Energy

South Africa-China Electricity and Energy Investment Conference opens in Beijing (Image source: PowerChina)

PowerChina is hungry for a more active role in South Africa, as the nation opens up its energy sector more to investors

The company highlighted its long-standing role in the country’s infrastructure development at a two-day South Africa-China energy conference held at its Beijing headquarters.

"Since beginning operations in South Africa in 2008, PowerChina has contributed to the country’s power and water infrastructure," said its president Wang Xiaojun.

"We are ready to work with government agencies, financial institutions and industry partners to move projects from planning to implementation while creating lasting value through local procurement, skills development and supply chain cooperation.”

PowerChina’s completed and ongoing wind, solar photovoltaic and concentrated solar power projects in South Africa already have a combined capacity of 1.9 GW.

Its battery storage projects under construction have a combined capacity of 1.9 GWh.

Among these projects is the 100 MW Redstone concentrated solar power project, South Africa's largest tower-based molten salt solar thermal facility.

The project combines solar generation with thermal energy storage to provide dispatchable renewable power.

PowerChina is also participating in the Oya hybrid facility project, which integrates wind, solar and battery storage on a single grid-connected platform to support a more flexible and reliable power system.

Under South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) 2025, the country plans to add about 105 GW of new generation capacity through 2039, supported by a diversified mix of solar, wind, battery storage, natural gas and nuclear power.

The country also plans to build about 14,500 km of transmission infrastructure, with an estimated R440bn (US$XXbn) in transmission investment required over the next decade.

The recent Beijing forum, organised by South Africa’s Department of Electricity and Energy and the South African Embassy in China, brought together more than 260 government, finance and industry representatives.

The event outlined over R2.2 trillion (US$XXbn) in investment opportunities through 2039 under IRP 2025, spanning generation, transmission, energy storage and related manufacturing.

Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, South Africa’s Minister of Electricity and Energy, said the country was entering a decisive decade, telling the conference that the IRP 2025 investment pipeline would not only add generation and transmission capacity, but also support lasting infrastructure and industrial development.

Beyond energy generation, PowerChina is also contributing to water infrastructure that supports electricity supply, industrial activity and local communities.

The Mokolo - Crocodile Water Augmentation Project Phase 2A is a major water infrastructure project under South Africa's National Water Resource Strategy that is expected to deliver 75 million cubic metres of water annually, once completed.

The project will help secure water supplies for the Medupi and Matimba power stations, support development in the Waterberg mining area and provide water to industrial facilities, municipalities and communities along the route.

PowerChina also highlighted local procurement, subcontracting and skills development initiatives through its project delivery in South Africa.

At the Redstone project, for example, it established a welding training centre and worked with a local university to provide technical education linked to concentrated solar power.

Read more:

Ivory Coast sanctions new power projects

Seriti Green unveils Mpumalanga wind farm

Inova, Itochu plan Moroccan waste energy plant

Azito power plant in the Ivory Coast (Image source: African Development Bank)

Ivory Coast has formally approved a tranche of power projects, including the 470 MW Taboth plant, led by Genser Energy, as it seeks to bolster national energy supplies

The various projects were approved at a 5th August Council of Ministers meeting in Abidjan, chaired by Ivorian president Alassane Ouattara.

The list includes a concession agreement for the Taboth project, comprising the design, financing, construction, full ownership, operation, maintenance and transfer of ownership for a 470 MW combined cycle power plant.

Headquartered in Washington, D.C., Genser Energy is an independent, private energy firm with operations across West Africa.

The project is in addition to the Atinkou 390 MW gas power project — also known as CIPREL V — located in Taboth village, Jacqueville, which is now fully operational.

Separately, Ivorian officials signed off a decree for the provision of rental and operation services of a 225 MW floating electricity production unit in Abidjan.

An agreement for the provision of services for the rental and operation of a modular thermal power plant, with a cumulative capacity of 40 MW, in Attakro and Abrobakro, was also approved by officials.

Few details were provided on these projects, though a statement issued by the Presidency, flagged “the POWER 32 Convention on a combined cycle thermal power plant of about 225 MW” and “the PIPS Convention on a modular thermal power plant of 40 MW.”

The trio of projects reflect moves to lift generation capacity in the West African country in response to demand; together, the plans and projects bring a cumulative 735 MW of power generating capacity.

“As part of the government’s electricity generation fleet development policy, private operators have been encouraged to submit offers for the financing, design, construction, operation and maintenance of new production units and related infrastructure, in order to meet the strong growth in energy demand observed in recent years,” the official statement noted.

Heavy investment is also going into the country’s transmission and distribution infrastructure.

In May, the African Development Bank and Islamic Development Bank approved almost €20mn in funding to extend electricity access to more than 100,000 households and improve service delivery across 18 regions.

Abidjan has an ambition to achieve universal access to electricity by 2030.

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Seriti Green unveils Mpumalanga wind farm

Inova, Itochu plan Moroccan waste energy plant

JIVO Energy hails Malawi BESS project teams

Launch ceremony for the new Mpumalanga wind farm (Image source: Seriti Green)

Renewable energy company Seriti Green has announced the start of commercial operations at its Ummbila Emoyeni wind farm in Mpumalanga, providing a fresh source of clean energy for the area’s coal mining sector

The launch in South Africa follows the completion of 25 turbines, the first 155 MW phase of the energy project.

It forms part of a planned 900 MW renewable energy programme in Mpumalanga province, supported by new Vunumoya transmission and substation infrastructure, also delivered by Seriti Green.

At the launch event, the company also signed a new agreement for a further R10bn (US$619mn) of investment – bringing the total to R25bn (US$1.5bn) – for two further phases of development, working with strategic partners Goldwind, Tractionel and Stefanutti Stocks, and customers including energy traders Etana, Energy Exchange and NOA.

Mike Teke, chairman of Seriti Green, flagged the significance of “coal and renewables together” adding that “in just a few years, working closely with government, we have delivered.”

Seriti Green has also opened a new Mpumalanga headquarters in Bethal in support of its work.

Peter Venn, CEO of Seriti Green, also hailed the significance of the wind power project in one of South Africa’s key mining regions.

“It is the result of hard work by people who were determined to prove that South Africa can build infrastructure of global significance, attract investment at scale, and help secure our nation’s energy future,” he said.

The project thus far has accumulated more than three million hours of work, with not a single lost-time injury, he added.

“When we gather again, we will not simply be celebrating another wind farm, we will be demonstrating that wind farms, solar farms and batteries can form part of a sustainable future for South Africa, and the energy transition is just, transforming communities and industries, presenting opportunities while decarbonising to impact climate change.”

Read more:

JIVO Energy hails Malawi BESS project teams

On-site trigeneration plant for Ivorian pasta factory

Hydra: Africa's largest hybrid renewable project

Artistic impression of the planned waste-to-energy project (Image source: Kanadevia Corporation)

Kanadevia Inova AG (Inova) has signed a concession agreement for a 33.5-year waste-to-energy project in Morocco, scheduled for first operation in 2030

A wholly-owned subsidiary of Kanadevia Corporation, Inova’s role will cover the design, financing, construction and operation of the facility, to be located in Casablanca.

“The project will construct a waste-to-energy plant adjacent to Médiouna landfill, one of the largest landfill sites in Africa,” a Kanadevia Corporation statement read.

“The facility will process approximately 1.5 million tonnes of waste per year and have a power generation capacity of approximately 126 MWe. The objective is to hygienically treat waste while effectively utilising it as an energy resource.”

Inova will carry out the project with Nareva, a leading Moroccan integrated energy company, and Japan’s Itochu Corporation.

A Special Purpose Company (SPC) is to be established to implement the project while proceeding with engineering, procurement and construction (EPC) and long-term maintenance agreements.

The statement added that the facility will incorporate advanced technologies, including Inova’s large-scale combustion and boiler systems and its proprietary Autaro automatic combustion control system.

In addition, it will include a 50 MW solar power facility, a 4 MW landfill gas recovery and utilisation facility and a leachate treatment unit.

“By reducing methane emissions, which have a global warming potential approximately 28 times greater than CO2, the project is expected to generate around 1 TWh of electricity annually, equivalent to the annual electricity demand of approximately one million people,” the statement noted.

The facility has also been designed to enable the future introduction of carbon capture technologies (CCUS).

“By capturing, utilising, or storing CO2 contained in flue gases, the project aims to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions and support long-term decarbonisation.”

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First Quantum diversifies Zambia energy supply

Malawi unveils first standalone utility-scale BESS project

On-site trigeneration plant for Ivorian pasta factory