Senegal takes delivery of wind turbines for its first large-scale wind farm'

Last week, Vestas wind turbines and components arrived at Port Autonome de Dakar for West Africa's first large-scale wind farm. 

The wind turbines will be transported by road for delivery of generation equipment for Senegal's Parc Eolien Taiba N'Diaye wind farm project. Privately-owned UK renewable power company Lekela expects the wind farm, located in Taiba Ndiaye, about 100 km from Senegal's capital Dakar, to reach 158.7 MW by 2020.

ESI Africa, 27 May 2019

Sakeliga heads to SCA over power interruptions

Business organisation Sakeliga will be heading to the Supreme Court of Appeal (SCA), in Bloemfontein, to have the judgment that prohibits state-owned power utility Eskom from unlawfully interrupting the electricity supply to defaulting municipalities upheld.

On 7 March, the North Gauteng High Court, in Pretoria, found in favour of Sakeliga, which was admitted as a "friend of the court" to the proceedings initiated by Resilient Properties against Eskom, that the power utility first needs to exhaust all remedies available to it in accordance with the Intergovernmental Relations Framework Act, before it interrupts power supply to a defaulting municipality.

Engineering News, 27 May 2019

Enel's fourth South African wind farm to start operating in 2021

Energy company Enel's renewables subsidiary Enel Green Power South Africa has started construction on its 140 MW Oyster Bay Wind Farm, in the Kouga municipality, in the Eastern Cape.

The €180 million wind project comprises 41 turbines and will generate around 568 GWh/y, which effectively avoids 590 000 t/y of carbon dioxide emissions.

Engineering News, 27 May 2019

IEA urges support for research into small modular reactors

The International Energy Agency (IEA) says countries intending to retain nuclear power as an option in their clean-energy transitions should support innovative new reactor designs with lower capital costs and shorter lead times, such as small modular reactors.

The recommendation is made in a newly released report, titled "Nuclear Power in a Clean Energy System", released this week during the tenth Clean Energy Ministerial in Vancouver, Canada.

Engineering News, 28 May 2019

Global energy transition will be harder without nuclear

With nuclear power facing an uncertain future in many countries, the world risks a steep decline in its use in advanced economies that could result in billions of tonnes of additional carbon emissions, according to a new report by the International Energy Agency.

Nuclear is the second-largest low-carbon power source in the world today, accounting for 10% of global electricity generation.

ESI Africa, 28 May 2019

Botswana cancels 100 MW solar power tender

On Saturday, the Botswana Power Corporation (BPC) announced that it has cancelled a tender for the construction of a 100 MW solar power plant.

The utility noted that it plans to reissue the tender to make the project fully privately-owned, Reuters reported. 

According to a statement issued by BPC: "The project, which was initially structured as a joint venture between BPC and private producers, will now be implemented through independent power producers, meaning it will be 100% privately-owned."

ESI Africa, 28 May 2019

Ted Blom: "Changing the energy mix is a world-wide challenge"

According to energy expert Ted Blom, South Africa is not in a unique space when it comes to the challenges of moving away from a predominant fossil fuel base to renewable energies. 

In an interview with ESI Africa, Blom points out that the main problem is that renewable energy suppliers are not yet ready for the transition.

ESI Africa, 29 May 2019

New task force to accelerate the African wind market

The Global Wind Energy Council has set up a new task force to speed up and facilitate the development of wind energy in Africa.

The task force brings together leading developers, manufacturers and associations that are active in the African market, including Siemens Gamesa Renewable Energy, Vestas, the South Africa Wind Energy Association, Africa Europe Energy Partnership, RES4Africa, Mainstream Renewable Power, Acciona Energia, GE Renewable Energy, NRG Systems, DNV-GL, Nordex, Goldwind, Aurora Wind Power.

ESI Africa, 29 May 2019

Standard Bank AGM: Shareholders challenge board, favour the climate

In a first for South Africa, at Standard Bank's Annual General Meeting on 30 May climate-conscious shareholders compelled the bank to adopt and publicly disclose a policy on lending to coal-fired power projects and coal mining operations. 

Resolution 10.2 received 55% of shareholder votes and is therefore binding on the company. This is the first time that a South African bank – or any listed South African company – has faced a shareholder resolution on a climate-related issue. Standard Bank's board had recommended that shareholders vote against it.

ESI Africa, 30 May 2019

Coalition to accelerate energy storage adoption in developing countries

A new international partnership has been established to help expand the deployment of energy storage and bring new technologies to developing countries' power systems. 

The Energy Storage Partnership comprises the World Bank Group and 29 organisations working together to help develop energy storage solutions tailored to the needs of developing countries.

ESI Africa, 30 May 2019

South Africa: Minister Gwede Mantashe takes reins over Mineral Resources and Energy

On Wednesday, South African President Cyril Ramaphosa announced the shuffling and shedding of Cabinet where Minister Gwede Mantashe was appointed as Minister of Mineral Resources and Energy. 

Having to now wear two "hats", Mantashe will be replacing former Minister Jeff Radebe, who has not been reappointment in Cabinet. 

ESI Africa, 30 May 2019

Zimbabwe power cuts may deepen as water levels fall at Kariba Dam

Zimbabwe's largest hydroelectric plant, Kariba Dam, will suspend output in 14 weeks if water levels continue to fall at the current rate, the energy minister said on Thursday, paving the way for deeper power cuts in the country.

The Southern African nation has endured its worst rolling power cuts in three years, and although its mines have been spared so far, analysts say the cuts will hurt economic revival efforts.

Engineering News, 30 May 2019

Globeleq adds four more plants to South African renewables portfolio

Africa-focused independent power producer Globeleq announced on Thursday that it had finalised the acquisition of four more South African renewable-energy plants, adding to an existing 238 MW wind and solar portfolio in the country.

The plants and the asset management company were purchased from an affiliate of Brookfield Asset Management, which initiated a limited sale process for its South African assets.

Engineering News, 30 May 2019

"Blanket deviation" does not exempt 1 MW to 10 MW projects from licensing process – Nersa

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) is ready to consider licence applications for small-scale embedded generator plants between 1 MW and 10 MW in line with the "blanket deviation" from the Integrated Resources Plan provided by former Energy Minister Jeff Radebe in a letter delivered to it on 2 May.

All such facilities remain subject, however, to the regulator's normal licensing procedure, which includes a public participation process.

Engineering News, 31 May 2019

Zimbabwe says mines can pay for power in foreign currency to secure supply

Zimbabwe mining companies can pay for electricity in foreign currency to guarantee supplies, the energy minister said on Friday, a day after he indicated there could be deeper power cuts in the country due to low dam water levels.

Fortune Chasi said on Thursday the country's largest hydroelectric plant, Kariba Dam, will suspend output in 14 weeks if water levels continue to fall at the current rate.

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