The organisers of Africa’s Green Economy Summit, taking place in Cape Town from 22–24 February, have announced that global mobility giant Uber and car manufacturer Nissan will be official partners of the event. In addition, several more very prominent speakers have been confirmed for the packed two-day investment gathering.

Africa’s Green Economy Summit will bring together investors, developers and governments, highlighting investment prospects that exist in the fields of green hydrogen, EVs and hybrid vehicles, energy storage, solar, hydro and wind energy, infrastructure development, urban sustainability as well as manufacturing. It is part of the E-Fest Cape Town that will culminate in the Formula E 2023 Cape Town E-Prix race in the same week on 25 February 2023.

“There are huge opportunities for Africa to take advantage of business and technology innovation to drive green growth opportunities on the continent that will give both good climate outcomes but increase incomes and growth on the continent. This will require public policymakers, private entrepreneurs, investors and the financial sector to work together in a coordinated way to deliver on these opportunities.”

So says John Roome, the World Bank’s South Asia Regional Director of Sustainable Development, and moderator of the session on “Accelerating Green Investment in Africa” at the summit.

Setting the scene for the discussions, the World Bank’s John Roome explains that “Africa doesn’t need to reinvent the wheel. There are four examples that I will talk about from India that give good examples of how India has been able to drive down the price of LED light bulbs and create a new business opportunity in street lighting, how they’ve been able to drive growth in e-buses across the country, how they’ve expanded rooftop solar and how they have expanded renewables through renewable energy solar energy farms, using a combination of public policy, private investment and financial sector innovation.”

The full interview with John Roome and other experts can be viewed on the event website: https://www.greeneconomysummit.com/event-news and on YouTube.

Uber and African Union Commissioner among new speakers

Several more very prominent speakers have been confirmed for the packed two-day summit programme. They include:

• Kagiso Khaole, General Manager, Southern Africa, Uber, South Africa – Keynote address in the session on “Mobility for Social Inclusion and Economic Opportunity”.
• H.E. Dr. Amani Abou-Zeid, Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, African Union Commission, Ethiopia – Opening session keynote speaker: “De-risking investments, so lenders and investors can support Africa’s net zero transition – the African Green Infrastructure Investment Bank (AfGIIB)”.
• Nangula Uaandja, President, Namibian Investment Promotions Development Board, Namibia – Expert panellist in discussion on “Accelerating Green Investment in Africa”.
• Dr Amany Asfour, President, Africa Business Council, Egypt – Day 2 keynote speaker: “Driving pan-African results by bringing together private sector and policy-makers to support extra and intra-African trade, investment and pan-African enterprise”.
• Mandy Rambharos, Vice-President: Global Climate Cooperation, Environmental Defence Fund, United States (former head of Climate Just Transition at Eskom) – Expert panellist in discussion on “Accelerating Green Investment in Africa”.
• Prof Henry Tse, Director of New Mobility Technologies, Catapult Connected Places, UK – Panellist in innovation discussion in session on “Mobility for Social Inclusion and Economic Opportunity”.
• Michelle McLean-Bailey, Tourism and Investment Consultant, Namibian Investment Promotions Development Board & Chairperson Brand Ambassador Programme, Board of Brand Namibia in the President’s Office, (former Miss Universe 1992 from Namibia), Ohltaver & List International Business Representative, Namibia & USA – Master of ceremonies on Day 2.

Click here to see the full programme and complete list of speakers confirmed to date: https://www.greeneconomysummit.com/programme

Hydrogen key to driving net zero

An important theme of the summit is the continent’s commitment to key strategies for investment-ready green infrastructure projects and hydrogen is receiving a lot of attention as a key component of driving net zero.

“We tend to think that possibly a route to consider is going smaller to begin with in terms of the size of pilots, proving out pilots on a smaller scale, which we think would then catalyse more finance into the projects themselves in terms of bridging the finance gap, but, ultimately we think the finance will come,” says Mardé van Wyk, venture partner at Advanced Pioneer Ventures, a company in the UK that invests in hydrogen technology. At the upcoming Africa’s Green Economy Summit, she is part of the expert panel discussion in the session on “Developing a hydrogen economy”.

She continues: “We think the opportunity is there and that it’s a matter of all the players in the finance ecosystem coming together and ensuring that, as the research shows, we capitalise on this opportunity where hydrogen is a key component of driving net zero. And to the extent that that is part of their strategy as a financial institution, they have to be playing their role and in terms of enabling hydrogen as part of that solution.“

E-Fest Cape Town

Already home to a thriving green economy, the City of Cape Town is looking forward to welcoming the summit delegates to assist in creating opportunities to invest in this innovative space. The E-Fest in February 2023 offers a week of special events and entertainment to showcase sustainability, e-mobility and renewable energy solutions, underpinned by the international ABB FIA Formula E World Championship. Also known as the Cape Town E-Prix, it is the first Formula E race to be hosted in sub-Saharan Africa, and the first major open-wheel race since 1993. For the first time, South Africa will be able to witness Formula E’s thrilling line-up in person, as drivers race their electric-powered cars through the streets of Cape Town.

“GO GREEN AFRICA” is the E-Fest call to action to businesses and individuals to level up by pledging a commitment to going green.

Summit partners

ABB, Nissan and Uber are gold sponsors for the summit while the African Development Fund is a gold sponsor and development partner. Norfund and Actis are investor partners while Frost & Sullivan and Bruwer Capital are supporting partners. The City of Cape Town, the Western Cape Government and Wesgro are also official event partners.

E-Fest Cape Town event dates: Africa’s Green Economy Summit 22–24 February 2023 Venue: Century City Conference Centre (4-star green star-rated for sustainable venue), Cape Town

Website: www.greeneconomysummit.com YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCvhl1gAhC40NUC0P10xeUng

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/africas-green-economy-summit/ Twitter: https://twitter.com/GreenEcoSummit

evrt Africa (Electric Vehicle Road Trip Africa): 15–24 February 2023 Website: https://smartermobility-africa.com/evrt-africa/

Cape Town E-Prix: 25 February 2023 Venue: Green Point Website: www.capetowneprix.com

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The €2m project will be delivered via Iberdrola’s Brazilian subsidiary Neoenergia and will be located on water at the Xaréu dam on Fernando de Noronha island.

Recognised by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site, the island is being used by Iberdrola as a testbed for several sustainable energy solutions, including electric mobility and clean energy generation.

With 630 kW installed capacity, the floating plant comprising 940 panels will generate around 1240 MWh of energy per year, which Iberdrola says will be enough to cover more than half of the energy needs of the island’s water and sewage distribution network.

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This plant joins other sustainable projects developed by the company to provide renewable solutions and promote the preservation of the island’s biodiversity,

Fernando de Noronha is the only inhabited island of a volcanic archipelago located in the northeast of Brazil in the Atlantic Ocean.

Iberdrola’s other energy initiatives on the island include the recently inaugurated Vacaria solar plant, the first of two solar farms, each with a capacity of 50 kW, designed to exclusively supply electric vehicles.

2023 predictions: EV trends and challenges

The island already has ten electric vehicles for tourists and district administration uses and 12 new charging points are planned to be installed at strategic locations.

The company also intends to promote the use of electric bicycles by tourists and residents at Fernando de Noronha, which has an area of approximately 17 square kilometres, and it has begun installing 24 charging points at four separate stations.

The energy consumed by the equipment – which will be donated to the Pernambuco State Government – will be generated by solar panels installed on the roofs of the structures, which will allow them to be used free of charge.

On our sister site Smart Energy International:
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Here, Anila Siraj, managing director of alternative fuels at system software and consultancy firm Kalibrate, highlights what expect in the UK’s fast-changing electric vehicle landscape.
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The UK government as well as auto manufacturers and original equipment manufacturers, have made significant investments to ensure that EV adoption takes off by making more charging stations available.

While this is expected to continue, we’re only at the beginning of the EV adoption curve. Encouragingly, EV growth is outpacing internal combustion engine (ICE) vehicles, with 249,575 new EVs on the road in 2022 alone.

Historically it has been mostly affluent drivers that can afford EVs. Reducing the price to encourage mainstream adoption remains a challenge, even with newer models coming on the market. 

Right now demand is outpacing supply, resulting in longer wait times and higher prices. 

The cost-of-living crisis has only increased this gap. Add into the mix a recession and higher inflation rates, and the slowdown in demand from the mainstream will be exacerbated.

The reseller market is also creating a trap for those looking for affordable EVs – leased vehicles account for the vast majority of new car sales but when leases expire, drivers must choose to purchase the vehicle or return it.

Even with more EVs being returned, delays in the supply of new vehicles are making used vehicles just as, if not more, expensive.

Big city living will increase disparity globally

Adoption will be concentrated in metropolitan areas where charging stations are readily available and reliable.

Cities like London and San Francisco tend to receive more capital investment, but transient routes in and out of these cities will also see increased charger deployment and will lead to more EV corridors globally.

However, creating an imbalance between rural areas, smaller towns and cities will only slow down wider adoption.

Significant shifts in consumer behaviour

In terms of sustainability, many societal issues are driving people to change vehicles in the current economy, most notably sustainability and the environmental harm caused by greenhouse emissions.

And then there is brand loyalty.

Tesla, for example, arguably the most well-established manufacturer has seen prices rise by nearly 10%. Consumers who are on their second or third EV may continue to invest because of brand loyalty, the leading-edge technology, and the vast network of chargers that Elon Musk’s company offers.

We’re seeing a new generation emerge, one that is technology-first and resolute in its beliefs.

Taking an old car brand, like Ford and installing a battery without technology at the heart of everything may not appeal. The presence and power of historic car manufacturers, from Rolls Royce and VW to Aston Martin, may not be enough to sway sustainably minded drivers from the grip of Tesla.

Plan B – backup batteries to make up for costly charging

2023 will be the year that retailers and forecourt sites evaluate the cost of charging.

Not since the 2008 recession has overheads and the bottom line been under threat from rising operating costs, reduced demand from consumers to spend and supply chain challenges.

And without a steady stream of customers commuting or travelling generally, measuring peak charge demand will become key.

Currently, electricity companies control the price and most implement ‘demand charges’ – using the peak price from the most used hour to charge organisations over an entire day.

Organisations with charging forecourts will invest in backup batteries or deploy chargers with built-in backup batteries, where they can manage the peak themselves.

They’ll draw power to the backup battery to create steadier demand from the supply source, one that doesn’t spike and keeps costs at the same level across the entire day.

It’s a shrewd option in an environment where costs are rising, demand is falling and companies must protect their profit and loss margins.

Read more on our sister site enlit.world:
Feature: Ending the ICE age to put EVs in the fast lane

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The new tech will be released during Enlit Europe 2022.

The W270 and W370 smart meters will provide data in terms of volume as well as additional information on water temperatures, statistical values, alarms and events. They will also be equipped with IoT communications, including NB-IoT, and will be integrated into latest generation communication networks, aiming to enable remote control.

In addition, Landis+Gyr will be showcasing its interactive electric vehicle (EV) charging line, INCH Pro and INCH Duo, which aims to reduce operating costs by balancing charging power for more energy-efficient charging.

The charging line accepts digital signals through power lines and frequency monitoring to autonomously respond to grid conditions – managing the charging power and impact on the electric grid. Furthermore, the OCEAN software, a scalable and remote EV charge point and energy management software, performs advance load management tasks to support demand response and load flexibility services.

Join Enlit Europe in Frankfurt and be part of the conversation about the energy transition in Europe and beyond.

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“Managing energy consumption with more efficiency has never been more crucial than today”, said Werner Lieberherr, chief executive officer of Landis+Gyr. “If the current energy crisis and the urgent need for global decarbonisation have taught us one thing, it’s that resources are finite and having the insights and tools to shape the way they’re used is key.”

Bodo Zeug, executive vice president of EMEA at Landis+Gyr added: “Utilities require fast, reliable and secure data transmission. We’re excited to showcase our abilities to collect, monitor and process data at the grid edge at Enlit Europe, providing solutions to balance load and ensure continued power quality and reliability.”

Landis+Gyr will be presenting and showcasing their products during Enlit Europe.
Register here to attend their sessions and more.

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The EV battery packs are received by encore and are then dismantled to battery module level and subjected to detailed diagnostic testing. Suitable modules are then either used for new battery energy storage systems or recycled depending on their remaining capacity.

As a prototype, a battery storage facility has been implemented at EUREF-Campus innovation district in Berlin, made entirely from reused Kia Soul EV battery modules.

“With our success in the electrification of Kia models, we also take responsibility for the batteries beyond their lifetime in the car,” asserts Jason Jeong, President at Kia Europe.

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“The pioneering partnership between Kia and encore | DB shows that we regard batteries as a valuable resource in terms of a sustainable circular economy.”

Kia claims a ‘cradle to cradle’ approach to its vehicle development, with consideration for end-of-life processes and resource regeneration, which in turn has led to the seeking of alternatives to the recycling of used EV batteries in favour of second life projects.

encore already operates a battery take-back service across Europe for the creation of second life battery energy storage systems, with lithium-ion battery transporter DellCon as the dismantling partner, but this is the first partnership with an EV provider.

The used Kia Soul EV battery packs were collected from Kia dealers.

The prototype is a 72kWh system, which is functioning as part of inno2grid’s EUREF-Campus micro smart grid.

The unit is comprised of 24 battery modules in total arranged over three racks, with each module made up of 14 double cells. A novel power conversion system with an integrated battery management system specifically developed by STABL Energy compensates for the varying states of health between the battery modules by performing passive or active voltage balancing where needed.

The prototype unit is intended to support ‘timeshifting’ and other applications across the zero emission mobility base of inno2grid – a joint venture of DB E.C.O. Group and Schneider Electric – at the EUREF-Campus. One of the first was for EV charging, with the first vehicle to plug a Kia e-Niro.

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The partnership will also expand fast EV public charging infrastructure and support the adoption of electric vehicles.

The companies will form a joint venture for large-scale integrated green hydrogen production in Spain, Portugal and the UK, as well as production of derivatives such as green ammonia, and methanol, that can be potentially exported into Nothern Europe. 

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Hydrogen production hubs will be created in Spain, Portugal and UK with a total capacity of up to 600ktpa, integrated with new renewable power. 

The green hydrogen project at bp’s Castellón refinery will be part of the agreement. The two companies, together with the Instituto Tecnológico de la Energía, have submitted the Castellón project to the Spanish government’s hydrogen value chain PERTE call.

Likewise, Iberdrola and bp´s industrial hydrogen projects under development, as well as new projects, will be part of the agreement.

Based on this collaboration in Spain, Portugal and UK, Iberdrola and bp intend to explore potential future opportunities for green hydrogen production in other countries.

EV roll out

Iberdrola and bp will also form a joint venture that intends to invest up to €1 billion ($1 billion) to roll out a network of up to 11,000 rapid and ultra-fast EV public charge points across Spain and Portugal in the hopes of expanding access to electric mobility.

The plan includes installing and operating an initial 5,000 fast charge points by 2025 and up to a total of 11,000 by 2030, including bp and Iberdrola’s existing and future fast charging hubs.

The companies are also looking at options to jointly serve EV customers in the UK.

bp has stated its intention of leveraging its network of 1,300 retail sites in Spain and Portugal as locations for charging hubs for the joint venture. EV drivers would be able to charge in safe locations with access to additional convenience services.

Chairman of Iberdrola, Ignacio Galán, stated on the partnership: “With this agreement, we continue advancing in the decarbonisation and energy self-sufficiency through the electrification of two key sectors of our economy, transport and industry.

EV sales remain in top gear with China in the driving seat

“The scale of this challenge requires alliances between companies such as Iberdrola and bp, which have the technology and knowledge necessary to help accelerate Europe’s industrial development and generate, at the same time, well-being and new opportunities for all through clean energy.”

Bernard Looney, CEO of bp, added: “Creating the lower carbon energy solutions that our customers want and need requires the integration of different technologies, capabilities and forms of energy.

“We can deliver this faster and at scale when we work in partnership with others. We have enormous respect for Iberdrola who have been an early leader in the energy transition – and are very excited about what we can deliver together.”

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Luxury auto manufacturer Ferrari is collaborating with Italian energy company Enel X to install a specially-designed solar PV system comprising four sections and 3,800 solar panels.

Francesco Venturini, head of Enel X, said in a statement: “We will deliver Ferrari a tailor-made system for the self-production of energy that will make a decisive contribution to the reduction of CO2 emissions, reducing the company’s energy expenditure.”

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The system will deliver 1,535 kWp, will save 8,500 tonnes of CO2e over 25 years, and will allow Ferrari to produce 1,626,802 kWh per year annually.

For the project, Enel X has developed a unique off-grid energy production system, built specifically to charge Ferrari hybrid models used internally by the company.

This station produces energy through a 5.5 kWp PV system, with double-sided panels and 20 kWh battery storage. The performance is monitored in real-time, showing applicable data on an LCD screen built into the infrastructure.

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“Together with Enel X and our other partners, we are developing new solutions that will contribute significantly to reducing CO2e emissions,” said Ferrari chief executive Benedetto Vigna.

“The challenge of becoming a carbon-neutral company by 2030 is a further stimulus for Ferrari to innovate in every area, taking a scientific, holistic approach to the sources of emissions: from the cars in use, to our supply chain, and our production activities.”

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Sparkz will partner with the United Mine Workers to recruit and train 350 workers, the company announced. Groundbreaking for the facility is expected sometime this year.

“America’s clean energy future will reach its potential when we innovate and manufacture the next generation of energy storage domestically,” Sparkz CEO Sanjiv Malhotra said. “We will invest significant resources in workforce development and training for West Virginians, partnering with the United Mine Workers of America to train those West Virginians transitioning into the new energy economy.”

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Novel hybrid-electric aircraft embarks on first test flight

At a meeting with Biden administration officials at the White House last year, Sanjiv committed to manufacturing electric vehicle components in Appalachia. The startup aims to reduce demand for battery components produced in China, which controls much of the world’s mine production for lithium-ion batteries.

The U.S. energy storage supply chain, specifically for lithium-ion batteries, is at a “significant disadvantage” when compared to China, and the rest of Asia and Europe, in some cases, according to a U.S. Dept. of Energy report on the state of clean energy supply chains.

DOE recommended that the U.S. focus on the development of sustainable upstream, midstream, and recycling facilities to support grid storage, as well as the development of an industry for end-of-life batteries to be used for grid storage.

Public clash

Last year, the United Coal Workers of America union clashed with Sen. Joe Manchin (D-WV) for his opposition of the Biden administration’s Build Back Better agenda, which included $550 billion for clean energy.

The since-stalled Build Back Better Act would have provided extra incentives for EVs manufactured using components made in America and would have incentivized manufacturers to build facilities in displaced coal communities.

“For those and other reasons, we are disappointed that the bill will not pass. We urge Senator Manchin to revisit his opposition to this legislation and work with his colleagues to pass something that will help keep coal miners working, and have a meaningful impact on our members, their families, and their communities,” the union wrote in Dec. 2021.

National strategy

While the provisions for clean energy in the Build Back Better package remain on hold, the DOE is moving forward with investments in the domestic battery supply chain and workforce development.

DOE announced the launch of a national strategy in partnership with AFL-CIO to train battery manufacturing workers. The agency will invest $5 million in five pilot training programs in energy and automotive communities to support the domestic lithium battery supply chain.

Manchin cheered the announcement, adding that he remains “concerned about our dependence on China and other foreign countries for key parts of the lithium-ion battery supply chain,” and stating that he will continue working to bolster domestic manufacturing.

The strategy emerged from the Biden administration’s Interagency Working Group on Coal and Power Plant Communities and Economic Revitalization.

Originally published by John Engel on renewableenergyworld.com

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A mark was made in history as Chief Experimental Pilot, Lorenzo De Stefano, flew the first hybrid-electric aircraft. Tecnam P2010 H3PS is powered by a 104kW Rotax 915 IS engine coupled with a 30kW Rolls-Royce electric motor, totalling 134kW (180hp) powertrain in a fully integrated parallel hybrid configuration. As such, this four-seat aircraft is a first-of-its-kind.

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According to Tecnam Aircraft’s R&D Director Fabio Russo, the H3PS flight test demonstration marks a major milestone in the aviation industry’s journey towards de-carbonization and R&D on alternative powertrains.

“Though H3PS is not intended for market purposes, our successful flight tests demonstrate that hybrid powertrain, with combustion engine coupled with an electric motor, can bear the same useful load of the traditional 180hp combustion engine,” said Russo.

H3PS electric aircraft project

H3PS, which stands for “High Power High Scalability Aircraft Hybrid Powertrain,” is a project funded under the European Union Horizon 2020 research and innovation program. Launched in 2018, the project has reached its objectives.

With H3PS’ success, Tecnam Aircraft and project partners have validated the aircraft’s scalability potential, lower emissions, state of the art power management technology, building a viable launchpad for future green aircraft models.

Rolls-Royce, Tecnam and Rotax

Rob Watson, President of Rolls-Royce Electrical added that Rolls-Royce is committed to investing in technology solutions to enable and deliver sustainable aviation. He also sees the P2010 H3PS as a pioneering achievement to advance hybrid-electric flights.

“Working with Tecnam and Rotax has been hugely beneficial, and this project has continued to build our capabilities in delivering all-electric and hybrid-electric power and propulsion systems for the advanced air mobility market,” said Watson.

BRP-Rotax has been committed to future-proof mobility and technological progress for more than 100 years. The Upper Austrian company, headquartered in Gunskirchen, currently employs more than 1,500 people and produces engines for the global market.

Michael Dopona, Head of design Organisation BRP-Rotax commented on the successful collaboration for launching the H3PS project. He notes there are still some challenges the aircraft faces, however, with this strong partnership he is confident that all challenges will be resolved with a deeper understanding and a safer landing.

“The project showed that the joint venture with the qualified knowledge of these three global player companies in aviation lead to very interesting and future-orientated results for innovative propulsion systems,” said Dopona.

Future of H3PS

When it comes to future developments, Tecnam’s Managing Director Giovanni Pascale Langer stated that the company will continue to focus on driving the green transition in aviation.

“Our development focuses on three key pillars: environmentally friendly, technologically viable and marketable solutions. We do this by leveraging our multi-generational expertise, research and development, next-generation technology, and strategic partnerships. I look forward to seeing H3PS inspire more innovation and drive our industry forward with cleaner, more efficient technologies,” said Langer.

Originally published by Anazi Zote on esi-africa.com

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An electric vehicle has become a symbol of hope for healthcare workers in northern Syria.

Years of ongoing conflict has left more than four million people in the region without access to critical health services.

Aerial bombings have destroyed healthcare and energy infrastructure, leaving civilians and medical staff reliant on often-scarce and unsustainable diesel fuel.

This has in turn created a cycle of reliance and fragility that contributes to the devastating effects of the conflict. 

Now a landmark project aims to break this diesel dependency by utilising solar powered electric vehicles.

Essential vaccines

The first vehicle is already on the road, being used to transport patients and also essential vaccines.

The 100% electric van uses a lithium battery which is charged at health facilities by solar energy.

The deployment of the EV is part of a project called the Health Integrated Resilience System (HIRS), an extension of the Syria Solar Initiative.

Both projects have been pioneered by the Union of Medical Care and Relief Organizations (UOSSM) and funded by Creating Hope in Conflict: a Humanitarian Grand Challenge.

The HIRS project aims to combine electric mobility, solar power and telemedicine to increase health system resilience and deliver critical services in the most challenging conflict zones.

Ali Mohamad, UOSSM Environmental Engineer and Program Co-ordinator said: “At the Syria Solar Initiative, our ambition is to help mainstream such integrated approaches for resilience in similar contexts around the world.

“Our team is composed of highly-qualified engineers and doctors, working together to advance this project.

Humanitarian innovators

He said the pilot EV project in Syria would issue a report in the summer which is intended to be a blueprint for other “humanitarian practitioners and innovators”.

UOSSM’s technical teams are evaluating the pilot project from several aspects, such as technical, economic and logistical.

Mohamad explained the expected results “may transform future operations of health services in areas of crisis and war throughout the world – especially in light of the urgency to meet climate goals for deep decarbonisation”.

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