Despite South Africa’s successful renewable energy programme, which has been lauded internationally, uncertainty in the country’s energy future has been deepened by the lack of clear leadership and planning in the form of the updated Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) which is many years overdue, as well as recent allegations of serious maladministration at the […]
In the absence of an update to the outdated national Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity, IRP2010-2030, the CSIR Energy Centre has presented its own study to re-optimise the South African power capacity and energy mix from 2016 to 2040. The CSIR study by Dr. Tobias Bischof-Niemz, Jarrad Wright, Joanne Calitz and Crescent Mushwana was […]
The following press release has been received from the Centre for Environmental Rights (CER) giving solid input into the need for an updated Integrated Resource Plan for Electricity following due process and public participation before further decisions or commitments are made for new generation capacity in South Africa. The Life after Coal Campaign (made […]
The Energy Centre of the CSIR has moved to provide updated and consistent information on the cost of new power from wind, solar PV, baseload coal IPP, baseload Eskom coal, and nuclear power generation technologies in South Africa. In a presentation dated 14 October 2016, the head of CSIR’s Energy Centre, Dr. Tobias Bischof-Niemz, […]
The South African engineering consulting industry has positioned itself to harness opportunities in the gas sector, but a clear gas master plan is required to convince investors and other stakeholders to put their weight behind the country’s energy plans. At the 21st Congress of Parties (COP21) held in Paris last year, South Africa committed […]
The true impact of cancellations, delays and uncertainty around the Independent Power Producers (IPP) and renewable energy programmes go much further than the energy sector. It puts at risk thousands of current and future jobs, a host of local manufacturing companies, communities’ welfare and, most importantly, undoes what is arguably the most effective public-private […]
The Fossil Fuel Foundation held its third electricity conference at the Eskom research and innovation centre in Rosherville, near Johannesburg, recently. The theme of this conference was “Fossil fuels in South Africa – what factors will drive future use?” The event opened with a presentation by Tshilidzi Ramuedzisi, the chief director of energy planning […]
The 2014 electricity blackouts in have brought into stark relief the failure by government, the Department of Energy, the Department of Public Enterprises, Eskom and municipalities to provide an adequate and sustainable electricity supply to meet the growing needs of the country, the economy and its people. The 1998 Government White Paper on Energy […]
by Mike Rycroft, editor The RFI issued in December 2011 by the Department of Energy for non-renewable IPPs achieved an amazing response totaling some 61 000 MW, 50% more than our total generating capacity. Sub-Saharan Africa is said to be an energy poor region, but this response shows that the potential to generate adequate electricity […]
by Mike Rycroft, EE Publishers; Andreas Wagnaar and Barbara Sabbione, Bosch Solar Small to medium sized rooftop solar PV systems are being installed extensively in other countries, notably Germany, Japan and the US, where legislation is in place to support this technology, and where the PV industry has developed on the back of these programs. […]
