New gensets developed

Vertical manufacturer HIMOINSA developed a gas-powered generator set with maintenance periods that stretch for up to 10 000 hours, or 14 months of continuous work, highlights HIMOINSA Southern Africa senior sales engineer Warrick Taylor.

The generator’s estimated service life of 30 000 hours until overhaul is much longer than the average life of diesel equipment of the same size, potentially requiring only two services throughout its entire working life.

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Cylinder market expected to grow

The global liquified petroleum gas (LPG) cylinder manufacturing market is projected to reach a market size of about $4.7-billion by 2026, with an average growth rate of about 3.6% during the forecast period, according to a report issued by market intelligence provider Transparency Market Research last month. LPG, sometimes also referred to as simply propane or butane, is typically stored in gas cylinders or tanks, which are pressure vessels that keep the LPG at above atmospheric pressure.
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Local content rules for PV modules posing a challenge for ‘emergency’ solar projects

The stipulation that solar projects bid as part of the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP) include photovoltaic (PV) modules that meet the local-content thresholds and conditionalities outlined in government’s designation for PV components is causing some anxiety among independent power producers (IPPs) and their engineering contractors. Neither laminated PV modules, nor module frames received an exemption from the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (DTIC), owing to the existence of local industrial capacity to conduct final assembly and compliance testing.
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Mahlako launches R1.5bn renewables, gas and energy services fund

Female-owned investment fund manager Mahlako Financial Services has launched a R1.5-billion investment fund that will invest in businesses and energy projects with growth potential along the entire value chain to close the energy infrastructure gap in South Africa and transform the sector. “We back our portfolio companies holistically beyond providing working capital. Aside from our expertise, we provide access to a strategic network of resources and future funding partners to bring the best support for the most promising businesses contributing to the energy transition,” says Mahlako co-founder Meta Mhlarhi.
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Wärtsilä sings maintenance agreement with Nigerian energy supplier

Technology group Wärtsilä has signed a long-term optimised maintenance agreement covering power plants in three locations owned by 100% privately-owned Nigerian energy provider Paras Energy. The aim of the agreement is to ensure the plants’ continued high levels of availability, reliability and efficiency, while providing important cost predictability for future budgeting purposes.
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Customers using rewards to mitigate electricity increases, FNB says

According to insights from financial service provider FNB, electricity spend is one of the largest spend categories for entry to middle income customers, and in the wake of the 15% increase in electricity tariffs for 2021/22, many households will have to review their monthly budgets to accommodate the increase and overall cost of living. FNB data shows that the average electricity spend by a customer who holds its Entry Market bank account (Easy account holder) increased by 9% (on average) between 2019 and 2020.
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Agreements finalised for 200 MW Egyptian solar PV plant

Saudi-based power generation and desalinated water plant developer, investor and operator Acwa Power has finalised the project agreements for the 200 MW Kom Ombo solar photovoltaic (PV) plant, in Egypt.

Construction of the plant is expected to start in the third quarter of this year.

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Oracle says Eskom must pay up, as utility warns of ‘catastrophic consequences’ of loss of support

Business software giant Oracle has said Eskom should “pay the pending dues for the Oracle software that they use,” after the power utility last week lost a court application to compel the US corporation to renew its support services until April 2022.  Oracle provides a range of IT services, which the struggling utility in court papers described as “quite essential to some of Eskom’s crucial operations”.
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Old Mutual Fund says South Africa needs gas as a transition fuel

A key funder of South Africa’s renewable energy drive is backing natural gas as the fuel needed to help the country bridge the transition from coal power generation to the use of wind and solar. Old Mutual Ltd.’s African Infrastructure Investment Managers will consider funding companies that compete for the right to produce 3,000 megawatts of electricity from gas in an upcoming bid round planned by the government, said Vuyo Ntoi, co-managing director of the $2-billion fund.
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Energy analysts question why ‘emergency’ powerships will stay until 2042

A project to quickly ease South Africa’s electricity supply constraints by using floating powerships has come under fire by energy analysts, who have questioned why agreements will lock SA into using the ships until 2042.   Earlier this month Minister of Energy Gwede Mantashe announced the names of the eight preferred bidders for SA’s “Risk Mitigation IPP Procurement Programme” – an initiative to fast-track new power production to cut down on load shedding and save on diesel costs. 
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