Biomass from offcuts from commercial plantations, including recycled orchards and vineyards, and cleared invasive, alien vegetation from river rehabilitation projects can be used as an alternative, clean heating solution, says biomass harvesting company African Biomass Company (ABC) founding partner and MD Willem van der Merwe. He notes that there are 150 000 t/y of unwanted invasive alien trees available in the Western Cape alone.
Creamer Media’s Chanel de Bruyn speaks to Engineering News Editor Terence Creamer about power utility Eskom’s plans for the repowering and repurposing of the Komati power station as part of a larger just energy transition project and financing plan.
JSE-listed coal miner Wescoal reports that Arnot Opco, in which it holds a 50% stake, has entered into a long-term coal supply agreement (CSA) with State-owned power utility Eskom to supply coal from the Arnot mine, in Middelburg, Mpumalanga, for the next ten years. The CSA marks the conclusion of months of negotiations with the power utility, which commenced mid-2020 following the Arnot Opco incorporation. The initial transaction between Arnot Opco and Exxaro Coal Mpumalanga (ECM) in 2019 was heralded as “one-of-its-kind” by the South African regulatory authorities and was led by retrenched ECM Arnot mine employees, Innovators Resources in partnership with Wescoal. Through the CSA, Arnot Opco will deliver coal to Eskom’s Arnot power station through conveyor belts, thereby reducing costs for both the power utility and the mining company. The first delivery to Eskom is expected this year.
Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, in an August 12 Government Gazette, published the eagerly awaited amendments to Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act to enable distributed generation plants of up to 100 MW to proceed without first obtaining a generation licence. To address the recent electricity deficit situation and reduce the impact of intermittent power supply to businesses and the economy, President Cyril Ramaphosa in June instructed Mantashe to Gazette, within 60 days, an amendment to permit private electricity generators to build and commission plants of up to 100 MW without a generating licence.
NYSE-listed consulting, technical, scientific and project delivery company Jacobs has been appointed to carry out essential engineering modifications as part of a R20-billion programme to extend the operating life of South Africa’s only nuclear power station – Koeberg, in the Western Cape.
The project is in preparation for the installation of six replacement steam generators, each weighing about 380 t and measuring about 20 m long, at the two-reactor plant operated by State-owned power utility Eskom.
The sustainability of renewable energy is linked to its long-term positive impact within host communities and close collaboration will help bring about a socially just transition to cleaner energy, says renewable independent power producer (IPP) Scatec sub-Saharan Africa GM Jan Fourie. He adds that it will also result in a fairer distribution of skills and jobs in the country.
The renewable energy sector is preparing for the August 16 close of submissions for Bid Window 5 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP), as well as the next two bidding rounds, by sourcing specialist skills to deliver on renewable energy projects, says South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) CEO Ntombifuthi Ntuli. “We are anticipating jobs in manufacturing, logistics, finance, construction and operational phases. These comprise professional services, business services and sales.
As a country with one of the most emissions-intensive power sectors in the world, and as a nation that is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change, South Africa needs to commit to find ways to transition to a net-zero emission economy by 2050, National Business Initiative (NBI) CEO Joanne Yawitch asserts. She notes that, in particular, the country needs to understand the need to transition its economy and to decarbonise, as well as to build resilience to the impacts of climate change.
The sixth assessment by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is an important contribution to enhancing scientific understanding on climate change that must inform international policy at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties (COP26) in Glasgow, Scotland, in November, says Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy.
“Climate action remains a national and international priority and South Africa remains firmly committed to contributing our best effort towards the global cause of addressing climate change.
“In this regard, we will be submitting our revised Nationally Determined Contribution to mitigate greenhouse-gas emissions to the UNFCCC ahead of COP 26.”
To allay uncertainties associated with the renewable energy (RE) premium rates of the Carbon Tax Act, the National Treasury has published a new draft RE Premium Notice, proposing the removal of the limitation of the tax period for which the RE premium rates would be applicable.
The Carbon Tax Act came into effect in June 2019 to help ease the electricity sector transition and to further promote investment in renewable energy, thereby provisioning for electricity generators to offset additional purchases of renewable electricity against their carbon tax liability for the first phase of the carbon tax until December 31, 2022.
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