Construction World December 2020

Despite challenging conditions, Construction World’s 19 th Best Projects Awards, sponsored by AfriSam, took place in November. From left: Debbie Harvey (AfriSam), Karen Smith (Crown Publications), Wilhelm du Plessis and Erna Oosthuizen Construction World .

COMMENT

According to the International Energy Agency’s (IEA) Renewables Report 2020, the fears that this sector had that its momentumwould be stopped in its tracks by the COVID-19 pandemic, never materialised. In fact, wind and solar energy will exceed coal capacity globally within the next five years.

This process was accelerated by the pressure to reduce costs and the meeting RI FOLPDWH WDUJHWV 7KH 6RXWK $IULFDQ government has been cognisant of this but also about the role Independent Power Producers can play in getting the huge construction sector back to work and VXVWDLQDEO\ HPSOR\HG ,W DQQRXQFHG WKDW it was accelerating the implementation of the Integrated Resource Plan to provide a substantial increase in the contribution of UHQHZDEOH HQHUJ\ VRXUFHV Defying the expected Despite the fact that global economic growth dropped because of the pandemic, with oil prices at one point turning to negative, the renewable energy sector not RQO\ GHͤHG WKH GRZQWXUQ EXW PDQDJHG WR SRVW UHFRUG JURZWK LQ 5HQHZDEOH electricity generation is set to increase E\ LQ 7KH UHVXOW DFFRUGLQJ WR this report, is that total wind and solar PV FDSDFLW\ ZLOO H[FHHG QDWXUDO JDV LQ

DQG FRDO LQ UHQHZDEOHV ZLOO surpass coal to become the biggest source RI HOHFWULFLW\ JHQHUDWLRQ JOREDOO\ 6RXWK Africa may be a decade or so behind this as Eskom is still and will still be the largest source of energy in the country – but plans are afoot to ease it from its position RI GRPLQDQFH IEA’s Executive Director, Faith Birol says that when renewable energy overtakes coal as the biggest source of electricity generation worldwide, it will HQG FRDO̵V ͤYH GHFDGHV DV WKH WRS SRZHU SURYLGHU 6KH JRHV RQ WR VD\ WKDW E\ WKDW time, the IEA expects renewables to supply RQH WKLUG RI WKH ZRUOG̵V HOHFWULFLW\ 7KLV expansion was driven by wind, solar and K\GUR HOHFWULFLW\ However – the caveat worldwide, but especially in South Africa – is that while renewables may have been resilient WR WKH &29,' FULVLV LW ZLOO REYLRXVO\ not be to policy uncertainty, something 6RXWK $IULFD̵V LQHͦFLHQW UHJXODWRU\ %\

IUDPHZRUN LV IUDXJKW ZLWK Recognising excellence This issue is dedicated to the winners and HQWULHV RI WKH th DQQXDO %HVW 3URMHFWV DZDUGV ,W LV SHUKDSV QR FRLQFLGHQFH WKDW one of the big winners was the Roggeveld :LQG )DUP Despite the obvious uncertainties DQG FKDOOHQJHV EURXJKW RQ E\ &29,' these awards took place in November at the historic Thunder Walker venue in the -RKDQQHVEXUJ LQQHU FLW\ $JDLQVW WKH RGGV ZH KDG D WXUQRXW ZKLOH WKH IHVWLYH atmosphere reminded that excellence and DFKLHYHPHQW DUH UHYHUHG E\ DOO )LIWHHQ DZDUGV ZHUH PDGH LQ VL[ FDWHJRULHV (QMR\ WKLV \HDU̵V RYHUYLHZ RI WKH achievements in the South African built HQYLURQPHQW

Wilhelm du Plessis Editor

@ConstWorldSA

www.facebook.com/construction-worldmagazinesa

EDITOR & DEPUTY PUBLISHER Wilhelm du Plessis constr@crown.co.za $'9(57,6,1* 0$1$*(5 Erna Oosthuizen ernao@crown.co.za LAYOUT & GRAPHIC ARTIST Katlego Montsho CIRCULATION Karen Smith

PUBLISHER Karen Grant 38%/,6+(' 0217+/< %< Crown Publications P O Box 140

TOTAL CIRCULATION: (Third Quarter '20)

BEDFORDVIEW, 2008 Tel: 27 11-622-4770

The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of the editor or the publisher. PRINTED BY Tandym Cape

www.constructionworldmagazine.co.za

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