Page 7 - AfrElec Week 47 2021

AfrElec RENEWABLES AfrElec

Angola’s Sonangol, ENDE invest

$42mn in solar energy project

ANGOLA ANGOLAN state oil giant Sonangol, national would bring “significant steps towards the energy
electricity distributor ENDE and national elec- transition along with a reduction of energy pro-
tricity transmission network RNT plan to invest duction costs, making it more accessible for all”,
$42mn in a solar energy project. Ver Angola reported on November 23.
The initial investment between the three pub- In turn, Diamantino Azevedo, Minister of
lic companies concerns the 50MWp Caraculo Mineral Resources, Oil and Gas, noted that the
Photovoltaic power plant project, in Namibe, agreement includes energy purchase contracts,
due for completion in late 2022. thus giving investors a guaranteed return for
Namibe Province in south-western Angola energy feeding into the public electricity grid.
is an area known for drought rather than oil Angola has attracted interest from private
resources. investors looking to back renewable energy
Speaking at COP26 in Glasgow this month, projects, but lacks a regulatory and legislative
Angola’s president, Joao Lourenco, pledged to framework that creates confidence, the Angolan
increase Angola’s renewable energy capacity to Association of Renewable Energy (Asaer) has
70% of the country’s energy matrix by 2025. argued.™
Joao Baptista Borges, Minister of Energy
and Water, said on social media that the project
SA mining companies have 3,900 MW

of renewable energy in the pipeline

SOUTH AFRICA SOUTH African mining companies have plans with a 146% jump in electricity generation seen
for 3,900 MW of renewable energy projects in from the planned 1,600 MW in 2020.
the pipeline, but the projects are being held up The license-free concession for embedded
by red tape. generation of up to 100 MW was a major factor
The potential projects, worth an estimated in this increase and it is probably the govern-
ZAR60bn ($3.76bn), could help alleviate South ment’s biggest structural reform in two decades,
Africa’s power crisis if given the green light, the he said.
Minerals Council of South Africa said in a state- “Renewable energy projects in the mining
ment on 23 November. The Minerals Council sector could go a long way towards easing the
of South Africa – a powerful body of mining pressure on Eskom to the benefit of other indus-
houses in South Africa – believes the projects tries and the country as a whole. These projects
should be given the go-ahead as soon as possible, must be expedited through a smart tape system.
but warned that bureaucratic red tape is hamper- “Environmental authorisations take too long
ing the proposed projects. and should be materially shortened. In addition,
A number of red tape issues still need to be policy issues related to wheeling charges and sur-
addressed to help speed up development, said plus offtake to other users are required,” he said.
Minerals Council chief executive Roger Baxter. Baxter added that electricity prices have
“There is a pressing need for the mining increased more than six-fold over a decade and
industry to supplement Eskom electricity sup- are now the second-largest cost component after
ply,” he said. “But the benefits extend to diversify- salaries for deep-level and electricity-inten-
ing supply, reducing exposure to continued high sive mines. The renewable projects in total will
increases in prices, unpredictable supply and to account for about a third of the mining sector’s
reduce scope 2 and 3 emissions in line with the annual electricity consumption, he said.
sector’s commitment to reach a target of net-zero He added the mining industry will not com-
carbon emissions by 2050,” he said. pletely replace Eskom supply, as it needs 24-hour
Baxter said Minerals Council member com- baseload electricity to operate mines safely, pro-
panies have steadily increased the number of ductively, and efficiently, something renewable
renewable energy projects in recent months, energy sources are unable to provide now.™

Week 47 25•November•2021 www. NEWSBASE .com P7