Matla A Bokone Solar plant now wholly South African-owned

Northern Cape-based Matla A Bokone Solar, near Kimberley, is now wholly South African-owned by Old Mutual Ideas Managed Fund, African Rainbow Energy and Power, Reatile Group, Phakwe Solar and the Cicada Community Trust. The 75 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) plant spans 200 ha and has over 260 000 solar panels installed and is expected to generate 180 000 MWh/y of much-needed green energy.
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Imperial Wanderers Stadium adds solar as an energy source

The Imperial Wanderers Stadium, in Sandton, is one of the first stadiums in South Africa to “go green” through a partnership with Imperial and the SolarSaver Group to bring solar power to the multipurpose entertainment and lifestyle venue through the installation of a customised 250 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) system. The installation at the stadium will reduce grid reliance and power the 28 000-person capacity venue.
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Ethiopia says GERD dam will begin generating power in next 12 months

Ethiopia’s giant new hydropower dam on the Blue Nile will begin generating power in the next 12 months, the country’s president said on Monday. “This year will be a year where the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam will start generating power with the two turbines,” Sahle-Work Zewde said in a speech to parliament.
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BlueNova undertakes 1 MWh battery export to Namibia

Energy storage solution company BlueNova Energy has undertaken its first international export of an intelligent Energy Storage System (iESS).

The iESS is a containerised energy unit, which will be installed at the Timbila Nature Reserve in Namibia, as the heart of an offgrid solar-powered system.

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DBSA appoints Rakgate to head Infrastructure Fund

The State-owned Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has, from October 1, appointed Mohale Rakgate as its new group executive for the Infrastructure Fund, which has been established by government to support an accelerated roll-out of economic and social infrastructure. Infrastructure is expected to feature strongly in South Africa’s economic recovery plan, which will be considered by Cabinet following consultations with business, labour and community representative at the National Economic Development and Labour Council in August and September.
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Ethiopia bans flights over dam for security reasons – aviation chief

Ethiopia has banned all flights over its giant new hydropower dam on the Blue Nile for security reasons, the head of its civil aviation authority said on Monday. Ethiopia is locked in a dispute with Egypt and Sudan over its $4-billion Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, which Cairo has said could threaten its main supply of water.
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Spanish solar tracking group establishes formal presence in South Africa

Spanish solar tracker and structures specialist STI Norland has, since the start of October, established an active presence in South Africa, which it views as an attractive market for utility scale solar photovoltaic (PV) projects. An office and warehouse facility is being established in Port Elizabeth, in the Eastern Cape, and STI Norland South Africa is headed by Duncan Palmer, who has been appointed as CEO.
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City of Cape Town drafting ‘mini IRP’ as it prepares way for IPP procurement

The City of Cape Town, which has been pushing for the right of municipalities to procure electricity directly from independent power producers (IPPs) for several years, is currently compiling what it describes as a “mini” integrated resource plan (IRP) to guide its future procurement decisions and actions. Energy and climate change executive director Kadri Nassiep reports that the city has contracted the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research to develop the mini IRP, which he says should be completed within six to eight months.
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Wind industry ready for surplus energy procurement

The local wind energy industry is “eagerly anticipating a growth phase”, as the approved Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2019 allocates 14.4 GW of wind power that needs to be added to the local energy mix from 2022. “This requires government to move swiftly in announcing the next round of procurement to create investor confidence in the wind energy industry, as well as address the current energy crisis in the country,” says South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) CEO Ntombifuthi Ntuli.
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Microgrids present ideal platform for wind energy

Using microgrids offers an ideal platform for renewable-energy sources, such as wind energy, to be used more extensively, says turnkey energy project solutions provider SEM Solutions national sales manager Tiaan Hendriks. Renewable-energy sources, such as wind and solar photovoltaic (PV) energy, cannot be solely relied on for constant energy supply, as such an exclusive reliance on renewable-energy sources can result in intermittent energy supply, he adds.
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