Latest news with #EnlitAfrica2025
Daily Maverick
15 hours ago
- Business
- Daily Maverick
Sudden Eskom competence means renewable energy vendors must find new villains to vanquish
With the grid holding steady and major load shedding disruptions conspicuously absent, the air at Enlit Africa 2025 felt a bit thin and less urgent. When Eskom gets its act together, what happens to a renewables market that's become addicted to panic? You pivot to new projects or find different avenues to distribute your energy efficient products. For one company, Plentify, Enlit Africa 2025 was a resurrection of sorts. The home energy startup, once on the cusp of a residential solar revolution, found its breakout moment slipping away when the blackouts backed off. CEO Jon Kornik has always been candid about the fickle nature of their market: 'Sustained level four plus load shedding for months on end' is what it takes to really get South African households to adopt their tech. But Enlit brought news of a partnership with Conlog, a stalwart in smart metering with reach across 58 countries. The companies are teaming up to roll out Plentify's intelligent geyser and solar management tools – HotBot and SolarBot – to millions of households. It's a strategic pivot from panic-powered purchases to long-term infrastructure plays. 'Millions of South African homeowners could soon save more, have more control and backup power from the infrastructure already in their homes,' Kornik says. The maths checks out: Project Smart Geyser trials showed R300-plus in average monthly electricity savings per home, and modelling suggests that rolling HotBot out to just 25% of households could shave 20 hours of rolling blackouts off the national calendar each month. Utility scale distribution Conlog CEO Logan Moodley on the other hand positioned the partnership as part of a broader evolution. 'Our strategic vision with this project is fundamentally about evolving towards being more consumer-centric in the adoption of smart metering. We aim to understand and address the impact of energy access on consumers.' The timing couldn't be more critical. With Conlog's role as a key supplier for smart prepaid electricity meters via the RT29 tender withthe National Treasury, the partnership streamlines municipal procurement processes. As Moodley noted: 'Our goal is to minimise consumer frustration, ensuring that even during load management activities, consumers maintain access to essential services without inconvenience.' While residential solar stumbles, industrial demand tells a different story. Actom, with more than 120 years of experience in engineering and construction, has identified a new frontier: data centres. 'Data centres, particularly with the rise of AI and cloud workloads, have become totally energy hungry,' Sy Gourrah, senior general manager of Actom's smart technology division, tells Daily Maverick. The municipal problem Gourrah tells how Actom spotted the opportunity to deliver local solutions to power-hungry hyperscalers that have 10x their server rack demands with the advent of AI – some loads even touching 100kW. 'You need proper substations, batteries, diesel, solar – all of it,' she says. 'The grid has almost become a backup.' It's not just load shedding fatigue driving this hybrid-energy trend. It's a practical necessity for servers constantly chasing uptime. Actom's play? Locally built, ruggedised infrastructure for Africa's climate, modular substations and even project financing if you can't foot the bill upfront. But all this extra load is stretching municipal resources thin as they and the national utility scramble to make sure the network can meet demands. Kornik, however, isn't sympathetic. 'The trend of incentives is worrying,' he told a small breakout crowd at the conference. 'The government seems to be trying to do what they can to disincentivise solar.' He rattled off examples: import duties, tariff changes, the loss of tax breaks. And then he said the quiet part out loud. 'There seems like there might be a philosophical problem of seeing solar as a threat as opposed to an opportunity that is going to reshape South Africa and position us competitively in a market which actually cares about the carbon content of your goods.' Going down in a death spiral His words landed heavy. The idea that our own government sees citizen-led solar as a danger, not a delight, is the kind of take you can't walk back with a press release. Kornik warns of a 'utility death spiral': as more people defect to solar, utilities raise tariffs to serve those who remain, pushing even more to defect. Municipalities, instead of innovating, resist – and lose their best customers. 'There are more progressive municipalities… having really good success in forming partnerships,' he said. 'And others that aren't even ready to talk.' In the shadow of Eskom's temporary competence, the players with long-term bets and deep distribution are the ones who might just rewrite the script. But if the municipalities don't get their act together, they may find themselves cast as the villain in an energy transition that's happening with or without them. DM
Arabian Post
15-05-2025
- Business
- Arabian Post
Cape Town Gears Up for Enlit Africa 2025 Energy and Water Summit
Cape Town is set to host Enlit Africa 2025 from 20 to 22 May at the Cape Town International Convention Centre , bringing together over 6,000 delegates, including utility executives, policymakers, investors, and technology innovators. The event aims to address Africa's pressing energy and water challenges through strategic discussions, technological showcases, and investment opportunities. The conference will feature four main stages: Strategise, Innovate, Project Investment Network, and Municipal Forum. These stages will cover topics such as decarbonisation, digitalisation, grid resilience, and sustainable water management. The Strategise stage will focus on regulatory frameworks and financial strategies, while the Innovate stage will explore advancements in battery storage and nuclear solutions. The Project Investment Network will delve into risk perceptions and climate finance, and the Municipal Forum will address electricity distribution and governance structures. A significant addition to this year's programme is Water Security Africa, a co-located event dedicated to addressing the continent's water challenges. This platform will facilitate collaboration among stakeholders from various sectors, including mining, agriculture, and real estate, to develop sustainable water management solutions. The event will showcase advancements in water technologies and discuss strategies to mitigate issues related to water quality and supply constraints. Enlit Africa 2025 will also host the Project Pitch Day, where African projects valued at over $1 billion will be presented to potential investors. This initiative aims to attract funding for innovative energy and water projects across the continent. Additionally, the event will feature site visits to a solar plant, wind farm, grid modernisation project, and water treatment facility, providing attendees with firsthand insights into sustainable infrastructure developments. See also Ghana Centralises Gold Trade Under New Licensing Regime
Mail & Guardian
23-04-2025
- Business
- Mail & Guardian
Enlit Africa 2025: Empowering commercial and industrial companies for self-generation, energy and water security
default With rising energy costs, water scarcity and grid reliability challenges, C&I businesses are turning to renewable energy, smart technologies and innovative water solutions to ensure operational resilience. Enlit Africa provides a dynamic platform for C&I leaders to gain actionable insights, forge partnerships and align with global trends towards decarbonisation and resource efficiency. Featuring over 200 speakers and a comprehensive programme, this event empowers businesses to implement integrated energy and water strategies. Why Enlit Africa is Essential for C&I Companies For C&I companies, securing reliable energy and water supplies is critical to maintaining productivity and competitiveness. Self-generation through solar, wind and battery storage reduces reliance on unstable grids, while advanced water management technologies address scarcity and regulatory pressures. Enlit Africa tackles these challenges by showcasing solutions like smart grids, battery energy storage systems (BESS) and water-efficient technologies, alongside financing models to make them accessible. By attending, C&I companies can learn to optimise resource use, mitigate risks and build sustainable operations that support long-term profitability and environmental goals. A Virtual Programme for C&I Energy and Water Strategies To maximise the Enlit Africa experience, we've curated a 'virtual programme' highlighting sessions that support self-generation, energy security and water management. Spanning the Strategise, Innovate, Renewable Energy & Storage Hub, Water Hub and Project & Investment Network stages, these sessions offer practical tools for C&I companies to implement integrated resource solutions. You can access the Virtual Programme here. What to expect Enlit Africa 2025 offers commercial and industrial (C&I) companies a transformative opportunity to redefine their energy and water strategies, ensuring resilience and sustainability in a rapidly changing world. Businesses can unlock the potential of self-generation and water security, mastering the deployment of solar, wind, battery energy storage systems and desalination technologies. Through cutting-edge smart metering and grid technologies, C&I leaders can optimise energy and water consumption, driving down costs while advancing their sustainability goals. The Project & Investment Network connects businesses with financiers, opening doors to capital for ambitious energy and water projects. Networking opportunities with technology providers, utilities and regulators foster strategic partnerships that support the deployment and maintenance of on-site systems. By engaging with Enlit Africa's forward-thinking programme, C&I companies can stay ahead of regulatory shifts and market trends, future-proofing their strategies in a decarbonising, resource-scarce world. This is more than an event —it's a catalyst for building a secure, sustainable future. Register Today C&I companies can choose from various attendance packages. The Platinum Package offers full access to strategic sessions, networking events and site visits like the Robben Island tour, showcasing both sustainable energy and water models. To register or upgrade, visit Join Enlit Africa 2025 to transform your energy and water strategies and secure your business's future.
