"DID the Finance Minister, Pravin Gordhan, really think that a decision to spend R300-billion over the next 17 years on nuclear power stations did not merit a mention in his budget speech?"
Source and more here.
Wednesday, February 29, 2012
Fukushima Accident Proves that Nuclear is Dangerous
"Greenpeace today urges the South African government to learn from the lessons of Fukushinma and to stop the use of nuclear in South Africa’s energy mix. Almost a year after the Fukushima nuclear disaster thousands of Japanese are still reeling from the devastation and displacement as a result. This remains sad reminder that nuclear power is dangerous and will only lead South Africa to a deadly energy future.
As part of activities to remember the March 11th 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, Greenpeace Africa is hosting a survivor of the nuclear tragedy from the 27 February to 2 March 2012. Evacuee Ms Ayako Oga is a long-time resident and farmer from the village of Okuma Machi, around 7.5 kilometres from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Ms Oga was forced to leave her home and abandon her dream to live and farm in the countryside as she knows she may never return home."
Source and more here.
As part of activities to remember the March 11th 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster, Greenpeace Africa is hosting a survivor of the nuclear tragedy from the 27 February to 2 March 2012. Evacuee Ms Ayako Oga is a long-time resident and farmer from the village of Okuma Machi, around 7.5 kilometres from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant. Ms Oga was forced to leave her home and abandon her dream to live and farm in the countryside as she knows she may never return home."
Source and more here.
Sunday, February 26, 2012
Cape Town initiates net-metering pilot project
"The City of Cape Town has initiated a net-metering pilot project to allow domestic energy producers to feed electricity back into the grid, Dr Anthony Keen told an audience at a South African National Energy Association meeting in Cape Town on Tuesday.
“I am pleased to be able to report to you that there are three of us in Cape Town . . . [and] we’ve been privileged [that] the City of Cape Town has accepted us onto a pilot project for grid feed-in,” said Keen, a medical doctor who is pursuing his interest in sustainable energy after retiring from an academic career at the University of Cape Town’s medical school." Source and more here.
“I am pleased to be able to report to you that there are three of us in Cape Town . . . [and] we’ve been privileged [that] the City of Cape Town has accepted us onto a pilot project for grid feed-in,” said Keen, a medical doctor who is pursuing his interest in sustainable energy after retiring from an academic career at the University of Cape Town’s medical school." Source and more here.
African clean-energy projects showcased to investors
"Potential investors were given exposure to ten small-scale African clean-energy projects, representing a potential combined investment value of $297-million, at an event held in Johannesburg this week.
The gathering, known as the Africa Forum for Clean Energy Financing, or Africef, was hosted by the Climate Technology Initiative’s Private Financing Advisory Network (CTI PFAN), a global multilateral initiative designed to connect clean energy project developers with investors and financiers.
The projects showcased included biofuels developments, as well as solar, biogas and waste-to-energy initiatives that were being promoted by entrepreneurs from Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe." Source and more here.
The gathering, known as the Africa Forum for Clean Energy Financing, or Africef, was hosted by the Climate Technology Initiative’s Private Financing Advisory Network (CTI PFAN), a global multilateral initiative designed to connect clean energy project developers with investors and financiers.
The projects showcased included biofuels developments, as well as solar, biogas and waste-to-energy initiatives that were being promoted by entrepreneurs from Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Uganda and Zimbabwe." Source and more here.
Earthlife Africa labels proposed energy bills as ‘undemocratic’
"Environmental organisation Earthlife Africa has slammed the Department of Energy’s (DoE’s) National Energy Regulator Amendment Bill and the Electricity Regulation Second Amendment Bill as “highly undemocratic”.
Programme officer Makoma Lekalakala urged the DoE to withdraw these bills, saying it would place significant decision-making power in the hands of Energy Minister Dipuo Peters, by eviscerating the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa).
“This goes against the Constitution and implementation of democratic institutions. An independent and impartial regulator is a critical part of the checks and balances that define modern representative democracies such as South Africa,” she stated.
Lekalakala also said the degree to which the public will be removed from the decision-making process was concerning." Source and more here.
Programme officer Makoma Lekalakala urged the DoE to withdraw these bills, saying it would place significant decision-making power in the hands of Energy Minister Dipuo Peters, by eviscerating the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (Nersa).
“This goes against the Constitution and implementation of democratic institutions. An independent and impartial regulator is a critical part of the checks and balances that define modern representative democracies such as South Africa,” she stated.
Lekalakala also said the degree to which the public will be removed from the decision-making process was concerning." Source and more here.
Mines Operating Without Requisite Water Use Licences: Acting with Impunity Exacerbating Environmental Degradation
"For the past two years, there has been ongoing engagement between civil society, community organisations, academic institutions and law clinics increasingly concerned about the impacts of mining on the environment and on the communities that rely on those natural resources. This coalition has now evolved into a Mining, Environment and Community Alliance that works together to implement a civil society legal strategy to promote environmental compliance, transparency and accountability in mining." Source and read more here on Lawyers for Human Rights's website.
Wind Farm developments in SA - Articles on well-known news websites stir debate
Recently certain articles appeared on Engineering News in which the writer criticized wind farms to be developed in SA. The articles were interestingly filled with emotional and some questionable statements. Read one of the articles here, and the follow on article here then read the comments posted by readers in response to the articles below the articles.
Thursday, February 16, 2012
wind generator design uses recycled hard drives
This Urban Sprout article reports how an electrical engineering student (Hartmut Jagau)at Cape Town University won the Student Poster Presentation award at the 2011 Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers’ Energy Conversion Congress & Exposition that was held last year in the USA for his innovative wind generator design.
"His last prototype could generate 328W of electrical power – enough to provide a household with electricity to run one 19-inch colour television, two portable stereos, ten 16W compact fluorescent light bulbs and three mobile phone chargers."
Source and more here, on Urban Sprout.
"His last prototype could generate 328W of electrical power – enough to provide a household with electricity to run one 19-inch colour television, two portable stereos, ten 16W compact fluorescent light bulbs and three mobile phone chargers."
Source and more here, on Urban Sprout.
Friday, February 10, 2012
News Snippets
Coal-dependent South Africa has no explicit coal policy – Prof - Source and more here.
Hyundai launches pilot water recycling drive - "Hyundai Bryanston hopes to cut its municipal water use by 80% following the installation of a water capture and recycling system, says dealer principal Kosta Avgoustinos" Source and more here.
World lacks enough food, fuel as population soars - " The world is running out of time to make sure there is enough food, water and energy to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population and to avoid sending up to three-billion people into poverty, a UN report warned on Monday.
As the world's population looks set to grow to nearly nine-billion by 2040 from seven-billion now, and the number of middle-class consumers increases by three-billion over the next 20 years, the demand for resources will rise exponentially.
Even by 2030, the world will need at least 50% more food, 45% more energy and 30% more water, according to UN estimates, at a time when a changing environment is creating new limits to supply." source and more here.
IWMSA welcomes withdrawal of Redisa approval - Source and more here.
Water Affairs confirms movement on long-term Acid Mine Drainage study - Source and more here.
Sexwale to join Antarctica climate change expedition - Source and more here.
Redisa waste tyre plan approval withdrawn - Source and more here.
Vodafone unveils ‘green’ innovation Centre - " A significant opportunity exists for companies to use their own sector technology and expertise in finding solutions to meet critical social, environmental and governance challenges, mobile group Vodacom CEO Pieter Uys highlighted at the unveiling of parent company Vodafone’s new innovation centre in Midrand, on Tuesday.
Rated by the Green Building Council of South Africa as the first six-star Green Star SA building in the country, the facility is also the greenest building in Africa." Source and more here.
SA urged to act before EU carbon project window closes in Dec - "Climate finance practitioners and regulators have urged South African developers of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects to finalise their applications for registration of such projects with the United Nations during the first quarter of 2012, or face being excluded from the key European market." Source and more here.
Heavyweight industry group issues carbon tax warning - " An industry lobby group comprising large mining groups and mineral processing companies is cautioning against the proposed introduction of a carbon tax in South Africa until South Africa has fully charted its abatement potential and the costs implications of implementing its renewable-energy heavy power generation plans." Source and more here.
2012 'make-or-break' year for Joule as it seeks govt commitment - Source and more here.
Nersa postpones power price hearings as it receives notice of policy review - Source and more here.
Cosatu calls for protests over solar sector jobs failure - "Cosatu in the Western Cape is planning protests at Parliament over what it claims is government's failure to implement job commitments regarding the importation of components for solar panels." source and more here.
3E to host renewable energy seminars next week - " Renewable energy technical advisers 3E will host two free breakfast seminars next week to mark the opening of its Cape Town office.
The seminars, which will focus on technical risk management for solar and wind project investments, will take place on January 25 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, and on the January 26 at the Lagoon Beach Hotel, in Cape Town."
source and more here.
Gathering to home in on SA’s solar jobs potential - " The link between job creation and the deployment of solar energy solutions in South Africa will come under the spotlight during a SolarPlaza conference in Johannesburg on January 25.
The gathering comes as the Department of Energy (DoE) prepares to open the second bidding window in March for the procurement of 3 725 MW of renewable capacity to be installed between 2012 and 2016." Source and more here.
Better scientific understanding of link between climate change, food security needed - source and more here.
Deputy Minister to launch energy savings roadshow - Source and more here.
Hyundai launches pilot water recycling drive - "Hyundai Bryanston hopes to cut its municipal water use by 80% following the installation of a water capture and recycling system, says dealer principal Kosta Avgoustinos" Source and more here.
World lacks enough food, fuel as population soars - " The world is running out of time to make sure there is enough food, water and energy to meet the needs of a rapidly growing population and to avoid sending up to three-billion people into poverty, a UN report warned on Monday.
As the world's population looks set to grow to nearly nine-billion by 2040 from seven-billion now, and the number of middle-class consumers increases by three-billion over the next 20 years, the demand for resources will rise exponentially.
Even by 2030, the world will need at least 50% more food, 45% more energy and 30% more water, according to UN estimates, at a time when a changing environment is creating new limits to supply." source and more here.
IWMSA welcomes withdrawal of Redisa approval - Source and more here.
Water Affairs confirms movement on long-term Acid Mine Drainage study - Source and more here.
Sexwale to join Antarctica climate change expedition - Source and more here.
Redisa waste tyre plan approval withdrawn - Source and more here.
Vodafone unveils ‘green’ innovation Centre - " A significant opportunity exists for companies to use their own sector technology and expertise in finding solutions to meet critical social, environmental and governance challenges, mobile group Vodacom CEO Pieter Uys highlighted at the unveiling of parent company Vodafone’s new innovation centre in Midrand, on Tuesday.
Rated by the Green Building Council of South Africa as the first six-star Green Star SA building in the country, the facility is also the greenest building in Africa." Source and more here.
SA urged to act before EU carbon project window closes in Dec - "Climate finance practitioners and regulators have urged South African developers of Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) projects to finalise their applications for registration of such projects with the United Nations during the first quarter of 2012, or face being excluded from the key European market." Source and more here.
Heavyweight industry group issues carbon tax warning - " An industry lobby group comprising large mining groups and mineral processing companies is cautioning against the proposed introduction of a carbon tax in South Africa until South Africa has fully charted its abatement potential and the costs implications of implementing its renewable-energy heavy power generation plans." Source and more here.
2012 'make-or-break' year for Joule as it seeks govt commitment - Source and more here.
Nersa postpones power price hearings as it receives notice of policy review - Source and more here.
Cosatu calls for protests over solar sector jobs failure - "Cosatu in the Western Cape is planning protests at Parliament over what it claims is government's failure to implement job commitments regarding the importation of components for solar panels." source and more here.
3E to host renewable energy seminars next week - " Renewable energy technical advisers 3E will host two free breakfast seminars next week to mark the opening of its Cape Town office.
The seminars, which will focus on technical risk management for solar and wind project investments, will take place on January 25 at the Sandton Convention Centre in Johannesburg, and on the January 26 at the Lagoon Beach Hotel, in Cape Town."
source and more here.
Gathering to home in on SA’s solar jobs potential - " The link between job creation and the deployment of solar energy solutions in South Africa will come under the spotlight during a SolarPlaza conference in Johannesburg on January 25.
The gathering comes as the Department of Energy (DoE) prepares to open the second bidding window in March for the procurement of 3 725 MW of renewable capacity to be installed between 2012 and 2016." Source and more here.
Better scientific understanding of link between climate change, food security needed - source and more here.
Deputy Minister to launch energy savings roadshow - Source and more here.
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