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Prof Khaled Abou-El-Hossein the Executive Dean of Engineering and Technology at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) at the Green Hydrogen Centre of Excellence at the Southern Gauteng Science and Technology Park in Sebokeng. Picture: Ihsaan Haffejee

Vaal Hydrogen Hub’s hollow promises

A flagship green hydrogen project is positioned to support industrial development in the Vaal — but there’s no sign of it and little awareness among the communities it is meant to serve

At odds: Residents in Khutsong have refused to pay for electricity because of maladministration on the part of
the municipality. Photos: Barry Christianson
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Merafong’s energy poverty crisis deepens

Under prepaid metering systems, customers must pay upfront for electricity before they can use it

Windy deals: A member of the Uncedo Lwethu family trust points to the wind turbines on the Wesley-Ciskei Wind Farm
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Whose land, whose power? South Africa’s renewable energy conundrum

Wind farms feed power into the national grid, but the stories behind the land deals are rarely told. Tunicia Phillips investigates a case study in the Eastern Cape

Ramaphosa said the Just Energy Transition Investment Plan has attracted about R250 billion in international pledges for large-scale manufacturing, infrastructure and skills development.

Municipalities in SA’s energy heartland, Mpumalanga, have financial problems implementing the energy transition

South Africa has received pledges of about $11.6 billion for its just energy transition. Oxpeckers Investigative Environmental Journalism asked the treasury how much will be given to Mpumalanga and what is being done about indebted municipalities to ensure they get the funds for the transition

Village chief Mulema Bantu: ‘We know that conditions are often stipulated for mining companies, but we know nothing about them or their content.’ Photo: Jonas Kiriko

We want a say in transition mining, say DRC communities

Communities living on and working land in the Democratic Republic of the Congo say they are not informed about mining permits for energy transition minerals

Bright future: Wind energy projects in Mpumalanga have the advantage of using existing infrastructure from coal plants. Photo: GKR Falcon / Flickr

Mpumalanga is going with the wind

Wind farms are picking up speed in the province at the heart of South Africa’s energy transition

Mining near the community forest of Bamasoba situated in North-Kivu. Photo: Jonas Kiriko
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Cobalt crush undermines future of DRC’s community forests

A historic UN deal to restore degraded forest ecosystems in southeastern DRC is being torn apart by mining companies

Energy demand: Tanzania’s transition minerals include an estimated 70-million tonnes of graphite ore (above), commonly used in electrodes for batteries and fuel cells. Photo supplied

Clean energy minerals: Tanzania’s dark side to ‘a new dawn’

Tanzania is banking on its natural resources during the global transition to clean energy, but analysts warn there are dangers ahead

Drought-stricken: The dry vista around Bloemhof and Geluk farms, bordering on the Namib-Naukluft National Park. Photo: John Grobler
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Green energy innovations are being developed in Namibia’s desert

Green hydrogen features in projects aimed at producing carbon-free steel and ammonia fuel for shipping and rail transport

Critical mineral: South Africa ranks as the third-largest global producer of vanadium. Photo © Bushveld Minerals

Running on empty: Mpumalanga’s energy transition needs juice

Despite its resources and capacity for green energy storage, the province at the heart of the energy transition reaps minimal benefits due to an export-heavy focus

Burning briquettes: Brenda Sibanda, a firewood and charcoal vendor, is one of many local residents who supply to households across Bulawayo. Photo: Nqobile Tshili
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The dark light: Zimbabwe’s energy nightmare

Power shortages across the country are fuelling deforestation through the illegal charcoal trade

Vision of the future in the east: HDF predicts Renewstable Mpumalanga’s green energy can mitigate up to half of the Eskom load-shedding stages. Photo courtesy HDF

Mega plans for green hydrogen power in Mpumalanga

The province is the focus of ambitious plans for GH2 power development but civil society organisations fear it promises more than can be delivered

Lead legacy: research shows that lead, a base metal used for making car batteries, still contaminates Zambian towns years after mines are closed down. Photo: Human Rights Watch

Zambia tallies the costs of mining for electric batteries

Still reeling from environmental and public health problems caused by lead mining 30 years ago, the country now faces growing manganese demand for electric batteries

Deserted: Community leader Zwelihle Mpofu points out an old homestead in Methodist Village, abandoned after sand poachers destroyed the land behind it. Photo: Mandla Tshuma
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Environmental (mis)management in Zimbabwe

The Environmental Management Agency does not have enough power to curb rampant water pollution and land degradation

Maximum penalty: Lithium mine Bikita Minerals was fined $5,000 for polluting nearby water sources. Photo: Energy & Power Insider

Zimbabwe’s lithium liability

Zimbabwe is positioning itself as a global leader in mining and processing lithium, a critical energy transition mineral. But these ambitious plans come at a cost

Mpumalanga carbon capture pilot project completed

The initiative aims to capture air pollution and store it in the ground

A core hole drilling site at dawn. Kinetiko describes the Amersfoort project as South Africa’s largest onshore LNG project. Photo supplied

Mpumalanga gas project aims to bridge just energy transition gap

The development of the R155 million liquefied natural gas pilot is being promoted as a way to alleviate energy shortages while South Africa transitions to renewable energy

Path-finders: The state of finances in Mpumalanga municipalities will take centre stage in shaping the path of the Just Energy Transition. Photo: Ashraf Hendricks

Are municipalities good for just energy transition money?

Financing for the JET is increasing, but is being undermined by indebted municipalities in Mpumalanga that are not bankable