The Mpumalanga province is considering steps to diversify its economy away from its reliance on coal mining and coal-fired power generation and to promote the green economy, particularly in relation to climate-resilient agriculture, Premier Refilwe Mtshweni-Tsipane said on July 13. During a trade and investment roundtable discussion with business owners from the US, she said the province was repositioning itself as a “strategic province to implement a successful transition” from coal-fired power to renewable energy.
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The UK High Commission (embassy) in Pretoria reported on Wednesday that that country’s Minister (equivalent to Deputy Minister in South Africa) for Africa, Latin America and the Caribbean, Vicky Ford, had visited South Africa on Monday and Tuesday. The visit had focused on the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP), women’s economic empowerment, and trade, as well as other areas of mutual interest. The JETP was unveiled at the COP26 United Nations climate conference in November last year. Under it, the UK, France, Germany, the US and the European Union have committed to provide an initial $8.5-billion to fund a just transition of South Africa’s energy matrix from its current reliance on ‘dirty’ energy to green energy in the future. The actual transition plan will, however, be South African-led.
State-owned power utility Eskom has welcomed the arrest of two former employees of former contractor ABB Group (ABB), as well as their spouses, for alleged corruption linked to Eskom contracts worth R2.2-billion. The four were arrested on July 12 by the Investigating Directorate of the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), in a joint operation with the Hawks and the South African Revenue Service, for alleged corruption related to Eskom contracts awarded to ABB in 2015.
Some of the preferred bidders that participated in the Small Renewable Independent Power Producer Programme (Smalls), which has subsequently been terminated, are considering legal action against Eskom and the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) to have the projects reinstated or to be reimbursed for costs incurred. The 100 MW programme was launched in 2013 for projects between 1 MW and 5 MW in size and was open to bidders employing onshore wind, solar photovoltaic, biomass, biogas or landfill technologies.
Power utility Eskom says it continues to replace mini substations and transformers that failed or exploded as a result of theft, vandalism and network overloading in Gauteng. The overloading is the result of illegal connections, meter tampering, unauthorised operations, nonpayment and electricity token purchases from ghost vendors, the utility notes.
Trade union Solidarity says it has submitted a petition to Parliament, demanding that all regulatory or legislative obstacles to unlimited private power generation be removed as a matter of urgency. “It is obvious that Eskom does not have the capacity to supply in the country’s current energy needs and it will certainly not be able to meet future energy needs. Eskom itself will decommission most of its coal fleet in the coming decades with 22 000 MW to be decommissioned by 2035.
Germany’s largest steel manufacturer Thyssenkrupp Steel has partnered with petroleum company BP to accelerate decarbonisation of its steel production.
The companies will promote policies to support the development of low-carbon hydrogen and renewable energy solutions in steel production in Europe.
UK-government-funded initiative Trade Forward Southern Africa (TFSA) and consultancy Africa House will on July 19 and 20 host a South African Renewable Energy Product & Expertise Showcase in Cape town.
The event will highlight the regional project supply opportunities and is a unique occasion for South Africa suppliers to access regional markets for renewable energy-related products.
Civil rights organisation AfriForum has served a public access to information (PAIA) application on Eskom, demanding information on active contracts that the national power provider currently has with various service providers, including coal suppliers and transport companies that transport the coal. According to AfriForum, the government’s record of managing State-owned companies leaves much to be desired.
An emergency power infrastructure rehabilitation project has reached the last leg of implementation with the delivery of a 175 MVA transformer, signalling relief from constant power outages for thousands of customers in the Midlands, Mashonaland East and West provinces of Zimbabwe. Phase II of the ZimFund Emergency Power Infrastructure Rehabilitation Project (EPIRP II) received $22.74-million in funding from the ZimFund, in which development finance institution the African Development Bank Group (AfDB) is a major partner.
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