South Africa

Energy Strategies in South Africa

The Republic of South Africa has the fifth largest coal reserves in the world, enabling it to produce over 50% of the total electricity generated on the African continent, at one of the lowest costs in the world. Installed capacity for electricity generation amounted to 43 GW in 2006: 6% of electricity production coming from hydroelectric power plants and gas turbines, 4% from nuclear power and 90% coming from coal. Electricty consumption = 208,3 TWh in 2006.

Given this level of resources, growth in electricity demand (currently 4% per year) will continue to be met predominantly by coal power for the foreseeable future.

However, the large-scale coal-fired power stations are only appropriate for supplying the electricity grid network: around half of South Africa's population.

Only 32% of rural households are connected to the grid because of wide spread settlement patterns. Thus there is an urgent need to find appropriate solutions for the electrification of the vast rural areas which currently have no access to the electric grid. At the end of 2006 about 3,4 million households were still without power.

Over the next 20-25 years, the government aims to provide electricity to around 2,5 million households and facilitate full employment of the entire rural population (often requiring electricity to increase productivity). This can only be achieved by using different kinds of technologies including extension of the electric grid, PV/wind/hydro/diesel powered mini-grids, PV/diesel battery charging stations and Solar Home Systems (SHS).

Potential interesting projects:
windfarms
solar energy: sunlight is one of the greatest resources
electricity from biomass.

Despite large coal resources, the PV industry is fairly well developed in South Africa owing to the high insolation ( Solar radiation levels = ± 5.500 Wh/m2/day ) and the urgent need for electrification in remote, rural areas.

Winter months remain sunny especially inland where the country's economic activity is concentrated.

Estimates: with a favourable policy framework approximately 1,4 mtoe of solar energy could be in place in South Africa by the year 2020. Cumulative installed PV capacity = 12 MWp at end of 2007.

At the present time RES account for only 9% of primary energy demand. Most significant proportion coming from biomass: traditional use of firewodd for cooking and heating.

Renewable Energy non-profit Organizations in South Africa: Source Guides

Renewable Energy Business in South Africa: Source Guides

Renewable Energy Policy and Strategy: Department Minerals and Energy

Central Energy Fund

Sustainable Energy Society of Southern Africa SESSA