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Access to renewable electricity now key investment driver, global poll of execs shows

A new survey of 1 477 business executives from 15 countries, including South Africa, indicates that corporates now overwhelmingly view the transition from fossil fuels to renewable electricity as key to their future competitiveness, as well as a driver of investment decision-making. Commissioned by E3G, Beyond Fossil Fuels and We Mean Business Coalition, and conducted by research and advisory company Savanta, the poll also highlights that countries risk losing investment and jobs should their government’s fail to outline policies that signal their intention to transition to renewables.
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Need for clean energy, advent of SMRs driving global nuclear energy growth

UK-based international data analytics and consultancy company GlobalData has forecast that nuclear energy generation, worldwide, will see a compound annual growth rate of 2% over the period 2024 to 2035. In numbers, this will see an increase from a global total of 2 616 TWh last year to 3 410 TWh in 2035. Global installed nuclear capacity will grow from 395 GW last year to 494 GW by 2035. A key factor in this growth will be the roll-out of small modular reactors (SMRs). “The growing focus on …
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Transmission expansion delays strain South Africa’s power grid

South Africa is about two decades behind in implementing its transmission expansion plans, leaving its energy grid under mounting pressure, owing to ageing infrastructure, transmission constraints and a growing demand for stable power supply across key industries, says power solutions supplier Aggreko Energy Services sales head Johan Helberg. This shortfall has severely limited the effective integration of independent power producers (IPPs) and alternative energy sources, which he says has further exacerbated grid instability.
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Transmission roll-out drives local solutions demand

State-owned power utility Eskom’s ambitious plan to expand South Africa’s transmission network, which includes the roll-out of 14 000 km of new power lines over the next decade, is expected to create significant opportunities for local suppliers, such as JSE-listed Reunert, to support the project. With a strong track record, technical expertise and black economic empowerment credentials, the company played a key role in Eskom’s last major transmission roll-out in the 2000s and expects to be a key supplier again.
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BESS key to stabilising grid

Industrial clean energy projects specialist Energy Group is focusing on the development of battery energy storage system (BESS) solutions to address grid instability and arbitrage opportunities in South Africa. With increasing pressure on the national grid, owing to frequent loadshedding and the growing integration of renewable energy, BESS is seen as a crucial component in stabilising the grid, says Energy Group senior manager Jason Fairhurst.
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SAWEM to reshape South Africa’s electricity market

South Africa is set to undergo a significant transformation in its electricity market with the introduction of the South African Wholesale Electricity Market (SAWEM), which aims to establish a transparent, non-discriminatory, multi-market trading platform that is expected to enhance energy security, attract private investment and improve efficiency in electricity trading. According to law firm Bowmans partner Alexandra Felekis, the foundation for SAWEM was laid with the issuance of the Draft Market Code by the National Transmission Company South Africa in April 2024.
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IPP shares project development insights after 15 yrs in sector

South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) and the growth of its commercial and industrial renewable energy space is a good blueprint for the development of projects in the rest of Africa. “There are phenomenal opportunities for growth in the African market. There are many areas in sub-Saharan Africa that lack access to electricity and present a substantial opportunity for renewable energy to fill that void,” says independent power producer (IPP) Pele Green Energy (PGE) senior project developer Anesu Gwata.   
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World Bank’s Banga doubles down on intent to end ban loans for nuclear power projects

World Bank president Ajay Banga on Wednesday doubled down on his push to revamp the bank’s energy strategy to end a ban on lending for nuclear power projects and enable more natural gas projects, saying he will seek executive board approval in June. The changes would mark a shift from the bank’s focus only on renewable energy projects, save for consideration for some gas projects in the poorest countries.
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Eskom seeks partner for renewables unit

Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses power utility Eskom’s plans to set up a new renewable energy business and the tender it has issued to find a partner for the venture.
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Opinion: The superpower driving the future of low-carbon electricity

In this opinion article, Sola Group executive director Dom Wills discusses how the modularity that has underpinned the rapid growth of solar PV, is also driving the sharp fall in battery costs. He argues that if this rapid progress continues, the cheapest, fastest growing form of clean electricity will gain the valuable ability to reshape itself and follow the electrical load.
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