Earlier this year, Cleantech Invest portfolio company Nocart announced the signing of a $200 million contract to develop a solar hybrid power plant in the Shangombo District of Western Province, Zambia. According to the company’s Managing Director Vesa Korhonen the project is on course. “The project is well on schedule. Production began in May, with the first local employees … [Read more...]
Taiwan to phase out nuclear power by 2025
The Cabinet reiterated Monday the government's resolve to move away from nuclear power, as it sought to reassure environmentalists who were protesting against the recent reactivation of a reactor at the country's second nuclear power plant. The government remains committed to the goal of decommissioning the three operational nuclear power plants as scheduled and making … [Read more...]
UN demands more ambition as US weighs climate pullout
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres urged the world to raise its ambition in implementing the Paris climate agreement as the United States weighed pulling out of the landmark emissions-cutting deal. Making his first address on climate since taking the UN helm five months ago, Guterres said it was "absolutely essential" the world implements the 2015 agreement "with … [Read more...]
Joburg leadership urged to move to 100% renewable energy
The leadership and management of the City of Johannesburg are urged to get behind the call to switch Joburg to 100% renewable energy. This will very quickly start to make the city more sustainable as it creates jobs. To advance this aim, the African Climate Reality Project (ACRP) last week met with the Executive Director of the Environment and Infrastructure Services … [Read more...]
Health and water impacts of coal still missing from energy plans
The Life After Coal/Impilo Ngaphandle Kwamalahle campaign, [1] together with Greenpeace Africa, welcome the rigorous research undertaken by the energy unit of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). [2] This research has been described as a “comprehensive alternative” to the draft Integrated Resource Plan Base Case (IRP) published for comment by the … [Read more...]
New partnership aims to protect endangered birds from power lines
As South Africa’s electricity needs continue to grow, power lines and other accompanying electrical infrastructure are expanding daily. Eskom and the Endangered Wildlife Trust (EWT) formalised their long-standing relationship by entering into a partnership in 1996 to address the problem of wildlife interactions with electrical infrastructure in a systematic manner on a national … [Read more...]
Western Cape High Court sets aside all nuclear deals
It’s back to the drawing board for government, which has received a bloody nose in the Western Cape High Court where its nuclear procurement processes to date have been declared unlawful and set aside. Judge Lee Bozalek on Wednesday ruled in favour of the case brought by Earthlife Africa Johannesburg and the Southern African Faith Communities’ Environment Institute (SAFCEI) … [Read more...]
Solutions for Africa’s energy crisis more likely to be renewable
No country has ever reduced poverty without investing substantially in energy. Not only is it central to all human development goals, but it is also central to how we are globally dealing with climate change. Earth Day (22 April) is an important reminder for all South Africans to be cognisant of their country’s energy situation especially now, as the Government is facing … [Read more...]
South Africa no longer leading the continent on renewable energy
Although South Africa is the country with the most potential “by far” in terms of its renewable energy programmes, it is stuck in a the “(Fitfully) Waking Giant” category, financial services provider Fieldstone Africa said in its first renewables index for the year. When the Fieldstone Africa Renewables Index (FARI) was introduced, South Africa was the leading country on the … [Read more...]
First SA climate change ruling – minister guilty of not considering impact
In South Africa’s first climate change litigation the court’s key finding was that Earthlife Africa (ELA) was correct in claiming that the Minister should have considered the new power station’s climate change impacts before deciding whether to authorise it. On 8 March 2017, the North Gauteng High Court handed down a landmark ruling in Earthlife Africa Johannesburg’s (ELA) … [Read more...]
SA’s draft energy plans must respect constitutional rights
On the eve of the deadline for comments on the Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) for Energy, South Africa was struck by the highly disruptive and sinister Cabinet Reshuffle announced by the Presidency. The gutting of principle and expertise in key Ministries has direct implications for the energy and resource planning process underway. There is now a clear divide between those … [Read more...]
Shale gas fracking in Karoo gets a green light
The government has given the go-ahead for shale gas development in the Karoo region, Mineral Resources Minister Mosebenzi Zwane said on Thursday. He revealed this during a community engagement on shale gas development in Richmond, in the Northern Cape. "Based on the balance of available scientific evidence, government took a decision to proceed with the development of … [Read more...]
Renewables can create 130,000 jobs and promote industrial development
When we are faced with adversity, it is always easy to look for scapegoats and blame others for our misfortunes. The complication with wrongly blaming others is that it does not alleviate anyone’s plight and, most importantly, it prevents people from turning their setbacks into comebacks. It is how we react to challenges that determines whether we overcome them or wilt under … [Read more...]
