US agency sees Lobito rail corridor helping to diversify critical minerals supply chains

US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) CEO Scott Nathan has reiterated the American government’s interest in helping to finance the Lobito rail corridor, linking the copper and... 

Critical minerals market has doubled in five years, IEA report shows

The market for critical minerals used in electric vehicles, solar panels and wind turbines has doubled over the past five years, reaching $320-billion in 2022, and is expected to continue to growth... 

As cold front hits, Ramokgopa expects loadshedding intensity to remain in check as attention turns to reducing frequency of cuts

Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa says the first part of the Energy Action Plan’s (EAP’s) two-part goal of reducing the intensity of loadshedding has been largely achieved as the plan... 

Eskom to launch solar, battery tenders in 2024 as part of Komati ‘repowering’

Eskom reports that concessional funding of $497-million secured for the repowering and repurposing of the Komati coal power station, in Mpumalanga, is expected to become effective at the end of... 

Sasol, Topsoe form JV to accelerate global production of sustainable aviation fuel

South African energy and chemicals group Sasol and Danish decarbonisation technology company Topsoe have formed a 50:50 joint venture (JV) to develop, build, own, and operate drop-in sustainable... 

Two-thirds of energy transition finance in developing economies to be private – report

Yearly clean energy investments in emerging and developing economies will need to more than triple from $770-billion currently to as much as $2.8-trillion by the early 2030s in order to meet rising... 

Eskom’s new grid queuing rules to be governed by ‘first ready, first served’ approach

State-owned electricity utility Eskom is preparing to issue updated grid queuing rules that will outline how it plans to manage scarce grid connection capacity in a way that avoids “hogging” of... 

Help or hindrance?

It’s far from ideal that several of South Africa’s main micro-economic problems are being managed by crisis committees made up of government officials, business representatives and consultants.... 

Mining, refining, smelting investment of up to $4tr by 2030 needed to support net-zero shift – report

As the world accelerates the deployment of climate technologies in support of the net-zero transition, there is a risk that materials supply might not scale at the required speed, a new McKinsey &... 

Updated loadshedding code includes up to 16 stages to reduce grid-collapse risk

A new and updated edition of the loadshedding code of practice, which includes up to 16 stages of loadshedding, has been finalised by and expert group and delivered to the National Energy Regulator... 

M&R fails to regain control of RUC, but continues to explore Australia options

JSE-listed engineering and construction group Murray & Roberts (M&R) has failed in its bid to regain control of RUC Cementation Mining Contractors (RUC), which was lost to the group when its... 

Cape Town’s draft energy strategy sets goal of adding 650 MW within five years

Cape Town’s energy strategy, which has been released for public comment, envisages the addition of 650 MW of new independent generation within five years in line with the city’s stated goal of... 

Venture capital fund targeting up to 30 entrepreneurial firms

Endeavor South Africa, which offers venture capital and mentoring support to domestic and African entrepreneurial enterprises, is targeting to invest in up to 30 tech and tech-enabled companies... 

National Logistics Crisis Committee to tackle transport emergencies in parallel to reform agenda

The National Logistics Crisis Committee (NLCC) will adopt a two-pronged approach to addressing the rail, port and road crises currently undermining growth and job creation in South Africa, whereby... 

Presidency outlines criteria to be used before revising coal decommissioning schedule

The Presidency has moved to outline the criteria that will be used before any decision is made to delay the decommissioning of certain coal-fired power stations to take account of the prevailing... 

Least-cost foundation

There is no question that South Africa truly does need to update its Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), with the demand, supply and technology cost assumptions in the prevailing 2019 edition having... 

Govt developing critical minerals strategy to support green industrialisation – Mantashe

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe reports that government is in the process of developing a critical minerals strategy for South Africa, which will seek to support green-economy... 

Eskom’s ‘onerous’ new grid access rules receive cool reception

Eskom’s newly released Interim Grid Capacity Allocation Rules (IGCAR), formulated in response to surging demand for grid access in a context of acute grid scarcity, have received a cool reception... 

Weather and winter tariff on large users helping to moderate electricity demand

Eskom is expecting demand for the rest of South Africa’s winter months to remain below levels initially assumed when the utility finalised its base case for the high-demand season (see graphic... 

Renewable Energy Grid Survey points to 66 GW of wind, solar projects at various stages of development

A new survey of South Africa’s renewable-energy development pipeline, and its potential implications  for grid planning and investment, reveals that there is currently a 66 GW pipeline of wind and... 

Private offtake market adds new impetus to black energy group’s pioneering IPP journey

The journey by South Africa’s Pele Energy Group (PEG) from fledgling energy investor to that of a pioneering black-owned and -managed independent power producer (IPP) is receiving fresh impetus... 

Explaining is losing

The hackneyed political phrase ‘if you're explaining, you're losing’, probably best describes the predicament in which the South African government finds itself currently on a range of topics. The... 

Eskom’s new grid queuing rules governed by ‘first ready, first served’ approach

State-owned electricity utility Eskom is preparing to issue updated grid queuing rules that will outline how it plans to manage scarce grid connection capacity in a way that avoids “hogging” of... 

Climate commission calls for revised IRP to upscale renewables allocation to 60 GW by 2030

The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) is recommending that alternative investment models, including public-private partnerships (PPPs), be explored to expand and strengthen South Africa’s... 

Eskom turns to EPC contracting as it seeks to pick up yearly powerline roll-out pace to 1 500 km

Eskom’s Transmission Division, which will form part of the separated National Transmission Company South Africa once established later this year, will begin relying more heavily on the engineer,... 

Move on

South Africans are beyond exhausted when it comes to power disruptions and are entirely fed up with false promises. Amid the fatigue and annoyance, it is possible to be convinced by solutions that... 

National Logistics Crisis Committee to tackle transport emergencies in parallel to reform agenda

The National Logistics Crisis Committee (NLCC) will adopt a two-pronged approach to addressing the rail, port and road crises currently undermining growth and job creation in South Africa, whereby... 

Presidency outlines criteria to be used before revising coal decommissioning schedule

The Presidency has moved to outline the criteria that will be used before any decision is made to delay the decommissioning of certain coal-fired power stations to take account of the prevailing... 

Namibia signs agreement opening way for feasibility study for $10bn green ammonia project

Namibia has taken another step towards the creation of a green hydrogen industry, after President Hage Geingob’s Cabinet agreed this week to sign a feasibility and implementation agreement (FIA)... 

To unlock scarce grid capacity, South Africa begins rethinking approach to curtailment

With insufficient grid capacity having been identified as the main constraint to the public procurement of the 28 GW of new electricity capacity allowed for by 2030 under various Ministerial... 

Vodacom working with Eskom on platform to enable firms with distributed demand to buy renewable power

Mobile telecoms company Vodacom has approach Eskom with a ‘virtual wheeling platform’ concept that the communications group believes could assist it and other companies with distributed electricity... 

Despite low risk of blackout, Eskom’s restoration protocols should be paired with larger country plan

Amid rising public anxiety over the prospect of a blackout, a former senior Eskom executive has added his voice to those highlighting the low probability of such an eventuality. However, he also... 

Patel outlines ‘step change’ investment, export and jobs targets for 2023/24

Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Ebrahim Patel outlined firm investment, localisation, export and manufacturing jobs targets in his 2023/24 Budget Vote address to Parliament this week. In a... 

Power of reform

For several years, certain forward-looking commentators argued that by making only a minor amendment to Schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act South Africa could unleash much-needed... 

Top CEOs sign up to help tackle South Africa’s energy, transport and crime crises

CEOs from some of South Africa’s largest companies – including Sasol’s Fleetwood Grobler, Anglo American’s Nolitha Fakude, former Exxaro CEO Mxolisi Mgojo, Toyota South Africa’s Andrew Kirby,... 

Private offtake market adds new impetus to black energy group’s pioneering IPP journey

The journey by South Africa’s Pele Energy Group (PEG) from fledgling energy investor to that of a pioneering black-owned and -managed independent power producer (IPP) is receiving fresh impetus... 

Private sector technical teams to begin work at four troubled coal stations

Private sector support teams, assembled with the support of the R100-million Resource Mobilization Fund (RMF), will be deployed soon across four troubled coal-fired power stations to assist Eskom... 

Mantashe outlines procurement schedules, including for nuclear, as he confirms IRP delay

Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe has pulled back from his statement that the release of the revised Integrated Resource Plan, which he has dubbed IRP 2023, is imminent,... 

Economic development not a qualifying criterion for 513 MW battery storage bids

Economic development factors have not been included as qualifying criteria for South Africa’s inaugural Energy Storage Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (ESIPPPP), through which the... 

Climate commission recommends grid public–private partnerships to speed up just energy transition

The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) is recommending that alternative investment models, including public-private partnerships (PPPs), be explored to expand and strengthen South Africa’s...