Norway-based renewable power producer Scatec has entered into an agreement with the Lesotho Electricity Company and the government of Lesotho to build the first independent power producer (IPP) solar project in Lesotho. A related power purchase agreement (PPA), connection agreement and implementation agreement were signed at an official ceremony held in Lesotho’s capital, Maseru, which marked the culmination of successful negotiations with the Lesotho Electricity Company and the government of Lesotho.
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Last month, Italian energy company Enel Green Power South Africa (EGP RSA) announced that it had decided to help 20 unemployed youngsters from the Raymond Mhlaba district in the Eastern Cape acquire basic rigging skills. Ten young men and ten young women completed a five-day course, which culminated in a graduation ceremony. This took place on September 17 at the company’s Nxuba Wind Farm and was attended by members of the government, as well as EGP country manager and CEO William Price. The students were commended for their commitment to the programme and awarded a basic rigging qualification.
As the world looks to develop sustainable energy industries, mitigate the impacts of climate change and reduce greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions, energy efficiency has been emphasised as an integral part of the efforts to attain these objectives. Countries are falling well short of benchmarks, including those to reduce carbon emissions, with efforts having to be spurred on globally to ensure that targets are met.
President Cyril Ramaphosa says that government will not allow itself to be “short changed” or lumped with conditions that will undermine its developmental objectives when negotiating the details of a $8.5-billion climate-finance package with developed countries over the coming months. Responding to questions in Parliament on the issue, including one posed by Economic Freedom Fighters leader Julius Malema, Ramaphosa said that South Africa’s negotiating stance would be premised on ensuring that the eventual transaction took account of South Africa’s social and economic challenges, while affirming “our right to develop our economy in a sustainable and inclusive manner”.
Financial services company Nedbank on November 25 launched its revised corporate social investment (CSI) strategy, which will focus on the green economy elements of agriculture, water, energy and waste, in recognition that a green economy approach is a key enabler of economic growth, social upliftment and inclusivity, while protecting the country’s natural ecosystems, said Nedbank group market and corporate affairs group executive Khensani Nobanda. “Building a green economy is the only viable path to a resource-efficient, low-carbon and pro-employment future for our country, and our commitment to the green economy as the anchor for our strategy is one of the key ways we can contribute to the realisation of this goal and the economy’s sustainability and effectiveness,” she added.
Energy solutions companies Probe Corporation and Sinetech have joined forces to offer a complete range of solutions for the solar and broader renewable energy market. Probe acquired a 51% stake in Sinetech in October.
The National Nuclear Regulator on November 23 and 24 hosted public hearings into the Thyspunt nuclear installation site licence application made by power utility Eskom, during which the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation (Necsa) highlighted its support for the installation. The corporation said a nuclear power project could contribute to the country’s security of electricity supply at a low cost and provide stable employment over the lifetime of the plant.
President Cyril Ramaphosa will chair an inter-Ministerial committee that is being established to coordinate further work on the country’s just transition plan, as well as the R131-billion climate-finance offer made to South Africa at the recent COP26 climate gathering. Following a briefing on the outcomes of the Glasgow summit by Forestry, Fisheries and the Environment Minister Barbara Creecy this week, Cabinet welcomed what it described as the “historic Just Transition Partnership” established with France, Germany, the UK, the US and the European Union, which was announced at COP26.
US-based utility-scale solar tracker technology multinational Array Technologies has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Spain-based solar tracker manufacturer Soluciones Técnicas Integrales Norland (STI Norland) for about €570-million in cash and stock, which will help to accelerate international expansion plans. “STI Norland brings to Array a proven product line that is ideally suited for complementary markets, which will help to accelerate our international expansion plans. The increased scale of the combined enterprise also provides opportunities for significant cost reduction as we drive greater volumes with our suppliers and achieve increased leverage on our fixed costs,” says Array chairperson Brad Forth.
Developing green hydrogen export capacity at the ports of Saldanha Bay and Ngqura would have decarbonisation spinoffs for nearby hard-to-abate sectors, a new Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) study shows. Produced as a follow-up to an earlier research report that assessed whether South Africa could be competitive in producing green hydrogen and derivative products for export to Europe and Japan, the new study homes in on the domestic offtake prospects at the two ports identified in the initial study as potential export hubs.
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