Renewable energy technologies for poverty alleviation - Initial assessment report: South Africa

Prasad, Gisela; Visagie, Eugene

Renewable energy technologies for poverty alleviation - Initial assessment report: South Africa

Journal Article

2005

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Publisher

University of Cape Town

Department

Energy Research Centre

Faculty

Faculty of Engineering and the Built Environment

Abstract

South African energy policy priorities have always been closely linked to the prevailing political situation. Pre-democratic energy policy and planning were characterized by energy security priorities, excessive secrecy and racially skewed provision of energy services. Post-apartheid South Africa witnessed substantial revision and a strong focus on energy for development. In accordance with the Constitution (Act No. 108 of 1996) an inclusive Energy White Paper (1998) was developed. Major objectives of government’s Energy White Paper are (DME, 1998): • Increasing access to affordable energy services; • Stimulating economic development – encouragement of competition within energy markets; • Managing energy-related environmental and health effects; • Securing supply through diversity – increased opportunities for energy trade and diversity in both supply sources and primary energy carriers. Renewable energy becomes one of the areas that the government would want to consider pursuing in managing energy-related environmental impacts and diversifying energy supplies from a coaldominated system. In May 2004, the Department of Minerals and Energy (DME) published the White Paper on Renewable Energy Policy. This targets the provision of 10 000 GWh (accumulative over a period of 10 years) of electricity from RE resources (mainly biomass, wind, solar and small-scale hydro projects) by 2013. This is approximately 4 % of the country’s estimated electricity demand or equivalent to replacing two 660 MW units of Eskom’s combined coal-fired power stations. At present less than 1% of the 200 000 GWh of electricity generated annually in South Africa originates from RE sources (DME, 2004).