GEPF invests R13bn to boost job creation, economic growth
Engineering News – ONLINE 29 May 2013 The Government Employees Pension Fund (GEPF) has allocated R13-billion for investment in various sectors of the economy to create jobs and contribute to renewable energy, food security and broad-based black economic empowerment (BBBEE). The fund has signed priva
‘Streamlined’ enviro approvals mooted for key infrastructure projects
Engineering News ONLINE 28 May 2013 A “streamlined” environmental authorisation process is being introduced by the Department of Environmental Affairs (DEA) to facilitate the implementation of the 18 Strategic Infrastructure Projects (Sips) being overseen by South Africa’s Presidential Infrastructur
North West province’s first solar PV farm launched
Engineering News ONLINE 28 May 2013 The first photovoltaic (PV) energy farm in the North West province has been launched and is expected to supply 7 MW of power to the national power grid once it becomes fully operational in November. The RustMo1 solar farm, located some 22 km outside of Rustenburg
Cold snap puts Eskom’s reserve margins under pressure
Business Day LIVE 28 May 2013 ESKOM’s reserve margins continue to be under pressure as temperatures drop, causing high power usage in households. On Monday night, Eskom was expecting high demand and the capacity available at peak was 33,986MW. This was expected to cover the forecast demand of about 33,8
Power reserve for Monday less than 0.5% of capacity
MONEYWEB 27 May 2013 Eskom battling to keep the lights on in Africa’s largest economy South African power utility Eskom said the reserve margin between forecast demand and supply was expected to be tight on Monday evening at 152 megawatts, or about 0.45 percent of available power. Read more
China turns up heat in solar panels row
Business Day LIVE 27 May 2013 BEIJING — China warned on Sunday of a trade war with Europe if issues around solar panels and wireless equipment imports were not resolved. Chinese representatives were to hold informal talks with the European Commission on Monday to try to defuse a trade row. Read more
Merkel in bid to ease China solar-panel row
Business Day – LIVE 28 May 2013 RUSSELS — Most European Union (EU) governments oppose a plan to impose hefty duties on solar panel imports from China, a survey of member states showed on Monday, undermining a move to press Beijing over its trade practices. Read more
Electricity demand comes close to overwhelming Eskom capacity
Business Day LIVE 24 May 2013 HE margin between Eskom’s available capacity and peak demand was only 0.4% on Thursday, the national power utility said in a system status bulletin on Friday. The reason for the tiny margin compared with the international norm of 15% was a combination of cold weather, which
Power reserve for Thursday less than 0.4% of capacity
Moneyweb 23 May 2013 The second time this month grid came within a hair’s breadth of overloading. South African power utility Eskom said on Thursday the reserve margin between forecast demand and capacity in the evening was only 132 MW or less than 0.4 percent of available power. Eskom is battling
ABB to start central inverter manufacturing in SA next year
Engineering News 24 May 2013 Power and automation technology group ABB on Thursday said it planned to establish a new central inverter production line at its Johannesburg facilities in 2014. The group, which aimed to supply the growing photovoltaic (PV) market and take advantage of local content requireme
