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UN chief urges wealthy nations to phase out coal use by 2030

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday called on wealthy nations to end coal use by 2030 so the world can meet its goals to curb global warming, urging G7 nations to make that commitment before or at a leaders’ summit in June.

In a video message to a virtual gathering of the “Powering Past Coal Alliance”, Guterres said emissions-cutting pledges by governments fell far short of what is needed to limit climate heating to 1.5 °C above preindustrial levels.

But if immediate action were taken to end use of what he called the dirtiest, most polluting and increasingly costly fossil fuel in power generation, “then we have a fighting chance to succeed”, he added.

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Africa’s recovery must include sustainable energy

Africa’s recovery from the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic will take a long time, as each country has experienced different levels of disruption, and therefore, require different pathways. This was indicated during a World Energy Council session as part of the virtual Africa Energy Indaba on March 2.
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Africa faces trilemma in addressing energy gap

In trying to bridge the energy gap on the continent, Africa faces a trilemma of balancing fossil fuels, poverty and climate change, but strides are being made in this regard, speakers noted during a panel discussion held as part of the virtual African Energy Indaba. Africa House Market Access and Research director Duncan Bonnet said technological advancements over the past few years has led to dramatic development in the energy arena, and therefore, players in the sector need to be cognisant of this, and things cannot be looked at merely from a historical perspective.
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Minigrids hold promise for Africa

Minigrids have the potential to accelerate energy access in Africa and costs are starting to come down, while reliability and financing are improving; however, further improvements are needed in terms of regulatory frameworks to engender a level playing field and transparency and certainty around tariffs and subsidies . Africa Minigrid Developers Association (Amda) CEO Aaron Leopold told delegates attending the virtual Africa Energy Indaba on March 2 that, according to data the organisation is collating from 2019 and 2020, the number of minigrid projects almost doubled across the continent in one year, which points to encouraging growth in the sector.
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SAPVIA supports large and small IPP procurement for long-term capacity

Industry body the South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) COO Niveshen Govender says the organisation supports the implementation of technology-specific, nuanced procurement programmes based on long-term capacity requirements to facilitate cheaper power. Energy security is a fundamental building block, necessary to achieve higher economic growth and employment levels, and the association welcomed Finance Minister Tito Mboweni’s recognition in the budget speech of the role that the private sector will play in restarting the engines of sustainable growth, he adds.
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Institutions share their energy investment perspective in Africa

In an Africa Energy Indaba panel moderated by Standard Bank renewable energy head Rentia van Tonder, on March 1, she pointed out that a lack of financing remains a major prohibitor for power generation project development in Africa.

She said political and credit risks remain prevalent for investors, which necessitates the development of innovative funding solutions toward making projects more bankable.

African Developm

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Africa urged to unlock private finance to raise yearly renewables investment to $105bn

The International Renewable Energy Agency (Irena) is urging African policymakers to use their limited public resources strategically, and alongside policy and regulatory instruments, to unlock the $105-billion required yearly to install the 1 026 GW of renewable energy needed by 2050 to meet the continent’s growing electricity demand. Speaking at the virtual Africa Energy Indaba on Monday, director-general Francesco La Camera highlighted the disproportionate role of public finance in Africa’s renewables sector.
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De Ruyter urges greater industrial policy integration with renewables roll-out

South Africa would be foregoing an “extraordinary opportunity” should if fail to develop local manufacturing capacity around its large-scale and multidecade deployment of renewable energy, Eskom CEO Andre de Ruyter argued on Monday. Speaking during the opening session of the virtual Africa Energy Indaba 2021, De Ruyter said the country’s transition from a coal-dominated electricity supply industry to one based increasingly on wind and solar should also be viewed as a real industrialization opportunity.
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Probe finds Mpumalanga, Gauteng hydrogen sulphide levels above WHO recommendations

An ongoing probe by the Department of Environment, Forestry and Fisheries (DEFF) to determine the cause of the high levels of air pollution reported in Mpumalanga and Gauteng during the week of February 11 to 17 has determined that sulphur dioxide (SO2) levels were in compliance with ambient air-quality standards across all stations during the week, but that levels of hydrogen sulphide (H2S) had been elevated at times during the week. The probe followed reports of persistent, unpleasant smells in the western parts of Mpumalanga and eastern Gauteng during that week. The DEFF said the sulphurous stench was most likely a combination of elevated levels of SO2 and H2S.
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Eskom bondholders take comfort from guarantee amid rescue talks

Bondholders of South Africa’s state-owned electricity company are watching the latest round of rescue talks from a distance. Yields suggest they’re confident their money is safe, whether or not the discussions result in a sustainable solution for Eskom Holdings’ $32-billion debt pile. Eskom’s risk premium over South African sovereign debt narrowed to a 19-month low last week and remained near that level even amid global bond turmoil. Investors including T Rowe Price International, Insight Investment Management and Aberdeen Standard Investments said they haven’t been approached about the debt plan, but believed a solution could be reached.
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