About SESSA

The Sustainable Energy Society of Southern Africa (SESSA), is a non profit organisation (Reg. No.: 037-484NPO) dedicated to the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency.

Which System?

FLat Plate Solar Collector

Are you buying a Solar Water Heating System?

All SESSA solar water heating division members should adhere to a set of industry guidelines with regard to their products and their quality of service. If you are considering purchasing a solar water heating system, it would be worth your while considering a SESSA Solar Water Heating Division member.

EGSF

SESSA is a Member of the Environmental Goods and Services Forum (EGSF)

 


 

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Sustainable Energy Futures

Recent hot topics in the South African renewable energy & energy efficiency realm include:
  • Draft Tax Proposals on Energy Efficiency
  • Gazetting of the National Energy Efficiency Strategy
  • Resolutions from the Renewable Energy Summit 2009

Also see the icon REN21 Renewables Global Status Report from REN21.

IRENA Chooses Headquarters & Announces Head
Tuesday, 30 June 2009 16:10
Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, has been announced as the new headquarters of IRENA (the International Renewable Energy Agency). 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.

Ms. Hélène Pelosse who is currently the Deputy Head of Staff in the Private Office of the French Minister for Ecology, Energy, Sustainable Development, and Town and Country Planning in charge of international affairs, has been appointed as head of the agency. Read more about these developments on IRENA's website.
 
Solar Heat Worldwide Report 2009
Tuesday, 30 June 2009 15:39

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

icon Solar Heat Worldwide 2009 Report

 
Notice of re-publication of National Energy Efficiency Strategy
Tuesday, 30 June 2009 15:06

That the National Energy Efficiency Strategy has been re-published, due to the reason that the first publication was incomplete.  Note that comments must be sent to DME by post or hand delivered to the following addresses for the attention of Nondumiso Nyuswa of the department of Minerals and Energy.

 icon National Energy Efficiency Strategy - Re-Published Version, June 2009 (3.19 MB)

The closing date for the comments is 13 July 2009.

 
Open Letter from the International Renewable Energy Alliance (REN Alliance)
Thursday, 18 June 2009 23:16

An open letter by the International Renewable Energy Alliance (REN Alliance) to the Founding Members of IRENA has just been circulated.

Read more...
 
Call for Proposals for the Supply of Solar Water Heaters
Monday, 15 June 2009 19:12

The Central Energy Fund (CEF) have announced an extension to the deadline for proposals to supply solar water heaters to the Nelson Mandela Bay Municipality. The call is for batches of 500 units with an installation potential of 100 000 systems for the Municipality and negates any previous considerations, discussions or assumed commitments that may be prevalent under the previous CEF Sustainability procurement process. Please see further details at CEF's website.

 
Sunstove Organisation - recent challenges & triumphs
Written by Margaret Bennett   
Monday, 08 June 2009 00:00

For more than 15 years now the Sunstove solar cooker has been made locally in Gauteng.   The same blow-moulder made the cases,  the same dear man put the whole thing together and this same little old lady ran the business.... such as it was. We were selling around 100 Sunstoves a month - not world-shattering but more, I venture to suggest,  than any other solar cooker anywhere.

Read more...
 
Treasury Releases Draft Tax Proposals on Energy Efficiency for Public Comment
Friday, 05 June 2009 00:00

The South African National Treasury has released their tax proposals on energy efficiency for public comment.

  1. A copy of the key elements of  a presentation to the NERT  on 28 May 2009
    icon Presentation by National Treasury: Energy Efficiency Savings Incentives (271 kB)
  2. Explanatory memorandum on amendments
    icon 2009 Taxation Laws Amendment Bill Announcement (34.83 kB)
  3. The energy efficiency clauses in the Taxation Laws Amendment Bill
    icon Taxation Laws Amendment Bill, 2009 (36 kB)

National Treasury would appreciate comments from interested parties on the draft legislation by 26 June 2009.  Comments can be forwarded to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it at National Treasury.

 
Global Trends in Sustainable Energy Investment 2009 Report
Wednesday, 03 June 2009 00:00

The economic crisis has hit EU and US clean energy as emerging economy renewable energy investments have riseen 27% to $36 billion. However renewables drew more investment than fossil-fueled energy technologies in 2008. Geothermal saw the fastest growth with wind power topping overall investment and solar posting the largest gains.

An executive summary of the Global Trends in Sustainable Energy Investment 2009 Report by UNEP's Sustainable Energy Finance Initiative can be downloaded at the following link: icon Executive Summary of Global Trends in Sustainable Energy Investment 2009 Report

To download the full report, go to the Sustainable Energy Finance Initiative website and register. You can also view a copy of the press release accompanying the report here.

 
Global Concentrating Solar Power Outlook 09
Monday, 25 May 2009 00:00
Concentrating solar power (CSP) is about to step out of the shadow of other renewable technologies and establish itself as the third biggest player in the sustainable power generation industry. The third CSP report released jointly by Greenpeace International, the European Solar Thermal Electricity Association and IEA SolarPACES since 2003 can be found at this link.
 
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Recent News from Other Sources

Local
  1. SA's CO2 levels 'very high' (News24, July 1)
  2. Levy on nonrenewable electricity to become effective July 1 (Engineering News, June 25)
  3. Nuclear power coming back on the boil in SA (Business Day, June 25)
  4. SA targets 400 MW of wind energy within three years (Engineering News, June 23)
  5. Green building council hopes to launch pilot rating tool for shopping centres in Oct (Engineering News, June 23)
  6. East London IDZ eyes renewable energy investments (Engineering News, June 22)
  7. CEF allows more time to bid for Port Elizabeth solar water heater project (Engineering News, June 17)
  8. Motlanthe: Green economy in SA needs to grow (IOL, 16 June)
  9. Fresh air to power South Africa? (BBC, June 15)
  10. Eskom creates a perfect storm (Mail & Guardian, June 15)
  11. R1,8bn ethanol-from-sugar plant planned for KZN (Engineering News, June 12)
  12. 'Poor must be protected from power tariff hikes' (Mail & Guardian, June 11)
  13. Eskom's tariff hike request slammed by all comers (Business Report, June 9)
  14. South Africa: Kuyasa Carbon Credits Cut Electricity Costs (allAfrica.com, June 8)
  15. Power producers ‘can increase Eskom’s capacity’ (Business Day, June 8)
  16. SA energy data base will help attract foreign investment – KPMG (Engineering News, June 4)
  17. Africa: Biofuels And Neo-Colonialism (allAfrica.com, June 4)
  18. Renewable energy punted as quick fix for Eskom (Business Day, June 2)
  19. Renewable feed-in tariff could include large-scale PV projects, study shows (Engineering News, June 2)
  20. South Africa: Government Edging Towards Renewable Sources (allAfrica.com, June 1)
  21. SA’s wind-energy capacity could be 300 MW by 2012 – study (Engineering News, June 1)

International

  1. Irena to locate HQ in carbon-neutral Abu Dhabi city (Engineering News, June 30)
  2. IRENA Politics May “Taint” Agency, Advocates Say (Worldwatch Institute, June 23)
  3. Energy creates new job sector (News24, June 23)
  4. Solar Thermal Energy resists the economic turmoil and celebrates a strong growth (European Solar Thermal Industry Federation, June 19)
  5. Solar Power Experiences Strongest Year of Growth Yet (Worldwatch Institute, June 18)
  6. Surprising Green Energy Investment Trends Found Worldwide (Science Daily, June 7)
  7. Germany's Solar Head Start (Scientific American, June 5)
  8. Slide Show: The World's 10 Largest Renewable Energy Projects (Scientific American, June 4)
  9. Green energy overtakes fossil fuel investment, says UN (Guardian, June 3)
  10. Energy Leaders Launch Efficiency Partnership (Worldwatch Institute, June 2)
  11. A solar plant that's worth its salt (Los Angeles Times, May 29)
  12. Poo power to the people (Guardian, May 28)
  13. Concentrated solar power could generate 'quarter of world's energy' (Guardian, May 26)