Page 14 - AfrElec Week 10

AfrElec
NEWS IN BRIEF
AfrElec
regulator, are close to amending laws to allow self-generation by companies that have a capacity of 5 GW ready but who are being held ransom by load shedding that has pushed the economy into recession.
The Cabinet is now clearly divided into two camps on the energy crisis.
On the one side are Ramaphosa and Finance Minister Tito Mboweni, who want a distributed model of energy generation and transmission (and even a “green energy revolution” as the president pledged in February 2018).
On the other side is Deputy President David Mabuza, who last week said in Parliament that independent power producers (IPPs) are not and will not be significant contributors to the national grid. He is aligned with Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe, who told Parliament in February that he had made progress on the issue of independent power producers.
This progress was: to lift the stringent limits on self-generation (currently 1MW) by companies with capacity; to open the fifth window for renewable energy bidders, and that his team had sifted through the more than 400 expressions of interest he received after issuing the request for information on emergency power (defined as capacity to generate and sell to Eskom’s grid in three to six months).
In fact, nothing tangible has happened and Mantashe’s team keep putting process issues into the public domain instead of material progress.
And, according to the National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa) timetable, it could
be months before the law is amended to lift South Africa’s energy availability factor (EAF).
Electricity (or the lack thereof) is driving the already limited growth prospects into the ground and Eskom CEO André de Ruyter last week told Parliament that Stage 8 load shedding is a real possibility unless he gets the support and space he needs to institute a proper maintenance schedule on the creaking fleet of coal-fired power stations that still power South Africa.
HYDRO
Ethiopia to offer new GERD proposals
Ethiopia is to come up with a new proposal on the filling and operations of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) which will be tabled for discussion shortly with the downstream countries of the Nile.
The new proposal is drafted jointly by members of the Ethiopian negotiating group, water engineers from different universities and legal experts drawn from the federal attorney general and ministry of foreign affairs, Ezega reported.
A spokesperson at n the Ministry of Water Irrigation and Energy that Ethiopia’s new proposal will be tabled for discussion with Egypt and Sudan but others members of Nile basin countries can participate if they are interested to.
It is not clear why Ethiopia wanted to bring in a new proposal on the filling of the GERD’s reservoir.
“The new proposal is prepared in a way that will protect Ethiopia’s natural right on the use of the Nile waters and in line with international laws and ensures the benefits of the downstream countries,” he said
The Ethiopian government wants the African Union to involve in the mediating of future GERD talks after the US and World Bank have failed to be neutral in the last rounds of negotiations brokered by themselves.
Ethiopia said it will commence the filling of the GERD’s reservoir next July, a move Egypt gravely opposes.
In an interview with local TV show, Ethiopian Minister of Water, Irrigation and Energy Dr. Engineer Sileshi Bekele reassured that Ethiopia will commence the first filling of the GERD in parallel with the construction of the dam, in accordance with the principles of equitable and reasonable utilization, and causing no significant harm.
SOLAR
Redavia opens solar plant in Ghana
Germany’s Redavia has recently put into operation a small photovoltaic solar power plant in Sedorm-Yiti in south-eastern Ghana. The plant, which also serves as a carport, supplies electricity to the Kete Krachi Timber Recovery (KKTR) sawmill.
Part of the electricity consumed by the Kete Krachi Timber Recovery (KKTR) sawmill in Sedorm-Yiti will come from a much greener source. It is a small solar power plant that has just been installed on the site
by German off-grid supplier Redavia. For this project, the German company offered its Solar Carport solution.
It is a carport with a roof equipped with solar panels. The solution allows companies like KKTR to optimise their grounds. The photovoltaic solar power plant, which has a capacity of 33,872 kWh per year, also prevents the emission of 14,565 tons of carbon dioxide over the same period of time. The installation is expected to supply 45% of the electricity needs of KKTR’s sawmill.
“Redavia’s carport solution allows companies like KKTR to focus precisely on its goals of economic growth and sustainability. The Solar Carport provides renewable and cost-effective energy under a flexible rental contract,” explains Redavia. In other words, KKTR will simply pay an electricity bill to Redavia.
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Week 10 12•Month•2020