Clean energy is set to be a major contributor to a global and sustainable energy system and wind energy is becoming one of the lowest-cost sources of clean energy, Mineral Resources and Energy Minister Gwede Mantashe said during the eleventh Windaba Conference, in Cape Town, on October 12.

He noted that the conference was being held at a time when South Africa was experiencing frequent loadshedding owing to challenges with the performance of its existing coal-fired power generation plants.

The country was also being impacted by global energy challenges, including delays in the supply of petroleum products, high prices and higher costs of construction material for new generation capacity projects.

Mantashe said the solution to the domestic and international challenges would be the sustainable development of indigenous energy resources and moving from high carbon emissions to low carbon emissions in a manner that does not undermine energy security, economic growth plans or the sustainability of local communities.

Mantashe outlined that, outside of State-owned utility Eskom’s new build programme made up of Medupi, Kusile and Ingula, South Africa’s investment in new power generation capacity had mainly been through the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) which was launched in 2010 following the first Integrated Resource Plan.

He highlighted that a key feature of the REIPPPP had been the commitment to local content, as well as economic and socioeconomic development.

Excluding the recently signed Bid Window 5 and risk mitigation programme projects, the REIPPPP had attracted R209.6-billion in private sector investment. To date, over 6 106 MW of electricity capacity from 88 renewable energy IPP projects had been commissioned and were supplying energy into the national grid. 

By the end of March this year, these projects had generated over 74 805 GWh of electricity, Mantashe informed.

He added that wind energy projects had contributed to electricity generation during morning and evening peak demand in South Africa. As at the end of March, 32 wind projects had reached commercial operation, delivering 3 063 MW capacity to the national grid.

The 32 wind energy projects have created over 23 000 job opportunities (in job-years) and a total of R18.9-billion has been committed to socioeconomic development and enterprise development initiatives, Mantashe indicated.

Mantashe asserted that the continued polarised debate in South Africa about which energy technologies are best to pursue needed to come to an end.

“South Africa must unashamedly pursue [a mix of] energy technologies to address energy poverty and ensure security of energy supply,” he averred.