South Africa to seek rise in yearly climate finance pledge to $1.3tr at COP29

South Africa will call for the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance to be set at $1.3-trillion yearly during the upcoming COP29 climate negotiations, which will be held in Baku,... 

New Just Energy Transition matchmaking platform aiming for R600m in grant disbursements in 2025

A new matchmaking platform to directly link providers of grant funding pledged to South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP) with domestic beneficiaries is aiming to ensure the... 

Trading in focus

Few would disagree that aggregators and traders will have an important and increasing role in South Africa’s future electricity market. Even in the current environment, where the industry is still... 

AFD approves another €400m JET-linked policy loan to South Africa

Agence Française de Développement (AFD) has approved another €400-million policy-based loan to support South Africa’s Just Energy Transition (JET), increasing its approvals to €700-million out of... 

Hearing into Eskom’s far-reaching retail tariff plan set for Dec 18

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has published timelines for the processing Eskom’s retail tariff plan (RTP) application, in which potentially far-reaching changes to the... 

IPP Office to oversee pilot procurement of private independent transmission projects

Government has confirmed that the Independent Power Producer Office (IPPO), which has overseen the public procurement of more than 7 300 MW of operational renewable-energy capacity since 2011, will... 

‘Deep collaboration’ through regional value chains could unlock rapid African industrialisation

There is potential to catalyse rapid industrialisation in Africa by pursuing policies that  actively leverage both existing demand and continental moves towards trade integration to increase the... 

IPP sourcing tweaks to unlock 10 GW of renewables amid grid pressures and green industrialisation vision mulled

The South African government is considering far-reaching changes to the way public procurement of independent power producer (IPP) generation capacity is being carried out so as to accelerate... 

Surge in Q3 renewables registrations to 2GW may signal market shift from loadshedding to economics

Despite welcome relief from loadshedding in South Africa, a total of 3.3 GW of renewable-energy projects were registered with the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) this year, with... 

Private embrace

Building much-needed public infrastructure and scaling up private sector participation in the delivery of such infrastructure emerged as the key theme of the first Medium-Term Budget Policy... 

Nersa calls those wanting to make presentations on Eskom’s tariff hike to apply immediately

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has called on stakeholders wanting to make oral presentations on Eskom’s sixth multiyear price determination (MYPD6) to submit their requests... 

Green-hydrogen secretariat being set up at IDC as single point of contact for public and private coordination

South Africa’s Industrial Development Corporation (IDC) is in the process of setting up the institutional capacity to house the Green Hydrogen Just Energy Transition (JET) Secretariat, which is... 

Africa’s critical-minerals role highlighted as world moves into ‘Age of Electricity’

With the global energy system moving into the “Age of Electricity”, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has again highlighted the central role of Africa in producing the critical minerals... 

Eskom’s tariff application reflects big rise in subsidy support for energy-intensive firms

A policy decision to allow electricity-intensive companies operating in South Africa to enter into negotiated pricing agreements (NPAs) with Eskom is set to contribute 5.7% to any tariff increase... 

Ongoing adaptation

It is positive that the current framework used by government to procure new generation capacity from independent power producers (IPPs) is under review. These programmes have been struggling to... 

In another shock move, Eskom seeks review of Nersa decision to issue four new trading licences

In another surprise move, Eskom has taken the seemingly regressive step of approaching the High Court for a review of the National Energy Regulator of South Africa’s (Nersa’s) decision to grant... 

South Africa to seek rise in yearly climate finance pledge to $1.3tr at COP29

South Africa will call for the New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) on climate finance to be set at $1.3-trillion yearly during the upcoming COP29 climate negotiations, which will be held in Baku,... 

New Just Energy Transition matchmaking platform aiming for R600m in grant disbursements in 2025

A new matchmaking platform to directly link providers of grant funding pledged to South Africa’s Just Energy Transition Investment Plan (JET-IP) with domestic beneficiaries is aiming to ensure the... 

Business sees third-party rail access as crucial to meeting 250Mt volume target

An initial assessment by business into what it would involve to raise yearly freight rail volumes to 250-million tons, estimates that Transnet’s recovery alone could lift yearly volumes to about... 

Danish Energy Agency backing project to validate wind resources of South Africa’s coal heartland

The Danish and South African governments are partnering on a project to map the wind resources of the coal region of Mpumalanga, where access to the grid for new renewables projects is less... 

Ramokgopa convinced ‘sweet spot’ will be found to unlock Independent Power Transmission projects

Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has expressed confidence that government and the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) are close to finding the “sweet spot”... 

Age of Electricity

The recent claim made by the International Energy Agency (IEA) that humanity is “moving at speed into the Age of Electricity” may not seem especially profound given that electricity has been a key... 

Phillips says Transnet not yet on track to meet 193Mt rail ‘stretch target’

Meeting the 193-million-ton rail stretch target set under the newly launched second phase of the partnership between business and government would require a significant amount of work and... 

Nersa committee recommends licensing of four more traders, batting away Eskom objections

The electricity subcommittee of the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa) has recommended the approval of four more electricity trading licences, dismissing the objections raised by... 

Low-emission hydrogen project approvals double

A new International Energy Agency (IEA) report shows that the number of low-emission hydrogen projects to have advanced to a final investment decision (FID) stage doubled over the last 12 months,... 

Whole greater than sum of parts

The official launch of the National Transmission Company South Africa as an independent subsidiary of Eskom Holdings did indeed represent an important milestone in the restructuring of South... 

Africa’s critical-minerals role highlighted as world moves into ‘Age of Electricity’

With the global energy system moving into the “Age of Electricity”, the International Energy Agency (IEA) has again highlighted the central role of Africa in producing the critical minerals... 

Eskom’s tariff application reflects big rise in subsidy support for energy-intensive firms

A policy decision to allow electricity-intensive companies operating in South Africa to enter into negotiated pricing agreements (NPAs) with Eskom is set to contribute 5.7% to any tariff increase... 

Upcoming mini-Budget to include details on Independent Power Transmission pilot project

Details on the approach South Africa will be taking to piloting Independent Power Transmission (IPT) projects as part of a strategy to accelerate the expansion of its electricity grid will be... 

Don’t conflate Eskom-Sasol bilateral on LNG with ‘national strategy’ needed to avert gas cliff – IGUA-SA

The Industrial Gas Users Association of Southern Africa (IGUA-SA) has welcomed the attention that South Africa’s impending “gas cliff” is finally enjoying from government through Electricity and... 

Next round of NDCs key to tripling renewables – IEA

The next round of Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) will be a critical test for the implementation of the COP28 pledge, made by nearly 200 countries in the United Arab Emirates last year,... 

Growth glue

The so-called second phase of the partnership launched between government and business to tackle South Africa’s electricity, logistics and crime crises under the Government of National Unity (GNU)... 

Ramokgopa convinced ‘sweet spot’ will be found to unlock Independent Power Transmission projects

Electricity and Energy Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa has expressed confidence that government and the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) are close to finding the “sweet spot”... 

RMB funds R50bn in renewables projects, eyes private-sector grid opportunities

Corporate and investment bank RMB reports that it financed renewable-energy investments worth R50-billion over the past year and is expecting ongoing high levels of renewables funding this year,... 

South Africa’s first Just Transition perception survey highlights low awareness and concern over impacts

A new South Africa-wide survey shows that, while 62% of respondents support the shift from coal to renewable energy, a striking 65% have never heard of the term ‘Just Transition’. In addition, the... 

Creecy sets year-end deadline for rail Network Statement amid ‘complicated tariff balancing act’

Transport Minister Barbara Creecy says that, despite Transnet’s turnaround progress, the State-owned enterprise is not able to meet the target of increasing South Africa’s yearly rail volumes to... 

Mix(ed) messages

It’s time for South Africa to interrogate its policy of pursuing a so-called ‘energy mix’, which may sound reasonable, but which has become little more than a convenient fig leaf for policy... 

Phillips says Transnet not yet on track to meet 193Mt rail ‘stretch target’

Meeting the 193-million-ton rail stretch target set under the newly launched second phase of the partnership between business and government would require a significant amount of work and... 

Low-emission hydrogen project approvals double, but demand and cost uncertainties weigh

A new International Energy Agency (IEA) report shows that the number of low-emission hydrogen projects to have advanced to a final investment decision (FID) stage doubled over the last 12 months,... 

Growth target of 3% set for 2025 as business and government relaunch partnership under GNU

A second phase of the partnership launched between government and business to tackle South Africa’s electricity, logistics and crime crises has been launched under the Government of National Unity...