https://www.engineeringnews.co.za

Renewable energy must continue to take centre stage in energy planning

1st December 2017

     

Font size: - +

This article has been supplied as a media statement and is not written by Creamer Media. It may be available only for a limited time on this website.

JG Afrika  (0.03 MB)

By Tim Davidson

It is imperative that South African policymakers continue to prioritise renewable energy in future power planning, considering the major strides the country has already made in the field.

I am, therefore, encouraged by the earlier announcements by national government that large-scale “green” energy projects are still on the developmental agenda. 

This announcement was also very favourably received by other participants in both the global and international renewable energy industry. It has provided the necessary reassurance of the rollout of the next phases of the REIPPP

Under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme, or REIPPP, South Africa has become a leading investment destination on the continent for European renewable energy technology specialists.

We have worked with many of them in various capacities on prominent solar and wind projects under this programme.

I can attest to their global experience, which has been instrumental in helping South Africa introduce important clean and sustainable energy to its national grid, which still relies heavily on fossil fuels.

Importantly, there has also been significant scope for skills transfer between both South African and international players in the implementation stages of these projects.

Both European and South African participants underwent a very steep, but critical learning curve during the earlier phases of the programme.

These were important lessons that have led to further, stronger linkages between international technology companies and local developers, as well as their professional teams. 

This bodes well for future planning and execution of sustainable energy projects in South Africa. We can only expect smoother implementation of these projects moving forward, starting with the much-anticipated fourth window of the REIPPP.

This window offers immense opportunity for the country to build on its “green” energy development agenda. This is considering that it involves 26 preferred bidders across a host of clean energy generation technologies, and represents R50-billion in investment into South Africa.

Importantly, it also mirrors the rich diversity of fuel sources available to South African energy planners to sufficiently diversify the country’s energy mix.

For example, this window introduces more biomass to the country’s national grid, complementing the major steps South Africa has already taken in developing its capacities in solar and wind in the earlier stages of the REIPPP.

This includes those projects using wood-waste to produce electricity, or other forms of energy0                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       .

JG Afrika has already engaged with Scandinavian investors and developers of this important base-load power. These international experts in the field have identified a lot of future potential for biomass in the country, considering South Africa’s own developed and sophisticated forestry industry.

We have gained a head-start in this maturing waste-to-gas market, complementing our already proven capability in solar and wind projects in various capacities.

Keep in mind our extensive involvement in the first large-scale waste-to-energy plant in Africa that started operating in Athlone, Western Cape, earlier this year.

I remain extremely proud of our past involvement in helping South Africa secure a sustainable future that is in line with the growing international “green” consciousness.

JG Afrika looks forward to increased involvement in these projects in the country and in other Southern African Economic Development Community countries which are using the REIPPP as blueprint for harnessing their own huge “green” energy resources.

Tim Davidson is a technical director of JG Afrika, and participated in a host of milestone renewable energy projects in the country. Some of these include !Khi Solar One, KaXu Solar One, De Aar and Droogfontein solar farms, as well as Noblesfontein, Metrowind and Kouga wind farms under the REIPPP banner.

Edited by Creamer Media Reporter

Comments

Showroom

Immersive Technologies
Immersive Technologies

Immersive Technologies is the world's largest, proven and tested supplier of simulator training solutions to the global resources industry.

VISIT SHOWROOM 
VEGA Controls SA (Pty) Ltd
VEGA Controls SA (Pty) Ltd

For over 60 years, VEGA has provided industry-leading products for the measurement of level, density, weight and pressure. As the inventor of the...

VISIT SHOWROOM 

Latest Multimedia

sponsored by

Option 1 (equivalent of R125 a month):

Receive a weekly copy of Creamer Media's Engineering News & Mining Weekly magazine
(print copy for those in South Africa and e-magazine for those outside of South Africa)
Receive daily email newsletters
Access to full search results
Access archive of magazine back copies
Access to Projects in Progress
Access to ONE Research Report of your choice in PDF format

Option 2 (equivalent of R375 a month):

All benefits from Option 1
PLUS
Access to Creamer Media's Research Channel Africa for ALL Research Reports, in PDF format, on various industrial and mining sectors including Electricity; Water; Energy Transition; Hydrogen; Roads, Rail and Ports; Coal; Gold; Platinum; Battery Metals; etc.

Already a subscriber?

Forgotten your password?

MAGAZINE & ONLINE

SUBSCRIBE

RESEARCH CHANNEL AFRICA

SUBSCRIBE

CORPORATE PACKAGES

CLICK FOR A QUOTATION







sq:0.067 0.118s - 158pq - 2rq
Subscribe Now