31 Jan 2012
South African municipalities neglect maintenance of public services; Ethiopia supplies renewable energy; Saudi Arabia turns to nuclear; 2012 Zayed Future Energy Prize awarded in Abu Dhabi.
SA Commercial Prop News: Municipalities continue to under-spend capital budgets
SA Commercial Prop News reports that South African municipalities utilized only 29.3% of their capital budgets in 2010/2011. This according to the National Treasury, which reported that under-spending stood at 17.1% in 2009/2010. The municipalities have neglected to maintain services such as electricity, refuse and roads repairs.
In Engerati’s South African Grid Snapshot, we report on the prolonged...
16 Jan 2012
Recent themes: World Bank solar in Ouarzazate, Morocco; “Trans-African Caravan of Hope” at the Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa and Iranian nuclear plans.
Smart Planet: World Bank unleashes Africa’s solar potential.
David Worthington from the Smart Planet reports that the World Bank has approved a US$297m loan, to finance the 500MW Desertec Concentrated Solar Power Plant (CSP) in Ouarzazate, Morocco. The plant is set to generate 2,000MW, by 2020. The article points out that the project costs less than its American counterparts, and will have a larger capacity. Sunny climes, low humidity, and available flatland make Morocco the ideal place...
15 May 2012
Japan sounds alarm bells at electricity shortages… Smarter innovations stand to overshadow AMI … South Korean lawmakers unite for carbon trading vote … China courts EU green energy leaders
Prensa Latina: Japan admits to seriousness of energy crisis
Prensa Latina reports that Japan’s Minister of Industry, Yukio Edano, acknowledged his country may face an unprecedented energy crisis. The minister’s admission comes after Japan retired the last of its 54 nuclear plants on May 5, 2012, thereby losing about 30% of its electricity generation.
Edano said there...
29 Feb 2012
Native American clean energy projects get governmental cash injection … while Southern Co’s Vogtle nuclear expansion faces first lawsuit … few opt out of PG&E smart meter scheme after all!
Engerati: Cash Reserves for Tribal Clean Energy Projects
Engerati reported that Steven Chu, US Energy Secretary has announced funding of around US$6.5m for 19 clean energy projects for Native American tribes. These projects are expected to promote clean energy within these communities by:
Assessing local energy resources – 13 projects will share US$3.6m to this end
Development of clean energy projects – four projects will share US$1.7m for planning projects...
29 Feb 2012
Donald Trump condemns Scottish wind power ... but UK solar power to grow despite subsidy cuts ... while Germany’s renewables will account for 36% of its power by 2020 ... and UK and France enter nuclear agreement.
Engerati: Trump’s Turbine Tantrum
Denise Philip of Engerati writes how Donald Trump has condemned Scotland’s plans to build a wind farm near his Menie Estate golf resort development. Trump has threatened to withdraw development plans on the estate as he thinks the wind turbines, “ugly monstrosities," will spoil the estate’s views.
Trump is also concerned for Scotland’s future. He says the farms will have a negative impact on foreign investment, tourism and...
09 Jan 2012
South Africa’s strong economic growth, rapid industrialization and a mass electrification program led to power demand outstripping supply in 2008. Electricity Supply Commission (ESKOM) is the state energy company which supplies 95% of the country’s electricity. It has embarked on a massive program, upgrading and expanding the country's...
South Africa has been producing Nuclear energy since the 1980’s and is currently tendering to expand this project. Eskom is investing US$48.6bn into new generation projects through 2013 and plans to have spent in excess of US$126bn by 2026, doubling its capacity to 80,000MW.
Eskom is the largest producer of electricity in Africa, generating 60% of the total electricity generated on the African continent. It is among the top 11 utilities in the world in terms of generation capacity,...
21 Mar 2012
Rusumo Hydro project is environmentally friendly ... Eskom’s cut too late ... nuclear power in South Africa should be revised ... Zimbabwe says Mozambique cut its power imports
Engerati: Rusumo Hydro project is environmentally friendly
Denise Philip of Engerati reports that the Rusumo hydropower project, located at the Rusumo Falls, on the Kagera River, between Tanzania and Rwanda, will generate 80MW instead of the projected 90MW, as plans are modified to reduce the environmental and social impact of the project. The benefits of the project will be equally shared between Rwanda, Tanzania and Burundi.
Consultants are considering the “run of river”...
16 Jan 2012
The late-December 2011 release of an Interim Report, that contain damning findings on the Fukushima Nuclear Disaster, has driven Japan’s lawmakers to prompt action on nuclear safety regulation. This report contrasts directly with a the nuclear reactors owners’, Tokyo Power Company (Tepco,) sponsored study that proportions blame entirely on the...
What happened
Hiroko Tabuchi of the New York Times says that on 26 December 2011, the Fukushima Nuclear Power Plant accident Investigation Committee released their preliminary findings. The state-appointed committee reported grossly inadequate responses from both the government and the plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power (Tepco.)
On Friday 6 January 2011, the Japanese government announced details of new nuclear safety regulations it plans to present to parliament early this...
31 Oct 2011
Indonesia generates 86% of its electricity from conventional fossil fuel sources (coal, gas, and oil). It was also the third-largest generator of geothermal power in 2009. The country had 27.8GW installed generating capacity and generated 122BKWh of electricity, during 2008. 86% of which came from fossil fuels (oil, natural gas, and coal), 8%...
State-owned electric utility PT PLN (Perusahaan Listrik Negara) is the main actor in the electric power sector. PLN owns and operates 86% of the country’s generating capacity through its subsidiaries. It still maintains a virtual monopoly over distribution. The 2009 Electricity Law ends PLN’s distribution monopoly, but sufficient implementing regulations have yet to come into effect.
Before the Asian financial crisis, Indonesia planned to increase its power supply. PLN opened the...
11 Apr 2012
Despite rampant anti-nuclear demonstrations, India holds to its commitment to boost nuclear energy and the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCIL) surpasses all records in nuclear power generation.
What happened
Despite widespread antinuclear protest, India’s nuclear agenda has never been stronger.
Krista Mahr at TIME’s Global Spin says India’s Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh took his moment at the podium at the Nuclear Security Summit “to reassert India’s commitment to nuclear energy.” And the Times of India, B Sivakuma reports that the NPCIL exceeded all historic records for electricity generation in the 2011-2012 financial year.
Background...
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