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Hartmut Winkler

Professor of Physics, University of Johannesburg
A lifelong academic who served stints as Dean of Science and acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor: Academic at the former Vista University in South Africa and was until recently the Head of Physics at the University of Johannesburg.

Research interests range from astrophysics through to atmospheric physics, solar energy and energy supply.

A vocal commentator on South African energy issues, especially the renewables versus nuclear debate.

South Africa’s electricity crisis: what political parties say in their election manifestos about solving it

Mar 28, 2024 12:04 pm UTC| Insights & Views Politics

South Africa is in the middle of a deep electricity crisis. In 2023 the public, many of whom are voters, experienced the worst loadshedding to date, losing power for an average of five hours a day. The power shortages...

South Africa's new plan to end power cuts is seriously flawed. Here's why

Jan 09, 2024 23:03 pm UTC| Economy

South Africa experienced unprecedented electricity shortages in 2023 as ageing coal plants became increasingly prone to breakdowns. The country urgently needs to develop new electricity generation facilities and reduce...

South Africa power outages: some improvement but a long way to go before the grid is stable

Nov 01, 2023 07:12 am UTC| Economy

Over the past few months, South Africas power generation sector has performed better than expected. Four factors explain this: an acceleration of solar power installations, less frequent breakdowns at power stations, a...

South Africa's nuclear sector has failed its test: the Koeberg nuclear plant life extension

Aug 21, 2022 17:23 pm UTC| Science Economy

South Africas only nuclear power plant, Koeberg, has frequently been in the news in 2022, all for the wrong reasons. Its operating licence expires in 2024, and its continued operation thereafter depends on critical...

Global Geopolitics Series

Russia's nuclear power exports: will they stand the strain of the war in Ukraine?

Mar 07, 2022 10:13 am UTC| Politics

Russias invasion of the Ukraine has led to massive sanctions and resulted in heavy blows to its economy. It has also led to unprecedented condemnation of Russias leadership, as well as growing international...

Power shortages will remain a big challenge in a post-COVID-19 South Africa

Apr 21, 2020 12:42 pm UTC| Economy

The decline in economic activity precipitated by the spread of COVID-19 and ensuing lockdown in South Africa is also affecting the countrys electricity supply dynamics. The power outages that were disrupting the economy...

Economy

Global Energy Crisis: Iran Conflict Triggers Record Oil Supply Shock

The ongoing U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran has triggered an unprecedented global energy crisis, marked by the largest daily oil supply disruption in history. The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has significantly reduced...

U.S. Freezes Dollar Transfers to Iraq, Pressures Government Over Iran-Backed Militias

The United States has reportedly halted U.S. dollar shipments to Iraq and paused key security cooperation programs as part of a broader effort to pressure Baghdad into addressing the influence of Iran-backed militias...

Asian Stocks Mixed as Tech Shares Decline While Japan’s Nikkei Hits Record High

Asian stock markets showed mixed performance on Wednesday as technology stocks weakened, reflecting overnight losses on Wall Street, while Japans benchmark Nikkei 225 reached a new record high. Investors remained cautious...

Japan Exports Surge for Seventh Month as AI Demand Offsets Middle East Trade Disruptions

Japans exports extended their growth streak for a seventh consecutive month in March, driven largely by strong global demand linked to artificial intelligence (AI) and data center expansion. According to government data,...

Oil Prices Slip Amid Iran Ceasefire Extension, Hormuz Disruptions Keep Markets Tense

Oil prices edged lower during volatile Asian trading on Wednesday as U.S. President Donald Trump announced an indefinite extension of the ceasefire with Iran. While the move raised hopes for continued peace talks, ongoing...

Politics

Syrian Asylum Rejections Rise in Europe as Minority Safety Concerns Persist

A growing number of Syrian asylum seekers are facing rejection across Europe despite ongoing security concerns, particularly among minority groups. After the fall of former President Bashar al-Assad and the end of Syrias...

Virginia Redistricting Vote Boosts Democrats Ahead of Midterm Elections

Virginia voters approved a new Democratic-backed congressional map on Tuesday, a decision that could significantly reshape the balance of power in the U.S. House of Representatives ahead of the upcoming midterm elections....

Trump Administration Files Fraud Charges Against Southern Poverty Law Center Over Informant Payments

The Trump administration has filed criminal charges against the Southern Poverty Law Center (SPLC), a prominent civil rights organization known for tracking extremist groups, accusing it of defrauding donors through its...

Global Military Talks in London Aim to Reopen Strait of Hormuz and Protect Shipping

Military planners representing more than 30 countries are gathering in London for two days of high-level discussions focused on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and strengthening maritime security in one of the worlds most...

Canada-USMCA Review 2026: No Collapse Expected Despite July 1 Deadline

Canadas top trade negotiator to the United States, Janice Charette, has signaled that the upcoming July 1 deadline for reviewing the USMCA trade agreement should not be viewed as a breaking point for North American trade...

Science

China vs. NASA: The New Moon Race and What's at Stake by 2030

The space race is back and this time, its a direct competition between the United States and China for dominance on the lunar surface. NASAs Artemis II mission recently made history when four astronauts flew farther into...

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

Technology

SK Hynix to Invest $13 Billion in AI Chip Packaging Facility

South Koreas SK Hynix is accelerating its push into the artificial intelligence semiconductor market with a major new investment aimed at strengthening its global competitiveness. The company announced plans to invest...

Nvidia Pushes 800V Data Center Power Systems to Boost Efficiency and Cut Costs

NVIDIA Corporation (NASDAQ: NVDA) is reportedly exploring next-generation data center power solutions by engaging major South Korean power equipment manufacturers to develop higher-voltage infrastructure. According to The...

LG Innotek Stock Hits Record High on $68M Automotive Wi-Fi 7 Deal

LG Innotek shares surged to an all-time high on Wednesday, fueled by strong investor confidence following the companys latest automotive supply agreement with a European partner. The Seoul-listed stock (KS:011070) climbed...

Samsung Boosts DRAM Supply to Tesla as AI-Driven Memory Demand Surges

Samsung Electronics Co Ltd (KS:005930) has significantly increased its monthly DRAM shipments to Tesla Inc (NASDAQ:TSLA), reflecting the growing demand for advanced memory solutions in electric vehicles and artificial...

SpaceX Eyes $60B Cursor Deal to Boost AI Power Ahead of IPO

Elon Musks SpaceX has announced plans to collaborate with AI coding startup Cursor, with the option to acquire the company later this year in a deal valued at $60 billion. The aerospace giant also revealed an alternative...