Новости за 20.05.2024

Local integrated energy company NOA Group has successfully acquired the 350 MW Khauta solar PV facility, near Welkom, in the Free State, from PNE, which started the development of the facility. The addition of the solar farm brings NOA’s total grid-secured assets to 500 MW and closer to its overall target of 5 GW.

In celebration of the first Unesco-recognised World Metrology Day on May 20, as well as a global emphasis on climate change and sustainability, the National Metrology Institute of South Africa (NMISA) held a World Metrology Day seminar, focused on the theme of ‘measurement science in support of sustainability seminar’. During the seminar, Department of Trade, Industry and Competition (dtic) chief directorate for green industries Gerhard Fourie discussed the opportunities and challenges the energy transition held for South Africa.

With South Africa facing an imminent gas supply cliff, and the need to decarbonise becoming increasingly imperative, industrial gas users are facing considerable challenges and may need to explore alternative solutions for process heat supply. This was outlined by speakers during EE Business Intelligence’s ‘Innovating process heat supply: Power to heat and thermal storage’ webinar, on May 20.

A specialist expert mission of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) is currently in Uganda to undertake a review connected with the East African country’s nuclear energy ambitions, specialist news agency World Nuclear News reports. Uganda plans to construct 24 000 MWe of nuclear energy capacity, and has selected Russian and South Korean companies to each build a nuclear power plant (NPP) in the country. These two NPPs will have a combined capacity of 15 000 MW. The IAEA team visiting the... Читать дальше...

Privately owned construction company GVK-Siya Zama has completed construction of a 20-storey, 3 000-bed student accommodation block in Cape Town. The 77 000 m2 development also includes 6 700 m2 of retail space and a public square.

The Gauteng provincial government (GPG) has reported a “substantial impact” on criminal activities across the province has been achieved 100 days into the rollout of its surveillance project, which has been leveraging Vumacam SafeCity cameras. Since its inception in February, the project has yielded an average 10% monthly increase in interceptions, impounded vehicles and arrests from February to May.

Branded food services franchisor Famous Brands has reported an 8% increase in revenue to R8-billion for the financial year ended February 29, although a 6% decrease in profit to R812-million and a 1.5% profit margin contraction from 11.6% to 10.1% dampened results. Despite the group’s carefully managed cost base, the operating profit margins were negatively impacted on by input cost pressures and increases in overheads, namely electricity, water, diesel, repairs, maintenance and employee costs.

The Eskom board has given its approval for the continued operation of the Camden, Grootvlei and Hendrina power stations to 2030 – a departure from the original decommissioning schedule that has reportedly been endorsed by Cabinet. In response to a question posed by Engineering News during an update on the Energy Action Plan, head of generation Bheki Nxumalo said: “We have just recently received board approval to run three of our stations – that is Hendrina, Grootvlei and Camden – up until 2030.”

Zero Carbon Charge (Zero CC) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Free State provincial government on the introduction of what it describes as a “network of solar-powered, offgrid, ultrafast electric vehicle (EV) charging stations across the province”. The rollout promises the construction of 15 electric passenger vehicle charging stations and seven electric truck charging stations by Zero CC and Zero Carbon Logistics (Zero CL), respectively.

The Building and Construction Industry Medical Aid Fund (BCIMA) has called for a review of the safety practices on construction sites and the prioritisation of the health of construction workers following the collapse of a five-storey residential building in George, in the Western Cape earlier this month. The organisation says the 34 lives lost in the tragedy are a reminder of the risks and sacrifices construction workers face daily.

The 2024 wine grape harvest has yielded 1.09-million tonnes from 87 848 ha, which is 7% lower than the prior harvest season, industry body Vinpro reports. Vinpro consultation services manager Dr Etienne Terblanche says the 2024 harvest season was a journey marked by careful planning and the adaptability of wine producers in the face of diverse climatic adversities and various disruptions.

JSE-listed integrated poultry producer Astral Foods has reported improved results for the six months ended March 31, on the back of its “reset, refocus and restart campaign” which was launched in response to significant losses incurred from loadshedding and avian influenza in the 2023 financial year. The group reports an operating profit increase of 461% to R550-million for the six months under review, compared with an operating profit of R98-million reported for the six months ended March 31, 2023.

The 2024 ‘UASA South African Employment Report’ and second UASA/Bureau of Market Research (BMR) Employment Index paints a bleak picture of the country’s employment situation; however, there are areas of focus that can be pursued to turn this around, including skills development to capitalise on technology advancements. This was highlighted by speakers presenting the reports on May 17.

JSE-listed Altron on Monday reported strong results across its continuing operations; however, noncash adjustments in its discontinued operations weighed on the company’s overall results for the year ended February 29, 2024. The company reported earnings before interest, tax, depreciation and amortisation (Ebitda), including Altron’s ATM Business and discontinued operations, of R985-million, a 6% decrease on the R1.05-billion achieved in the prior year.

Newly formed electricity trader Apollo Africa reports that it is experiencing strong demand from potential customers for the renewable electricity that will be produced from the grid-ready 210 MW Hendrina Wind Farm, being developed by Enertrag in the Mpumalanga province. Apollo Africa, which is majority-owned by JSE-listed Reunert and is in the final stages of securing a trading licence from the National Energy Regulator of South Africa, has entered into an exclusive agreement with Enertrag for the... Читать дальше...

Following the adoption of the National Water Resource Infrastructure Agency (NWRIA) Bill, the Department of Water and Sanitation (DWS) is preparing to submit it to President Cyril Ramaphosa for final sign-off. The Bill, which aims to establish the NWRIA to ensure sustainable, equitable and reliable supply of water from national water resources infrastructure, was adopted earlier in May by the Portfolio Committee on Water and Sanitation and the National Assembly.