Features/Analysis Archives - Smarter Mobility Africa

14 April 2023

Ndia Magadagela: How the electric vehicle sector will be impactful

ESI Africa Business and markets, Features/Analysis, Research and Development, Smart Mobility, Women in Energy decarbonisation, Electric Vehicles, Enlit Africa, Just Energy Transition, mobility, women in energy

#sustainablemobility

#womeninmobility

#e-mobility

#southafrica

"We had been EVangelists for electric mobility in South African fleets."

Ndia Magadagela C-Founder, Everlectric

Read this exclusive interview with Ndia Magadagela, Co-Founder of Everlectric, South Africa.

For International Women’s Month, ESI Africa embraced equity and women’s empowerment to elevate society through a series of Women in Energy interviews.

Interview with Ndia Magadagela

ESI: WHAT IS YOUR MOST MEMORABLE MOMENT AS A WOMAN WORKING IN MOBILITY?

I have had many memorable moments in recent years relating to our ambitions to decarbonise South African fleets but the one that stands out by far is the moment the penny dropped for fleet managers. We had been EVangelists for electric mobility in South African fleets.

The other was when the Presidential Climate Finance Task Team was established by President Ramaphosa in February 2022. The task team was tasked with a view to advising on the composition, affordability, and alignment with South Africa’s ambitions and priorities in relation to its climate change risks. This was proof that Government is committed to working out South Africa’s pathway to low emissions.

Africa suffers the brunt of climate change impacts despite contributing very little to global carbon emissions: from tropical cyclones in Malawi, Mozambique & Madagascar, floods in Nigeria, Uganda & South Africa to devastating drought in the Horn of Africa https://t.co/VvzOCpVgZv pic.twitter.com/xtYG4oiHIB
— Inter Press Service (@ipsnews) April 16, 2023

#RaiseTheGame for #ClimateAction!

Tackling #ClimateChange requires transformational changes across sectors of the SA🇿🇦 economy - with innovations in urban & infrastructure planning, a shift to #CleanEnergy & changes to how we use our land, water & food.#ForPlanetForPeople pic.twitter.com/OWjcWIp5Qi
— United Nations in South Africa (@UNinSouthAfrica) April 12, 2023

ESI: WHAT RECENT INNOVATIONS IN THE INDUSTRY CAN YOU SEE PROVIDING UNIQUE OPPORTUNITIES FOR WOMEN IN THE ENERGY SECTOR?

Like many old-line industries, the energy business is overwhelmingly male. According to World Bank, Women hold just 22% of jobs in energy production and distribution, even though they make up 48% of the global workforce. The number is even lower among senior managers: just 14%. There are opportunities to get women into the energy industry and lift them through the ranks so they can light up the world.

There are so many opportunities in this sector that are available for women. From research, services, manufacturing, etc. The most important thing is to move from plans and theories to implementation.

ESI: WHICH STRATEGIES DO YOU EXPECT TO BE THE MOST IMPACTFUL FOR?THE JUST ENERGY TRANSITION?

The new electric vehicle (EV) sector will be very impactful. The focus of the Just Energy Transition is on transitioning the automotive sector value chains to EVs. There is a global shift to electric and with this strategy, EV production will gain momentum, the EV supply chain will be localised and will help set the base for NEV manufacturing and component manufacturing in-country. South Africa has the responsibility to protect sector employment and promote new growth in sustainable manufacturing.

For this, we need to have initiatives to incentivise investments in charging infrastructure and we also need to convert public transport and private vehicles to EVs. All of this will accelerate decarbonisation.

ESI: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO YOUNG WOMEN IN THE ENERGY SECTOR??

I would advise them to be patient and keep innovating. With any new project, there is the initial spade work that must be put in and this can take time and for some can be discouraging. Be patient in doing the spade work and just keep on moving forward.

Electricity, or a lack thereof, is a hot topic within South Africa, so with the impending shift to electric mobility, what are some of the myths surrounding electric vehicles (EVs)?https://t.co/wOsqPSZNVp #EV #ElectricVehicle #ElectricCar
— AutoTrader (@AutoTraderSA) April 7, 2023

11 April 2023

Bertha Mvati: Advancing technologies are creating opportunities for women

ESI Africa Business and markets, Climate Change, East Africa, Features/Analysis, Finance and Policy, Renewable energy, Research and Development, Smart Mobility, Smart Technologies, Women in Energy Electric Vehicles, Enlit Africa, Kenya, mobility, smart technologies, women in energy

13 March 2023

Iain Banner gives insight into the future of Africa’s green mobility

ESI Africa Africa, Business and markets, Climate Change, Features/Analysis, Industry Insights, Interviews, Multimedia, News, Smart Mobility Africa, Africa's Green Economy Summit, e-mobility, mobility

27 February 2023

Ready, set, go: Green economy revving to go in Africa

ESI Africa Africa, Battery Energy Storage, Features/Analysis, Finance and Policy, Future Energy, Non classé, Renewable energy, Smart Mobility, Smart Technologies, Southern Africa

Written by: Nicolette Pombo-van Zyl

The green economy has the mesmerising appeal of a crystal, with many angles reflecting different colours as it turns. For Africa, this green economy ‘crystal’ is still in the making; however, it is already showing off a brilliant display of opportunities.

This display was evident during last week’s festivities into the green economy held in Cape Town, South Africa, which included a business summit, Cape Town’s first E-Prix, and the launch of the next Electric Vehicle Road Trip.

Much was discussed and pondered, concluding that a green economy is there for the taking. Here are a few choice quotes from Africa’s Green Economy Summit, held ahead of the E-Prix, on 22-23 February, that got me thinking about how this budding economy will shape new endeavours.

Invest or heed the warnings

When Dr Amani Abou-Zeid, the African Union Commissioner for Infrastructure and Energy, spoke of the faulty generalisation of Africa being a risky investment destination, she had my full attention.

Did you know that of the 32 African countries rated, 18 had their credit ratings downgraded since the COVID-19 pandemic started? The significance of this number is more about it being greater than that of European countries. And noting that EU countries have faced similar and more drastic economic challenges.

As such, Abou-Zeid pointed out that Africa’s confidence in rating agencies is waning. “The current approach is to leave out elements that contribute to the poor credit rating, making investors shy away from Africa and making things even harder,” she added.

Sadly, the continent’s default rate is amongst the world’s lowest, backed by Moody’s Analytics which found that Africa’s default rate on infrastructure loans is 1.9%. “Other studies by rating agencies have come to similar conclusions,” said Abou-Zeid.

Rating agencies versus ROI

But investor confidence should look at another (probably more relevant) statistic – research into foreign direct investment shows that those investing in Africa earned the highest rate of return compared to other continents “at 11% versus the 9% in Latin America and Asia, and the global average of 7%,” shared Abou-Zeid.

Sadly, the impact of a low credit rating leads to higher interest and insurance rates for infrastructure projects, creating higher unnecessary costs that Africa can ill-afford.

But how do we capture the opportunities when Africa struggles to escape from being branded a risky, corrupt business environment?

Since the numbers show a whopping return on investment compared to other regions, do you heed the ratings agencies’ warnings or follow the ROI numbers? In my view, with so much potential in Africa’s green economy unfolding, investors must review real versus perceived (and sometimes stereotyped) risks to make informed decisions.

Of interest to you:
Fitch revises South Africa’s outlook to negative and affirms IDR at ‘BB+’
Moody’s moving in on local credit rating company is bad news for Africa

Stakeholders in the green economy in Africa

Unlike the development of the traditional electricity, power and energy market, the green economy in Africa will be about co-creating.

Budding green initiatives will be driven by public-private partnerships, city initiatives and commercial, industrial and residential projects. All of which will flourish as government sets forth enabling policies.

However, the keyword is inclusivity.

As John Roome, Regional Director for South Asia Sustainable Development at the World Bank, pointed out: “It’s not a simple task to move forward and bring change to this agenda, so we need to bring together communities to make these systemic changes… Inclusive development is needed. We need to get the basics right.”

And this is well on the way, as indicated by Hastings Chikoko, Director of Regions & Mayoral Engagement & Regional Director for Africa at C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, who said: “Cities are rethinking the role of urbanism in shaping a green economy in Africa, re-imagining sustainability, climate resilience, digitalisation and innovation.”

Incentivising nations

However, Arvana Singh, Head of Sustainable Finance Solutions at Nedbank Corporate and Investment Banking, advised that incentives are needed. These are necessary to incentivise residential and property developers to build green amidst a very constrained environment that is very cost sensitive.

Surely this is one of those low-hanging fruit opportunities for any country to implement?

Singh added that a truly green economy isn’t just about removing fossil fuels from the energy mix. “It’s an entirely new economic model that values sustainability and social responsibility.”

With such colourful quotes delivered at Africa’s Green Economy Summit, you probably wonder what’s next.

As the green economy in Africa is well on its way, the conversation turns to where to find the tenders and requests for proposals and the need for standardisation. Join us at the next event, where stakeholders will gather to talk about the green economy and market in general.

24 February 2023

E-Prix technology development to advance electric vehicles

ESI Africa Africa, Battery Energy Storage, Energy Efficiency, Energy Storage, Features/Analysis, International, News, Non classé, Research and Development, Smart Mobility, Smart Technologies Africa's Green Economy Summit, Battery storage, Cape Town, Clean Technology, Electric Vehicles, smart mobility africa, South Africa

Written by: Theresa Smith

Developing new technologies for electric vehicles in the pits of Formula E is having a real-world impact trickling down to the EVs driven on streets worldwide.

Moderating a panel discussion on Formulate E change, accelerated – net zero vision for cities and urban racing at Africa’s Green Economic Summit, Dominic Wilhelm, Executive Director, United Leaders, United Cities, explained this technology transfer will, over the years, influence energy storage practices, smart grids, energy efficiency and e-mobility as a whole.

Saturday, 25 February, sees the first Formula E race in sub-Sahara Africa, with Cape Town probably providing the fastest race track for the e-mobility circuit this year.

Wilhelm was very keen to discuss Maserati’s return to racing for the first time in ten years with Giovanni Sgro, head of Maserati for Formula E. Maserati got back on the track in Mexico in January 2023 with the GT Folgore, the Trident’s first-ever electric vehicle.

“Not only are we back to racing, but it’s also our first race in Cape Town. Formula E was a natural choice; getting back to racing was something we were looking forward to for many years,” said Sgro. He reminded that Maserati’s first race win was in 1926. It seemed a natural fit to get into the first e-sport for electric vehicles as the luxury Italian brand aims to only produce electric vehicles by 2030.

“We’ve had racing in our blood for over 100 years, and to be back to racing in a great championship that is doing tremendous work, it’s fantastic. Also, to be going around the world to new cities,” said Sgro.

Have you listened?
Everything you need to know about Formula E in Cape Town

Setting up a circuit to race electric vehicles

Alberto Longo, Formula E co-founder, said it had been quite a journey. Working in the early noughties on creating Formula 1 sponsorship deals, Longo noticed companies expressing an interest in sponsoring motorsport if only it had a green angle.

By 2008 he and Formula E cofounder Alejandro Agag realised they needed to create a platform for the companies who wanted to get into motorsport, just not in the format it presented at the time.

“The world has changed completely since then,” marvelled Longo.

When they obtained FIA licensing in 2012, technology for racing EVs was not yet developed. Not only were there no formal teams, a single-seater, fully-electric racing car did not exist.

The first generation of cars was a far cry from the Gen3 cars, which will debut at the Cape Town E-Prix. Spark Gen3, or Gen3, is the successor to the SRT05e.

Back then, every driver had two cars at their disposal because they couldn’t finish a race with one – the range of the batteries simply wasn’t enough.

“In only four years, we have doubled the battery capacity, and now they manage to finish the race with one car,” said Longo.

Now it’s fast charging, technology for faster cars and “more sexy cars because that’s important for the championship to be attractive to fans.

“The reality is, 12 years ago, there were two key barriers to electric vehicles. First was the price and second was the range of the batteries.

“We’re not talking about range of batteries anymore; you can see 500 to 700km. Nine years ago, it was 60km. Price is still expensive, but governments are doing initiatives and incentives to transform e-mobility in countries. We are getting there way quicker than expected,” said Longo.

Have you read?
E-Fest ELECTRIC 2023

Driving technological progress

James Barclay, Formula E Team Principal for Jaguar, said the huge benefit that sport can play is driving human and technological progress through electric racing.

He pointed out that the power of world-class sports is that teams compete against the very best and push themselves beyond their limits. Thus technological advancements made on the E-Prix circuit will push EV development.

Barclay point to technology such as safety belts and traction control are technologies that trickled down from Formula 1 racing into regular sedans driven daily on roads around the world.

“Jaguar has a long history in the sport. We won Le Man as the first company to use disc brakes,” remembered Barclay.

Back in 1949, the racers used drum brakes, mostly hydraulically activated. Cars would lose braking efficiency when they got too hot. In 1953, Jaguar won Le Mans with their much simpler disc brakes system, which gradually became the norm for racing and eventually all cars.

Exploring technology

The Formula E Jaguar team is also exploring Wolfspeed’s silicon carbide semiconductors, which they started using in 2017. “Now, having proven the technology by winning races, last year Jaguar announced that all future cars would use this technology.

Have you read?
Ed’s note: Why semiconductors and the green economy fit hand in glove

“We pioneered second-life battery storage. We powered the garage in pre-testing at Valencia with a second-life battery at Valencia.

“That has applications for all over the world, and it’s a technology pioneered by Pramac, so the world of generators is moving into battery energy storage,” said Barclay.

Jaguar Land Rover has partnered with Pramac to develop a portable zero-emission energy storage unit powered by second-life Jaguar I-PACE batteries. This Off Grid Battery Energy Storage System features lithium-ion batteries from the Jaguar I-PACE batteries from the prototypes and engineering test vehicles. The storage system can supply zero-emissions power where access to to the grid is limited or unavailable.

“Formula E is the first net zero sport in the world and one of the fastest growing,” reminded Wilhelm.

“The performance of the vehicles is extraordinary. Look at what Formula 1 has achieved in decades versus what Formula E has achieved in just a few years. There’s not much difference in performance,” Wilhelm said.

The Cape Town E-Prix will take place at the same time as the Cape Town E-Fest. ESI

23 February 2023

Self-generating electricity and improving transport infrastructure at provincial level

ESI Africa Asset Maintenance, Business and markets, Customer Services, Features/Analysis, Finance and Policy, Generation, News, Non classé, Smart Mobility, Southern Africa Africa's Green Economy Summit, Gauteng, green economy, IPPs, Public Transport, rail, Smarter Mobility Africa, South Africa, SSEG, Transportation

In Cape Town for Africa’s Green Economic Summit, William Dachs, Gautrain Management Agency (GMA) CEO, reminded that the public transport agency’s current concession with Bombela ends in March 2026.

“Then the assets are fully paid off and ready for use in a new concession-type arrangement,” said Dachs, pointing out this would then be the perfect opportunity to reinvest in the system and grow it even further. The Agency has completed National Treasury Feasibility Studies and is ready to launch the procurement post-2026 project in April. They will host a formal market engagement in Johannesburg in the last week of March.

Have you read?
Cape Town combating the Eskom, NERSA tariff hike decision

Enumerating the Agency’s many successes since opening its doors 13 years ago, Dachs indicated that the GMA are the only A-grade public infrastructure in South Africa, with an asset value of R45 billion connecting Gauteng’s three metros and the largest PPP in the country.

It is the only rail system in SA to adopt world standards in electronic ticket systems, which accept any form of payment for travel on trains and buses. The GMA is the only public transport system with formal contracts with minibus taxi associations and makes a quantifiable impact of R2.60 for every rand invested. Over R6 billion was spent on local goods and services in the last years – R5bn through black-owned businesses and SMMEs.

The real challenge lies outside these doors, on the N1 a few hundred metres away, and the N2 a few kilometres away, and on countless urban roads in South Africa and in Africa.

SSEG for provinces is the way to go

Explaining his other reasons for attending Africa’s Green Economic Summit (AGES), Dachs started off by talking about South Africa’s energy situation.

“There is a growing realisation that solutions to the current electricity supply crisis lie as much in small, scalable solutions at municipal and provincial levels as they do at Megawatt park [Eskom’s head office],” said Dachs.

Referencing Gauteng Premier Panyaza Lesufi’s recent announcement to allocate R1,2 billion to boost energy supply in the province of Gauteng, Dachs pointed out that part of this would be used to put solar panels on the rooftops of government buildings, including Gautrain stations, for solar generation.

Panyaza Lesufi’s budget speech
Opportunity on the rise: Gauteng to appoint six solar developers

Part of that money would also be used to create larger-scale renewable energy generators in the province. “I see the same restlessness and the same approach towards self-reliance here in Cape Town with moves towards smaller scale IPPs and even domestic feed-in rates.

“If solving the energy crisis means combining increased self-reliance in generation with renewable sources and financing that off the public balance sheets, then achieving national green energy commitments suddenly becomes more believable,” said Dachs.

Green economy for transport infrastructure too

He said his second reason for attending AGES is transport-related. He was pleased by discussion topics such as mobility for social inclusion and economic opportunity, urban sustainability, and smart cities. However, Dachs was worried that people would be too caught up in discussions on making cars and trucks more carbon-efficient and using technology better and smarter in our cities.

“The real challenge lies outside these doors, on the N1 a few hundred metres away, and the N2 a few kilometres away, and on countless urban roads in South Africa and in Africa.”

Dachs thinks the true challenge is the “massive and regressive” move away from rail-based passenger transport to road-based modes of transport such as private cars and minibus taxis. “Add in another long-term shift of freight from road to rail, and we have the perfect storm of growing urbanisation, increasing road usage, congestion and carbon emissions.”

Of interest
Investment to accelerate adoption of green vehicles in emerging markets

SA transit systems need to revamp

To give some sense of perspective on the problem, while Gauteng road traffic volumes consistently grow at around 7% per annum, the national rail network has shed around 500 million annual rail passenger trips per annum in South Africa over the last 10 years… they shifted mode into a highly unregulated and inefficient road-based transport.”

Dachs said he was not arguing against a shift towards electric vehicles or hydrogen-based fuels which he sees as a necessity, but a “failure to grow and develop our urban guided transit systems.”

“We have a great National Rail Policy, what we need is action, and part of that action is accelerated planning of and investment in urban rail systems. If the provinces and cities of this country are now having to face up to and help tackle the national problem of electricity supply, why on earth will we not have to do exactly the same in the rail sector?

“Issues like better urban planning, sensible ways of getting private sector participation into transport have got to be on the agenda,” said Dachs.

Africa’s Green Economy Summit continues today (Thursday, 23 February) at the Century City Conference Centre. It is co-located with E-Fest, which hosts Africa’s first E-Prix on Saturday, 25 February.

13 February 2023

Ed’s note: The electric vehicle market is thirsty for charging points

ESI Africa Africa, Business and markets, Energy Storage, Features/Analysis, Future Energy, International, Smart Mobility, Southern Africa charging infrastructure, Ed's Note, Electric Vehicles

Written by: Nicolette Pombo-van Zyl

You’re not about to buy a hydrogen-powered truck, but you might be in the market to purchase an electric vehicle (EV) in the next five years.

As the popularity of the electric vehicle market increases, so too will the demand for public charging points for these vehicles. In the UK, for example, the government has pledged to have 300,000 charging points by 2030.

The trick is to position them correctly.

Professor Henry Tse, Director of New Mobility Technologies at Connected Places Catapult in the UK, explains they are looking at the ideal balance between the use of home, on-street and destination charging points. “How could people be encouraged to use destination charging? So, we have been working with industry and academia to look at the situation in great depth.”

This research will add to the sustainable uptake of electric vehicles. However, African markets need to conduct similar studies to address unique circumstances.

While EV owners suffer from range anxiety (especially in countries where charging points remain few and far between), the time it takes to charge an electric vehicle is also a concern. It means downtime for a business.

Time is money. As such, lengthy charging times are especially detrimental to small businesses and passenger vehicle drivers (taxis, Uber-type entrepreneurs). The hour or hours taken to charge an EV is time out for the driver to earn money.

Could the solution be hydrogen?

I mentioned hydrogen-powered trucks above because this space’s progress could prove a future business opportunity.

Fahmida Smith, the principal for market development at Anglo American Platinum, explains: “With hydrogen, it takes you the same time as it would to fuel up with diesel, so it doesn’t impact your pocket.”

Last May, the mining company launched a hydrogen-powered ultra-haul mine truck, showing off a vehicle that makes no noise and emits no fossil fuel emissions. In addition, changing these ultra-haul mine trucks from diesel to hydrogen could represent an 80% reduction of onsite diesel emissions across the business.

While hydrogen-powered passenger vehicles are unlikely to feature soon, we are seeing a steady transition to cleaner mobility.

Testament to this smarter mobility future is Africa’s first consumer clean energy and electric event, E-Fest ELECTRIC. It takes place in Cape Town on 25 February and co-located at the Cape Town E-Prix ABB Formula E Championship E-Prix village. While adding to the excitement is Africa’s Green Economy Summit from 22–24 February.

Formula One pit stops are the epitome of teamwork, and people have written reams about how what they do translates to lessons all businesses could stand to learn. It will be interesting to see what lessons from the E-Prix will eventually trickle down to how we charge and drive our future EVs.

Till then, let’s get moving sustainably.

electric vehicle racecar e-mobility sustainable motoring event e-fest formula e

13 December 2022

EXCLUSIVE: Everything you need to know about Formula E in Cape Town

ESI-Africa.com Business and markets, Features/Analysis, Interview, Interviews, Multimedia, News, Non classé, Podcasts, Smart Mobility, Southern Africa e-mobility, electric mobility, Electric Vehicles, formula e, mobility, sustainability, sustainable transport

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