New trade and industry leadership expected to use industrial policy levers to support key sectors

With industrial policy back in fashion in many economies, business and policy specialists expect new Trade, Industry and Competition Minister Parks Tau to prioritise measures to support key... 

Separation of energy portfolio and Ramokgopa’s appointment praised amid rising energy-transition complexity

The decision to establish a separate energy portfolio with the African National Congress’s Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa as Minister and the Democratic Alliance’s Samantha Graham as Deputy Minister has... 

South Africa preparing to pilot independent transmission projects to bolster grid’s renewables capacity

The National Treasury has confirmed that South Africa is moving to pilot a model that will enable the private sector to participate directly in the development and operation of transmission grid... 

Benchmarking study highlights slow pace of South Africa’s grid-connection system

A new benchmarking assessment of South Africa’s electricity grid access queueing mechanisms indicates that Eskom’s systems are slower and less transparent than those being implemented in developed... 

Integrate global grid-battery strategies to support roll-out, South Africa urged

South Africa should consider ways to replicate strategies employed in regions such as South Australia and California to facilitate an accelerated uptake of grid batteries, which a new International... 

Lack of transparency

The tapering of loadshedding has arguably provided the Eskom board and executive team with some much-needed time and space to consider the future of the business without the daily distraction of... 

South Africa continues to push for long extension to Agoa well ahead of 2025 expiry

With the expiry of the Africa Growth and Opportunity Act 15 months away, South Africa is continuing to call for an early and substantial extension of the preferential trade arrangement, which has... 

‘Second wave’ of Operation Vulindlela set to prioritise ‘green and digital’ growth

The ‘second wave’ of government’s Operation Vulindlela initiative is poised to be widened to include additional structural reforms to those that have been pursued to date in electricity, freight... 

Eskom issues tender for 26 large transformers to panel of five selected suppliers

Eskom reports that it has appointed five transformer companies to a panel of suppliers that will compete for upcoming contracts for a total of 101 large-scale transformers that will be installed... 

Eskom to apply for MES exemptions for four coal stations that will operate beyond 2030

Having secured permission to operate five aged power stations under existing minimum emission standards (MES) plant limits until their closure in 2030, Eskom has confirmed that it will be applying... 

Eskom ‘decouples’ renewables roll-out from coal-fired power station closure plan

Eskom CEO Dan Marokane reports that a decision has been made to “decouple” the closure of its coal stations from the building, in partnership, of new renewable energy generation capacity linked to... 

V&A Waterfront pilots ‘aesthetically pleasing’ small-scale wind turbines

Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront is pioneering the integration of small, low-noise vertical-axis wind turbines into its green electricity supply mix, following the installation of four 1-kW units within... 

DMRE again delays bidding deadlines for procurement of new renewables and battery storage

The Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has confirmed another extension to the bid submission deadlines for the current renewables procurement round, as well as the second battery... 

Defusing CBAM

South Africa is strenuously opposing the European Union’s (EU’s) Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM) that, under its evolving design and coverage, could have a significant impact on the... 

Grindrod selected as preferred bidder for Port of Richards Bay container facility

South Africa’s Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has appointed Grindrod South Africa as the preferred bidder to develop and operate a container handling facility at the Port of Richards Bay,... 

Transnet to appeal order to pay billions in damages following long-running Natref dispute

The High Court has found in favour of Sasol Oil and TotalEnergies in relation to a long-running dispute with Transnet over pipeline tariffs from Durban to the Natref refinery and has awarded... 

City of Tshwane pushing ahead with plan to procure 1 000 MW by 2026

The City of Tshwane is signalling its intention to proceed with plans to procure and/or revive 1 000 MW of electricity generation capacity by 2026 as part of a strategy aimed at improving security... 

TNPA moves to integrate desalination, renewables at Port Elizabeth and Ngqura ports

South Africa’s Transnet National Ports Authority (TNPA) has issued requests for proposal (RFPs) for the construction of two solar-powered seawater desalination plants and a hybrid... 

V&A Waterfront signs deal to raise green-electricity contribution to 70% by 2026

Cape Town’s V&A Waterfront has signed a ten-year power purchase agreement (PPA) with Etana Energy for 43 GWh of renewable energy yearly, which will result in wind and solar supplying 70% of the... 

Eskom targets JETP funds and partnerships for 2 GW clean-energy pipeline

Having recently confirmed a decoupling of its just energy transition strategy from the decommissioning of its coal-fired power stations, Eskom is aiming to finalise business cases for a pipeline of... 

NTCSA on track to begin trading on July 1, Marokane says

Eskom CEO Dan Marokane has confirmed that the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) is on track to begin trading on July 1 and that the new entity was being set up to operate as a... 

Supply-side support will be required if South Africa aims to join green industrialisation race

Stable demand remains a prerequisite if South Africa has any prospect of stimulating industrialisation in the renewable-energy and battery storage value chains, Trade & Industrial Policy Strategies... 

Capital cost of energy transition ‘only one part of picture’

The yearly $1.9-trillion being invested currently on clean energy would have to more than double and be more evenly distributed to place the world on track to meet net-zero emissions by 2050, a new... 

Delayed coal decommissioning won’t ‘collapse our climate commitments’

The Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) is currently assessing the impact of South Africa’s decision to delay the decommissioning of the Hendrina, Grootvlei and Camden coal-fired power stations... 

Reality check

Regardless of composition, there are certain realities that South Africa’s new government cannot avoid. The first is an unemployment rate so high that, unless it is reduced materially, there is no... 

South Africa preparing to pilot independent transmission projects to bolster grid’s renewables capacity

The National Treasury has confirmed that South Africa is moving to pilot a model that will enable the private sector to participate directly in the development and operation of transmission grid... 

Benchmarking study highlights slow pace of South Africa’s grid-connection system

A new benchmarking assessment of South Africa’s electricity grid access queueing mechanisms indicates that Eskom’s systems are slower and less transparent than those being implemented in developed... 

Transnet claims World Bank container port index contains ‘factual errors’

South Africa’s Transnet claims the World Bank’s 2023 Container Port Performance Index (CPPI) – in which South Africa’s ports rank dismally overall and the Port of Cape Town came in at the bottom of... 

Africa added 2 GW of hydropower last year, but IHA says 90% of on-river potential untapped

Africa added over 2 GW of hydropower capacity in 2023 but 90% of the continent’s on-river hydropower potential remains untapped, a new report states. Published by the International Hydropower... 

South Africa urged to integrate successful global grid-battery strategies to support roll-out

South Africa should consider ways to replicate strategies employed in regions such as South Australia and California to facilitate an accelerated uptake of grid batteries, which a new International... 

South Africa’s climate focus needs to shift from setting targets to tangible results – Moosa

South Africa is now entering a new and more demanding phase of climate action, Presidential Climate Commission (PCC) deputy chairperson Valli Moosa asserts, stressing that the focus is not only on... 

Reform momentum must be sustained ‘regardless of the form or composition’ of new government

President Cyril Ramaphosa has underlined the importance of the new government – which is yet to be formed after no single party secured an outright majority in the recent elections – continuing... 

Big business backs speedy formation of ‘stable GNU’

Business Leadership South Africa (BLSA), whose members are drawn from the largest domestic and multinational businesses operating in the country, has backed the African National Congress’ (ANC’s)... 

Eskom board approves plan to operate Camden, Grootvlei and Hendrina power stations to 2030

The Eskom board has given its approval for the continued operation of the Camden, Grootvlei and Hendrina power stations to 2030 – a departure from the original decommissioning schedule that has... 

Energy trader reports strong market demand for green electricity from 210 MW Hendrina Wind Farm

Newly formed electricity trader Apollo Africa reports that it is experiencing strong demand from potential customers for the renewable electricity that will be produced from the grid-ready 210 MW... 

Today’s well-supplied market for critical minerals ‘may not be a good guide for future’

A new International Energy Agency (IEA) report describes the sharp decline in critical mineral prices over the past year as a double-edged sword, cautioning that, while it has been a boon for clean... 

Public protection

The application by Eskom to preserve and reserve grid connection capacity for independent power producers (IPPs) participating in public procurement processes implemented in line with Section 34 of... 

Eskom ‘decouples’ renewables roll-out from coal station closure plan

Eskom CEO Dan Marokane reports that a decision has been made to “decouple” the closure of its coal stations from the building, in partnership, of new renewable energy generation capacity linked to... 

Marokane says R285m spent on diesel in May compared with R2.8bn in May 2023

Eskom CEO Dan Marokane has rebuffed persistent suggestions that the utility is keeping loadshedding at bay owing to an “excessive” reliance on the diesel-fuelled open cycle gas turbines, reporting... 

Khoza calls for political leaders to prioritise ‘common good’ as he lambasts ‘betrayers’ of the Constitution

Renowned and outspoken business personality Reuel Khoza has urged South Africa’s political leadership currently negotiating the governance arrangements that should be implemented following an...