Новости за 19.04.2024

The Utilities for Net Zero Alliance (Uneza) has adopted a roadmap to 2030, targeting a total increase of renewable energy capacity within their portfolios to 749 GW by 2030, an increase of 2.5 times relative to 2023. The alliance members’ joint renewables ambition was announced this week alongside a grid infrastructure action plan.

Philanthropy organisation the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and development finance institution the European Investment Bank (EIB) have launched a €30-million microfinance programme for women entrepreneurs in Kenya. The new partnership aims to strengthen women’s economic power in Kenya by tackling key barriers to financial inclusion. The €30-million microfinance programme in Kenya is backed by €15-million from EIB Global and financing from financial services firm KCB Bank Kenya.

A South African research group has reported that the 2023/24 El Niño phenomenon was the fourth strongest yet recorded, and that it had a noticeable impact on South Africa. The research team, designated the El Niño Southern Oscillation Reference Group (ENSO-RG), was convened by the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research’s Applied Centre for Climate and Earth System Science. The ENSO-RG was set up in June last year, after the World Meteorological Organisation officially determined that an ...

Almost half, or 49%, of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) business owners who responded to the Fourth Quarter 2023 SME Confidence Index by specialist SME financier Business Partners said they were concerned that the imminent risk of economic turbulence and protest action during the election season would impact their operations. While the SME owners said the social climate ahead of the May elections was cause for concern, about 33% of the respondents said the elections would bring about much-needed change... Читать дальше...

Equipment manufacturer John Deere South Africa will continue to focus on pursuing innovation on its machines and technology as it looks to strengthen its footprint in Africa. This was outlined by speakers on April 18, when John Deere’s Construction division showcased its equipment and technology solutions to customers at an event in Johannesburg.

With the National Transmission Company South Africa (NTCSA) currently scheduled to be operationalised in July and efforts under way to ensure that the Electricity Regulation Act (ERA) Amendment Bill is passed by the current Parliament, work is now advancing on the market code for the future multimarket architecture that will progressively replace the vertically integrated structure that has prevailed for over a century. Eskom transmission MD  Segomoco Scheppers will lead the NTCSA once it begins... Читать дальше...

Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) has developed a portable battery energy storage system (Bess) using second-life Range Rover and Range Rover Sport plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) batteries.  The unit, built in collaboration with energy storage startup Allye Energy, is the first Bess to be commercially available with JLR battery packs.

Last year was one of the most challenging years the Master Builders Association (MBA) North has ever experienced, with many of its long-standing members entering business rescue or closing their doors, says MBA North executive director Mohau Mphomela. The 120-year-old employers’ body serves the construction industry in Gauteng, North-West, Limpopo and Mpumalanga. Many of its members are smaller, family owned businesses.

A new process being pioneered by energy companies such as Israel-based Helios and Netherlands-based Alkalium proposes the use of sodium metal rather than coal or hydrogen to refine iron-ore into direct reduced iron (DRI). Traditionally, iron is beneficiated by mixing iron-ore fines with coal. The iron oxide (Fe2O3), when heated in a furnace, undergoes a chemical transformation whereby the oxygen molecules from the Fe2O3 bind with the carbon molecules in the coal, creating carbon dioxide (CO2) as a by-product and leaving pure iron behind.

The operator of the JSE has proposed easing some listing requirements in a bid to encourage smaller companies to the bourse, removing some of the red tape it says has become an obstacle. The exchange intends to split its main board into two — what it called a Prime Segment and a General Segment — as part of efforts to streamline regulations to better suit the needs of smaller firms, the JSE said in a statement.

The emerging use of electrofuel (eFuel) as an interchangeable substitute for petrol, diesel and aviation fuel has the potential to create important new demand for Southern Africa’s platinum group metals (PGMs). This is because eFuel is a combination of green hydrogen and waste carbon dioxide (CO2) and demand for PGMs will arise when proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrolysers are used to generate the green hydrogen. PGMs and PEMs go hand-in-glove.

Engineering News editor Terence Creamer discusses South Africa's plans to stimulate local manufacturing around solar, wind and batteries.

A video round up of this week’s magazine, highlighting our cover story, features and Business Leader.

The heightened sense of urgency within Zimbabwe’s government to act as the country’s currency crashed – losing 90% of its value since the beginning of the year – was there for all to see in the past few weeks. The latest tell-tale sign was the assumption of office of the new central bank governor on March 28, a month earlier than the scheduled departure of his predecessor, to expedite the launch of a new unit. Unveiled on April 5 and set to enter into circulation by month-end, the Zimbabwe Gold (ZiG)... Читать дальше...

South Africa’s trade minister approved a recommendation to maintain anti-dumping duties on frozen bone-in chicken portions originating in or imported from the US. Following an investigation that started in December 2022, the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa, known as ITAC, concluded that the expiry of duties on these poultry portions would likely lead to the continuation or recurrence of dumping, and material injury to the chicken industry in the Southern African Customs Union... Читать дальше...