Environment, Forestry and Fisheries Minister Barbara Creecy has called for public comment on government’s intention to add three more Renewable Energy Development Zones (REDZs) to the eight that have already been proclaimed for the purpose.

Renewable-energy projects located within the boundaries of a REDZ are beneficiaries of streamlined environmental authorisation processes.

In a Gazette notice dated July 17, Creecy confirmed that government aimed to declare Emalahleni, in Mpumalanga, and Klerksdorp, in the North West, as REDZs 9 and 10 respectively, thereby officially earmarking the coal and gold towns as regions in which large-scale solar photovoltaic (PV) facilities should be deployed.

In addition, Beaufort West, in the Western Cape, had been earmarked as REDZ 11, with the Gazette notice indicating that the area is suitable for large-scale wind and solar PV facilities.

The three proposed REDZs were identified following a Phase 2 Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) for the roll-out of utility-scale wind and solar PV developments in South Africa conducted by the department and the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research.

Following a Phase 1 SEA, REDZs were proclaimed in Overberg, Komsberg, Cookhouse, Stormberg, Kimberley, Vryburg, Upington and Springbok.

The REDZs also represent priority areas for investment in the electricity grid, regarded as the main enabler of higher levels of renewables penetration in South Africa.

In parallel, therefore, Creecy has also called for comment on government’s intention to declare seven corridors as strategically important for the planning and development of electricity transmission and distribution infrastructure.

As with the REDZs, the corridors were identified and assessed through SEAs for electricity grid infrastructure in South Africa and the expansion of that infrastructure through corridors.

Also published for comment by the Minister was a notice of her intention to declare strategic gas pipeline corridors, which were identified following a SEA completed in 2019.

Again, a 30-day period has been allocated, from July 17, for the receipt of public comment.

It is currently anticipated that the new REDZs, as well as the corridors, could be operational by the  end of 2020.