being converted to a 1.6 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) farm. The La Fenasse project is being carried out in partnership with Omexom ENR SO, a subsidiary of the Vinci group, which is responsible for installing the trackers and the electrical package.
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