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Wind energy turbines.
South Africa could have cleaner energy and an end to load shedding in 14 years, says Electricity Minister Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa.
Ramokgopa was presenting the Integrated Resource Plan 2025, outlining the country’s future electricity strategy. The plan envisions adding 105 gigawatts of new generation capacity to the grid – more than two and a half times Eskom’s current capacity.
The minister says the electricity system is changing from reliance on coal to clean energy, while ensuring energy security for the country.
While coal is not being dumped altogether, the majority of electricity in the future will be from green energy. This will also go a long way toward reducing greenhouse emissions.
“For the first time now, you are going to see electricity that is generated from cleaner sources of energy, which is going to be greater than fossil fuels. So, your cleaner sources – hydro, nuclear, wind and solar – they are going to surpass coal as a primary source of electricity in the country,” says Ramokgopa.
Independent power producer (IPP), Mulilo, says the plan is encouraging. Its chief development officer, Stuart MacWilliam, says going forward, the private sector will have a big role to play as the government and Eskom’s balance sheets’ ability to fund new projects is limited.
He says IPPs will be involved in some way to ensure the government’s goal is achieved, and that the economy can reindustrialise.
“The mining sector, industrialisation of South Africa was built on the back of cheap coal, cheap coal producing cheap electricity, and at vast quantities and I think that is part of SA’s structural advantages historically. And the thing that excites me about the transition to renewables is that we are now transitioning to a new structural advantage in that we now want to build factories and supply cheaper power. We have a lot more sun – Ireland can’t build solar, I can guarantee you there is more sun in the Northern Cape than there is in Ireland… Over time, the overall cost of power should go down, which should enable the reindustrialisation of SA’s economy, which will hopefully create jobs.”
The Minister says, by 2039, coal’s share of South Africa’s electricity is expected to drop to 27%. The Integrated Resource Plan 2025 forecasts that wind power will rise to 24% from the current 8%, solar PV will increase from 10% to 18%, gas will contribute 11%, and nuclear will make up 5% of the energy mix.
Eskom has welcomed the new energy plan.
The power utility says it’s a clear investment road map towards a balanced national energy mix.
South Africa’s Integrated Resource Plan 2025:
