Decentralised renewable energy producers can help relieve pressure on the grid

A new study commissioned by the South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) reflects on opportunities for corporates, municipalities, and intensive power users looking for affordable and low carbon ways of securing electricity. 

The report was launched today at the Res4Med&Africa Regulatory Innovation Conference in Cape Town, examining 14 different scenarios in five different South African municipalities.

ESI Africa, 11 March 2019

IPPs will not collapse Eskom, says President Ramaphosa

South Africa's President, Cyril Ramaphosa, has emphasised that independent power producers (IPPs) would not collapse Eskom. 

He pointed out that the power utility's challenges are as a result of a number of factors including the state capture as well as poor maintenance of its power plants.

ESI Africa, 11 March 2019

Solar mini-grids to benefit over 20 localities in Sierra Leone

Off-grid renewable energy developer, Winch Energy, has signed a contract with the Ministry of Energy in Sierra Leone to provide electricity to 24 towns and villages through solar mini-grids as part of a public-private partnership project. 

The Rural Renewable Energy Project (RREP) is supported by UK aid grant funding and implemented by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS).

ESI Africa, 12 March 2019

Renewable energy under investigation for Prieska Zinc Copper Project

Cape Town-based Juwi Renewable Energies has entered into a collaboration agreement with a subsidiary of Orion Minerals Limited to investigate renewable energy generation for the Prieska Zinc Copper Project.

The basis of the agreement is to investigate the feasibility of generating and supplying 35 MW of electricity from a hybrid power system using integrated wind and solar technologies.

ESI Africa, 12 March 2019

UK government augments funding for African energy projects

The UK Minister for Africa, Harriett Baldwin, has announced new funding to give more people and companies across Africa access to affordable, clean energy.

This new funding will see £30 million (US$34 million) added to the Transforming Energy Access programme, taking total UK investment to £100 million, and allowing it to continue until 2024.

ESI Africa, 12 March 2019

Global solar PV capacity set to soar – Goldman Sachs

U.S. bank Goldman Sachs has reported that global utility-scale solar power capacity is expected to grow by double digits in 2019 and 2020, driven by growth in the U.S., Middle East, and China markets.

Reuters reported that according to Goldman Sachs, it expected global utility-scale solar installations to reach 108 GW in 2019, up 12% on the previous year, and grow by a further 10% in 2020 to 119 GW.

ESI Africa, 14 March 2019

PV solar energy the solution to power woes

The energy sector in Africa is under pressure, considering its inability to supply sufficient power for end-users, says photovoltaic (PV) solar industry supplier Valsa Trading MD Svilen Voychev.

Energy infrastructure is inadequate or very old and does not sufficiently meet the needs of businesses or people, thus, the "ultimate solution" is PV solar energy, he declares. This can be achieved by linking battery storage directly to the grid – in a mini or off-grid system – where the infrastructure or network connections are poor or unstable, he explains.

Engineering News, 15 March 2019

Solar microleasing platform in deal with clean-energy fund manager

Solar-generation microleasing platform Sun Exchange announced last month that it had signed an agreement with Johannesburg-based boutique clean energy fund manager Decentral Energy.

Sun Exchange founder and CEO Abe Cambridge says the agreement gives Decentral's Grovest Energy, an Income Tax Act Section 12J fund, first right of refusal to fund 51% to 100% of selected Sun Exchange offtaker projects, as well as to fund any balances after Sun Exchange solar cell crowd sales are completed.

Engineering News, 15 March 2019

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