US solar energy company launches ambitious minigrids initiative for Africa

US-based rural Africa and Asia-focused net-zero energy company Husk Power Systems (Husk) announced on Tuesday the launch of its “Africa Sunshot” solar minigrid roll-out initiative. The initiative... 

Hydrogen-powered aviation company ZeroAvia secures support from major groups

Zero emission aviation company ZeroAvia announced on Monday that its latest funding round has been led by major international groups, namely Europe-based global aerospace group Airbus, UK-based... 

Kenya Airways unit pushing use of drones and other emerging aviation technologies

With new technologies promising to transform commercial aviation, Kenyan national flag carrier Kenya Airways is determined to be an active participant in this revolution and so make the East... 

Nasa initiates study into airliners capable of flying at four times the speed of sound

The US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (Nasa) has announced that it is now initiating the next phase of its Advanced Air Vehicles Programme (AAVP). This is focused on developing... 

DRDGold to list on A2X

The A2X stock exchange has announced that gold producer DRDGold is to list its shares on it. This additional listing will not affect the gold company’s issued share capital. Currently, DRDGold has... 

Aviation company announces compressor breakthrough

US-UK zero-greenhouse gas emission aviation company ZeroAvia announced on Friday that it had developed a high-performance compressor for hybrid-electric aircraft propulsion systems (that is,... 

New boards announced for nuclear agencies

The South African government has announced the new boards of directors for both the National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) and the National Radioactive Waste Disposal Institute (NRWDI). The NNR serves to... 

Firms form aviation emissions partnership

International air transport industry company SITA has announced that it has entered a partnership with Singapore-based Artificial Intelligence of Things (AIoT) technology company Envision Digital.... 

Western Cape to develop low-carbon energy system

Western Cape Premier Alan Winde on Friday highlighted that his administration had assigned R7-billion, over the next three years, to create an “ecosystem” that would facilitate private sector... 

Cape Town startup seeks to replace plastics with home compostable biomaterials

Cape Town-based young-woman-led award-winning biotech startup BAOM eco solutions (BAOM), which has developed compostable cellulose-based alternatives to plastics and other packaging materials, is... 

UK-SA Tech Hub renews funding for South African startups group

The UK-SA Tech Hub, an initiative of the British High Commission (Embassy) in South Africa, has announced that it will provide a second round of funding for South Africa’s Startup Act Movement... 

International panel seeks to protect Earth from extra-terrestrial contamination

A theme that has been expounded more than once in science fiction is of alien organisms being brought back to Earth, endangering human life. In reality, scientists have long been concerned with... 

Airlink leases additional airliners to meet growing demand

South African regional airline Airlink has announced that it is expanding it fleet by leasing three Embraer E195 aircraft from AerCap. Airlink is Southern Africa’s biggest regional carrier, and the... 

Localised weather stations for SA farms launched

The Technology Innovation Agency (TIA), which is an agency of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI), has highlighted the launch of a programme to deploy localised weather stations to... 

Sasol and Deutsche Aircraft deepen cooperation on green aviation fuels

German aircraft manufacturer Deutsche Aircraft and Sasol ecoFT, the sustainable fuels development business of South African petrochemical group Sasol, have announced a deepening of their... 

Vulindlela reforms will not be minor, assures Presidency

The South African government’s Operation Vulindlela (“opening up”) is intended to result in major reforms to key sectors of the economy, Presidency Project Management Office head Rudi Dicks assured... 

Transport network holding back SA’s economic growth

South Africa’s transport modalities – all of them – are currently unable to support greater economic growth in the country. So warned South African Association of Freight Forwarders CEO Juanita... 

Business sector can be a beacon of hope for South Africa

South Africa’s business sector can provide the country’s people with hope for the future, retired Exxaro Resources CEO Mxolisi Mgojo told the 2023 SAPICS Conference in Cape Town on Monday. (SAPICS... 

New space agency CEO outlines vision for stimulating local space industry

The South African National Space Agency’s (SANSA’s) recently appointed and third confirmed (as distinct from acting) CEO, Humbulani Mudau, is determined to use the solid “launch pad” created under... 

Awareness of cybersecurity within SANDF ranks low

Although the South African National Defence Force (SANDF) as an organisation was, and senior SANDF officers individually were, aware of the importance of cybersecurity, awareness of, and education... 

SA company appointed regional distributor for international aircraft maker

Slovenia-based light aircraft manufacturer Pipistrel, part of the Textron eAviation business unit of US aerospace group Textron, has appointed South African company Absolute Aviation as its... 

Private-sector climate investments in Africa low, but growing fast

Although climate change-related finance in Africa still comes overwhelmingly from public institutions, such funding from the private sector is growing fast. This was highlighted in the 'Climate... 

Defence Minister reveals possible industrial partnership with Brazil’s Embraer

Addressing Parliament’s Portfolio Committee on Defence and Military Veterans in Cape Town on Tuesday, Defence and Military Veterans Minister Thandi Modise stated, almost in passing, that she hoped... 

3D printing has huge potential to help decarbonise manufacturing

Additive manufacturing (AM), popularly called 3D printing, has an important role to play in greatly reducing the global manufacturing industry’s carbon emissions, Cape Town-based Evanswerks Labs... 

Zambian battery storage project under scrutiny

The feasibility study for the first battery energy storage system (BESS) in the central southern African country of Zambia is currently under way, Africa Greenco (Greenco) business development head... 

Fischer-Tropsch technology can produce SAF from municipal waste

Air bp, the aviation fuels business of UK-based global energy giant bp, has highlighted the potential role of Fischer-Tropsch technology in the production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF).... 

Awareness of weather effects on mining very low

The mining industry is very unaware of space weather and of its susceptibility to space weather phenomena, South African National Space Agency (SANSA) Space Weather Centre MD Dr Lee-Anne McKinnell... 

Power-to-liquids technology an encouraging longer-term option for sustainable aviation fuel

Power-to-liquids is, aviation fuel business Air bp believes, one of the “most promising” longer-term pathways for the production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF). (Air bp is a unit of UK-based... 

Qatar Airways opens first cargo hub outside its homeland – in Africa

Qatar Airways Cargo, a business of major Middle Eastern carrier Qatar Airways, on Wednesday formally inaugurated its first cargo hub outside its home country, at Kigali International Airport, in... 

SA govt committed to developing hydrogen economy – Minister

Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister Dr Blade Nzimande has highlighted the country’s determination to develop a hydrogen economy, for a low carbon-emissions future. He did so at the... 

South Africa needs oil, gas, nuclear, as well as renewables – Mantashe

Delivering the keynote address at the Enlit Africa conference in Cape Town on Wednesday, South African Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe reported that the current moratorium on... 

Rheinmetall Denel Munition building solar plant at its Somerset West facility

The official groundbreaking ceremony for a 5.06 MWp capacity solar energy plant at the Rheinmetall Denel Munition (RDM) plant at Somerset West, in metropolitan Cape Town, was held late Wednesday... 

Two UK companies to merge to form world’s first integrated zero-carbon aircraft maker

Two relatively small but highly regarded UK aerospace companies, local/sub-regional airliner manufacturer Britten-Norman and aircraft design, production and maintenance company Cranfield Aerospace... 

Space agency seeks to create awareness of space weather effects on mining activities

The mining industry is very unaware of space weather and of its susceptibility to space weather phenomena, South African National Space Agency (SANSA) Space Weather Centre MD Dr Lee-Anne McKinnell... 

G7 Ministers discuss strengthening ties with African countries

On Tuesday, the Group of Seven (G7) Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, in Karuizawa, Nagano, in Japan, devoted a some 75-minute session to Africa. The G7 is a grouping of the seven major democratic... 

Zero-carbon aerospace, liquid hydrogen production companies team up

Zero-carbon emissions aircraft powertrain developer ZeroAvia on Monday announced a partnership with liquid hydrogen technology company Absolut Hydrogen. The two companies will cooperate on... 

South African government committed to developing the hydrogen economy – Minister

Higher Education, Science and Innovation Minister Dr Blade Nzimande has highlighted the country’s determination to develop a hydrogen economy, for a low carbon-emissions future. He did so at the... 

Sustainable aviation fuel deals, developments surge

In its latest “Fly Net Zero Media Update”, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) – the global representative body for the airline industry – has highlighted a wave of significant... 

Plastics recycler teams up with military unit to recycle waste

Polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics recycling company Petco South Africa, which is a Producer Responsibility Organisation created by the country’s plastics industry as a self-regulating... 

Stellenbosch researcher creates new composite material

A researcher at Stellenbosch University (SU), near Cape Town, in the Western Cape, has developed a new composite material, made from Port Jackson trees (Acacia saligna) and recycled low-density...