Environment, Fisheries and Forestry Minister Barbara Creecy has indicated that government is likely to integrate green-economy components into the country’s Covid-19 economic recovery strategy, details of which are yet to be released by President Cyril Ramaphosa. Speaking during a webinar on Thursday, Creecy said that there was a growing understanding within government that promoting a more sustainable economic trajectory, which supported greater climate resiliency, could open up new industries.
Creamer Media’s Chanel de Bruyn speaks to Creamer Media Editor Terence Creamer about a just transition in South Africa’s energy sector and how the country should go about preparing the way for that transition.
On Wednesday, Eskom celebrated the arrival of its long-awaited replacement steam generators at its Koeberg nuclear power station in the Western Cape. In a statement released by the power utility, it said its six new steam generators arrived at its power plant on Tuesday.
The Aggeneys Solar and Konkoonsies II Solar utility-scale solar plants, in the Northern Cape, have started commercial operations.
The plants add 132 MW to South Africa’s power generation capacity and together generate 33.3 GWh/y of clean energy.
The steam generator replacement project, which is central to Eskom’s R20-billion programme to extend the 40-year design life of the Koeberg nuclear power station by a further 20 years, marked a major milestone this week with the arrival of the first units in Cape Town. The project, which was sanctioned by the Eskom board in 2010 and approved by the National Nuclear Regulator, involves the replacement of all six steam generators at Koeberg’s two units.
Renewable-energy jobs rose to 11.5-million globally last year, from 11-million in 2018, with the solar photovoltaic (PV) industry retaining its leading position with 3.8-million jobs, a new study shows. The ‘Renewable Energy and Jobs – Annual Review 2020’, published by the International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena), estimates that 3.1-million of these solar PV jobs are in Asia, which added 55 GW of the 97 GW of new solar PV installed globally last year.
The South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) welcomes Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe’s gazetted Section 34 Ministerial determination to procure more renewable energy from independent power producers (IPPs). SAWEA enthuses that this step takes the wind energy sector one step closer to unlocking an estimated R40-billion a year in investment.
State-owned electricity utility Eskom has issued a no-obligation request for information (RFI) in a bid to gain insight into what flue gas desulphurisation (FGD) technologies are currently available and to assess their potential suitability for deployment at the Medupi power station, in Limpopo. In a public notice, Eskom said the installation of FGD at Medupi by June 2025 formed part of a legal covenant with the World Bank, which loaned the South African utility $3.75-billion in 2010 largely for the purposes of building the 4 800-MW power station.
Renewable Energy company juwi Renewable Energies has appointed former MD Greg Austin as Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) regional director, effective October 1.
He has worked in the renewable energy sector since 2000 and joined juwi in 2012 as South Africa MD.
President Cyril Ramaphosa says the Gazetting of a Ministerial determination enabling the development of more than 11 800 MW of new electricity capacity by independent power producers (IPPs) signals government’s intention to move ahead with one of the key reforms needed to unlock growth and investment in the ailing economy, which has been further knocked by the Covid-19 pandemic. In his weekly newsletter, the President said that several additional reforms would be implemented in the energy sector in the coming months, along with other economic reforms to establish a firm and enduring foundation for the return to growth and job creation that South Africa sorely needs.
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