Quick News Overview

FUEL CELLS
This Engineering News article speaks of how Angloplat launched a demonstration fuel cell plant in South Africa's Limpopo province to produce 200 kilowatts of electricity by converting coal-bed methane (CBM) gas into hydrogen. The article quotes Angloplat as saying "Fuel cells are a unique opportunity for Africa ... they are modular in nature, you can put them in a remote area, they can run on or off grid, they can run on (various) feed sources," [some feed sources mentioned are methane and natural gas].

SOLAR
OPPORTUNITY FOR SA MANUFACTURE OF IMPROVED DESIGN CSP PLANT COMPONENT
Read more here at Engineering News.

RESEARCH AND TRAINING PROGRAMMES FOR SOLAR ENERGY
This Engineering News article tells us about SOLTRAIN, an initiative sponsored by the Austrian Development Agency "aimed at transforming energy systems from fossil based to more sustainable solar energies, specifically targeting solar thermal applications in South Africa, Mozambique, Namibia and Zimbabwe."

COPENHAGEN TALKS UPDATE
This Engineering News article outlines some more of the talks taking place leading up to Copenhagen. While a deadlock has hampered the possibility of nations agreeing on a unified approach, there have also been rumours about the deal being delayed. While protesters outside of the hearings literally "lined up hundreds of ringing alarm clocks" representing the running out of time, the Danish Climate & Energy Minister was quoted as stating "... The world can wait no longer. I know that striking a deal is not easy now. But do any of you believe it's going to be easier next spring, next year or the year after?"

SA GOVERNMENT & ESKOM

[We know the rest of this post sounds very bleak, but REMEMBER, you have your chance to speak up and tell Parliament about your idea(s) and concerns! Find out more here - deadline for written submissions is this Friday, so please SPEAK UP so that they will LISTEN!]

ESKOM - DA calls for Maroga's resignation following the exposure of more alleged mismanagement. Read more here on Mail&Guardian.

MANAGEMENT OF WASTE
DA brings attention to the alleged "dangerous lack of oversight and control" in the management of hazardous waste in South Africa". Read more here on IOL.

THE FUTURE OF COAL
This Engineering News article points out how Eskom "expected to invest up to 110 billion rand in coal mining by 2020 and dig at least 40 new mines in that time to meet growing demand."

WATER
Our Water & Environmental Affairs Minister admits that "an estimated four-million South African citizens were still without access to potable water and that the threat of climate change could serve to worsen matters in future." Read more here.