Energy Africa round-up (Sept 8 2010)

SA could increase its nuclear power output

South Africa utilising more nuclear energy?

Bloomberg are reporting that South Africa may need to utilise nuclear power in an effort to keep up with current energy demands according to its Energy Minister Dipuo Peters.

In Peters' speech in Johannesburg, the minister expressed the need for more than one nuclear power station, citing the countries growth.
Nuclear power currently accounts for four percent of South Africa's energy needs.

South African gaming reserve gets solar power boost

The Aquila Private Game Reserve in South Africa is the recipient of German company Concentrix Solar's first foray onto African soil, with the European company building a 60kw concentrated photovoltaics (CPV) plant, with plans to increase the output to 50 MW.

Concentrix Solar's CEO Hansjorg Lerchenmuller said South Africa's renewable energy feed-in tariff (Refit) had made the country an attractive choice for the German energy company.

Andre-Jacque Auberton-Herve, the chairman and chief executive of Soitec, which bought Concentrix in December, explained that because of its high-irradiation areas, future investments in South Africa could provide the cheapest way of producing solar power in the future.

"We believe that South Africa is a sustainable and long-term market, and that's why we decided to invest here," Lerchenmuller said. "We came to South Africa to be here long term, to create value for the country and to create jobs."

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