Ikamva consortium to build 1.27 GW of new wind, solar in South Africa

Wind and solar power consortium Ikamva will build 12 new wind and solar projects with a combined capacity of 1.27 GW have won preferred bidder status in Bid Window (BW) 5 of South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). The 12 projects, across onshore wind and solar, will generate enough clean energy to power a third of the yearly electricity demand of the City of Cape Town, and represent half of the total allocation in the BW, which was the most competitive to date and was almost four-times oversubscribed, wind and solar power multinational Mainstream Renewable Power says.
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$8.5bn climate package an ‘important first step’ in South Africa’s just transition

Eskom CEO Andrè de Ruyter describes the $8.5-billion (R131-billion) financing package announced at COP26 as “an important first step” in light of the fact that South Africa’s energy transition is expected to require investments of between $30- and $35-billion over the coming 15 years. He says that funding – pledged as part of a political agreement concluded with France, Germany, the UK, the US and the European Union – will support a socially and economically just energy transition in South Africa, while enabling the country to meet its new Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) targets.
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Hydrogen can contribute over 20% of global carbon abatement by 2050

Hydrogen can provide the lowest-cost decarbonisation solution for over a fifth of final energy demand by mid-century – contributing a cumulative reduction of 80 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2), the Hydrogen Council’s CEO Coalition has told delegates attending COP26, in Glasgow. To achieve that target, the coalition recommends strong public-private collaboration.
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DBSA commits to playing its part in a just transition to net-zero emissions by 2050

Development finance institution (DFI) the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) says it will play an active role and provide finance for a just transition that achieves net-zero greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions by 2050.
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Mantashe wants new energy council to speak as one, not as competitors

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has expressed optimism that the newly established Energy Council of South Africa will provide a platform for greater coordination and cohesion within the sector, which has hitherto approached government and debates on the energy transition as “competitors” rather than as a unified voice. The CEO-led council was officially launched on Tuesday and includes representatives from Eskom, Sasol, the Central Energy Fund, Anglo American Platinum, Exxaro, TotalEnergies South Africa and the Industrial Development Corporation, as well as Business Unity South Africa, the Black Business Council, the National Business Initiative, the South African Petroleum Industry Association, Naamsa | The Automotive Business Council and the Minerals Council South Africa.
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SANEA names 2021 Energy Awards winners

Industry association the South African National Energy Association (SANEA) has named the winners of the 2021 Energy Awards, who were acknowledged for their contribution to the energy sector and the country’s energy community. The Energy Shapeshifter award was awarded to Lethabo Manamela, the interim CEO of the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI).
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Wind, solar organisations form Global Renewable Energy Alliance

A new global renewable energy alliance between the wind energy and solar photovoltaic (PV) industries is calling on governments to implement energy transition action plans and cut red tape to meet net-zero targets. A joint study by industry organisations the Global Solar Council and the Global Wind Energy Council found that, by 2030, there will be a 29% shortfall in the projected wind and solar capacity required to keep the world on course to limit global warming to 1.5 ˚C above preindustrial levels and sustain a pathway to carbon neutrality by 2050.
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Grimbeek reappointed as SAWEA chair

Industry organisation the South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) has announced the reappointment of Mercia Grimbeek as chair for a second two-year term. Grimbeek, who has served on the board of governance since 2018, has been part of South Africa’s renewable energy sector since its inception 11 years ago.
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Half of investors express intent to divest from companies not committed to improving ESG – PwC

Forty-nine per cent of investors surveyed by PwC have said they would consider divesting from companies that are not taking sufficient action on environmental, social and governance (ESG) issues.

The ‘2021 Global Investor ESG Survey’ captured the views of 325 investors from around the world, primarily active asset managers and analysts with investment firms, investment banks or brokerage firms.

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South Africa secures commitments to mobilise R131bn in concessional climate financing

President Cyril Ramaphosa on November 2 announced that South Africa had signed a political declaration with the governments of France, Germany, the UK and the US, as well as the leadership of the European Union, to establish a partnership to mobilise an initial $8.5-billion, or R131-billion, over the next three to five years through a range of instruments, including grants and concessional finance, to support the implementation of South Africa’s revised Nationally Determined Contributions (NDC) through a just transition to a low-carbon and climate resilient economy. The Political Declaration represents a first-of-its kind partnership to turn these commitments into reality and a model for similar forms of collaboration globally.
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