EsgNow

28/05/2026

South Africa’s renewable energy buildout continues to gather momentum.

AMEA Power has officially switched on its 120MW Doornhoek Solar PV Plant in the North West province, becoming the first project under Bid Window 6 of the REIPPPP programme to reach commercial operation. The facility is expected to generate around 325GWh of clean electricity annually, enough to power approximately 97,000 households.

Beyond expanding renewable energy capacity, the project also highlights the growing role of private investment, battery storage integration, and local participation in South Africa’s energy transition. AMEA partnered with South African firms Ziyanda Energy and Dzimuzwo Energy, both wholly owned by African women.

The bigger shift? South Africa’s energy conversation is increasingly moving from “Can renewables work?” to “How quickly can new generation capacity be connected to the grid?”

Read full story now https://www.esgnow.co.za/article/amea-power-switches-on-120mw-doornhoek-solar-plant-in-north-west

28/05/2026

Electric vehicles are no longer a future trend, they’re becoming mainstream.

The International Energy Agency (IEA) expects EVs to account for nearly 30% of global car sales in 2026, with around 23 million electric vehicles projected to be sold worldwide this year.

The shift is being driven by falling battery costs, stronger policy support, rising fuel prices, and growing investment in charging infrastructure across major markets like China and Europe. Europe alone is expected to see EVs make up roughly one in every three new cars sold this year.

The bigger question now isn’t whether the EV transition is happening, it’s how quickly infrastructure, electricity grids, supply chains, and policy frameworks can keep up with it.

Read full article 👉 https://www.esgnow.co.za/article/evs-to-account-for-nearly-30-of-global-car-sales-in-2026

Global electric vehicle sales are expected to reach 23 million in 2026, with EVs making up nearly 30% of all new cars sold worldwide, according to the IEA.

28/05/2026

Sorghum could soon become one of South Africa’s most unexpected energy transition success stories.

A growing push toward sorghum-based biofuel production is expected to help unlock a potential R5 billion industry, creating opportunities across agriculture, energy, manufacturing, and rural economic development.

Beyond being drought-resistant and well-suited to African climates, sorghum is increasingly being viewed as a strategic feedstock for low-carbon biofuels and sustainable industrial production.

The bigger opportunity? Biofuels may not only reshape parts of the energy sector, they could also create entirely new value chains for farmers, processors, transport operators, and rural economies across Southern Africa.

Read full story 👉https://www.esgnow.co.za/article/sorghum-based-biofuel-set-to-unlock-r5bn-industry

27/05/2026

South Africa’s electric vehicle transition is expanding beyond passenger cars and into commercial transport.

Tata Africa is preparing to launch an electric bus, small electric truck, and electric Xenon bakkie in South Africa as demand grows for cleaner commercial mobility solutions across logistics and public transport sectors.

The rollout reflects growing momentum behind fleet electrification in South Africa, particularly as businesses and municipalities look to reduce fuel costs, lower emissions, and modernise transport infrastructure.

The bigger opportunity? Commercial vehicles could become one of the fastest-moving segments in South Africa’s EV market due to their predictable routes, high fuel consumption, and operational cost savings.

Read full article 👉https://www.esgnow.co.za/article/tata-africa-to-launch-electric-bus-truck-and-bakkie-in-south-africa

27/05/2026

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27/05/2026

China is tightening its grip on one of the world’s most strategic mineral supply chains.

A new $1 billion refinery investment in Guinea is set to deepen China’s influence over the country’s vast bauxite sector. A critical raw material used to produce aluminium for industries ranging from construction and aviation to electric vehicles and renewable energy infrastructure. Guinea already supplies more than 70% of its bauxite exports to China.

The investment also reflects Guinea’s growing push to move beyond raw mineral exports and develop local refining and processing capacity as part of broader industrialisation ambitions.

Read full story 👉https://www.esgnow.co.za/article/china-deepens-grip-on-guinea-bauxite-with-1bn-refinery-investment

Guinea has secured a $1 billion alumina refinery from China’s Chalco, marking a major step in the country’s drive to move beyond raw bauxite exports.

26/05/2026

Commercial green energy just got a lot simpler in South Africa.

Thanks to an 18-month collaboration between Etana Energy, Growthpoint Properties , and the City of Cape Town, SA's first pooled energy wheeling model is officially live.

By balancing renewable supply across an entire portfolio rather than individual properties, this pilot paves the way for commercial landlords to deliver flexible, cheaper clean energy to tenants at scale.

Additional details on the pilot: https://www.esgnow.co.za/article/etana-and-growthpoint-launch-sa-s-first-pooled-energy-wheeling-model-in-cape-town

26/05/2026

The future of global manufacturing is green, and Egypt is leading the charge.

A new $2 billion partnership with Chinese investors will establish a massive, carbon-neutral textile city. By merging low-carbon energy with advanced manufacturing infrastructure, this project proves that heavy industry can scale without sacrificing net-zero goals.

Huge win for regional industrial decarbonization and green job creation.

Read more: https://www.esgnow.co.za/article/egypt-lands-2bn-chinese-investment-for-carbon-neutral-textile-city

China Enterprise Cloud Chain plans to develop a massive carbon-neutral textile hub in Egypt that could create up to 140,000 direct and indirect jobs.

25/05/2026

Healthy ecosystems are a city’s best defense against climate change.

The eThekwini Municipality is tackling biodiversity loss and unemployment simultaneously. By restoring over 2,500 hectares of land with indigenous trees, Durban is boosting its water security and disaster resilience while creating nearly 1,000 green jobs.

This is community-led climate adaptation in action.

Read more 👉 https://www.esgnow.co.za/article/durban-expands-biodiversity-restoration-through-green-jobs-and-conservation-projects

25/05/2026

Sanlam Investments is doubling down on the green energy transition with a $10M equity investment into Africa GreenCo Group.

This 10% stake marks Sanlam as GreenCo's first private institutional shareholder, adding an innovative trading and offtake layer to their existing R17B sustainable infrastructure portfolio. Great move for regional grid stability and clean energy trading across Southern Africa!

Read the full breakdown: https://www.esgnow.co.za/article/sanlam-invests-10m-in-renewable-power-trading-platform-greenco

Africa GreenCo secured a $10 million equity investment from Sanlam Alternative Investments as regional electricity trading gains momentum across Southern Africa.

22/05/2026

Your morning coffee ritual is becoming a little more circular.

Nespresso and Oricol are expanding coffee pod recycling efforts in South Africa, helping divert used aluminium capsules from landfill through specialised separation and recycling processes. At Oricol’s facilities, aluminium capsules are separated from coffee grounds, with the aluminium recycled into new products while the coffee grounds are composted into fertiliser.

The initiative reflects growing pressure on brands to address packaging waste as consumers increasingly expect sustainability to extend beyond the product itself, right through to disposal and recycling infrastructure.

Read Full Story👉 https://www.esgnow.co.za/article/nespresso-and-oricol-expand-coffee-pods-recycling-in-south-africa