Baker McKenzie, a specialist global law firm based in Johannesburg, hosted a seminar recently which considered the benefits of corporate power producers’ agreements (PPAs) with independent power producers (IPPs) in South Africa. Principal benefits for corporates include protection from load-shedding, the ever-increasing tariffs, unreliable electricity supply, compliance to clean energy and low emission targets, and […]
The recent stance by Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan, as reported in the Business Day, to “renegotiate” contracts with companies which won the first two rounds of South Africa’s renewable energy procurement programme (REIPPPP) will not afford South Africa the opportunity to create value, especially on the job creation front. Eskom’s current load-shedding crisis costs […]
. FirstRand Bank has joined the exodus of local banks that were funding new coal-fired power plants in South Africa, and in particular the Thabametsi and Khanyisa independent power producer (IPP) projects. These two projects are included in the draft integrated resource plan for electricity, Draft IRP 2018, for completion in 2023 and 2024. The […]
. Nedbank lived up to its slogan as the “green” bank in a decision to withdraw its funding of two proposed new coal-fired power stations in South Africa, Thabametsi and Khanyisa. This decision fits with the banking group’s commitment to “green” funding, responsible lending and supporting sustainability initiatives. The bank says its initial proposal for […]
The recently released IRP2018 draft, a discussion document and not cast in stone, differs significantly from both the 2010 and 2016 versions. Changes which steer the plan away from a diverse mix of technologies in the direction of a high dependence on renewable energy have evoked a large amount of comments, both pro and anti. […]
One of the key objectives of the Life After Coal Campaign (consisting of Earthlife Africa, the Centre for Environmental Rights, and groundWork) is to discourage the development of any new coal-red power stations, which would lock South Africa into further dependence on dirty, expensive coal for decades to come, and delay the urgent need to transition to a […]
International and local efforts to restrict funding for construction of new coal-fired power plants are gaining momentum, and threatening financial closure of the planned two new coal independent power producer projects in South Africa, Thabametsi and Khanyisa. In the latest development, it has been reliably learned that last week Standard Bank advised the director general […]
The minister of energy invites all investors in the energy sector to consider South Africa as a developing nation with huge potential to grow in a politically stable environment. The country is open for business and welcomes foreign direct investments. Addressing ministers, senior government officials, company CEOs and other dignitaries from Kenya, Togo, Benin, Sao […]
The South African government will launch a new round in its Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers’ Procurement Programme later this year. Addressing an audience of about 400 delegates at the Department of Energy’s (DoE’s) Stakeholder Engagement event at Gallagher Conference Centre recently, Jeff Radebe, the minister of energy, said that his department will launch a […]
With government refreshing its drive to build renewable energy capacity, it’s time for these respective companies in the industry to renew their focus on economic development outputs. Licences were first issued in 2011 and the communities around these plants are growing. With the sector being revitalised, now is the time to review lessons learnt and […]
