[South Africa plans to add 8GW a year to the grid]On June 2, 2023, South Africa's current rollout of solar and wind power to increase the share of solar and wind in the country's energy mix from 7% to 40% by 2030 is the fastest way out of the electricity crisis, according to the South African Presidency's Climate Commission (PCC). It is also the cheapest option to build the energy sector South Africa needs to stick to its global climate commitments. The PCC, which was set up by President Cyril Ramaphosa in 2020 to advise on issues such as a just energy transition, released a set of recommendations on electricity planning in South Africa on June 1. The PCC said South Africa aimed to solve its power crisis by integrating at least 8GW of wind and solar power into the grid annually over the next two to four years. About 2.5GW of new renewable energy projects are now registered with South Africa's national energy regulator. Experience shows that this target is achievable in the first three months of 2023. Ultimately, South Africa will need to add 50 to 60Gw of renewable energy by 2030. Steve Nicholls, head of mitigation issues at the PCC and climate change adviser at the National Business Initiative, said this would take the share of renewables in South Africa's energy mix to about 40 per cent. According to the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, coal-fired power will account for around 80% of electricity generation by 2022, with renewables (excluding hydropower) accounting for 7%. Editor/Xu Shengpeng
The Zhangjialiang coal mine renovation project of Jizhong Energy Zhangkuang Group has officially started construction recently, shifting from the procedural stage to the substantive construction stage. The project started to revitalize the resources of deep 5-1 coal seam to 6-2 coal seam to ensure the continuity of coal mine capacity. The special team completed the approval of the safety facility design after three months, obtained the environmental impact assessment approval on June 26th, and obtained the construction record receipt on July 27th. The project will continue the open-pit mining process and advance from the western boundary of the third mining area. After production, it can activate coal resources and stabilize annual production capacity. After the completion of earthwork stripping, it is expected that coal can be extracted in mid October. Editor/Cheng Liting
Saudi Arabian National Oil Company released its financial report on August 4, 2026, showing a net profit of 32.7 billion US dollars in the second quarter of 2026, higher than the 22.7 billion US dollars in the same period last year and a year-on-year increase of 44%. According to the financial report, Saudi Aramco's average crude oil sales price in the second quarter was $108.1 per barrel, up 41% month on month and 62% year-on-year. Editor/Cheng Liting