Medupi construction complete after 14 years

The last of six power generation units at the Medupi power station, in Lephalale, is now operational, marking the completion of all building activities on the 4.7 GW project.

Construction at Medupi started in May 2007 and the power station has an operational life of 50 years.

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Kibo forms working relationship with IGES to pursue South African waste-to-energy projects

Africa-focused energy company Kibo Energy has satisfied all conditions required, and completed an agreement with South Africa-based Industrial Green Energy Solutions (IGES), to jointly develop a portfolio of waste-to-energy projects in South Africa.

The companies entered into an agreement to jointly develop a portfolio of waste-to-energy projects in South Africa, with an initial target of generating more than 50 MW of electricity for sale to industrial users.

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Ramaphosa sees big green economy opportunity in ‘bold’ climate commitment

President Cyril Ramaphosa says it is time for South Africa to “grasp the nettle” and embark on a “transformative path” towards a climate-resilient society both to fulfil its moral obligations in the face of an intensifying crisis, but also to seize the economic and job opportunities that are arising around the transition. Speaking during the third formal meeting of the Presidential Climate Commission (PCC), which he established in December 2020 and chairs, Ramaphosa said that, given the primacy of the climate crisis on the international agenda, South Africa could no longer be debating whether or not it should transition to a low-emissions society.
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Nedbank clients can fund home solar PV system through their home loan

Nedbank clients have the option to finance the installation of solar photovoltaic (PV) systems for their homes through their Nedbank home loan, the bank’s research, insights, retail and business banking executive Bruno Ching’andu has said. In a South African Photovoltaic Industry Association-hosted webinar this week, Ching’andu encouraged consumers to consider this option, as it could become more affordable to pay off the home loan repayment installment than to foot an ever-increasing electricity bill from the municipality or Eskom.
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Distributed generation funding model ideas will ‘evolve’, but regulation critical

New funding model ideas for distributed generation projects will evolve as the market expands, but Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) business development head Hugh Howarden has stressed the importance of government clarifying the requirements for the development and registration of such projects. President Cyril Ramaphosa in June announced that the licensing-exemption threshold for distribution generation projects would increase to 100 MW and that the new requirements for such projects would be gazette within 60 days.
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Use COP26 to position South Africa as destination of choice for rapid decarbonisation …

Deputy chair of South Africa’s Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) Valli Moosa has presented an upbeat assessment of the country’s ability to position itself as a preferred global destination for foreign and domestic decarbonisation investment. Speaking during a hydrogen-focused webinar on Thursday, Moosa warned that South Africa’s prevailing high carbon intensity had the potential to undermine its long-term competitiveness as countries and companies became increasingly climate-conscious and sought to restrict trade in carbon-heavy products.
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Conco Energy Solutions acquired by 51% black female owned company

Energy equipment and solutions provider Conco Energy Solutions has been acquired by wholly black-owned DLO Resources Group, which is headed up by 51% shareholder, founder and CEO Linda Mabhena-Olagunju. DLO is a renewable energy developer and strategic investor.
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SAPVIA calls for clarity on local content requirements

The South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) is calling for immediate clarity from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC) about its approach to localisation, specifically in the South African solar photovoltaic (PV) sector. The DTIC and the National Treasury have stipulated minimum thresholds for local content across several sectors – including solar PV components – with the intent being to encourage local manufacturing and, ultimately, industrialisation in South Africa.
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Flexible dual-fuel engines to modernise Flour Mills Nigeria plant

Energy and marine equipment manufacturer Wärtsilä will supply fuel-flexible dual-fuel engines to extend, improve and modernise power generation for a captive power plant at Nigeria’s oldest and largest food and agroprocessing company Flour Mills Nigeria. Flour Mills Nigeria’s Lagos-based power plant is needed to ensure sufficient capacity and a reliable around-the-clock electricity supply to enable the company to manufacture its food products and meet its commitment to customers.
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New framework needed to accommodate third-party electricity generators on the national grid

The wheeling and trading of electricity produced by third parties into the national grid is a complex issue that requires frameworks and grid capacity building, State-owned power utility retail pricing corporate specialist Shirley Salvoldi has said.

She spoke during a webinar on the topic of President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement that the licensing-exemption threshold for distributed generation projects would be increased from 1 MW to 100 MW, and how this could benefit South Africa’s commercial and industrial sectors.

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