Sun Exchange is one of a growing roster of ambitious, digital tech-driven social enterprises looking to do good in the world by broadening access to distributed solar energy technology in the developing world, as well as for like-minded investors small and large. Last October, Sun Exchange announced it had raised $1.6 million to launch what it billed as the world’s first … [Read more...]
Apple facilities now running on 100% renewable energy
You have to see Apple’s Reno, Nevada, data center from the inside to truly understand how huge it is. It’s made up of five long white buildings sitting side by side on a dry scrubby landscape just off I-80, and the corridor that connects them through the middle is a quarter-mile long. On either side are big, dark rooms–more than 50 of them–filled with more than 200,000 … [Read more...]
Union blocks signing of government deals with IPPs
Government and Eskom will not be able to sign contracts with 27 independent power producers (IPPs) on Tuesday as planned, after the National Union of Metalworkers of South Africa (Numsa) and Transform RSA were granted an urgent court interdict. The Energy minister was forced to give an undertaking in court that he would not sign the agreements, until the matter has been … [Read more...]
Robben Island solar project demonstrates SA renewables potential
SOLA Future Energy has succeeded in designing and constructing a solar energy microgrid for Robben Island. The system, situated on the World Heritage Site, consists of a solar PV farm, combined with a lithium-ion battery storage facility and smart controllers to ensure a seamless electricity supply, whilst significantly reducing the island’s fossil fuel … [Read more...]
Engineering study dispels myths on limits to renewables in SA
A serious engineering study and report has dispelled the myths and propaganda peddled by fired former Eskom CEO Brian Molefe and suspended Eskom acting CEO Matshela Koko on the limits and costs of accommodating significant levels of variable renewable energy capacity in the South African power grid. The study and associated report was prepared for the South African … [Read more...]
Help Project Sunshine bring light to the children of Diepsloot
Diepsloot is a densely populated neighbourhood situated in the north of Johannesburg, South Africa. Over 200 000 inhabitants live in self made shacks, with living conditions worsened by a lack of access to basic facilities, like water, proper sanitation, education and public lighting. The Philile Foundation is a non-profit organisation that aims to transform the lives of … [Read more...]
Industrial solar heating project launched in SA
The South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI) and the Southern African-German Chamber of Commerce and Industry (SAGCCI) have teamed up for the international ‘Solar Payback’ project, which aims to increase the use of solar thermal energy in industrial processes. The kick-off meeting took place in Johannesburg last month. Supported by the German Federal … [Read more...]
In South Africa, nuclear energy is becoming a dirty word
The nuclear reactors are still a plan on paper. But already the noxious debate over their future has made nuclear energy a dirty word in South Africa. To build or not to build – the stalemate over the proposed nuclear reactors to power the continent's most advanced economy shows no sign of being resolved. The sharp divisions over a nuclear-powered future are now beginning to … [Read more...]
In 2017, disruptive forces will shape climate action
In 2016, exciting new developments unleashed a visionary sense of where renewables can take us, with solar breaking new ground. 2016 delivered the first solar-powered, round-the-world flight, plans to build roads paved with solar panels across four continents and solar roof tiles that blend into background. This is one of the most disruptive technologies the world has ever … [Read more...]
Solar thermal power plants to save Egypt billions by 2050
Solar energy expert Hany El-Nokrashy, a member of the advisory council formed by Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi, spoke to Daily News Egypt about his five-year plan to attract foreign investment and the establishment of solar power plants in the coming period. What was the plan you presented to the Ministry of Electricity? It was a five-year plan which includes … [Read more...]
New water purification system could help slake the world’s thirst
More than 1 billion people around the world lack access to fresh water, and the problem is growing: By 2025 a whopping two-thirds of the world’s population may face water shortages. To slake that thirst, some wealthy communities have invested in water desalination plants that turn salt water into clean drinking water. But these plants are too expensive for most communities … [Read more...]
Scientists accidentally discover efficient process to turn CO2 into ethanol
If scientists can figure out how to convert atmospheric carbon dioxide into fuel - and do it at an industrial scale - it would, quite literally, change the world. Last month, we hit the highest levels of atmospheric CO2 in 4 million years, and it’s now permanent, meaning we’ll never be able to drop to 'safe' levels again. But if we can turn CO2 into a fuel source, we can at … [Read more...]
Chile generating so much solar power that it’s giving it away for free
Chile’s solar industry has expanded so quickly that it’s giving electricity away for free. Spot prices reached zero in parts of the country on 113 days through April, a number that’s on track to beat last year’s total of 192 days, according to Chile’s central grid operator. While that may be good for consumers, it’s bad news for companies that own power plants struggling to … [Read more...]
