Herewith, the July 2009 edition of the SESSA Members Newsletter.

On 17 July 2009, the South African Cities Network (SACN) convened a Sustainable cities seminar on waste-to-energy through biogas. Proceedings of the seminar and a link to an Energy from waste (biogas) toolkit and feasibility model applicable at the municipal level in South Africa can be found on the SACN website at this link.

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) has announced the release of a consultation paper outlining phase 2 of the renewable energy feed-in-tariff (Refit) including details of the proposed power purchase agreement (PPA) governing the sale of renewable energy into the grid.

Whereas phase 1 included Refit guidelines for wind, small hydro, landfill gas and concentrated solar technologies, phase 2 extends this to distinguish between concentrated solar with and without storage and includes biomass, biogas and solar photovoltaic (PV) systems. The consultation document on phase 2 can be downloaded from NERSA's website here.

Solar photovoltaic manufacturer Sharp responded positively to the announcement in an article by Engineering News.

That the National Energy Efficiency Strategy has been re-published due to the reason that the first publication was incomplete. The document can be downloaded from the DME website at this location.

Eskom and the Department of Minerals and Energy are calling for entries or nominations for the 20th annual eta Awards. The closing date for entries is August 14th 2009 and the gala awards evening will be hosted in Gauteng towards the end of October. For more information, please visit the eta Awards website.

A new 25-30MW windfarm is in the initial scoping phase in Grahamstown along with other wind initiatives in the Eastern Cape. For more information on the proposed Waainek windfarm outside Grahamstown, please see the background information document which is located at this link .

Note: Should you wish to share information about any sustainable energy projects that you are involved with or have knowledge of, please e-mail online.editor@sessa.org.za with details and the information can be published on the SESSA website if appropriate or disseminated to members via the monthly newsletter.

IRENA

Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, has been announced as the new headquarters of the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA). Bonn will become the host of IRENA’s center of technology and innovation and Vienna will host the Agency’s liaison office set up to coordinate interaction with other organisations active in the field of renewable energy. Read more about these developments on IRENA's website.

Solar Heat Worldwide 2009 Report

The 2009 edition of the Solar Heat Worldwide 2009 Report is available for download. The report documents the solar thermal capacity previously installed in the important markets worldwide, and attempts to ascertain the contribution of solar plants to the supply of energy and the CO2 emissions avoided as a result of operating these plants.

There are only 75 more days to go until the ISES Solar World Congress 2009 - the 29th biennial congress of the International Solar Energy Society, The conference will be held in Johannesburg from 11 to 14 October 2009. Please visit the conference website for further information on this major event.

Local

1. Solar PV manufacturer welcomes Refit consultation paper (Engineering News, July 27)
2. Solar water heaters could replace a power station (Business Report, July 21)
3. Regulator includes more renewable technologies in Refit, outlines purchase agreement (Engineering News, July 20)
4. IDC to study funding models for clean-energy projects (Engineering News, July 14)
5. Power price shock awaits (Fin24.com, July 14)
6. SA reviews energy-efficiency strategy (Engineering News, July 8)
7. SA completes energy-efficiency retrofit of 4 000 State buildings (Engineering News, July 7)
8. Eskom 'drags feet on IPPs' (Fin24.com, July 6)
9. From wind to fuels, IDC mulling big energy-economy role (Engineering News, July 6)
10. Green building conference to start in Sandton next week (Engineering News, July 3)
11. SA's CO2 levels 'very high' (News24, July 1)
12. Levy on nonrenewable electricity to become effective July 1 (Engineering News, June 25)
13. Nuclear power coming back on the boil in SA (Business Day, June 25)
14. SA targets 400 MW of wind energy within three years (Engineering News, June 23)
15. Green building council hopes to launch pilot rating tool for shopping centres in Oct (Engineering News, June 23)
16. East London IDZ eyes renewable energy investments (Engineering News, June 22)
17. CEF allows more time to bid for Port Elizabeth solar water heater project (Engineering News, June 17)
18. Motlanthe: Green economy in SA needs to grow (IOL, 16 June)

Global

1. Kenya to build Africa's biggest windfarm (Mail & Guardian, 28 July)
2. European heavyweights throw weight behind €400bn desert-energy venture (Enginering News, July 13)
3. Siemens backs €400bn plan to harvest energy from Africa's deserts (Engineering News, July 9)
4. G8 must do more on clean energy - IEA (Business Report, July 9)
5. Microsoft’s Energy Tool Hohm Goes Live (Reuters, July 6)
6. Plans for renewable energy bonds among 20 climate ideas to save the world (Guardian, July 6)
7. Incandescent Bulbs Return to the Cutting Edge (New York Times, July 5)
8. Irena to locate HQ in carbon-neutral Abu Dhabi city (Engineering News, June 30)
9. IRENA Politics May “Taint” Agency, Advocates Say (Worldwatch Institute, June 23)
10. Energy creates new job sector (News24, June 23)
11. Solar Thermal Energy resists the economic turmoil and celebrates a strong growth (European Solar Thermal Industry Federation, June 19)
12. Solar Power Experiences Strongest Year of Growth Yet (Worldwatch Institute, June 18)

Visit the website of Tesla Motors, the electric car manufacturer founded by ex Pretoria Boys High School pupil Elon Musk.