Tag: electricity

Two Gauteng residential developments, 304 On Main in Ferndale and Kierland Skye in Benoni, have turned their backs on Eskom power. They are now saving tens of thousands of rand each month while ensuring uninterrupted electricity for hundreds of residents in each complex.

South Africa’s revamped carbon tax policy, coming into effect in 2026, signals a decisive shift in the country’s climate and energy landscape. With stricter emissions thresholds and an expanded scope for carbon offsets, the carbon tax overhaul is set to drive major investment in renewable energy. It will also reshape how businesses source electricity. This policy evolution opens new doors, even though some hurdles remain.

Access to reliable electricity remains a significant challenge across Sub-Saharan Africa, particularly in rural areas. Expanding grid infrastructure is often prohibitively expensive and impractical due to difficult terrain and large distances from urban centres. As a result, millions of people rely on costly and polluting diesel generators or go without electricity altogether. Off-grid solar solutions have emerged as a transformative tool in bridging this energy gap.

We support efforts to ensure the safety and performance of the national grid. We remind businesses and members of the public about the mandatory requirement to register Small-Scale Embedded Generators (SSEG). SSEG refers to a customer-owned generation unit. This unit typically generates less than 1MW/1MVA and connects to the electricity distribution network.

During the 1990s and early 2000s, South African mines bought electricity from Eskom at regulated tariffs. These tariffs were globally competitive. Eskom prioritised the mines as their most important customers. Eskom faced few hurdles related to climate change concerns. Buyers had little choice, but the energy was cheap and reliable. There were few viable alternatives.

Africa, a continent blessed with abundant natural resources, is home to many people reliant on traditional cooking methods. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), nearly four out of five Africans still use traditional cooking fuels. These fuels include wood and charcoal, which contribute to deforestation and carbon pollution.

Local government in South Africa faces challenges such as bureaucratic inefficiencies, lack of resources, and widespread corruption. These issues often hinder local government's ability to effectively meet the dire needs of the community.

Steel is one of the most commonly manufactured materials in the world, because it has such a wide variety of uses – steel is everywhere, from construction to vehicles, home goods to robotics. Steel production is also hugely carbon intensive, representing a significant proportion of global man-made carbon emissions. In the universal quest for Net Zero and carbon neutral, green steel production is critical.

As the world’s second largest continent, the vast expanse Africa lends itself to remote operations, often hundreds of kilometres away from civilisation and the hub of infrastructure and supply such as energy. Industries like mining, minerals and metals often must contend with considerable energy loss or high transportation costs of diesel (for self-generation) due to these vast distances.

Mining is a historically linear process – we take materials from the earth, make products from them and eventually throw them away as waste. With the intensification of climate change, environmental degradation, pollution – all products of linear economies – the mining industry needs to transition to a circular economy.