Projects and energy updates from South Africa

Africa50 to participate with developing the Desert to Power Programme

Africa50, Green Climate Fund (GCF) and the African Development Bank (AfDB) are set to develop solar projects in the Sahel through the Desert to Power Programme.    

The Desert to Power initiative led by the AfDB aims to turn Africa’s deserts into new sources of energy.

By working with partners to develop 10 000 MW of solar power systems across the Sahel, it will provide electricity to 250 million people, including 90 million off-grid.

Akinwumi Adesina, President of the AfDB and Chairman of Africa50 added: “When completed, this could be the largest solar power system in the world. We have already started with development of a 50 MW solar plant in Burkina Faso.”

The countries that are part of the initiative include Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Nigeria, Chad, Senegal, and Sudan, seven of which are Africa50 shareholders.

ESI Africa, 29 May 2018 

Saldanha Bay residents benefit from renewables programme

Hopefield residents, within the Saldanha Bay Local Municipality, have benefited from the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement programme (REIPPPP).

The Independent power producer created a multi-tiered project designed to improve the social and economic well-being of residents in Hopefield. 

It is estimated that this project has already benefited over 3000 residents, especially during the winter. Insulation, solar heated water, safe electrical installation and carpentry have gone a long way to improve lives in this community.

ESI Africa, 30 May 2018 

Kenya: French firm signs contract for a 50 MW PV plant

A France-headquartered renewable energy firm has signed a power sale contract for a 50 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) power plant in Kenya. The 50 MW solar power plant project is located in Kopere (Nandi county), about 300 km North-West of Nairobi. Initiated by Martifer Solar, the development of the project has been finalised by joint teams. 

The Kopere project benefits from a 20-year electricity sale contract signed with Kenya Power and Lightning Company (KPLC), the Kenyan electric power utility. It will be effective from the commissioning of the solar power plant. 

ESI Africa, 30 May 2018 

Investors put Northern Cape’s sunshine to good use 

The Northern Cape, a sparsely populated landmass drenched in sunshine and short of investment, has been one of the major beneficiaries of the independent power producer (IPP) programme. The province hosts the majority of the more than 90 projects developed during the various windows of the programme.

Premier Sylvia Lucas, Energy Minister Jeff Radebe, Abengoa Solar’s Dominic Goncalves, the Independent Development Corporation’s Lizeka Matshekga, and the Public Investment Corporation’s Jeff Tshikhudo agree that the Northern Cape’s geology and climate make it the ideal candidate for the solar and wind projects. 

The officials recently came together for the official unveiling of the Abengoa-built and operated Xina Solar One, a parabolic trough field situated in Pofadder, which generates 100 MW of electricity and can power up to 95 000 homes at peak demand. 

Xina Solar One is Spanish firm Abengoa’s third solar project in the Northern Cape. Xina is one of the major projects of SA’s renewable energy programme. It is a huge plant, comprising 110 km of solar mirrors, 90 km of pipelines and molten salt storage tanks that hold 48 000 tonnes of capacity. The solar field alone covers 300 ha. The mirrors track the sun as it rises and sets, capturing its rays to convert into energy.

Business Day, 31 May 2018

Lagos State to launch embedded power supply project

The Lagos State government has declared that it is set for the commencement of the Embedded Power Supply Project in July 2018.

The Lagos State Embedded Power Programme is targeted towards generating 3000 MW of electricity for the state within the next three to five years.

Commissioner for Energy, Olawale Oluwo, said that when the project takes off, it would commence the journey to deregulate Nigeria's power sector from Lagos State and ultimately achieve energy security for the state. 

He said that apart from the reforms in the power sector, the state government had begun implementation of other sectoral reforms including the downstream petroleum sector, the gas sector as well as the solid minerals sector and regulatory reforms. 

ESI Africa, 31 May 2018 

South Africa to release new-look renewables bid window in November

Energy Minister Jeff Radebe recently announced that South Africa would launch a fifth Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) bid window in November with the aim of procuring a further 1800 MW of renewable energy from independent power producers (IPPs).

Radebe said the auction would include similar technologies to those included under the so-called “Expedited Bid Window”, which was launched in 2015 in an effort to allow IPPs a second chance to improve the competitiveness of projects bid, but not procured, during the first four REIPPPP bid windows. 

Radebe said the new bid window would provide government with an opportunity to accelerate its transformation agenda. 

Radebe also reiterated his intention to have the IRP approved by Cabinet in mid-August and again promised that the draft IRP would be released for public comment and consultation well ahead of that Cabinet meeting. 

Besides renewable energy, gas projects appear likely to feature strongly in the updated IRP, with Radebe emphasising that South Africa intended taking a regional perspective on the gas opportunity.

Engineering News, 1 June 2018 

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

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