‘Heavily-geared’ Eskom sees no alternative to tariff rises
Engineering News Online 1 February 2013 In the absence of a fresh equity injection from its shareholder, State-owned electricity provider Eskom calculates that it would require R25-billion of additional debt funding over the five-year period for every 1% reduction in its tariff increase against the 16% be
Steel fabricator wins renewables-related contracts
Steel, tube and pipe manufacturer Robor has been contracted to supply the steel for two large 75 MW solar photovoltaic (PV) projects, which have been selected in the first round of bids under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP). The two projects, Letsatsi and Le
With solar PV, we are starting to see the light
Times Live Online 29 January 2013 South Africa has a burgeoning solar photovoltaic (PV) industry, which has for many years been supplying PV power to remote installations that are not connected to the Eskom grid. Schools and clinics in rural areas, as well as cellphone masts dotted all over the country, h
FERC Proposes Rule to Speed Up Solar Energy Grid Interconnection
Renewable Energy World Online 17 January 2013 Tulsa, OK USA — The Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) has proposed changes to a rule that will speed up the process and reduce the costs to interconnect smaller-sized solar power projects to the grid while maintaining system reliability and saf
Renewable Energy Provides Half of All New US Electrical Generating Capacity in 2012
Renewable Energy World Online 17 January 2013 According to the latest “Energy Infrastructure Update” report from the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission’s Office of Energy Projects, renewable energy sources (i.e., biomass, geothermal, solar, water, wind) accounted for 49.10% of all new
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…