Energy storage is globally considered the new wave in the energy sector following on from, and supporting, recent developments in renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. To support this technological development, EE Publishers hosted the SA Energy Storage 2017 conference and exhibition at Emperors Palace in November 2017. This focussed conference and exhibition covered policy, […]
To many people, renewable, clean energy seems the answer to all our problems. Wind and solar energy are, after all, free. But, green energy has a “dirty secret”: hidden costs and hidden implications for providing electricity which are not immediately evident. “Our economic illness has a name: financialisation” (Rana Foroohar, [1]). What is financialisation and […]
GE, BrightSource Energy and Megalim Solar Power has installed the solar receiver steam generator at the 121 MW Ashalim Solar Thermal Power Station in Israel’s Negev desert. With the receiver in place, the 250 m tower is now the tallest power tower in the world. When Ashalim is operational, 50 600 software-controlled mirrors, spread over […]
Since the installation of photovoltaic (PV) panels on the roof of its Illovo premises, SRK Consulting’s Johannesburg practice has been augmenting the power it draws from City Power, according to managing director Vis Reddy. In order to operate in an environmentally sustainable manner, the company installed a borehole, planted its gardens with hardy indigenous plants and […]
SolaFuture Energy, a solar systems EPC based in Cape Town and Johannesburg, has obtained its ISO 9001:2015 quality management systems certification. The certification is an internationally-recognised metric to validate the quality of a company’s management systems. Since its establishment, the company has constructed over 12,5 MW of solar systems, mainly on commercial and industrial buildings, […]
Solar photovoltaic (PV) systems will become an integral part of electrical installations in the future, but they must be protected from harsh weather conditions if they are to remain useful for their full lifespan. Lightning discharges cause field-based and conducted electrical interference. This effect increases with increasing cable lengths or conductor loops. Surges not only damage […]
In his opening address at the SAIEE’s Smart Grid Conference recently, the president of the South African Institute of Electrical Engineers (SAIEE), Jacob Machinjike, said that a smart grid infrastructure would provide unique opportunities for improved electricity services which would benefit people in Africa. The conference, which was held at the Eskom Convention Centre […]
Balwin Properties has partnered with SolarAfrica to introduce solar energy to its upmarket developments. Kikuyu and The Whisken are modern and elegant, and come standard with prepaid electricity and individual water meters. These two newest developments will be the first to make use of solar energy as a considerable portion of their daily electricity usage, operating in […]
Despite knowing that both coal mines and coal-fires power stations have a finite life, it speaks to poor planning and the poor implementation of policy in South Africa that nothing has been done to address what comes after or to deal with the need to transition to a lower-carbon economy. Misinformation in statements published by […]
With yet another renewable energy (RE) project completed on time and on budget, one has to wonder why the Departments of Energy (DoE) and Public Enterprises (DPE) tolerate Eskom’s continued refusal to sign additional power producer agreements. This especially since the latest REIPPP energy price bids that Eskom refuse to sign are so much lower […]
