Sunday, May 6, 2012
5-5-12 Climate Impacts Day (International)
View pics from around the world of people taking part in this day of action.
China must act urgently to curb city emissions – World Bank
" China must act urgently on multiple fronts if it is to cut greenhouse gas emissions from its rapidly expanding cities and hit government targets for curbing carbon intensity, a new report from the World Bank said on Thursday.
Cities generate an estimated 70% of energy-related greenhouse gases and with China set to increase its number of urban residents by 350-million over the next 20 years, the Bank says the case for urgent action is strong." Source and more here.
New global body to push for solar-supporting trade policies
" A new high-level industry coalition comprising multinational companies operating across the solar photovoltaic (PV) value chain was officially launched in Belgium this week.
The CE-level Global Solar Council (GSC) would seek to accelerate the deployment of the renewable-energy solution globally by engaging with policymakers on trade and policy regimes that would support the technology’s full migration to grid parity." Source and more here.
News snippets
GREEN PROJECTS / JOBS (SOUTH AFRICA)
R7.7bn green projects push to create thousands of jobs - Molewa - Engineering News
RENEWABLE ENERGY
UK's Cameron sees North Sea as green energy hub - Engineering News
SCIENTIFIC REPORT
Scientists call for rethink on consumption, population - Engineering News
MINING AND THE ENVIRONMENT(SOUTH AFRICA)
SA to unveil new mining, biodiversity planning tool this year - Engineering News
SA'S ENERGY FUTURE
NUM blasts abandoned PBMR project - "...Matsepe further affirmed that the PBMR project’s cost of R10-billion was unjustifiable, that the project “delivered nothing”, that the PBMR Company’s plans to build a 400 MW commercial-scale reactor first, instead of a smaller test reactor, were “sheer madness” and that the PBMR management seemed not to know what they were doing. “The NUM was outraged that the reactor design was changed seven times in ten years.”"Source and read more here, on Engineering News
In this article, our Energy Minister tries to justify SA's nuclear plans.
In this article, it is reported that Eskom spent R1 billion since 2005 to upgrade safety at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station.
REPORT: TRACKING CLEAN ENERGY PROGRESS - Read more here.
TRANSPORT
As Joule funding falters, Optimal Energy looks to electric buses, promoting a 20% cost saving - Engineering News
OIL SPILL (AFRICA)
Shell Nigeria spill 60 times worse than said - Amnesty - Engineering News
BUSINESS
IDC to issue green bond, divest shares - Engineering News
CLIMATE CHANGE RESEARCH (AFRICA)
South African Countries collaborate to establish Climate Change Research Centre in Namibia - more here.
Climate Change Impacts on South Africa - read more here.
SUSTAINABILITY
Natural resources & Consumption - from the Industrial Revolution to now - where are we headed? Read this interesting article about the Sixth Wave of Innovation.
SMALL SCALE AGRICULTURE
In this article, the author looks at different possible roles that small-scale farming could play in growing local economies, combating food insecurity, creating employment and eradicating poverty
This article touches on how South African unemployed mothers could consider venturing into small-scale farming to feed their families, create jobs and provide food security for their communities
Minister outlines farm-supporting infrastructure plan - Engineering News
STUDY ON EXTREME ORGANISMS IN SA MINES MAY HOLD ANSWERS TO ET LIFE AND POLLUTION THREATS - read more here.
R7.7bn green projects push to create thousands of jobs - Molewa - Engineering News
RENEWABLE ENERGY
UK's Cameron sees North Sea as green energy hub - Engineering News
SCIENTIFIC REPORT
Scientists call for rethink on consumption, population - Engineering News
MINING AND THE ENVIRONMENT(SOUTH AFRICA)
SA to unveil new mining, biodiversity planning tool this year - Engineering News
SA'S ENERGY FUTURE
NUM blasts abandoned PBMR project - "...Matsepe further affirmed that the PBMR project’s cost of R10-billion was unjustifiable, that the project “delivered nothing”, that the PBMR Company’s plans to build a 400 MW commercial-scale reactor first, instead of a smaller test reactor, were “sheer madness” and that the PBMR management seemed not to know what they were doing. “The NUM was outraged that the reactor design was changed seven times in ten years.”"Source and read more here, on Engineering News
In this article, our Energy Minister tries to justify SA's nuclear plans.
In this article, it is reported that Eskom spent R1 billion since 2005 to upgrade safety at Koeberg Nuclear Power Station.
REPORT: TRACKING CLEAN ENERGY PROGRESS - Read more here.
TRANSPORT
As Joule funding falters, Optimal Energy looks to electric buses, promoting a 20% cost saving - Engineering News
OIL SPILL (AFRICA)
Shell Nigeria spill 60 times worse than said - Amnesty - Engineering News
BUSINESS
IDC to issue green bond, divest shares - Engineering News
CLIMATE CHANGE RESEARCH (AFRICA)
South African Countries collaborate to establish Climate Change Research Centre in Namibia - more here.
Climate Change Impacts on South Africa - read more here.
SUSTAINABILITY
Natural resources & Consumption - from the Industrial Revolution to now - where are we headed? Read this interesting article about the Sixth Wave of Innovation.
SMALL SCALE AGRICULTURE
In this article, the author looks at different possible roles that small-scale farming could play in growing local economies, combating food insecurity, creating employment and eradicating poverty
This article touches on how South African unemployed mothers could consider venturing into small-scale farming to feed their families, create jobs and provide food security for their communities
Minister outlines farm-supporting infrastructure plan - Engineering News
STUDY ON EXTREME ORGANISMS IN SA MINES MAY HOLD ANSWERS TO ET LIFE AND POLLUTION THREATS - read more here.
Property giants go green as the penny slowly drops
"JOHANNESBURG – In 2011 Moneyweb reported that only three out of nine property funds listed on the JSE (JSE:JSE) had elected to participate in a voluntary exercise to measure the carbon footprint of the JSE’s top 100. It appears sentiment is turning with more and more property developers opting for sustainability not only as an alternative building initiative, but as a selling point to discerning buyers." Source and more here on Moneyweb.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
South Africa's Energy Future
Here is another article recently published on this topic: "Sustainable energy is a current issue that requires urgent attention in South Africa. Energy is essential to communities and for the maximum functionality of the economy. The growing global trends of industrialisation also create a great demand for energy use, hence the necessity to opt for the sustainable route. Addressing the current energy challenges in the country and moving towards clean energy sources will not only ensure that the country meets its energy demands, but enable it to realise the United Nations Millennium Development Goal (MDG) 7 of ensuring environmental sustainability by 2015...." Source and read more here, on SANGONet.
News Snippets
TRANSPORT - Joule developer shifts focus to electric buses - Engineering News
BUSINESS Africa's scarce infrastructure breeds 'self-reliant' companies - Source & more here on Engineering News
WATER Africa sitting on sea of groundwater reserves - Source and more here, on Engineering News
BUSINESS Africa's scarce infrastructure breeds 'self-reliant' companies - Source & more here on Engineering News
WATER Africa sitting on sea of groundwater reserves - Source and more here, on Engineering News
NNR suspends receipt of radioactive waste at Vaalputs
" The National Nuclear Regulator (NNR) has suspended the receipt of all radioactive waste packages by South Africa’s radioactive waste repository Vaalputs, in the Northern Cape, following the discovery of noncompliance with the waste acceptance criteria set out in its nuclear installation licence.
The noncompliance identified during a NNR routine inspection relates to Vaalputs storing a radioactive waste package from the Koeberg nuclear power plant at a surface contact dose of 2.8 mSv/h, exceeding the maximum permitted surface contact dose rate of 2 mSv/h."
Source and more here, on Engineering News
Tyre Recycling
Tyre management plan again released for comment - Source & read more here on Engineering News
SA Climate Change Leadership Awards 2012
Check out the list of winners and an overview of this initiative here.
Saturday, April 21, 2012
News Snippets
Rainbow Paper urges businesses to recycle paper - Engineering News
SA wind map welcomed by industry - Engineering News
Solar park study should begin during May, Peters says - Engineering News
Boosting coal with solar has localisation potential, Areva argues - Engineering News
Enviro study for initial nuclear site to be finalised by year-end - Engineering News
SA wind map welcomed by industry - Engineering News
Solar park study should begin during May, Peters says - Engineering News
Boosting coal with solar has localisation potential, Areva argues - Engineering News
Enviro study for initial nuclear site to be finalised by year-end - Engineering News
Thursday, April 19, 2012
Solar Panels Imported from China to USA
"The Commerce Department has found that China provided illegal trade incentives for Chinese made solar panels for the U.S. market, and that this was unfair to solar panel manufacturers in the United States. As a result, beginning this summer our Commerce Department will charge a tariff upon all Chinese imports of modules. Here is more information to help better understand this dispute, as well as what it means for ordinary consumers"... source and more here on Simply Green
Eskom tests market interest for 100 MW solar power-tower project
" State-owned power utility Eskom has issued a request for information (RFI) to test supplier-market interest for the design, supply and installation of the 100 MW concentrating solar power (CSP) plant it is planning to construct near Upington, in the Northern Cape, by 2016.
The RFI documentation was released on April 1 and potential suppliers and contractors had until May 8 to register their interest." Source and more here, on Engineering News
The RFI documentation was released on April 1 and potential suppliers and contractors had until May 8 to register their interest." Source and more here, on Engineering News
Ellies aims to save another 30 MW
"JSE-listed Ellies completed the first phase of its joint initiative Project Power Save and started a new phase this week to reduce energy consumption by an additional 30 MW, the company said on Wednesday.
Ellies said the first phase of the project aimed to eventually reduce the energy demand on the national grid by about 45 MW, with over 270 000 homes now boasting new energy-saving equipment installations."
Source and more here on Engineering News.
Ellies said the first phase of the project aimed to eventually reduce the energy demand on the national grid by about 45 MW, with over 270 000 homes now boasting new energy-saving equipment installations."
Source and more here on Engineering News.
Exxaro-Tata energy venture aims to generate 16 GW of cleaner power by 2025
" Private energy company Cennergi, a joint venture between mining group Exxaro and the power unit of Indian multinational Tata, was formally launched in Johannesburg on Wednesday, where it announced its aspiration to acquire and develop 16 GW of energy generation projects in South Africa, Namibia and Botswana by 2025.
The company, which is headed by Thomas Garner, has already submitted solar and wind bids for the second bidding round under South Africa's renewable energy independent power producer procurement programme, which closed on March 5." Source and more here on Engineering News
The company, which is headed by Thomas Garner, has already submitted solar and wind bids for the second bidding round under South Africa's renewable energy independent power producer procurement programme, which closed on March 5." Source and more here on Engineering News
SA - Renewable Energy News
Cape Times 29 March 2012 reports that the implementation of a renewable energy strategy by the Coega Development Corporation (CDC), one of the players in the area of green energy, will undoubtedly contribute immensely to its objectives such as job creation, revenue generation and advancing socio-economic development and transformation in the Eastern Cape.
Currently, wind projects with a combined capacity of more than 6 000 MW are at various stages of the environmental impact assessment process (EIA) in the Eastern Cape, placing the province at the forefront of wind renewable energy projects. The total of 6032 MW of energy projects still in the EIA process outstrips the Medupi coal-fired power station that is currently under construction and that will have an output of 4 788 MW.
Nationally, wind projects totalling 9 345 MW are planned.
There are major projects which have been proposed for theEastern Cape. In the Blue Crane Route Municipality Terra Wind has a plan for a wind farm with the capacity of 1 713 MW and Windlab Developments is planning to erect 350 turbines with a capacity of 700 MW between Cookhouse andBedford.
Electrawinds has invested R 1,2 billion in the Coega Wind Farm project and each of the 25 turbines has a capacity of 1,8 MW which translates into an annual yield of 5 700 kWh, enough energy to power about 1 700 households. In addition, 7 000 MW of solar power developments have also been announced, with Langa Energy having confirmed their investment in a 100 MW photovoltaic facility at Berlin outside King Williams town.
CDC Marketing & Communication Manager,MrAyandaVilakazisays given the volume of both wind and solar projects both in the province and nationally thee is a "solid business case" for component manufacturing inSouth Africafor wind and solar technologies. He points out that there is a "huge market" particularly for solar PV and Off-Grid Technologies adding that the South African government is committed to reducing the country's carbon footprint and "supports green technologies through various incentives". Vilakazi says the 7 000 MV of solar power that is planned has increased the demand for localisation of solar PV panels.
He says theCoegaIDZis the "ideal manufacturing platform" for renewable energy components that, in addition to contributing to the battle against global warming, are revenue generating, create jobs and advance socio-economic development and transformation.
Source: afriwea.org
Currently, wind projects with a combined capacity of more than 6 000 MW are at various stages of the environmental impact assessment process (EIA) in the Eastern Cape, placing the province at the forefront of wind renewable energy projects. The total of 6032 MW of energy projects still in the EIA process outstrips the Medupi coal-fired power station that is currently under construction and that will have an output of 4 788 MW.
Nationally, wind projects totalling 9 345 MW are planned.
There are major projects which have been proposed for theEastern Cape. In the Blue Crane Route Municipality Terra Wind has a plan for a wind farm with the capacity of 1 713 MW and Windlab Developments is planning to erect 350 turbines with a capacity of 700 MW between Cookhouse andBedford.
Electrawinds has invested R 1,2 billion in the Coega Wind Farm project and each of the 25 turbines has a capacity of 1,8 MW which translates into an annual yield of 5 700 kWh, enough energy to power about 1 700 households. In addition, 7 000 MW of solar power developments have also been announced, with Langa Energy having confirmed their investment in a 100 MW photovoltaic facility at Berlin outside King Williams town.
CDC Marketing & Communication Manager,MrAyandaVilakazisays given the volume of both wind and solar projects both in the province and nationally thee is a "solid business case" for component manufacturing inSouth Africafor wind and solar technologies. He points out that there is a "huge market" particularly for solar PV and Off-Grid Technologies adding that the South African government is committed to reducing the country's carbon footprint and "supports green technologies through various incentives". Vilakazi says the 7 000 MV of solar power that is planned has increased the demand for localisation of solar PV panels.
He says theCoegaIDZis the "ideal manufacturing platform" for renewable energy components that, in addition to contributing to the battle against global warming, are revenue generating, create jobs and advance socio-economic development and transformation.
Source: afriwea.org
News snippets
Eskom issues request for coal supplies - Engineering News
Earth Hour 2012 - South Africa - more here.
South Africa opts for incremental smart-grid migration - Engineering News
SA’s second renewables bid window heavily oversubscribed - Engineering News
Falling renewable energy costs an opportunity for Africa - Engineering News
Measuring Sustainability: A new age for data management for Microsoft - article here.
Busting Sustainability Myths - read article here.
South African Businesses are unaware of their water footprints - article here.
Outcry over Rio+20 'outcome document' negotiations - source and more here.
Population adds to planet’s pressure cooker, but few options - source and more here.
Greening the Future Awards 2012 - "The Mail & Guardian in association with the Department of Environmental Affairs, invites entries for the Greening the Future Awards 2012." Source and more here.
Fossil fuels to remain dominant in Africa’s energy mix - Engineering News
Omnia CDM project to receive over a million emission credits - Engineering News
Earth Hour 2012 - South Africa - more here.
South Africa opts for incremental smart-grid migration - Engineering News
SA’s second renewables bid window heavily oversubscribed - Engineering News
Falling renewable energy costs an opportunity for Africa - Engineering News
Measuring Sustainability: A new age for data management for Microsoft - article here.
Busting Sustainability Myths - read article here.
South African Businesses are unaware of their water footprints - article here.
Outcry over Rio+20 'outcome document' negotiations - source and more here.
Population adds to planet’s pressure cooker, but few options - source and more here.
Greening the Future Awards 2012 - "The Mail & Guardian in association with the Department of Environmental Affairs, invites entries for the Greening the Future Awards 2012." Source and more here.
Fossil fuels to remain dominant in Africa’s energy mix - Engineering News
Omnia CDM project to receive over a million emission credits - Engineering News
Monday, April 2, 2012
South Africa’s nightmare nuclear bill
"The six new nuclear reactors envisaged in South Africa's energy road map are likely to cost between R322-billion and R712-billion to build and finance, but the total could spiral quickly into trillion-rand territory if they are not built to deadline and budget, according to experts." Source & Read more here (Mail & Guardian)
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