Search results

Norwegian independent power producer Scatec has commissioned a solar PV and battery hybrid project in South Africa, plus two similar schemes in Cameroon via its subsidiary Release.

German development bank KfW has offered a €200m ($214m) loan to Eskom to help the state utility  improve transmission grids in the Northern and Western Cape, as western nations look to step up their support for South Africa’s creaking electricity system.

Ivanhoe Mines has opted for commercial and industrial (C&I) supply from an independent power producer (IPP) for its Platreef project in Limpopo province, becoming the latest large South African offtaker to respond in this way to the woeful performance of utility Eskom.

A report that two recently acquired vessels being converted into FSRUs are destined for South Africa further bolsters the idea that the long-stalled deployment of Karpower’s floating gas-fired capacity has gained momentum, despite continued opposition from campaigners

Johannesburg Stock Exchange-listed Northam Platinum is weighing up plans to add more solar PV capacity at its Booysendal, Eland and Zondereinde mines, while also procuring more diesel generators, as it seeks to reduce reliance on the national grid.

Vedanta Zinc International has signed a power purchase agreement with independent power producer Enernet Global (Enernet) to develop a solar PV plant to supply its Black Mountain mines in Aggeneys, Northern Cape, South Africa.

South African state utility Eskom has confirmed the restart date for the 970MW Unit I at the Koeberg nuclear power plant. The unit was switched off last December for maintenance and a steam generator replacement.

Johannesburg-headquartered Polymer manufacturer Safripol is doubling the capacity of solar PV generation at its Sasolburg site and developing a hybrid solar/gas plant in Durban.

Harmony Gold Mining Company has commissioned three solar PV plants in Lejweleputswa, Free State province. The South African plants are the first part of a wider renewable energy programme and are expected to reduce the mining group’s carbon dioxide emissions by about 65,000t in the first year of operation.

Chemicals producer Omnia Group has confirmed the expected timeframe for the commissioning of a second solar PV plant at Sasolburg. The additional capacity is aimed at reducing the Johannesburg-based company’s dependence on the national grid. Omnia has a memorandum of understanding with renewable energy specialist WKN Windcurrent to develop green hydrogen and ammonia production at Sasolburg.

President Cyril Ramaphosa’s administration has taken some initial steps to develop green hydrogen projects, but analysts and industry players say more support is needed from the government, development financiers, international technology partners and offtakers if the nascent industry is to fulfil its potential.

Nigeria’s Starsight Energy and South Africa’s SolarAfrica said on 1 August they had completed their merger deal, first announced in September 2022. The deal creates one of Africa’s largest renewable energy-focused commercial and industrial players.

National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has granted the new National Transmission Company of South Africa the first of its three much-anticipated operating licences, giving impetus to the long-awaited restructuring of state utility Eskom and the wider electricity supply industry . Nersa also approved government plans to procure 7.8GW of new capacity. The largest element of this is Eskom’s planned 3GW combined-cycle gas turbine plant in Richards Bay.

Sibanye-Stillwater is investing in wind and solar procurement to power its operations across South Africa, as the mining and metals multinational seeks to offset poor electricity supply from state utility Eskom and achieve decarbonisation targets.

Toronto- and Stockholm-listed Africa Oil Corporation has increased its stake in Block 3B/4B, pointing to heightened interest in South Africa’s portion of the Orange Basin and the Canadian company’s efforts to emerge as a major E&P play in a region where the Venus and Graff finds off Namibia have aroused ever more excitement.