With South Africa’s energy provision infrastructure under severe pressure, the government has made considerable strides towards implementing infrastructure projects, of which some are ready to supply the national energy grid – managed by ESKOM.
South Africa has 18 Solar Photovoltaic Farms to produce 632MW; two concentrated Solar Plants to produce 150MW and 18 Wind Farming Plants to produce 634MW under construction around the country.
In 2013 South Africa was ranked the 16th most attractive destination for investment in renewable energy. The current investment in renewable energy will provide a sustainable source of energy to 606,000 homes in South Africa.
By 2016 South Africa will produce 3725MW of renewable energy, growing to demand of 17,800MW by 2030. The country currently consumes 274,403MW of electrical energy with an anticipated demand growing to 454,357MW by 2030.
“The drive towards renewable energy is developing an entirely new energy market in South Africa, which requires both specialist skills as well as innovative funding models,” said Rentia van Tonder, Head of Renewables for Standard Bank.
Standard Bank has been instrumental in funding more than 940MW of renewable energy as part of Eskom’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPP) initiated by government. Of these projects, three were connected to the Eskom grid in 2013 bringing 121.5MW of renewable energy production to the national grid, enough to power over 65,000 homes. (Ventures Africa)
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