Gauteng Business 2022/23
The 2022/23 edition of Gauteng Business is the 13th issue of this highly successful publication that has established itself as the premier business and investment guide for the Gauteng Province. In addition to the regular articles providing insight into each of the key economic sectors of the province, a special feature on the growth and significance of the green economy is included in this edition. Every sector from agriculture to transport and logistics is referenced, with several Gauteng companies taking the lead in the field of creating a more sustainable future for themselves and for their clients. The fact that mining companies and others are starting to build facilities to generate power is significant for the country as a whole. Gold Fields’ 40MW solar project at its South Deep mine is one of the first of its kind and it is certainly a precursor of what we can expect to see a lot more of in the future. The unexpected fall from power in the province’s three big metropolitan municipalities in 2021 of the political party that is in charge at provincial and national level, the African National Congress, is noted in the Regional Overview. Whether this presages a change beyond the borders of Gauteng in elections to come remains to be seen, but the huge budgets which now fall under the control of coalition governments in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni will certainly serve to sharpen the focus of ANC election planners for national elections in 2024.
The 2022/23 edition of Gauteng Business is the 13th issue of this highly successful publication that has established itself as the premier business and investment guide for the Gauteng Province.
In addition to the regular articles providing insight into each of the key economic sectors of the province, a special feature on the growth and significance of the green economy is included in this edition. Every sector from agriculture to transport and logistics is referenced, with several Gauteng companies taking the lead in the field of creating a more sustainable future for themselves and for their clients. The fact that mining companies and others are starting to build facilities to generate power is significant for the country as a whole. Gold Fields’ 40MW solar project at its South Deep mine is one of the first of its kind and it is certainly a precursor of what we can expect to see a lot more of in the future.
The unexpected fall from power in the province’s three big metropolitan municipalities in 2021 of the political party that is in charge at provincial and national level, the African National Congress, is noted in the Regional Overview. Whether this presages a change beyond the borders of Gauteng in elections to come remains to be seen, but the huge budgets which now fall under the control of coalition governments in Johannesburg, Tshwane and Ekurhuleni will certainly serve to sharpen the focus of ANC election planners for national elections in 2024.
Create successful ePaper yourself
Turn your PDF publications into a flip-book with our unique Google optimized e-Paper software.
OVERVIEW<br />
Energy<br />
Hydrogen fuel cells are attracting interest.<br />
A<br />
locally-developed stationary hydrogen fuel cell is the<br />
subject of a test at the refinery of Impala Platinum<br />
in Springs, east of Johannesburg. Engineering News<br />
reported in 2021 that the first signs are positive.<br />
Implats has donated 16ha for the project and is invested in<br />
AP Ventures, a London-based company that invests<br />
in companies that use platinum group metals to<br />
promote the fight against climate change.<br />
Gold Fields is on course to build a 40MW solar power<br />
plant at its South Deep mine west of Johannesburg.<br />
Harmony, which has several mines in <strong>Gauteng</strong>, is already<br />
operating a 30MW solar plant in the neighbouring Free<br />
State province.<br />
Areas in the <strong>Gauteng</strong> province that can no longer<br />
rely on the mining industry to drive their economies may<br />
become focus zones for solar PV projects. Renewable<br />
Energy Development Zones (REDZs) have been allocated<br />
in other provinces but the potential for REDZs in <strong>Gauteng</strong><br />
is huge, because vast amounts of energy needed to drive<br />
the country’s biggest economy.<br />
These zones would be developed in line with the national<br />
Integrated Resource Plan (IRP 2019) which the <strong>Gauteng</strong> Provincial<br />
Government is hoping will enable it to unlock several renewable<br />
energy projects. Other projects include promoting gas usage,<br />
the development of hydrogen fuel-cell technology and the<br />
recommissioning of power stations.<br />
In Johannesburg, the Northern Wastewater Treatment Works<br />
has its own electricity source in a 1.1MW biogas plant. It produces<br />
electricity using cogeneration, which is combined heat and power.<br />
A landfill site at Robinson Deep in Johannesburg has started<br />
generating 3MW of gas. This is the first of five renewable energy<br />
projects that Energy Systems SA has in Johannesburg. At the<br />
Cavalier abattoir in Cullinan, biowaste conversion company<br />
ibert provides about a quarter of the power that the abattoir<br />
needs to function.<br />
Absa Bank has followed up on its decision to take its central<br />
Johannesburg campus off the national grid. Investments in<br />
a 6 000-panel rooftop solar system (which cost R10-million),<br />
ONLINE RESOURCES<br />
National Energy Regulator of South Africa: www.nersa.org.za<br />
South African National Energy Development Institute: www.sanedi.org.za<br />
South African Photovoltaic Industry Association: www.sapvia.co.za<br />
SECTOR INSIGHT<br />
Ford Motor Company has a<br />
plan to go off grid.<br />
A 100kw natural gas baseload fuel cell powers the offices<br />
of Minerals Council SA in Johannesburg.<br />
Credit: MineralsCouncil SA<br />
the synchronisation of gas<br />
and diesel generators and<br />
sophisticated water and<br />
underfloor heating systems<br />
have all contributed to massive<br />
energy savings.<br />
The rooftop solar installation<br />
at Absa’s Pretoria office provides<br />
17% of its electricity needs<br />
and the bank intends rolling<br />
out solar solutions for another<br />
five offices soon in addition to<br />
investigating battery solutions<br />
in pursuit of what it calls “net<br />
zero offices”.<br />
Ford is spending R135-million<br />
on building a solar carport at its<br />
Silverton plant that will produce<br />
13.5MW. The project is part of a<br />
bigger project to take the whole<br />
plant off the grid, Project Blue Oval.<br />
Ford is working with Uhuru Africa,<br />
a joint venture between Uhuru<br />
Energy and SolarAfrica Energy. ■<br />
GAUTENG BUSINESS <strong>2022</strong><br />
24
Change language