The South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA) has voiced its support for President Cyril Ramaphosa’s leadership and firm commitment to fixing South Africa’s electricity crisis, as stated in his State of the Nation Address (SoNA) of February 9.

Of significance, says SAWEA, is Ramaphosa’s plans to appoint a new Electricity Minister, dedicated to ending the prevailing electricity generation deficit, by safeguarding that the Energy Action Plan (EAP) is implemented, to ensure increased new power generation over the next five-year period.

SAWEA CEO Niveshen Govender says this is not the first time Ramaphosa has prioritised South Africa’s protracted energy shortfall in a SoNA, resulting in significant reform that has helped to liberalise the energy sector.

SAWEA views the appointment of this dedicated Electricity Minister to be vital in the coordination, management and success of the EAP and thereby bringing forward solutions to the crisis.

However, the association warns that actions should be measured and be in the best interest of South Africa and its citizens, in the face of the declared state of disaster.

“We once again hope the changes proposed will accelerate the implementation of the EAP and we look to the new Minister to drive new generation capacity onto the grid with haste,” says Govender.

The wind energy sector, which is currently facing serious challenges directly related to grid access, is invested in working with government as a key stakeholder to find solutions to the challenges, SAWEA says in a statement.

This is to ensure new electricity can be injected into the network as soon as possible.

“We look to the new [Electricity] Minister to work with the Mineral Resources and Energy and Public Enterprises Ministers and assist in surmounting the hurdles related to the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme, and [Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme] Bid Window [BW] 5 wind projects, and to ensure grid capacity for shovel ready wind projects that were left stranded post BW 6,” says Govender.

Reflecting on the last bid round, when not a single wind project received preferred bidder status, owing to grid access, Govender says the industry will be looking to work with key government stakeholders and the new Electricity Minister.

These efforts would be to expedite procurement with an additional emergency public procurement round to capture projects in the advanced stages of development, assuming viable solutions to grid constraints have been investigated and implemented.

“We believe that wind has a significant role to play, coupled with solar photovoltaic and storage, and that technically viable and affordable solutions can be achieved,” he concludes.