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Opinion: How African countries can mobilise private capital for their infrastructure drives

In this opinion piece, Standard Bank corporate and investment banking CE Kenny Fihla writes about governments turning to public-private partnerships to deliver large-scale projects. Given the pressure on investment yields in developed markets, African nations have an opportunity to attract private-sector funding as they embark on infrastructure development programmes to boost their economies.
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SA’s prospects for future coal projects

The role of new coal in South Africa’s electricity mix is coming under increasing scrutiny, with Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter the latest to question whether it can indeed be built. Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses the prospects for future coal projects.
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DNG Energy says LNG bunkering hub to benefit South Africa, rest of the world

Natural gas distributor Delta Natural Gas (DNG) Energy’s floating storage unit (FSU), in Algoa Bay, South Africa, once operational and delivering liquefied natural gas (LNG) in 2021, is set to secure energy for various industries and households, while also creating jobs and contributing to skills development in the country. The FSU will offer offshore, as well as onshore, logistics with ship-to-ship transfers for international trading ships and LNG “milk runs” within South Africa.
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Counterfeit goods a costly threat to sector

An influx of inferior-quality competitive electrical connector products into South Africa is a threat to the local manufacturing industry, owing to their unreliability, says electrical connector supplier Alexander and Poole area manager Juanita Fisher-Hill. “The greatest offenders are companies from the Far East that export counterfeit and inferior products by the container load. These are manufactured to look identical to the genuine original-equipment manufacturer (OEM) products. Unless you know what to look for, you will be convinced the products are from the OEM.”
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Pneumatic breakers increase efficiency and productivity

The powerful, lightweight and ergonomic RTEX and TEX pneumatic breaker ranges from industrial equipment manufacturer Atlas Copco exemplify abalance between high performance and high comfort, says Atlas Copco portable products business line manager David Stanford.
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Local company overcoming power challenges with flow battery system

Local electronic printed circuit board (PCB) manufacturer Bosco is using a flow battery energy storage system alongside a rooftop solar energy and a battery management system (BMS) to keep a crucial production line and its engineering and sales departments free of disruptions caused by power outages that are common in South Africa. The main competitive advantage the company has over duty-free imported PCBs is its ability to serve its local clients quickly and accurately, which means it must prevent disruptions to its ability to engage with its clients, provide quotes and ensure its engineering and design department continues to operate, explains Bosco Director Philip Verheul.
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Waterloo solar PV farm starts commercial operations

The 75 MW Waterloo solar photovoltaic (PV) farm, located 10 km outside of Vryburg, in the North West province, has started commercial operations.

The project achieved full quality and grid-code compliance by local engineering, procurement and construction contractor juwi Renewable Energies on November 21, and is part of the government’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme.

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Six steps proposed for unlocking larger-scale self-gen projects, amid ongoing government resistance

Six steps could be taken immediately by the South African government and the energy regulator to unlock more self-generation investment by residential, commercial, industrial, mining and agricultural consumers so as to minimise power shortages and reduce the threat of load-shedding, a newly released paper argues. Published by Meridian Economics and authored by Dr Grové Steyn and Celeste Renaud the briefing note argues that distributed generation projects represent the quickest response to the country’s power crisis, but that they are currently being stymied by “regulatory red tape”.
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Nersa to host public hearing on Gold Fields’ South Deep solar plant application

NYSE- and JSE-listed Gold Fields’ South Deep mining operation has lodged an application with the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) for an electricity generation licence for a proposed 40 MW solar photovoltaic plant at the mine, in Westonaria.

Nersa has advised that a public hearing will be held on December 3 to gather input from stakeholders regarding the application.

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Surging Covid-linked borrowing costs pose threat to Africa’s energy transition

The surge in borrowing costs affecting most African countries in the wake of the economic and fiscal harm that has accompanied the Covid-19 pandemic poses a serious risk to the much-needed recovery in energy investment across the continent, which is set to collapse by 30% in 2020. International Energy Agency (IEA) executive director Dr Fatih Birol, who together with African Union Commission (AUC) infrastructure and energy commissioner Dr Amani Abou-Zeid co-chaired the AUC-IEA Second Ministerial Forum on Tuesday, stressed that a strong investment recovery was urgently required to improve energy access across the continent, which was poised to retreat for the first time in seven years in 2020.
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