The high initial capital expenditure required for solar-powered irrigation systems(SPISes) makes it mostly an unviable option for small-scale farmers in South Africa, unless they receive heavy subsidisation, according to International Commission on Irrigation and Drainage president Felix Reinders.
Despite the high upfront cost, the market for SPISes is growing fast globally, with large-scale government investment in SPISes subsidy projects to be found in countries such as India and China, where thousands of small-scale farmers without access to the power grid can now irrigate sufficiently without the need for expensive diesel-run solutions.
In South Africa, farmers need, on average, about 80 m3/ha of water, pumped for about 9 h/d. This means that the farmers can expect to spend about R108 000/ha upfront on an SPIS, Reinders explains, adding that the advantage, however, is that the operating costs are almost zero.
Therefore, it often makes more sense – in the short term – for farmers to simply draw power from the grid, despite the operating cost being higher.

​However, in many cases, rural small-scale farmers have no access to the grid, and the expense involved in connecting them to the grid would far outweigh the expense involved in installing an SPIS.

“The biggest drawback in Africa is infrastructure. In many places, electricity from the grid is simply not available. Farmers stuck without access to grid power often revert to using diesel power, which is about five times more expensive than grid power per kWh,” Reinders tells Engineering News.

Diesel-powered irrigation systems cost a lot less upfront than an SPIS, but these systems are also less environment-friendly and more expensive to run than the solar-powered ones. For small-scale farmers, investment in diesel-powered systems could have a negative impact on the farmer’s bottom-line over time, owing to the higher operating costs.

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The respected head of South Africa’s Independent Power Producer (IPP) Office, Karen Breytenbach, has confirmed to Engineering News Online that she has been asked to vacate her position by the Department of Energy (DoE) and the Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA).

News of her departure was revealed in a Tweet on Monday afternoon by Anton Eberhard, who is emeritus professor and senior scholar at the University of Cape Town’s Graduate School of Business. He also heads up the Eskom Sustainability Task Team, appointed by President Cyril Ramaphosa to offer solutions to Eskom’s financial crisis.

Since 2011, Breytenbach has overseen R209-billion investment in 112 renewable-energy projects with “zero corruption”, Eberhard noted in his Tweet.

Breytenbach, 61, subsequently told Engineering News Online that she had indeed been asked to leave and that the DBSA and the DoE had indicated that an acting head of the IPP Office would be appointed until a permanent head was secured.

She said no reason was given as to why she was being asked to leave.

Earlier this year, an advert bearing the logos of the DBSA, the DoE and the National Treasury was placed in several national newspapers calling for applicants to apply for the position of IPP Office head.

When questioned about the advert at a media conference in April, former Energy Minister Jeff Radebe said that Breytenbach had his full support and would be continuing in the position.

It is understood, however, that, when Breytenbach’s contract expired in February, she was initially reappointed until the end of March and then until April 2020.

However, she has not been paid for the past five months and received a letter on Monday July 22 indicating that she was no longer the head of the IPP Office.

In his July 11, Budget Vote address, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe reported that the DoE was working closely with the DBSA to “transition the current IPP Office into a legal entity that will continue to execute the mandate of the department in bringing about security of energy supply”.

He added the conversion of the office into that of a “juristic institution” would ensure "stability" at the office, as well as “proper accountability of the IPP Office” to the executive of the department.

Breytenbach is held in high regard both locally and globally for having overseen the development and roll-out of South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme, which is regarded as one of the best renewables competitive bidding programmes internationally.

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Emirates Water and Electricity Company, EWEC, has announced that 'Noor Abu Dhabi', the world's largest single solar project, with a capacity of 1,177MW, has started commercial operation.

The project will enable Abu Dhabi to increase its production of renewable energy and reduce the use of natural gas in electricity generation, helping to make energy more sustainable and efficient and reducing the emirate's carbon dioxide emissions by 1 million metric tonnes per year, the equivalent of removing 200,000 cars off the roads.

The Dh3.2 billion solar plant, located at Sweihan in Abu Dhabi, is a joint venture between the Abu Dhabi Government and a consortium of Japan's Marubeni Corp and China's Jinko Solar Holding.

Providing enough capacity to cover the demand of 90,000 people, the plant features more than 3.2 million solar panels, installed across an 8 km2 site. Beyond size, Noor Abu Dhabi broke another record at the time of bid submission attracting the world's most competitive tariff of 8.888 fils/kWh.

The achievement of Commercial Operation Date, COD, means the plant is now completed and has started full commercial operation. To reach this milestone on time, over 2,900 people were working on site during peak construction.

Mohammad Hassan Al Suwaidi, Chairman of EWEC said, "The completion of the project marks a significant milestone in the UAE's Energy Strategy 2050, launched in 2017, to increase the contribution of clean energy in the total energy mix to 50 percent by 2050 while reducing the carbon footprint of power generation by 70 percent. This is in line with the sector's transformation strategy by providing alternative sources of energy that can help us improve the sustainability of the water and electricity sector."

Othman Jumaa Al Ali, EWEC's CEO, added, "Noor Abu Dhabi will generate renewable energy and will enable us to improve the use of our natural resources. The fact that a project of such scale has been successfully completed on time and on budget highlights our commitment to ensuring sustainable energy for the future and it is a true testament of the emirate's delivery capabilities to execute world-class energy projects. Noor Abu Dhabi will further contribute to the UAE's renewable sector, exponentially increasing the existing solar capacity of Abu Dhabi, as well as adding to the continuously growing solar capacity of the UAE."

Kangping Chen, CEO of Jinko Solar, said, "It is our privilege to participate and contribute to the winning and successful execution of this significant project, which will help power the sustainable economic growth of Abu Dhabi. We are thankful to the government team for creating a world-class tender programme, their high-level of professionalism and their strong support throughout the process."

In line with the Year of Tolerance in the UAE, the project - a venture between international companies and managed and constructed by a multi-national team - signifies the multi-cultural essence of the country and its ability to nurture top talent from around the world.

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Namibia’s largest solar power plant, is soon to be officially commissioned by Alten Energías Renovables. The 45 MW installation is part of the government’s plan to reduce dependence on hydropower and, more importantly, imported electricity from neighboring South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe.

The plant is located in the Mariental municipality, in Namibia’s southern Hardap Region, 278 km south of the capital, Windhoek. Mariental has a hot desert climate with average annual rainfall of just 194mm.

The solar array will have a system capacity of 150 kW and will power Chobe Water Villas, a lodge complex which also has a 332 kWh battery storage system provided by Qinous to help reduce electricity consumption.

The added megawatts from this project will reduce Namibia’s dependency on energy imports during daylight hours, and is considered a small step forward to becoming more self-sufficient. The new power production plant will use PV solar technology and occupy a land area of 100 Ha.

The PV-storage system will be owned and operated by Cronimet as an independent power producer.  Cronimet’s joint venture with OLC Solar Energy, will provide operations and maintenance.

According to the Deputy President of Alten, Juan Laso, the plant will also help build on the solid commitment being made by ALTEN Energías to Sub-Saharan Africa in meeting the region’s vast energy needs. The will be the first large-scale grid PV power-generation plant to be added to NamPower’s energy supply mix, following the smaller Renewable Energy Feed In Tariff (Refit) projects.

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Anadarko Petroleum approved a $25-billion liquefied natural gas (LNG) project in Mozambique that could help transform the economy of one of the world’s poorest countries.

CEO Al Walker signed off on what he called the biggest ever foreign investment in Africa. Anadarko sees potential for Mozambique to become one of the largest LNG suppliers in the world, and the project – expected to export the fuel to countries in Asia and Europe – will play a big part. It will be funded with $11-billion of equity and $14-billion of debt.

“Over time this project will double this country’s GDP,” Walker said at the signing ceremony in Maputo with Mozambique President Filipe Nyusi.

It’s taken the American company almost a decade to green-light the development after discovering gas in Mozambican waters in 2010. The country had to draft new regulations for its nascent oil and gas industry, even as uncertain global demand for LNG slowed plans. The government expects $95-billion of revenue over 25 years from this project and others led by Exxon Mobil and Eni.

“It is the start of a new era for Mozambique,” said Darias Jonker, a London-based director at consultants Eurasia Group. The size of these projects “will bring tens of billions of dollars of investment” and revenue to the government, he said.

Developing the hydrocarbon resources is crucial for the southern African nation, which has struggled to service its debt in the past. Nyusi could use Anadarko’s planned investment in the project, called Mozambique LNG, to showcase his achievements ahead of elections in October, and hope to compensate for problems with borrowings, according to Jonker.

Mozambique LNG is at the center of a new restructuring deal the government reached with a core group of Eurobond holders last month. While investors will no longer have access to future revenue from the project, the in-principle agreement allows the administration to pay a lower interest rate until after the country’s gas production begins in 2023

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A South African wave-energy start-up is building a pioneering 1 MW pilot project, based on its patented homegrown design, which will supply clean electricity to a large-scale Hermanus abalone farm, in the Western Cape.

Mean Sea Level (MSL) is developing the first-of-its-kind project with equity investments from the Industrial Development Corporation, angel investors and aquaculture group Abagold, which produces 500 t of abalone yearly.

Construction of the R30-million pilot plant has also received grant funding secured from EEP Africa, a multidonor fund that provides early-stage financing to innovative clean-energy projects.

Abagold is a shareholder in MSL and the company’s founder, Pierre Hugo, has been central to the identification and the co-design of the wave energy converter (WEC) solution being deployed.
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The plant, which is 25% completed, is being built on land leased from Cape Nature and will neighbour the site occupied by Abagold, supplying electricity to drive its pumps and blowers. A full environmental impact assessment was, thus, required ahead of the construction.

Once proven, MSL plans to construct a larger 3.5 MW commercial wave-power plant at an adjacent sea-front site on the same property.
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Imagine a world where your travels didn't harm the environment and the fuel used in planes had a lower carbon footprint? This is the world we aspire to create.

The Waste to Wing Incubator, an 18-month initiative for 25 SMEs that will consist of interactive entrepreneur-led business workshops, mentorship, access to market, and investment readiness support for selected participants. 

The Waste to Wing project aims to prove the feasibility of a waste-based Sustainable Aviation Fuel industry in South Africa - it has been investigating the use of waste biomass as a feedstock for SAF production, which could revolutionise the aviation industry and reduce our flying carbon footprint. 

Eligibility Criteria
SMEs must be operational for more than 1 year
The business should be operational, sustainable and viable
The owner should be involved full-time in the business
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The project is funded by the EU and forms part of the Switch Africa Green Programme, which is implemented by the EU and UN Environment. 

​Apply here.....
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Bulk liquid storage operator Bidvest Tank Terminals’ (BTT’s) R1-billion mounded liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) storage facility in Richards Bay, KwaZulu-Natal, is set to house the largest tanks in the world and is expected to greatly enhance LPG supply in Southern Africa once completed, the company has indicated.
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The facility will store LPG on behalf of independent LPG specialist Petredec, which ships the fuel from the US and the Middle East. LPG is produced as a by-product in the oil refining process.

Petredec sought an import facility specifically on South Africa’s East Coast, and Richards Bay was seen as the most suitable port to handle this capacity. Being able to receive larger shipments also makes product handling more cost effective, reducing overall logistics costs.

The port is also on Petredec’s shipping route and in close proximity to the main rail and road logistics routes going inland, particularly as most of the LPG will be used in Gauteng, the Free State and the North West. This logistics infrastructure is also of high quality.

The project, currently under construction, was initiated at the end of 2017 and is slated for completion in July 2020. It is expected to increase LPG supply in South Africa by 200 000 t/y, half the country’s current consumption of about 400 000 t/y.

Replacement Energy Source
BTT and Petredec are confident that there is demand for LPG, BTT MD David Leisegang tells Engineering News.

The companies believe that the greatest demand will stem from LPG’s use as a replacement energy source, such as a substitute for wood or paraffin for heating and cooking. The use of these energy sources is still quite prevalent in South Africa, especially in informal settlements and areas where there is not any reliable access to electricity.

Leisegang emphasises that the health benefits of LPG are “considerable”, compared with the energy sources mentioned, as are its safety credentials, as “many of the fires in informal settlements are [the result of] cooking with these sources of fuel”.

LPG has been identified by the World Bank as the most environment friendly of all fossil fuels; therefore, the facility is expected to assist in providing a viable, reliable, safer and more environment- friendly energy alternative.

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