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Renewable energy in Southern Africa

  • South Africa’s push for renewables

    SOUTH AFRICA, 2016/06/18 Already the continent’s major producer of renewable energy, South Africa is moving to further reduce its reliance on hydrocarbons by expanding private sector investments in solar and wind projects, and introducing biofuels. Under the Renewable Energy Power Producer’s Programme launched in 2011, the contribution of independent power producers (IPPs) to generation is expected to reach approximately 7 GW by mid-2016, Tina Joemat-Pettersson, minster of energy, said in a budget address in mid-May. A further 1.8 GW of new renewable projects are currently being evaluated, with a decision on tenders to be announced later this year. Private investments since 2011 by IPPs in renewable capacity have topped R194bn ($12.3bn), a figure set to expand through this year, the minister said during the same speech. Given the scope and scale of new projects coming on-line, South Africa appears to be on course to achieve its renewable target of 17.8 GW by 2030, the minister added.

  • Solar-Powered Cars Spark South Africans' Interest in Clean Tech

    SOUTH AFRICA, 2015/10/10 Cape Town, South Africa — Teams from two South African universities have taken solar-powered cars to Australia to compete in an international rally and showcase their government's efforts to inspire green technology at home. The Hulamin and the Sirius X25, created by the University of KwaZulu-Natal and North-West University respectively, have by presently had success in a South African rally. As they prepare for the Bridgestone World Solar Challenge on October 18-25, the cars' promoters say the vehicles have left innovation and a desire for clean energy in their wake, sparking interest in engineering, and particularly in electric vehicles. The two universities are part five that in 2012 each received 330,000 rand ($24,000 at today's exchange rate) from the South African government's Technology Innovation Agency to develop vehicles and compete in the Sasol Solar Challenge, an eight-day race from Pretoria to Cape Town held in 2014.

  • From Journalist to Solar Entrepreneur in Namibia

    NAMIBIA, 2015/07/11 Leaving behind the comfort of a salaried job with the benefits of full-time employment and dedicating one's energy instead to growing a new business is a decision that requires careful planning and financial savvy. But, what if you saw something that fascinates you and you realise this could be one of the magic formulae for the next? This is what happened to award-winning journalist, Marita van Rooyen of Windhoek. One of the toughest decisions entrepreneurs like Marita face is at the same time as to set out on your own, particularly at the same time as you have been a journalist for several years.

  • Zimbabwe seeks renewable energy policy

    ZIMBABWE, 2014/10/06 Zimbabwe is looking to develop a renewable energy policy to provide the energy sector with guidelines and a roadmap for creating a additional conducive environment for attracting investment . Gloria Magombo, CEO of the Zimbabwe Energy Regulatory Authority (ZERA) has stated that the policy will aim to address all the gaps, such as incentives for increased uptake and investment in renewable energy and legislation. Magombo has further explained her organization was working to develop the policy in coordination with the Ministry of Energy and Power Development. “The terms of reference have been finalised and ZERA is set to fund the project,” she continued. “ZERA intends to initiate a consultative process to develop a renewable energy policy and we’re going to involve a number of stakeholders.”

  • Econet Launches New Energy Solution in Zimbabwe

    ZIMBABWE, 2013/11/17 ECONET Solar announced plans to formally introduce a new energy solution that aims to avert power shortages in Zimbabwe. Dubbed the Home Power Station, the solution will be launched in the country in February. In an exclusive interview with CAJ News in Cape Town on Tuesday, Econet Solar General Manager for Services-Technical, Brighton Muzondo, said the innovation was cheaper, user-friendly, efficient and readily available to the poorest people in both the urban areas and countryside.

  • Sun starts shining on South African renewables

    SOUTH AFRICA, 2013/05/18 Africa's biggest economy has long promised a change to its carbon-intensive energy mix. A successful tender process is making that dream a reality. South Africa's efforts to grow its green energy sector are beginning to bear fruit. A public tender for independent renewable power providers – launched in 2011 – is delivering chunky investments, and last week marked the deadline for the signing and financial close of the second wave of bids with a third round due to kick off in July.

  • African sustainable energy hub to launch this month

    BOTSWANA, 2013/05/07 An African Hub on sustainable energy is set to be launched this month, to promote the use of sustainable energy across the continent.   This emerged next three high-level energy workshops staged in Gaborone, Botswana. African Energy Stakeholders were urged to double their efforts in making energy available, affordable and accessible to the bulk of the African People. The call was made by the Chief of NEPAD’s Energy Division, Professor Mosad Elmissiry, at the prime of the three crucial meetings in Gaborone.

  • Study supports renewable energy in Africa

    AFRICA, 2013/04/30 Increased use of renewable energy sources can transform African societies and their economies, a newly launched study revealed. The comprehensive study, conducted by the World Future Council and the Heinrich Boll Foundation with the support of Friends of the Earth England, Wales and Northern Ireland, shows that Renewable Energy Feed-in Tariff policies (REFiT) are promising mechanisms to promote renewable energy development in Africa.

  • South African renewable energy project financing deal

    SOUTH AFRICA, 2013/04/10 Standard Bank Group and the Industrial and Commercial Bank of China (ICBC) have inked a R20 billion (US$2.2 billion) transaction to fund renewable energy projects in South Africa. The finance transaction was signed by ICBC’s chairman Jiang Jianqing and Standard Bank Group’s joint chief executive Ben Kruger.

  • South Africa is making a number of steps towards introducing electric vehicles.

    SOUTH AFRICA, 2013/04/08 South Africa is making a number of steps towards introducing electric vehicles. The potential benefits are numerous but so are the challenges. It seems that South Africa's automobiles may be on the road to going electric.
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