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SUSTAINABLE ENERGY NEWS NUMBER 9

5. SA Energy Bills & conferences

Workshop on Energy Centres "Institutional Structures and Capacity Development for Sustainable Energy Projects" The aim of this workshop is to develop a realisable plan for implementing a national network of Energy Centres (EC). This follows the idea of the White Paper on Energy (December 1998) as well as the Draft White Papers on the Promotion of Renewable Energy and Clean Energy Development (as of 21 June 2002). Energy Centres can have multi-fold tasks such as information dissemination, capacity building and awareness building, but also realising projects. They can be funded from public money (national and international) but also do commercially viable projects. The overall idea is to implement institutional structures that are appropriate to support both energy efficiency and renewable energy projects. Another idea is to close the missing link between policy and strategy, which helps to implement sustainable energy projects. In a one-day seminar with stakeholders we intend to develop an outline that specifies the location, structure, and to discuss tasks as well as financial sources for such energy centres. An internet-based forum shall allow pre- and post-workshop discussions. The workshop will build on the broad and long-lasting experience and expertise from Germany and in Mexico. We invite experts in implementing national, regional and local energy agencies in different contexts. They will help to identify critical issues and possible solutions to these problems. Contact: Barbara Praetorius, Email: bpraetorius@diw.de Training programme for wind power technology in developing countries The ЕF Group has been commissioned by the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA) to develop and lead a course for international participants interested in the small-scale production of wind power. Entitled "The Management of Wind Power Development", the course is aimed at delegates from developing countries, primarily from organisations working actively to promote sustainable energy supplies in rural areas, government authorities, established cooperatives, private entrepreneurs, networks, representatives from municipal and regional authorities and research-oriented institutions. The private sector, including commercial power companies and state-owned energy and development organisations, also forms part of the target group. The main focus of the training programme will be small and medium-sized wind farms, taking special account of the prevailing conditions in many developing countries, where there is often a shortage of electricity and insufficient resources for transmitting and distributing energy supplies. The course will run over a period of five weeks in 2003 and will be held in Malmц, Stockholm and Visby. Two more courses are already planned for 2004 and 2005. The ЕF Group is developing this project in collaboration with Sycon International AB and the Gotland College of Higher Education in Sweden. For further information: Project Leader, Bertil Ahlbeck +46(0)40-375000 or visit www.af.se Ashden Award for Sustainable Energy The Ashden Trust is inviting submissions for the Ashden Awards for Sustainable Energy 2003. Four first prizes of up to Ј30,000 each will be awarded to outstanding sustainable energy projects (three for developing countries and one for the UK). The awards are for community-based renewable energy and full details of criteria and application forms can be found on the new website: www.ashdenawards.org. The deadline is November 29, 2002. Contact: Jane Shepherd, jane.shepherd@sfct.org.uk Gas Industry Bill The company iGas has been formed in terms of Government's Central Energy Fund. iGas represents the government component of the Gas industry. POMPCO, a company of Sasol and the South African and Mozambique governments are in the process of constructing a pipeline from the Mozambican gas fields of Temane and Pande to Gauteng, where it will link with an existing pipeline. The first gas is scheduled to be delivered to South Africa in 2004. The South Africa/ Mozambican Gas Commission has been formed to facilitate movement of gas across the border. They have already met about three or four times. The Gas Bill (48/2002) has been signed by the President. The Money Bill (associated with the Gas Bill) which has yet to be presented in Parliament, sets up finance for the Gas Regulator which has been established in terms of the Gas Bill. For more information: Tony Surridge at (012) 3179181. - Contact Trust Energy Draft Bill The Bill is at this stage still being drafted. Although the Department is one month behind with the drafting process they do have an internal draft. It is at this stage unclear whether the Bill will be released for public comment directly after being drafted or whether it will first be submitted to Cabinet. The Bill is scheduled to be released for public comment soon thereafter. The draft Bill aims to promote research and development within the energy industry. The draft Bill will cover all aspects of energy. Integrated energy and resource planning, the utilization of environmentally sound energy sources, energy use efficiency and data collection are some of the issues the DME is hoping to deal with in the draft Bill. For more information: Tony Surridge at (012) 3179181. - Contact Trust Free Basic Electricity Supply The projects that will focus on development nodal areas and selected urban renewal areas are still being piloted. Experience gathered from these pilot projects will assist Government in the ultimate roll-out of free basic energy that will begin in 2002/2003. The Department has made a few recommendations to Cabinet, but these are not yet final and no decisions have been taken yet. The Department hopes that the final document will be submitted to Cabinet by the end of October. The objective of free basic services is to provide social relief to those who earn less than R800 per month per household. This will affect paraffin, electricity and solar home systems. Poor households that are currently receiving electricity will qualify for free basic electricity. A basic amount of 50kWh per household per month has been considered as a national standard. Regarding rural households currently using solar energy, a limited operation and maintenance subsidy to a maximum of R40.00 per household will be made available. The end user will pay any amount above R40.00 per month. In order to make paraffin more affordable, Value Added Tax (VAT) has been removed. For more information contact Mookelsane at (012) 317 9524. - Contact Trust Bio-Diesel Incentives The report on Bio-fuels by the DACST have not been made public yet. The Department of Finance hopes to incorporate this report in the minutes. The entire process will take about two weeks. There will be another meeting by industry players, which will focus on cost benefits analysis. For more information contact Erwin Obermeyer at 012 315 5783. - Contact Trust Electricity Supply Industry Regulation Draft Bill The Department has confirmed that they have finalised the Bill internally after receiving comments from other departments. The Bill has now been forwarded to the Minister for approval for publishing for public comments. The Department hopes the Bill will be released during the third quarter of 2002. For more information contact Mookelsane at (012) 317 9524. - Contact Trust

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