Wind and solar bringing energy independence to Africa
Early this year, the Rio+20 conference saw increased calls for a green economy that would help African governments cease being net energy importers through the use of renewable energy resources such as wind and solar.
Greening Africa: The turbines turn http://www.africareview.com/Special-Reports/Greening-Africa-The-turbines-turn/-/979182/1654236/-/uuxs6a/-/index.html
December 30 2012
This month, the UK’s Blue Energy announced it would sink $400 million into building sub-Saharan Africa’s largest photovoltaic solar power plant in Ghana, to meet six per cent of that country’s energy needs.
The planned 155MW Nzema project places Ghana among a growing list of African countries that have recently looked to tap into clean energy to meet their huge power deficits, to reduce their dependence on fossil fuels and by extension secure their very existence. Continue reading
Ghana’s The 155-megawatt Nzema solar energy project
155MW Solar Farm For Ghana http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3533 30 Dec 12, A UK company will construct Africa’s largest solar panel based power plant; which will be fully operational in 2015.
The facility will be developed by Blue Energy; a firm majority owned and funded by members of the Stadium Group, one of Europe’s largest private asset and development companies.
The 155-megawatt Nzema project will be the first utility scale solar project to get the green light under Ghana’s 2011 Renewable Energy Act. Continue reading
Indigenous community resisting nuclear reactor in Eastern Cape, South Africa
the Gamtkwa community still feels marginalised
and establishing a nuclear reactor atop a priceless heritage site is
likely to alienate them further.
There goes the neighbourhood…and here comes nuclear, Mail and
Guardian, Africa,
21 DEC 2012 05:00 – LIONEL FAULL
What happens when government plans to build a nuclear plant in your
hometown? Lionel Faull went to the Eastern Cape to find out.The
process of rolling out a massive nuclear power expansion programme
gained momentum in November when the Cabinet endorsed electricity
utility Eskom as the owner and operator of the proposed new nuclear
power stations. But the plan still faces an uphill public battle, not
least from the people in whose back yard the first new nuclear
behemoth is going to be carved out.
The Mail & Guardian went to Thyspunt in the Eastern Cape, where Eskom
is finalising the environmental plan for its preferred site, to hear
what locals have to say about living next door to nukes……. Continue reading
Malawi protest against uranium mining company called off. Why?
Malawi group gets Paladin’s K0.9 million to publicize aborted protest … The Maravi Post-14/11/2012 Malawi group gets Paladin’s K0.9 million to publicize aborted … MZUZU–Paladin (Africa) Limited has provided funds amounting to K900, 000 … subscribers only
Paladin accuser recants threat allegation; Kyungu’s point man ... The Maravi Post-26/11/2012 MZUZU–Karonga Youth for Justice and Development (KYJD) has recanted the allegation made against Paladin (Africa) Limited, owners of … subscribers only http://www.maravipost.com/malawi-news/society/2331-paladin-accuser-recants-threat-allegation-kyungu%E2%80%99s-point-man-praises-mining-firm.html
Solar power enables vegetables to be grown in the Sahara
Cucumbers In The Sahara – Thanks To Solar Powerby Energy Matters, 10 Dec 12The first cucumbers produced in the Sahara desert using seawater and solar power were served up to participants at UN Climate Negotiations in Doha.
Cucumber may be a warm-season vegetable, but the Sahara desert is a rather extreme environment even for this sun loving plant as it is also quite thirsty.
The Sahara Forest Project has combined saltwater-cooled greenhouses, concentrated solar power (CSP), solar panels and desalination technologies to produce the crop from what is otherwise barren land. Salt created from the process is on-sold to third parties. Key to the project is not so much any individual technology, but how they work together….. http://www.energymatters.com.au/index.php?main_page=news_article&article_id=3507
Economic doubts about South African govt’s nuclear power programme
Do we really need a nuclear fleet?, Business Report, Mike Kantey, November 25 2012 Despite protestations by thousands of South Africans, our ANC-led government seems determined to spend over R1 trillion on a nuclear fleet, including a uranium enrichment plant, a fuel assembly plant, a reprocessing plant and a high-level waste management facility.
How has this impossibly expensive project been motivated and by whom? Continue reading
Algeria’s program; renewable energy at home and for export
Algeria Targets 22,000 MW Of Renewable Energy By 2030 http://cleantechnica.com/2012/11/22/algeria-targets-22000-mw-of-renewable-energy-by-2030/ NOVEMBER 22, 2012 BY ADAM JOHNSTON
North African country Algeria is upping the ante in the renewable energy game. According to a recent PV-Tech article, the country hopes to have 22 gigawatts (GW) of renewable energy online by the year 2030, with a good part being exported on the international market. State-owned utility Sonelgaz, is expected to build 4.2 GW of renewables itself, providing underlying support towards Algeria’s goal.
Next year will see the first phase of the ambitious project, which will eventually include solar photovoltaic energy, concentrated solar power, and wind energy. As noted by PV Tech:
The first phase, which is expected to start in 2013, will include 1,228MW from PV power plants, followed by 2,475MW of concentrated solar (CSP) and 516MW of wind energy by 2022.
Besides Sonelgaz’s commitment to wind and solar, the utility also has a deal with the Desertec CHP project, to look at possibly exporting 1 GW to European countries.
With lots of sun to harness, Algeria, if it succeeds, could be a renewable energy market to watch out for in the years to come.
Clean Technica (http://s.tt/1uuid)
Read more at http://cleantechnica.com/2012/11/22/algeria-targets-22000-mw-of-renewable-energy-by-2030/#rZLuYkJV7RGcRxAr.99
Africa racing ahead with renewable energy
Africa’s renewable energy sector to be worth $57b by 2020 – UN Ghana Business News, By Emmanuel K. Dogbevi, November 18, 2012 The demand for power in Africa is expected to grow, driving the projected worth of continent’s renewable energy sector to $57 billion by the year 2020, a senior UN official has said. Mr. Said Adejumobi, the Director, Governance and Public Administration Division of the United Nations Economic Commission for
Africa (ECA) told a business forum of investors in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, that the sector recorded “a staggering 1,583% increase between 2004 and 2011.”
He indicated that the enormous growth amounts to $3.6 billion in 2011 from $750 million in 2004 and is mainly due to the large unmet demand, combined with abundantly available sources of renewable energy in Africa…. The key growth areas in the sector he said, include wind, solar and geothermal power, he therefore emphasised the need for foreign direct investment into the continent’s energy and power infrastructure. “Investment in renewable energy, is a major priority for Africa,” he said.
The Forum according to Sam Cho, who heads the ECA’s private sector section brought together investors, banks, government investment agencies and those in the energy sector to discuss interests, concrete investments and other areas of collaboration. Among those present at the Forum are emerging market investors from China, India, Korea and Brazil, financing departments from the World Bank, the AfDB, DBSA, AFC and Ecobank.
http://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2012/11/18/africas-renewable-energy-sector-to-be-worth-57b-by-2020-un/
Uranium dust used as pesticide in Tanzania: urgent need to stop this
Action needed’ on uranium use in Tanzania, DW 11 Nov 12, Reports say Tanzanian farmers have used uranium dust as a pesticide. Immediate inspections are needed, says Ute Koczy, a member of the German parliament and Green Party spokeswoman on development issues. Continue reading
How multinational uranium companies diddled Tanzania out of its tax revenue
the transfer of Mantra Resources Limited to ARMZ enables its former shareholders to pocket $1.04 billion without paying capital gains to the Tanzanian government…. Mantra Resources Limited of Australia was supposed to have paid capital gains tax to Tanzania.
Sh320bn loss looming over uranium project , 29 September 2012 By Felix Lazaro, The Citizen Dar es Salaam. Tanzania risks losing about Sh320 billion in mining taxes because of weak legal checks, particularly when it comes to uranium.
Local mining experts said yesterday that the country must go back to the drawing board and put in place a watertight policy and regulations before it allows uranium mining.Earnings from the mineral are believed to have the potential to turn around the lives of thousands of poor Tanzanians.
The chief concern right now, though, is that some subsidiaries of multinational firms licensed to explore uranium in Tanzania are capitalising on a weak legal and institutional framework to transfer ownership to affiliated companies. Continue reading
Doom and gloom for the uranium industry – no improvement in sight
End of last month, the price had fallen to US$49.25 and for most of September, it hovered at the US$48 mark. This is almost 60% below the entry level target as calculated by Bannerman. The impact on the development of new mines, is obvious.
I believe the commodities boom is over, or at least on hold for another five years. In the meantime, no new mines.
Our Anticipated Uranium Projects Will Not Go Ahead, Except One [analysis] Equities.com Daniel Steinmann All Africa Global Media 22 Sept12, Bannerman Resources, the Australian company driving one of four new uranium projects in Namibia, recently said at a mining conference, the price for uranium U308 needs to be between US$75 and US$90 per pound (0.454kg) to drive any new investment in greenfields uranium mines.
Hidden in this seemingly neutral observation and analysis, are many serious consequences for the further development of the uranium sector Continue reading
Opposition to nuclear power for Nigeria
critics are worried that the project will do the country more harm than good. They say the effect of radioactive substance cuts across both geography and politics, and if not properly managed, may compromise not only the lives of the present generation but also several generations yet unborn.
What Nigeria needs now is investment in safe alternatives that will not harm the environment and the people.
Furore over nuclear power plant in Nigeria The Guardian, 06 SEPTEMBER 2012 00:00 FROM CHUKWUMA MUANYA AND EMEKA ANUFORO, FOCUS PRESIDENT Goodluck Jonathan and the relevant agencies set up to actualize Nigeria’s dream of becoming a “nuclear power” are excited that the national nuclear power programme has reached an advanced stage.
Nigeria and Russian had in June begun implementation of a nuclear power generation agreement signed in June 2009, to facilitate cooperation on the development of nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. Continue reading
In Africa – uranium mining down: solar energy up
Areva suspends Trekkopje uranium mine project, Paul Langley’s Nuclear history Blog, 24 Aug 12 Areva has decided to suspend the Trekkopje uranium mine project. …. Rumours already started in October Areva planned to abandon the Trekkopje uranium mine project as part of a massive restructuring program that is to be set up in reaction to a drop in demand caused by the German nuclear phase-out and the Fukushima disaster….
Solar Project Aims to Becomes Largest in West Africa By Steve Leone, Associate Editor, RenewableEnergyWorld.com October 25, 2011 DALLAS, Texas — An American-based investment group has secured a power purchase agreement with the Namibian government to build a 500-megawatt photovoltaic power plant near the capital of Windhoek.
If built, the plant would represent the largest solar installation in West Africa, and could eventually include wind generation and grow up to 1 gigawatt. The group, led by Washington-based project developer SSI Energy Solutions (SSIES), is the parent company of Africa Energy Corp., which was set up for the Namibia project. Partners in the project include former SunEdison CEO Jigar Shah, Tom Amis and Nik Patesh of clean-energy law firm Cooley LLP, Eric Henderson of the Beacon Group and Adam Stern and Gary Kleiman of The Gemstone Group……. The project is far bigger than any solar project currently online in the southern hemisphere. South Africa, which borders Namibia, has garned the most interest in the region for large-scale developments…. http://nuclearhistory.wordpress.com/2012/08/23/areva-suspends-trekkopje-uranium-mine-project/
Protest organised against uranium mining in Selous Game Reserve
UNESCO sacrifices wildlife preserve for uranium mine New World Heritage sites are always announced with an especially effective publicity. However, the decision for the boundary change in the Selous Game Reserve was not communicated to the public. Now that the UNESCO has accepted the boundary change, they have made way for a major uranium mine called Mkuju River Uranium Project . It will be owned by Russian ARMZ, a subsidiary of ROSATOM, together with the Canadian company Uranium One.
“Uranium mining is incompatible with World Heritage”
In 2011, the UNESCO announced that „mining activities and dam projects would be incompatible with the status of World Heritage sites“. At the same time, the government of Tanzania announced that they had agreed to a declaration of intent for the construction of a dam in the Rufiji river with a Brasilian Company. The river runs through the centre of the Selous Reserve and is supposed to secure the electricity for the planned uranium mining project.
The „Convention Concerning the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage“ of UNESCO has been ratified by 189 states. The UN runs a list of 962 World Heritage sites, this includes 188 World Natural Heritages, as well as the Selous Game Reserve in Tanzania.
In the areas where uranium mines are active, there have been severe damages to the environment and the health of the local communities. With their decision, the UNESCO is co-responsible for the future destruction of the environment and human life in the Selous Game Reserve.
Environmental groups accuse the UNESCO of failure and irresponsibility. Their decision appears to be influenced by corporate and lobby interests. Now there is a risk that this case has set a precedent that endangers the protection of other World Heritage sites for similiar interests.
We must not let a World Heritage site be sacrificed. Please support this letter of protest to the UNESCO. https://www.rainforest-rescue.org/mailalert/883/unesco-sacrifices-wildlife-preserve-for-uranium-mine#.UCZ9m-i6aQF.facebook
Tanzania uranium project held up till Australian company Mantra pays taxes
Tanzania: Uranium Project Licence Shelved Till Tax Bill Paid, Beyond Nuclear 12 Aug 12, Dodoma – A SPECIAL mining licence to allow Russian firm, Uranium One start mining at Mkuju River in the Selous Game Reserve buffer zone, will not be issued until Australian Mantra Resources pay over 180 million US dollars (approx. 292.12bn/-) in taxes, the Parliament was told.
1 This Month
26 September – International Day for the Total Elimination of Nuclear Weapons
PLEASE OPPOSE HR 8255 AND S.3639 – bills would accelerate satellite deployment, with no environmental review or safeguards – https://ncstd5li.quorum.us/campaign/169331/
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