NEWS
Green light on more IPPs excellent step for industrial sectors
South Africa ’ s electricity woes could soon be alleviated as the energy regulator has given the green light for additional generation capacity for 16 independent power producers ( IPPs ).
The National Energy Regulator of South Africa ( Nersa ) at the beginning of June approved the registration of these generation projects , mainly solar power with a combined capacity of 211MW and a collective investment value of R3.65 billion . These approvals come on the heels of the very first two IPP approvals in the country in May that were well received by industry .
Nersa said that 11 generation facilities would be generating electricity for their own use , while five would be generating for commercial purposes .
Business Unity SA chief executive officer , Cas Coovadia , commented that the fact that registration processes for the sixteen new generation facilities were processed within 19 days was very encouraging for businesses ready to generate energy . " This amendment goes a long way to unlocking embedded generation contributing to the security of supply , attracting investment , and generating growth ," he said .
These are part of structural reforms aimed at dealing with the energy crisis in South Africa by allowing private parties to generate electricity for their own use up to 100MW without a licence , even when such facilities wheel electricity through the grid and sell to non-related customers – all in a bid to ease the burden on Eskom .
The energy reform , however , has faced some challenges that have caused delays
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11 facilities would be generating electricity for their own use , while five would be generating for commercial purposes .
in implementation , including registration , grid connection and environmental approval bottlenecks .
Nonetheless , Operation Vulindlela intervened in an effort to reduce red tape around the reform generally , as well as to support individual projects , with the first large registrations , involving two 100MW solar projects in the North-West being approved late last month .
Nersa said all applicants had connection approvals from licence distributors , with 12 to be connected to the Eskom network and four to the municipal network in Gauteng .
Fifteen of the applicants will use solar photovoltaic technology and one will use wind turbine technology .
This comes fortunately as Eskom continued to warn that the power system was very constrained owing to the continued shortage of generation capacity . The power utility said load shedding may again be required at short notice , most likely during the evening peak from 5pm to 10pm should there be any significant breakdowns .
" We currently have 2 195MW on planned maintenance , while another 15 950MW of capacity is unavailable due to breakdowns ," said Eskom spokesperson Sikonathi Mantshantsha .
" Eskom cautions the public that as the shortage of generation capacity persists , the system will continue to be constrained with
an elevated risk of load shedding over the coming weeks ."
In its last State of the System update , Eskom said that it needed between 4 000MW and 6 000MW of additional generation capacity to plug the hole on the national grid .
Meanwhile , the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research ( CSIR ) said yesterday that load shedding in 2021 overtook 2020 as the most intensive year of load shedding to date , with load shedding concentrated in October and November , and dominated by Stage 2 load shedding overall .
The CSIR said the Eskom fleet Energy Availability Factor ( EAF ) continued its declining trend in 2021 with an average EAF of 61.8 percent for 2021 , compared to the EAF of 65 percent for 2020 , 66.9 percent for 2019 and 71.9 percent for 2018 .
It said this was largely due to the increase of unplanned outages experienced by Eskom .
The CSIR released its annual statistics on power generation in South Africa for the year 2021 , with highlights including the increased contribution of renewable energy technologies to the total energy mix . CLA
These approvals come on the heels of the very first two IPP approvals in the country in May .
Gifting an underbar to a worthy establishment
Staycold International , a South African manufacturer of self-contained commercial fridges and freezers , is gifting an underbar , as featured in the recently aired In Die Sop programme with Chef Bertus Basson , to a deserving establishment .
Those that can apply are chefs , restaurants , and relevant outlets who are located in the Southern African Customs Union ( SACU ), that send a motivation to the company before 14 October 2022 as to why this underbar will help them prosper .
The underbar was added to the range and first showcased at Hostex in 2020 . Various chefs tried and tested this new market challenger during their food preparations and demonstrations . With the positive feedback , this underbar was taken to market , and is produced in two different variations , a flat top and a pizza top , with solid door or glass door models .
The underbar is used primarily in a kitchen prep area or a front-of-house bar area . It ’ s
a prep station used by chefs or a work top refrigerator . It serves the role of a combination refrigerator , equipment stand and preparation area . They are best for use as a workspace or for holding countertop equipment .
What sets this underbar apart is that it is built with the pioneering principles of quality , efficiency , performance , reliability , and durability ; uses natural refrigerant gas so is better for the planet ; has a 304 stainless steel top making it more durable ; has LED internal lighting ; has good temperate regulation inside the unit with its digital thermostat ; and uses less electricity .
Chef Ingrid Joubert , dealer sales executive at Staycold International , commented : “ The Underbar Fridge in my opinion is a head turner and has many benefits . Overall , I would recommend this to any establishment in the industry and encourage them to enter , as # itcouldbeyours .”
To view the criteria or enter to win this prize , you can visit the company ’ s website . CLA
Staycold
Chef Ingrid Joubert working with Chef Twain using the solid top underbar with stainless steel doors to prepare food at the Chefs Training and Innovation Academy in Centurion .
COLD LINK AFRICA • July / August 2022 www . coldlinkafrica . co . za 7