DBSA backs 11 renewables projects with funding of R6.2bn
Engineering News Online 13 December 2012 The Development Bank of Southern Africa (DBSA) has confirmed that it has committed R6.2-billion for 11 of the 28 renewable-energy projects that progressed through the first bidding round under South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme (
First Solar Releases 92.5-Watt Thin-Film PV Module
Newest FS Series 3 Module Is Latest Milestone on Cost-Efficiency Roadmap TEMPE, Ariz., Dec. 13, 2012 – First Solar, Inc. (Nasdaq: FSLR) today announced the release of its most advanced thin-film photovoltaic (PV) module, the Series 3 FS-392, which is rated at 92.5 watts. The new FS-392 module maintains
The Promise of South Africa as a New Solar Frontier
Renewable Energy World Online 11 December 2012 Solar panel makers and developers have pegged South Africa as a new frontier for a few years now, and solar energy development seems to be underway in earnest. Hanwha Solar One and Suntech Power both announced Monday supply deals for large solar farms that ar
Canadian Solar Partners with Romano Group in South Africa
Johannesburg, December 10, 2012: Canadian Solar Inc. (NASDAQ: CSIQ), one of the world’s largest solar companies, today announced that Romano Group will become an authorised Canadian Solar reseller in South Africa. The announcement comes as Canadian Solar looks to increase its local photovoltaic (PV) mod
Why Eskom’s tariffs need to be raised as high as they do
7 December 2012 Business Day Live THE tariff application which Eskom has submitted to the National Energy Regulator of SA (Nersa) is the product of a careful balancing act and it touches on some choices that are for SA to make, rather than for Eskom alone. Read more…
Solar developer sees project scope beyond DoE-led programme
7 December 2012 Engineering News Online South Africa’s much-praised Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme (REIPPP) should be seen as only one part of the nation’s renewable-energy opportunity, large-scale solar power plant developer Ciel & Terre South Africa business development ma
Keep the lights off: Eskom's spare supply drops again
Mail & Guardian Online 4 December 2012 Eskom says the available spare supply on its electricity network has fallen to just over 2% of total capacity due to an increase in unplanned outages. In a bi-weekly status update, Eskom said it had 32 326 MW of capacity for the Monday evening peak hours when pe
Metros derive ‘substantial profit’ from electricity sales, the Treasury says
Business Day Live 3 December 2012 METROPOLITAN councils generate a “substantial profit” from the sale of electricity, the Treasury said on Monday in a report on the consolidated operating and capital budgets of 278 municipalities over the next three years. This issue is controversial as busine
More (solar) power to the people of Limpopo
Mail & Guardian Online 28 November 2012 South Africa will soon have the capacity to provide approximately 58 megawatts of solar energy to 8 000 households in Limpopo. A R2.6-billion financial closure was announced on Wednesday by MEMC subsidiary SunEdison, the US solar energy service provider who will
