Page 11 - AfrElec Week 04

AfrElec
NEWS IN BRIEF
AfrElec
independent power producer, the firms’ role will be to lead this transition by implementing systems and operating assets in the world’s next-generation energy systems. Its Platform is a new blockchain-based system for deploying Community Energy solutions.
The core of the platform is a distributed architecture that tightly integrates state- of-the-art energy production, distribution, control, and trading technologies.
WIND
Global wind set for 626GWby 2030
The global wind power industry is expected to install more than 626,800MW of new capacity over the next decade, According TO a new report from Navigant Research.
This new capacity represents a market worth more than $92 billion in 2019 and more than $1 trillion over the forecast decade.
Global wind industry installations were flat from 2017 to 2018, but behind the flat figures are profound shifts throughout global wind power markets. Some mature markets are facing flat or declining growth due to adjustments to more competitive policy environments and reductions or eliminations of subsidies.
These changes are being offset by increasing wind power development in countries that were not previously wind power markets.
“Growth in wind capacity is led by countries in Asia Pacific and non-traditional markets in Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East & Africa,” says Jesse Broehl, senior research analyst with Navigant Research.
“Wind power is being developed not only in a greater variety of countries but also increasingly in offshore as well as onshore.”
Global offshore wind development is expected to experience a 16% compound annual growth rate over a 10-year forecast period. China, Taiwan, and Europe are the leading markets, with the US soon to join when the first large-scale offshore wind plants are commissioned in coming years along the northeast coast of the country.
WIND
Wind lobby urges SA to
fast-track green projects
As Eskom fails to keep unplanned breakdowns at below 9,500MW - the level at which it is forced to consider load shedding - since the start of December, there is growing pressure on government to fast-track renewable power projects.
Ntombifuthi Ntuli, CEO of the South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA), believes just by lifting the Maximum Export Capacity (MEC) on all operating wind farms, which governs how much energy is permitted to be exported by wind farm power generators to the grid, 500MW of energy could immediately be brought online.
According to the Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme (IPPPP), 3,976MW of electricity generation capacity from 64 IPP projects has been connected to the national grid. Wind makes up the lion’s share providing 52% of renewable energy to the grid. Among the largest are 3 wind farms that contribute almost 140MW each.
PPs are nowhere near the 36,400MW (41,000MW if you include Medupi and Kusile which aren’t finished yet) delivered by coal. But this picture could change quickly: unlike coal power stations, which take years to build - Medupi has been under construction since 2007 - renewable projects can be built quite quickly and there’s a good track record of them sticking to schedules.
There is some good news on the way. IPP contribution is expected to go up to 6,422MW once all 112 projects come online. These are part of Bid window 4, the last bid window to be signed off by Eskom.
SOLAR
Zimbabwe, World Bank seal solar energy pact
The Zimbabwean government, in partnership with the World Bank, plans to introduce a competitive programme for procuring large- scale photovoltaic solar power gadgets under the recently completed National Renewable Energy Policy (NREP), to boost availability of power in the country.
The NREP focuses on the energy needs of the country from renewable resources and
is aiming at securing Zimbabwe’s long-term energy supply needs in a sustainable way.
Zimbabwe is battling power shortages resulting in households and some companies going for over 10 hours a day without electricity.
Zimbabwe requires about 1,800MW during peak periods, but power generation is averaging 700MW due to low water levels in Kariba Dam.
Hwange Power Station’s capacity is also constrained due to old equipment.
Zimbabwe is bridging the power supply deficit with imports from the region. However, this is no longer reliable as the regional utilities are also facing their own internal supply challenges.
Shortage of foreign currency is also presenting its own fair share of constraints in importing electricity.
In a statement last week, the International Finance Corporation (IFC) -- which
is a member of the World Bank Group headquartered in Washington, D.C, the United States -- said solar plants will be developed under public-private partnership.
The facilities will be developed under the World Bank’s Scaling Solar programme, and are expected to contribute to Zimbabwe’s plan to generate 400MW of solar by 2030.
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