Ramaphosa's Saudi deal a boost for renewables

President Cyril Ramaphosa's recently signed ZAR12 billion renewable energy investment deal with Saudi Arabia, was widely welcomed as a much-needed lift for the economy and further evidence of his commitment to clean energy. 

Energy Minister Jeff Radebe, who accompanied the President on his investment drive, said the ZAR12 billion energy deal was “a fantastic commitment from Saudi Arabia, especially coming in the aftermath of the President's call to have US$100 billion of investment in the next five years”.

“As a result of that, already we have signed a big deal on the renewable side ... with Redstone and ACWA, a Saudi Arabian energy company, in partnership with the Central Energy Fund for renewables in terms of solar and wind,” said Radebe.

Legalbrief, 17 July 2018 

Acwa Power, CEF to co-invest in Redstone CSP project

Power generation technology developer Acwa Power signed an investment agreement with South Africa’s Central Energy Fund (CEF) regarding the Redstone concentrated solar thermal power plant (CSP) plant, in the Northern Cape.

The agreement establishes the framework for Acwa and the CEF to co-invest in renewable energy projects – the first of which being Redstone CSP.

Construction of the 100 MW solar power project is due to start this year.

Engineering News, 16 July 2018 

Zimbabwe promises new hydroelectric power project on the Zambezi River

Zimbabwe President Emmerson Mnangagwa has vowed to push ahead with a hydroelectric power project on the Zambezi River as he campaigns ahead of the 30 July election on a promise to rebuild the shattered economy.

The 1600 MW project is expected to create 6000 jobs. The country produces 1200 MW of electricity but relies on imports from South Africa and Mozambique to meet its demand of 1400 MW.

Business Day, 10 July 2018 

Battery storage to benefit businesses, municipalities

Battery storage will have a significant and firm impact on the uptake of renewable energy in South Africa, enabling users, whether in the retail or industrial space, to leverage some of the value that solar energy can create, says SOLA Future Energy energy storage services head Daniel Goldstuck.

University of the Western Cape South African Institute of Advanced Materials Chemistry deputy director Bernard Jan Bladergroen added that battery storage could also assist municipalities in deriving greater benefits from renewable energy.

Engineering News, 18 July 2018

Independent power producer Globeleq secures a stake in six local projects

Independent power producer Globeleq will acquire the majority shareholding in six of SA’s renewable energy projects. The acquisition will result in the power producer acquiring six assets in SA — five solar projects and one wind farm — from Brookfield Asset Managers, an alternative asset manager based in Canada and listed on the New York Stock Exchange.

The acquisition will add 178 MW to Globeleq’s existing 238 MW of solar and wind projects in SA to control a total of 416 MW, enough to power the whole of Vereeniging in the Vaal Triangle of Gauteng.

Business Day, 19 July 2018

Cryptocurrency and solar-powered mini-grids to benefit rural Kenya

Sun Exchange, a solar micro-leasing marketplace and rural mini-grid solutions provider, Powerhive, recently announced a new initiative and partnership with Powerhive, which will utilise the crypto-economy to accelerate global progress towards universal energy access.

The clean energy company will use the funds for building solar-powered rural electrification mini-grid projects, which include revenue and livelihood enhancing programmes throughout sub-Saharan Africa.

The solar panels that make up these projects will subsequently be offered for sale to Sun Exchange members, who will then be able to own cells within the projects and earn decades of “solar-powered money” from the electricity the projects produce.

ESI Africa, 19 July 2018 

Sola leads the charge to set up microgrids

Microgrids or minigrids in SA are stepping in where big power utilities fail to. Sola Future Energy is one of the companies leading the charge. After completing the design and construction of a microgrid on Robben Island in 2017, the company was called in for a proposed microgrid for a mall in Clanwilliam, in the Western Cape, which was left in the lurch by Eskom.

The energy solution for the Cedar Mills Mall includes some power from the national grid. Additional to that are 2580 solar panels with a capacity of 851 kW installed on the mall roof as well as a 696 kWh lithium-ion battery, which will store energy and discharge in times of need, such as a power outage. 

Business Day, 23 July 2018 

The above reflects a summary of certain news articles published during the preceding week.

[View source.]