An estimated total of R88 billion into these projects are set to attract both local and international investment. The next five years will prove vital in rolling this plan out to ensure growing momentum and support from the industry.

The need for an interactive, educational and industry led platform for the renewable energy and solar market in South Africa is a top priority for these plans to be achieved in the next ten years. That is why association driven events, Solar Power International (US) and SNEC PV (China) have decided to partner with Messe Frankfurt, offering one industry platform to:

Gain insight and knowledge from international, as well as local RE experts
​Discuss strategy and implementation to drive the industry forward
Apply best practices and lessons learnt from actual case studies
Network and foster long-lasting partnerships with solution providers, utilities, and large power users
​Experience live demonstrations and technical workshops

Solar Power Africa –  The solar and energy-storage market authority of the future, will take place from 4-6 November, 2020 at the Cape Town International Convention Centre. This event is driven by and for the industry amd promises to deliver a valuable experience for all attendees.

With this in mind, if you are interested in exhibiting, sponsoring, attending or would like to participate as a speaker at the event, please get in contact with one of the team members below:
 
Sponsorship and Exhibition enquiries:
Tracy.Gounden@za.messefrankfurt.com
Neil.Borthwick@za.messefrankfurt.com
 
Conference Delegate enquiries:
Priyanka.Lutchman@za.messefrankfurt.com
Laurell.Kok@za.messefrankfurt.com

Speaking enquiries 
Neil.Piper@za.messefrankfurt.com

EVENT DETAILS
Date: 4-6 November 2020
Venue: Cape Town International Convention Centre
Website: www.solarpowerexpo.co.za

South Africa received hundreds of responses to a call for 3,000 megawatts of emergency power that it estimates could be brought online within two years.
The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy put out a request for information in December to gather solutions for power generation in the midst of outages that are slowing economic growth.

There were 481 responses to the RFI that included options for gas, liquid fuels, coal, renewables, storage and nuclear, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe told lawmakers Wednesday.

A preliminary analysis found that “some proposals can bring power to the grid in less than 24 months,” Mantashe said. The original request asked for short-term power-supply options of as much as 3,000 megawatts within a year.

Analysis by the department “also suggests that longer-term contracting is required to ensure prices do not negatively affect the current tariffs.”

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa also received 132 applications for a total capacity of 59 megawatts of generation for own use, according to Mantashe.

The licensing requirements for this category have been removed in an effort to reduce South Africa’s power supply deficit.
​
Source.....

Energy solutions company BlueNova Energy, part of JSE-listed Reunert Group, on Wednesday launched its grid-scale Intelligent Energy Storage System (iESS) at Reunert Park, in Midrand, where the first unit has been installed to support businesses occupying the office park.

The BlueNova Energy iESS, which is housed in a shipping container, is the first of its kind to be produced in South Africa.

The system is equipped with a battery storage converter, a self-developed environmental management system, industrial-grade heating, a ventilation and air-conditioning system, and a lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4) battery pack, which can store up to 1 MWh of energy.

The system’s building block has a 250 kW power output, with 1 000 kWh installed stored energy, and is scalable to provide more than 250 MW output power with 1 GWh installed energy capacity.

The iESS is designed for both offgrid and grid-connected applications.

“While many systems exist to provide essential power during outage periods, this system is designed to be able to provide total power during outage systems,” BlueNova Energy CEO James Verster said at the launch event.

One key application for the system is load shifting, which is the practice of buying energy from the grid during low-tariff periods, then storing it in the iESS system for discharge during peak tariff periods to offset energy costs.

Peak shaving is another possible use for the system, which involves using stored energy to ensure that peak grid energy use is limited.

Voltage and frequency stabilisation to prevent surges or drop-offs in power is another use for the system.

The system is also a reliable source of total backup power during grid failures and load-shedding.

Up to 40 iESS systems can be used in parallel when used off the grid. There is no limit when connected to the grid, Verster said.

He pointed out that the cell chemistry was central to the design of the iESS to ensure safety.

“LiFePO4 is the safest of all lithium-ion batteries, with no thermal events recorded in 25 years of rigorous testing.”

Read more......

Cape Town wants to set up its own independent power producer office to secure renewable energy, following President Cyril Ramaphosa’s announcement during his Sona address that municipalities in good financial standing will be allowed to procure their own power from IPPs.

Executive director for energy at the City of Cape Town, Kadri Nassiep says the City has engaged national treasury with a view to setting up its own independent power producer (IPP) office along the lines of the renewable energy independent power producer programme (REIPPP).

He says “we have also engaged CSIR to prepare our mini-IRP that will direct our call for proposals”. Electricity provision in the country is guided by the integrated resource plan (IRP) which sets out what electricity will be sourced and when.

Government has used the IPP office, which falls under the department of mineral resources and energy, to procure renewable energy in earlier REIPPs. The IPP office has begun an exercise to source 2,000 to 3,000 megawatts of emergency supply on an urgent basis.

Cape Town’s intention to set up its own IPP office, which will implement its own IRP, would constitute a dramatic re-shaping of the energy landscape.

Nassiep says “we still have to refine tariffs, but we are looking at it already”.

Budgets need to be realigned, he says, but that’s not a huge issue.

“So we are cautiously optimistic, but let’s see what [mineral resources and energy minister] Gwede Mantashe publishes in terms of schedule 2.”

Mantashe announced earlier in February at the Mining Indaba in Cape Town that the government would be gazetting a revised schedule 2 of the Electricity Regulation Act, which will enable self-generation and facilitate “distributed generation” by municipalities.

The City of Cape Town has fought a protracted battle with the minister and regulator Nersa over the right to source its own electricity. The dispute has its origins in 2015 when then Cape Town mayor (Patricia de Lille) asked the then energy minister (Tina Joemat-Pettersson) to allow the City to source renewable energy, but did not even get a reply.

The case has been set down to be heard in the high court on 11-12 May. Given the constrained electricity supply, the City of Cape Town had argued for an earlier court date, but has not been able to secure this.

Asked if the court case will still go ahead, Nassiep said:

“In my opinion yes. We still need clarification from the court regarding our rights.

“For instance, the minister might opt to issue [a] once-off determination in favour of munis and then not again. Or he can opt to keep it later to a cap of 500 megawatts, which might limit us unfairly. So it’s still needed.”

Nassiep says that “unfortunately” there is a likely two- to three-year time horizon for Cape Town’s own sourced power to come on stream because of financial closure issues, environmental impact assessments, power purchase agreements as well as connection charges and ordering of connection and plant equipment.

The Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) has joined the Cape Town court action, the CER’s Nicole Loser saying that local government has a constitutional duty to provide clean and healthy electricity, “which does not pollute our air, water, soil, or damage our climate”.

Loser says the Sona remarks were “very vague” on the details of municipal procurement.

“Also not clear is if there will be the needed legal reform to address the current uncertainty around municipal procurement of whether Mantashe will simply issue the determination requested by the City.”

Cape Town mayor Dan Plato cautiously welcomed Ramaphosa’s announcement.

“However, urgent clarity is required from the national government on the legal and regulatory nuts and bolts of how this must happen.

“We need urgent clarity from the government on the roles and responsibilities for municipalities and other stakeholders in terms of the new generation capacity regulations in the Electricity Regulation Act,” said Plato.

He says the City is doing a study to determine how best to overcome energy poverty, through various projects including installing solar kits, solar home systems, increasing free basic electricity and improving access to gas. 

“Improving access to affordable electricity is a key deliverable that we are investigating at the moment.”

Ramaphosa also announced that “a Section 34 ministerial determination will be issued shortly to give effect to the IRP 2019, enabling the development of additional grid capacity from renewable energy, natural gas, hydropower, battery storage and coal”.

“We will initiate the procurement of emergency power from projects that can deliver electricity into the grid within three to 12 months from approval,” he said.

Read more.....

If you are a solar park owner, investor, or O&M engineer looking for ways to increase the power output of your older solar parks, DSM’s Retrofit AR coating is the turnkey solution for you.

To find out how it can maximize power plant yield and increase your cash flow in 2020, join this webinar, where DSM and its ecosystem partners will discuss all the relevant features of this technology from the perspective of investors, maintenance engineers, and asset owners.
12 March 2020      3:00 - 4:00 PM CET
Sign up today, spaces are limited!
REGISTER
Host:
- DSM Advanced Solar | Jörn Brembach, Commercial Manager Europe
Joined by:
- ​​JinkoSolar EU | ​​Andrea Viaro, Head of Technical Service and Product Management​​​​
- WiseEnergy | Diego Molina, Innovation Manager

The Africa Energy Indaba will host the continent’s leading Energy Conference from 3-4 March 2020 in Cape Town, South Africa. The event serves as the ideal platform for achieving Africa's energy vision for a sustainable energy future and keeping abreast of global energy competitors in this dynamic landscape. The symposium provides invaluable business growth opportunities for the continent's energy realm, subsequently inspiring much-needed transformation within the sector.

WHAT WILL BE DISCUSSED DURING THE CONFERENCE SESSIONS?

• African Ministerial Panel: What are African Energy Ministers doing to stimulate investment into the energy sectors of their countries?
• Resource Mobilisation: How can the African Energy Transition drive investment and business opportunities across the continent?
• How will South Africa’s IRP 2019 drive investment opportunities in Africa?
• Unlocking finance to grow Africa’s Energy sector
• How will the Transport Sector be impacted by an Energy Transition?
• Enabling the supply of reliable and sustainable energy for Africa
• Corporate Off-takers: Standardised PPAs – is it possible?
• The evolution of Digitisation in the African energy sector
• From Coal to Gas: Decarbonising Africa
• The role co-generation has to play in the energy mix
• Decentralisation: the role of renewable energy and mini & off-grid solutions
• Energy Storage, unlocking large scale use of renewable energy
• Municipalities as direct off-takers
• Democratisation, building energy businesses and access to energy for all
• African Power Pools and the emergence of energy trading platforms
• The link between water and power and the role of desalination

The event also features a world-class Energy Exhibition, Business Matchmaking opportunities for delegates and exhibitors, and multiple opportunities to network with like-minded attendees from across Africa.
LEARN MORE: africaenergyindaba.com / ENQUIRIES: info@energyindaba.co.za

Eskom load-shedding has returned, and it is expected to stay around for some time as the struggling power utility tries to repair its ageing infrastructure.
There are a few ways to avoid load-shedding, such as buying a generator or inverter, but the only truly unaffected residents will be South Africans who live completely off the grid.

The Dreckmeyr family has accomplished exactly this. Their home in Pretoria is completely off the Eskom grid and is powered exclusively by solar and wind power.

Inus Dreckmeyr is an electrical engineer and CEO of Netshield South Africa, and he has used his expertise in the industry to build his home’s renewable energy system.

He has also implemented an intelligent IoT system to manage and monitor the electricity generation system.

More than enough power
The Dreckmeyr household is powered by a 5kW-per-hour solar array paired with a 2kW-per-hour wind turbine, allowing the house to constantly generate electricity.

Additionally, the residence also supplies its own water from an on-property borehole.

MyBroadband asked Dreckmeyr about the power demands of his home and the maintenance costs of running an off-the-grid household.

“We are still totally off-grid and still think it’s a great idea,” Dreckmeyr said.

“We now have more than enough power. This saves the batteries even more and will ensure an even longer lifespan.”
He said that after more than 11 years of service, he has only replaced one battery bank as part of his maintenance, and the system has proven to be an extremely cost-effective solution.
“With the noticeable change in weather patterns this year we used our diesel-generator more often than ever before, but even running these extra hours and adding the cost to the calculation of the overall cost of our electricity supply stays really inexpensive, a fraction of cost of utility providers,” Dreckmeyr added.
“These maintenance costs are so trivial that we do not even include them in our budgets.”
Stable system“The other really impressive feature is the power supply stability, as we often sit at our braai and see our the blackouts roll through the valley below,” Dreckmeyr said.
“I often think about it and feel really chuffed that I made the decision all those years ago while most people, back then, thought that I lost all sense of logic,” he added.
Dreckmeyr admitted that they are occasionally complacent and neglect to do maintenance on the system, but it continues to function without any problems.

Read more......

A R1.2-billion solar farm project has been approved by the National Treasury, Kannaland municipal manager Reynold Stevens has confirmed.

Stevens announced the project during an oversight visit to the Garden Route district municipality on Wednesday, adding that it would be a public-private partnership between Kannaland Municipality and InnovSure to provide an alternative source of green energy to the municipality.

”This is a fantastic initiative as this investment will create job opportunities and the company will further invest R42 million per annum in the Kannaland Municipality for critical infrastructure projects and further assist the Municipality with smart technology,” said DA MPP Deidre Baartman.

“Government cannot tackle the country’s energy crisis on its own,” Baartman said.

“It is vital that we break down the national government’s monopoly on energy generation and provision, and bring in the private sector to diversify this industry as a matter of urgency.”

“The Kannaland solar farm is a prime example of this.”

Combatting load-shedding
During off-peak periods, the solar farm will also be able to draw energy from Eskom and store it for release later.

This power can be used to supplement shortages during peak hours and sent to nearby municipalities such as Mossel Bay.

“I will be monitoring this development closely to ensure that the Western Cape attains energy independence from Eskom to grow our provincial economy and create much needed jobs,” Baartman said.

The DA said it remains committed to cutting red tape and using innovation to grow its provincial economy and create jobs.

​Emerging domestic natural gas and helium producer Renergen’s subsidiary, Tetra4, has secured an agreement with Bulk Hauliers International Transport (BHIT) for the supply of liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Virginia gas project, in the Free State.

The LNG will be used to fuel about 50 of BHIT’s trucks, meaning that operator costs and the vehicle lifecycle maintenance costs will be significantly reduced.

Renergen CEO Stefano Marani says Tetra4 “is proud to be associated with BHIT as they embark on their new venture to disrupt the local logistics market using cutting-edge technology and international best practice”.

BHIT director James Cohen adds that BHIT is committed to providing “sustainable transport solutions” and that running its trucks on locally produced LNG “fits in perfectly” with this goal.

BHIT operates a premium fleet of truck-tractor combinations, with a focus on the transportation of general freight and dangerous goods throughout Southern Africa.

Tetra4 holds the first, and currently only, onshore petroleum production licence issued by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy through the Petroleum Agency of South Africa. 

Source.....

A black-empowered consortium that includes companies with extensive gas-to-power experience has made a formal submission to the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) in which plans for power generation plants capable of adding between 300 MW and 3 300 MW to South Africa’s grid within 12 to 36 months are outlined.

The offer has been made in response to a request for information (RFI) released by the DMRE in December in an effort to inform an upcoming ‘Risk Mitigation Power Purchase Programme’, which will seek to address an immediate supply deficit of 3 000 MW with solutions that can be “grid connected in the shortest time at the least possible cost”.

The closing date for the RFI was January 31 and the DMRE has given itself a month to evaluate the proposals and design a procurement process.

Engineering News has not yet been able to confirm the number of submissions made ahead of the RFI deadline, nor what solutions have been proposed. It is understood, however, that the DMRE received a strong response, with hundreds of potential bidders having descended on the Centurion headquarters of the Independent Power Producer Office at the end of January to hand-deliver their proposals.

​One of the responses seen by Engineering News is an offer made by a consortium named Mhlathuze Energy, which derives it identity from the Zulu name for the river that meanders through Richards Bay, in KwaZulu-Natal – the proposed location for its project.

The consortium includes black economic empowerment company Phinda Power (a member of the Newlyn Group), Japanese multinational Marubeni and liquefied natural gas and gas-to-power specialist Golar Power.

Mhlathuze Energy’s proposal provides for the rapid deployment in Richards Bay of 300 MW (up to a maximum of 1 200 MW) of emergency power generation capacity that could be operational within 12 months of financial close.

The solution would involve the deployment of General Electric- (GE-) supplied mobile aeroderivative gas turbines. The solution would require the importation of liquefied natural gas (LNG) supplied through a floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) and the construction of the LNG marine import infrastructure.

​Read more......