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NNR hosts new round of talks with public over Koeberg’s life extension

The National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) has started with another round of hearings on June 3, owing to concerns about the last consultation process having been insufficient. The regulator conceded that the public required more information, but only after civil society organisations such as Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (Safcei) voiced its dissatisfaction with the overall governance and public participation process for the Koeberg long-term operation (LTO), or lifetime extension.
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Global renewable energy commitments fall short of COP28 targets

Although Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) are key to decarbonisation, current NDCs only amount to 1 300 GW, or 12%, of the renewable energy capacity needed to meet the objective of tripling renewable energy as set at the COP28 conference.

At COP28, nearly 200 countries pledged to triple the world’s renewable power capacity this decade, which is one of the critical actions to keep alive hopes of limiting global warming to 1.5 ˚C.

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TNPA appoints Amulet consortium to build, operate Richards Bay solar plant

Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has selected Amulet Group Consortium to build and operate a 20 MW solar PV plant at the Port of Richards Bay.

TNPA anticipates that the design and construction of the solar plant will start in June and that it will be operational by May 2026.

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V&A Waterfront pilots ‘aesthetically pleasing’ small-scale wind turbines

Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront is pioneering the integration of small, low-noise vertical-axis wind turbines into its green electricity supply mix, following the installation of four 1-kW units within the mixed-use property’s Silo District and another 3-kW turbine near to the complex’s Breakwater parking. The LS Double Helix turbines have been sourced from LuvSide, of Germany, which has in parallel established LuvSide South Africa in partnership with Energy Systems Africa to pursue new market opportunities for its vertical- and horizontal-axis solutions.
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DMRE again delays bidding deadlines for procurement of new renewables and battery storage

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has confirmed another extension to the bid submission deadlines for the current renewables procurement round, as well as the second battery storage bidding round. The deadline for Bid Window Seven (BW7) of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) which had already been moved from April 30 to May 30, has been extended to August 15.
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Invest in IE3 motors before MEPS enforced

The time is right for South Africa and Africa, in general, to invest in IE3 motors, especially with minimum energy requirement standards (MEPS) expected to come into effect by the end of the year, says drive engineering specialist SEW-EURODRIVE electronics business development manager Willem Strydom. He encourages companies to convert to IE3 motors sooner rather than later, noting that there will likely be an uptick in demand for these motors the closer South Africa gets to officially enforcing MEPS.
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Household appliances receive carbon footprint certification

Ten models among three products of multinational major appliance and consumer electronics manufacturer Samsung Electronics’ Digital Appliance Business division have obtained Product Carbon Footprint certification from global climate consultancy Carbon Trust. The certification measures and confirms carbon emissions generated throughout the entire lifecycle of ten models across the refrigerator, air conditioner and washing machine product groups.
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Capital cost of energy transition ‘only one part of the picture’

The yearly $1.9-trillion being invested currently on clean energy would have to more than double and be more evenly distributed to place the world on track to meet net-zero emissions by 2050, a new International Energy Agency (IEA) report confirms. However, it also stresses that such investments could reduce the operating costs of the global energy system by more than half over the next decade, resulting in greater affordability for consumers.
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Delayed coal decommissioning won’t ‘collapse our climate commitments’

The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) is currently assessing the impact of South Africa’s decision to delay the decommissioning of the Hendrina, Grootvlei and Camden coal-fired power stations on the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC), which outlines the country’s decarbonisation goals. Eskom confirmed recently that Cabinet and board permission had been granted for the continued operation of the three power stations beyond their original decommissioning dates, owing to the ongoing shortage of supply and delays in adding new generation.
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Wheeling progressing in South Africa, the rest of Africa

The use of national electricity grids to wheel power from renewable-energy projects to demand centres is growing in Africa and helping to drive greater scale in the building of renewable-energy generation, says private equity investment group African Infrastructure Investment Managers (AIIM) investment principal Anyababa Ikem. Strides were being made to increase the ability of renewable-energy players, such as the projects AIIM invests in, to wheel power across infrastructure on the continent, he added during a May 24 briefing held by the company to showcase some of the $900-million worth of investments it had made into renewable-energy projects in Africa, to date.
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