4 companies shortlisted for biomass licence
MBABANE – As the country continues to pursue its objective of generating renewable energy locally, four companies are in the race to attain a biomass licence.
The procurement process is mid Zay through as Iour Eidders haYe Eeen identiIied at the request Ior qualiIication RFQ stage to par ticipate in the request Ior proposal RF3 stage.
The (sZatini (nergy Regula tory $uthority (6(R$ Zas in the process oI procuring 0: Zhich comprises 0: oI solar and 0: oI Eiomass.
(6(R$ said the second tranche procurement launched the RFQ ten der Ior the procurement oI Eiomass plants totaling to appro[imately
0: in $ugust .
Project
The proMects aim Zas to utilise the aYailaEle Eiomass IeedstocN in the country.
This Zas mentioned Ey (6(R$ in the 6'* inYestor roadmap and annual report.
(6(R$ said they had plans to sanc tion the addition oI 0: through reneZaEle sources and also issue licenses Ior these proMects.
They said the procurement oI so lar Zas done to completion Eut
Company Name procurement process is halIZay through as Iour Eidders haYe Eeen identified at the RFQ stage to par ticipate in the RF3 stage ´ they said.
:hen asNed Zhy more solar poZer Zas not Eeing produced and sup plied to the grid it Zas e[plained that solar poZer Ey its natures is intermittent Zhich means that it Zas irregular and unreliaEle due to YariaEility as a result oI Zeather conditions as Zell as night and day.
(6(R$ also mentioned that the country Zas currently generating
0: Irom reneZaEle technolo gies Zhich is made up oI 0: hydro electric poZer and 0: solar poZer.
Companies
The companies that Zould Ee participating in the RF3 stage oI the Eiomass include $%F (nergy /imited %10 Technology *roup (lectricite de France and (sZatini (urope (nergy Resource &onsorti um (((R& .
$%F (nergy /imited is a priYate limited company. %ased in :eston &entre 1 *rosYenor 6treet 8nited .ingdom.
(lectricite de France 6.$ is a French multinational electric utility company largely oZned Ey the French 6tate.
(sZatini (urope (nergy Resource &onsortium (((R& a consultancy company Zhich leads maMor proMects in 1orthern (urope as Zell as 6uE 6aharan $Irica.
³The sugar and te[tile industry is one oI the Ney players in the econ omy oI (sZatini and in our quest to generate energy locally.´
This Zas mentioned Ey the 0in ister oI &ommerce ,ndustry and Trade 0anqoEa .humalo last ZeeN Zhen he Zas Iormerly introduced to the neZ 8EomEo &ountry 0anag ing 'irector 0' 0u]i 6iyaya at +ilton ,nn hotel.
.humalo inIormed the 0' that there Zas a possiEility that (sZatini Zould not Ee receiYing electricity Irom 6outh $Irica Eeyond .
+e said this Zas a challenge and an opportunity Ior locals to generate more poZer.
The minister said the sugar indus try Zas a maMor player in their quest to increase the local generation oI electricity.
.humalo tasNed 6iyaya and 8Eom Eo sugar to ZorN on increasing the Eiomass production in order to con triEute to the grid.
³2ne oI the challenges that Ze haYe is energy Eiomass Zould Ee a Yery signiIicant contriEution to the country aIter hence Ze are looNing at reneZaEle Iorms oI energy ´ he said.
.humalo added that acceleration oI the sugar strategy Ey 8EomEo sugar is imperatiYe to e[pand the sugar marNet.