focusIR May 2024 Investor Webinar: Blue Whale, Kavango, Taseko Mines & CQS Natural Resources. Catch up with the webinar here.
https://m.engineeringnews.co.za/article/dmre-delays-release-of-renewables-bid-documentation-2021-04-01
The release of the request for proposal (RFP) documentation for Bid Window 5 (BW 5) of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) has been delayed, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has confirmed.
The department reports that the delay is the result of a need to align certain parts of the RFP documents with feedback from National Treasury on the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act exemption application
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DMRE delays release of renewables bid documentation
1st April 2021 BY: TERENCE CREAMER
CREAMER MEDIA EDITOR
The release of the request for proposal (RFP) documentation for Bid Window 5 (BW 5) of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) has been delayed, the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) has confirmed.
The department reports that the delay is the result of a need to align certain parts of the RFP documents with feedback from National Treasury on the Preferential Procurement Policy Framework Act exemption application.
It says it intends to release the BW 5 documentation by no later than April 12 and that registration for potential bidders remains open.
Registration was opened just after 12:00 on March 19 and the RFP is expected to call for independent power producer (IPP) bids for the development of 1 600 MW of wind and 1 000 MW of solar photovoltaic (PV) power, with project sizes ranging from a minimum of 1 MW to a maximum of 140 MW for wind and between 1 MW and 75 MW for solar PV.
Prospective bidders are required to pay a non-refundable fee of R25 000 to access the RFP documentation for a single project. Bidders intending to submit more than one project will need to make a supplementary payment of R25 000 for each additional project.
“Government remains committed to the urgent procurement of the much-needed energy to power our economic recovery. We are working in earnest to ensure that this delay does not negatively affect the timelines we have set out to get these projects connected to the grid,” the DMRE said.
Under its revised timelines, the bid submission date is August 16, rather than August 4 as initially communicated.
A bidders conference, which was initially scheduled for April, has been pushed back to May, with the actual date yet to be confirmed.
The REIPPPP BW 5 represents the first renewable procurement round since 2014.
Projects procured during BW 4 did not enter into construction until 2018, however, after Eskom, which is the single buyer of electricity produced by the IPPs, refused to enter into power purchase agreements on th
https://youtu.be/Qm75vgBFREw
VIPTAM Storage Battery Technology Institute
Vanadium storage battery is takes advantage over other batteries such as Lithium. The VIPTAM Technology Application Institute is the first unit in Asia to participate in the production of energy batteries and is also one of five countries in the world directly participating in this industry.
https://viptam.com/
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-gunvor-grp-renewables-emissions-idUSKBN2BM1CA
LONDON (Reuters) - Energy trader Gunvor Group aims to cut its Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 40% in absolute terms by 2025, the company said on Tuesday, and has set up a new subsidiary to invest in non-hydrocarbon projects.
The Geneva-based firm, which is among the top five global oil traders, aims to cut emissions it produces directly, and those from the electricity it uses, against its 2019 total of 1.9 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent.
Its new unit will invest in biofuel, renewable power projects such as solar and biomass, and the commercialisation of alternative fuels like hydrogen and ammonia, it said.
The company, called Nyera, or New Era in Swedish, will be allocated a minimum of 10% of Gunvor’s net equity, amounting to at least $500 million with leverage over the next three years, it added.
Gunvor hopes to invite partners to invest further, Chief Executive Torbjorn Tornqvist told Reuters, “so we hope it will be substantially bigger than our 10% equity contribution”.
The energy sector has come under heavy pressure from investors and governments alike to move towards greener energy sources.
Oil major BP plans to cut oil and gas output by 40% and boost investments in wind and solar, while Royal Dutch Shell is betting on power trading and hydrogen and biofuels markets as it shifts away from oil.
Gunvor and other trading firms are investing more in gas as a transitional fuel to a greener energy mix, as its emissions, while still high, are lower than coal and oil.
“Our view is that we also have to deal with hydrocarbons and decarbonise them, primarily natural gas, because these will still be a significant proportion of the future energy mix,” said Tornqvist.
“Our fastest expanding areas are LNG, physical natural gas, power, and we’re also beefing up our carbon emissions trading,” he added.
As part of its sustainability goals, Gunvor’s shipping arm Clearlake will convert its fleet to low or zero-emission vessels.
The firm mothballed its refinery at Antwerp, Belgium but still runs two others, at Ingolstadt in Germany and in the Netherlands’ Rotterdam oil hub. The German refinery will undergo a turnaround in 2023 to boost efficiency and cut emissions.
Rotterdam’s two crude processing units were shut in mid-2020 to focus on desulfurization. The plant has started using hydrogen for vegetable oil treatment and is evaluating the addition of an HVO unit to make biodiesel.
Rival trading house Trafigura said in January it would cut Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 30% by 2023, and set up a new renewables and power division and green investment vehicle.
Mercuria has teamed up with U.S. private equity firms to invest up to $1.5 billion in renewable projects, while Glencore said it plans to reach net-zero emissions by 2050.
https://investingnews.com/daily/tech-investing/cleantech-investing/europe-evolving-energy-storage-market/
Interest in energy storage has increased over the past few years as governments around the world look at moving away from fossil fuels and toward cleaner energy sources.
In Europe, the European Commission, which is the executive branch of the European Union (EU), has highlighted energy storage as key in the transition towards a carbon-neutral economy.
Having more energy storage options would allow the region to balance power grids and save surplus energy; it would also help improve energy efficiency and integrate more renewable energy sources into electricity systems. Other reasons to focus on energy storage include creating energy security in the area and setting up an internal market with lower prices for consumers.
Where is Europe at so far in terms of energy storage developments? The Investing News Network (INN) asked experts what the landscape looks like right now and what energy storage systems may gain traction in the future. Here’s what they said...
https://m.cnfeol.com/Article/2196363.aspx
Dalian Borong New Materials Company and Rongke
Energy Storage Company visited Chuanwei Group to discuss cooperation in the vanadium battery industry...
https://nairametrics.com/2021/03/29/meet-the-bottled-water-billionaire-who-dethroned-jack-ma-to-become-the-richest-man-in-china/
WATCHMeet the bottled water billionaire who dethroned Jack Ma to become the richest man in China
Zhong Shanshan is the current richest man in China and is worth $62.3 billion...
Windows equipped with this combination of nanocomb and Vanadium Oxide will also be water repellent in nature. This can have more than one benefit. When it rains, the water will quickly run off the surface and will also clean any dirt along the way. This will make the windows capable of self cleaning and safe especially when used in skyscrapers or any tall structures.
The main aim of this project is to provide ventilation to the re-modified buildings using the smart window technology. Installing modern ventilation system like air conditioning proves to be very difficult and expensive in such buildings. The smart window is expected to solve both the problems by providing better shade from the sun and to supply fresh air into the building.
https://techstory.in/smart-windows-to-replace-air-conditioners/
Energy efficiency is a common problem faced by many countries across the globe. Despite a lot of technology developed and utilized to make buildings energy efficient, windows are usually ignored. Until recently the designs of windows have not been modernized or were made using the amount of technology deployed for buildings. This statement was given by Ioannis Papakonstantinou, a professor at the University College London UK teaching nano engineering.
Under his research project Intelglazing, research is being done to create a model of window coating which is just a nanometre thin that can facilitate better insulation for the buildings by employing new ideas in nanotechnology and photonics (the physics of light). Mr Ioannis Papakonstantinou says, “If you start blending these (window) coatings with nanotechnology, then you can push the performance boundaries to much higher levels.”
These smart windows are capable of controlling the amount of heat entering and leaving the building. This will in turn, reduce the need and dependency on energy intensive air conditioning units which will also lead to more energy efficient buildings in Europe. This could be a huge sigh of relief as approximately 75% of European buildings are energy inefficient and the authorities are aiming at re-modifying them in order to prevent heat costs.
This glass technology is divided into two parts, a ‘nanocomb’ structure overlapping each other to scatter the sunlight and the second part is where the windows become energy efficient. The ‘nanocomb’ part is made out of nanostructured glass which is microscopic in nature. This glass has a similar appearance to tiny hair combs which stand at a less than one micrometer of height. These nanocombs reduce the glare that enters through the window.
In order to make the windows energy efficient the researchers are experimenting with a substance called Vanadium Oxide, a chemical compound which is thermochromic in nature. This substance can be attached to the nanocombs. Vanadium Oxide being thermochromic can change its colour depending on the temperature.
In simple words how it will function is, on hot days reacting to the temperature Vanadium Oxide will change its structure. This will lead to darkening of this substance thus rejecting most of the sunlight entering through the window. On cold days it will behave in the opposite way by lightening its structure and letting most of the sunlight in thus keeping the room relatively warm. Mr Ioannis Papakonstantinou said, “You can change the chemical composition of vanadium dioxide in a way that it can switch at a higher or lower temperature. So you have some quite good control.”
Worth a watch on Netflix.
https://inc42.com/resources/five-ways-artificial-intelligence-is-changing-the-water-industry/
Artificial Intelligence has seeped into every sector for good, making lives easier and better. One such crucial sector which is benefitting from the benefits of AI is the water industry. Water being the most essential natural resource for human life is also available in a small amount. There is only 2.5% of the earth’s water which is freshwater. And, out of the total, only 0.5% is available freshwater, hence ringing an alarm for the need to conserve and manage this natural resource better.
The water crisis in India is as real as it can get. While some parts of the country are hit by incessant rains, others are hit by droughts, thereby making the availability of fresh drinking water acute.
Traditionally, there were wells, public tanks, and artificial lakes as a few measures to conserve water. But with rapid urbanization, these traditional methods are long-forgotten. As a result, there is a need for changes suitable to cater to the water requirement of the country’s rising population.
This is where AI comes into play. Artificial Intelligence has the potential to help purify, distribute and manage the existing water resources in a more efficient manner.
Having said that, it is also important to point out that one of the biggest issues that India faces in water distribution and storage is that of water leakage. In Asia alone, 29 billion cubic meters of water is wasted to leakage which is enough water for 150 million people. In fact, just a drop of water leakage is equal to 11,000 liters of water wasted every year. Hence, it becomes absolutely vital to work on water conservation.
Against such a backdrop, let’s take a look at how artificial intelligence can play an important role;
Water Quality Management: Apart from the leaks and water wastage, another water issue widely prevailing is the quality of water. As per the World Health Organization, there are more than 2 billion people who are affected by contaminated water. But with artificial intelligence, the water quality issues like this can be addressed as well.
AI helps in detecting sources of contamination in the pipeline or via leaks. Whenever there is a variance in quality, the technology deployed can help send alerts and call for an immediate fix. For a long time, we have relied on chemical-based water sensors like chemical test strips. But with AI, there can be an immediate detection of contamination using sensors. Such systems can be installed across the cities to ensure water quality management.
https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/green-stocks-esg-investing-climate-change-joe-biden-jpmorgan-2021-3-1030252083
Green stocks have got caught up in the tech sell-off. But it's just a dip, as climate investing is set to power ahead under Biden, according to JPMorgan...
https://www.energy-storage.news/news/long-duration-storage-multitude-of-solutions-set-to-step-up-to-the-plate
Long-duration storage: multitude of solutions set to step up to the plate.
The drive towards longer duration energy storage will likely be multifaceted, with different technologies finding their place both in front of and behind the meter...
https://stockhead.com.au/resources/chinas-big-battery-sector-lights-a-rocket-under-vanadium-prices/
The vanadium investment buzz of late 2018, when V2O5 prices peaked above $US35/lb, was sparked by the nascent battery storage thematic.
The rate of stationary storage was about to grow exponentially and 25 per cent would be comprised by vanadium batteries — also known as vanadium redox flow batteries (or VRFBs).
VRFBs are a perfect fit for large scale stationary storage.
But this was investor speculation in a market that had not really established itself yet. These high prices vanished almost as quickly as they arrived.
By mid 2019 V2O5 prices settled around the $US4/lb to $US7/lb mark and all those bandwagon ASX explorers – the ones without quality projects – quickly moved on to the next big thing.
In early 2021, what’s left are the quality explorers and an industry building to meet projected demand from the burgeoning steel and nascent battery sectors.
Steel still accounts for around 90% of vanadium consumption.
Of the remainder, 9% is used in aerospace alloy and chemical catalysts, and 1% goes into VRFBs, according to Argus.
Vanadium prices are now stirring as steel consumption soars and VRFB developments become real.
As long as vanadium prices don’t get too high the small battery sector could really take off.
China’s aim to accelerate a transition to lower energy consumption and to stimulate demand for renewable energy and energy storage products has prompted local companies to get cracking on VRFB developments, Argus says.
On March 15, VRB announced plans to build a 100MW solar photovoltaic and 100MW/500MWh vanadium flow battery integrated power station in central China’s Hubei province.
Shanghai Electric has unveiled plans for a 100MW/400MWh VRFB project in Yancheng in east China’s Jiangsu province.
Rongke Power is on track to launch a 200MW/800MWh facility in Dalian in northwest China’s Liaoning province this year.
The list goes on. How much vanadium could these batteries potentially soak up? A lot.
“Market participants estimate around 9.25t of vanadium pentoxide is used in each MWh of vanadium storage battery,” Argus says.
“China is expected to install around 30-60GWh of new energy storage capacity by 2030, corresponding to 28,000-56,000 t/yr of extra demand for vanadium pentoxide during 2021-2030.”
We know what could help with this...
https://twitter.com/BenKentish/status/1374778772050829313?s=19
Interesting;
https://www.just-auto.com/news/audi-plans-50-drop-in-water-consumption-by-2035_id200910.aspx
The company plans to keep its own water consumption to a minimum and stop using drinking water In vehicle production in the future. To this end, Audi is implementing efficient processes and closed water cycles,. And increasing the use of rainwater. In the long term, Audi plans to implement closed water cycles at all production locations...
https://www.globaltimes.cn/page/202103/1219144.shtml
To celebrate the World Water Day 2021 on Monday, China introduced its latest experience in water resource scientific management to developing countries and the international community with the release of an animated book on water education for youngsters.
The English version of the book, compiled by the China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research and released on Monday, aims to enrich the knowledge of water resources and promote the value of scientific water use to children and teenagers in developing countries.
The book will be introduced into primary and secondary schools in more countries that participate in the Belt and Road Initiative in Africa, Asia, and Central and Eastern Europe, under the support of the International Hydrological Program of UNESCO. This project will enable more students to understand the water goals of the United Nations for sustainable development by 2030 as well as the potential challenges.
It took six years to compile the book, which will be first used in primary and secondary schools in Africa, especially in eastern African countries, to share China's successful experience in water protection and conservation with local youth.
As of 2017, 2.2 billion people around the world lacked access to safe drinking water, and about 720 million lived in areas with severe water shortages. China has made efforts in ensuring that poor areas have full access to safe drinking water, and has implemented a national water saving plan amid those challenges, Tian Xuebin, Vice Minister of Water Resources of China, said on Monday at the launch of the book.
China has constantly strengthened cross-border cooperation on water resources in recent years in "innovative, opening and sharing ways," Tian said.
The launch of the English version of the book fully reflects the common willingness of the Chinese government and UNESCO to make positive contributions to global water education, Tian noted.
Shamila Nair-Bedouelle, UNESCO's Assistant Director General for Natural Sciences , mentioned she expects that the vivid and inspiring stories in the book will attract African students, teachers and communities to work together to improve water education in Africa.
Ann Therese Ndong-Jatta, Director of the UNESCO Regional Office for Eastern Africa, said that water is an indispensable element in the process of achieving sustainable development in the continent, and education on science can instill the awareness of water conservation and care in the minds of young people, which is an effective way to deal with today's water challenges.
Long article;
https://www.energy-storage.news/news/batteries-will-enable-large-scale-dispatchable-renewable-energy-on-south-af
Batteries will enable large-scale dispatchable renewable energy on South Africa’s grid.
After a recent tender process, up to 1,300MWh of grid-connected energy storage will be deployed in combination with renewable energy in South Africa through a number of large-scale projects.
The country’s Ministry of Mineral Resources and Energy has conducted a tender through its ‘Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Programme’ (RMIPP) for up to 2GW of energy capacity, needed to bridge the gap between demand and supply. Independent power producers took part to get 20-year power purchase agreements (PPAs) for energy facilities that can dispatch power to the grid as required by system operator ESKOM between the hours of 5am and 9:30pm each day...
Nice find Jimson. Speedos time.
More info here.
https://www.endsreport.com/article/1710641/defra-announces-year-round-bathing-water-monitoring
Part of commitments made by the government on World Water Day, Pow has vowed that the UK’s waters will be made safer for swimming.
In 2018, Sport England’s Active Lives survey found that 7.5 million people swim in open water and outdoor pools, and uptake has continued to increase. The Outdoor Swimming Society has seen website traffic increase by 46% (785,000 visitors) since the first lockdown, and their membership has increased by 36%. Similarly, open-water lakes have reported up to a 1,000-fold increase in visitor numbers.
Speaking to The Telegraph, Pow said: "In this country we are lucky to take safe drinking water for granted, but climate change and a growing population mean our water environment is under increasing pressure. I am personally committed to driving up the quality of our lakes, chalk streams, rivers and seas for the public to enjoy.
"Those who live in or visit Ilkley in Yorkshire to swim in its beautiful river will now benefit from its new bathing water status which means that the same regular regime of monitoring of the water quality will operate as is carried out for bathing areas on the coast. In a new move our designated bathing waters will be monitored year round as opposed to only in a window over the summer."
Until now, only coastal waters have received bathing water status, under a directive from the EU to protect the aquatic environment and safeguard public health. Bathing waters are given an annual assessment as excellent, good, sufficient or poor, based on the level of bacteria in the water over the last four years.
Campaigners have fought for better water standards in UK rivers across the UK, after regular stories of water companies pumping raw sewage into rivers as overflow, as well as pollution caused by road runoff and plastics.
In September 2020, DEFRA published data showing that none of England’s rivers met the legal water quality standard thresholds.
Emma Howard Boyd, chair of the Environment Agency, said in an interview with the Guardian in February 2020, that the idea of improving rivers to become bathing waters was a “gamechanger”, which could drive more funding to clean up the water.
Pow added: "Bathing water status on the river Wharfe designated area won't bring round overnight change, but in the long term it will focus minds on cleaning up the river as it has done for our coastal areas. Over 98% of bathing waters passed the minimum standard, with 93% being rated as Excellent or Good.
"As spring gets underway and more people start swimming outdoors, we want to make sure they have clean and healthy waters to enjoy."
https://wwtonline.co.uk/news/innovations-in-microbiology-generating-opportunities-in-water
Professor Tobias Barnard, a biochemist from the University of Johannesburg in South Africa, gave a rapid overview of innovations that could enhance water treatment.
Barnard said that microbiology “needs to be investigated more” for deployment in a wider range of water and wastewater applications. He shared techniques and approaches that could be deployed, including the use of predatory bacteria in combination with solar disinfection to eliminate harmful microbes; and hunting for ‘extremophiles’, bacteria adapted to environments with extreme conditions that may have the characteristics required for specific applications.
The online event took place on 11 March 2021 and was themed Innovation in Microbiology. It is available on the Water Action Platform and is the 25th webinar since the network’s launch to support water utilities grappling with the emerging pandemic a year ago. Today there are some 1,300 members across 92 countries and content is free at point of use.
Two further microbiology related technologies were presented during the webinar, both of them suitable for onsite analysis.
Canadian technology company Tecta-PDS has developed the world’s first rapid microbial test for E coli, coliforms and enterococcal bacteria and is already supplying hundreds of water utilities and municipal labs globally.
Chief executive Doug Wilton said: “It has incredible ease-of-use and can test the entire water system including drinking water, wastewater, raw water and even sludge.”
The system is already in use in Singapore, Kuwait, North America and Australia, where Sydney Water has fitted out an entire fleet of mobile labs to improve their testing turnaround times.
QBiowater, a proprietary technology from the UK, uses autonomous wastewater monitoring to gain insights that reduce the spread of disease during pandemics. Chairman and co-founder Vito D’Ancona said that the enzymatic molecular assay has been developed to passively gather information on a targeted population to monitor and prevent the spread of future pandemics.
“It can be delivered fully configured for easy installation and is telemetry controlled,” he said
One man's trash is another man's treasure.
Roll on the 50p party ;)