Patel says vision for R200bn in additional localisation has top-level corporate backing

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel announced that an “accord” had been reached at the National Economic Development and Labour Council (Nedlac) to drive progressive localisation of up to R200-billion of additional production over a five-year period. Delivering his virtual Budget Vote, Patel said the strategy had the support of major corporates and that 30 ‘CEO champions’ – including Mamongae Mahlare of Illovo, Mark Cutifani of Anglo American, Vikesh Ramsunder of Clicks, Fleetwood Grobler of Sasol and Fortune Majapelo of Bushveld – had been nominated from the private sector to support the localisation push.
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Kibo, IGES to develop portfolio of waste-to-energy projects in South Africa

The share price of JSE- and Aim-listed Kibo Energy rose by more than 7% and 3% on the JSE and LSE, respectively, on May 18, after the company announced that it had entered into an agreement with South Africa-based Industrial Green Solutions (IGES) to jointly develop a series of waste-to-energy projects in South Africa. The companies have established Newco, in which Kibo will hold a 65% interest and IGES the balance, to deliver the projects. The parties have set an initial target of generating more than 50 MW of electricity for sale to industrial users.
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No place for new coal in $5tr/y transition to net-zero by 2050 – IEA study

A new and far-reaching study of how to transition the global energy system to one with net-zero carbon emissions by 2050 highlights the need for a dramatic acceleration in the pace and scale of renewable-energy and grid investment, while simultaneously halting new fossil-fuel supply projects and abandoning any new unabated coal plants. Published by the International Energy Agency (IEA) as part of preparations for the twenty-sixth Conference of the Parties, or COP26, climate gathering scheduled for Glasgow, Scotland, in November, the ‘Net Zero by 2050: A Roadmap for the Global Energy Sector’ report concludes that the world has a viable, albeit narrow, pathway for limiting the global temperature rise to 1.5 °C above preindustrial levels.
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SAWEA hails decade of clean energy in the country

May is National Energy Month in South Africa and, as the renewable energy sector commemorates a decade of clean power in the country, industry organisation the South Africa Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) has noted the contribution the country’s operational wind farms are making.  “Energy Month is an opportune time to consider the impact that wind power has had over the last decade in South Africa and the sector’s achievements,” says SAWEA CEO Ntombifuthi Ntuli.
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Ivanhoe, DRC utility partner to deliver hydropower for Kamoa mine

To support the continued successful performance of the Kamoa mining complex, Ivanhoe Mines Energy DRC, a sister company of Kamoa Copper, has announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding to establish a public-private partnership (PPP) with the Democratic Republic of the Congo’s (DRC’s) State-owned power company La Société Nationale d’Electricité (SNEL) to deliver reliable, clean and renewable hydropower to the Kamoa mine. Ivanhoe Mines co-chairpersons Robert Friedland and Yufeng Miles Sun explain that Ivanhoe Mines Energy DRC’s PPP with SNEL is aimed at working together to strengthen the grid’s capacity with renewable energy through the upgrade of a turbine at the existing Inga II hydropower plant, in the southwest of the DRC, on the Congo river – the deepest river in the world and the second-longest in Africa after the Nile river.
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Eskom approves higher Duvha coal price, facilitating South32 mine sale to Seriti

State-owned electricity producer Eskom confirmed on Monday that the Duvha coal supply agreement (CSA) had been increased to facilitate the sale of South32’s majority shareholding in South32 SA Energy Coal Holdings (SAEC) to black-owned resources group Seriti. The utility also announced that the CSA modification, which had attracted much criticism in recent months, had also been approved by the National Treasury on May 1.
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Solar minibuses for Africa? Data seen as key to green transport switch

As emissions from African transport surge, governments need to find ways to encourage a shift to cleaner, healthier electric vehicles, especially among the minibus and motorcycle taxis that dominate transport in many cities, researchers said on Thursday. Investment in generating more solar-powered electricity to charge electric vehicles (EVs) could encourage their use, cut pollution and costs for passengers, and help stabilise unreliable energy systems, they said in a commentary published in Nature Sustainability.
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Sungrow, partners to build Malawi’s first solar-plus-storage project

Solar photovoltaic (PV) and energy storage systems (ESS) solutions supplier Sungrow has partnered with JCM Power, InfraCo Africa, RINA and Innovate to build Malawi’s first utility-scale solar-plus-storage project. Located in the Dedza district of Malawi, near the town of Golomoti, the 20 MW solar PV and 5 MW/10 MWh energy storage project is set to demonstrate the value of solar PV coupled with energy storage,  Sungrow says. 
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Nersa to assess new NPA between Eskom, Hillside smelter

Creamer Media’s Chanel de Bruyn speaks to Engineering News Editor Terence Creamer about a new Negotiated Pricing Agreement (NPA) between Eskom and the Hillside aluminium smelter, what the process will be for Nersa to adjudicate the NPA and if there are likely to be more such NPAs with other mining and industrial firms.
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