renewables

According to a report by the Department of Energy, the renewables sector has attracted R192.6 billion in investment, of which 28 percent (R53.2 billion) is much-needed foreign investment.

The State of Renewable Energy in South Africa report, which was released at the South Africa International Renewable Energy Conference (SAIREC), explains that South Africa is well on its way to achieving a goal of 30 percent clean energy by 2025.

The World Future Council (WFC) says renewable energy has the potential to spur on socio-economic development in South Africa.

According to a new study conducted by the WFC and the Heinrich Böll Foundation, renewable energy feed-in tariff policies (REFiT) are a promising way to unlock renewable energy development in Africa.

The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) says South Africa could save up to R3.7 billion per year by changing completely to solar-powered energy-efficient light bulbs.

In its latest report, the UN agency, which assessed what gains could be achieved by 80 countries should they shift to solar-powered alternatives, argues that should South Africa change over, the country would be able to repay the conversion costs in nine months.

Environmental group, Greenpeace, says South Africans face ‘sharply’ increasing electricity prices and an impending water crisis - something the president seems to have missed in his State of the Nation Address.

The organisation argues that while government’s estimated R47 billion investment in renewable energy projects is a step in the right direction, this amount is insignificant when compared to the well-over R200 billion being spent on new coal-fired power stations - or the estimated R1 trillion for the planned nuclear programme.

A renewable energy expo to be held in May aims to showcase initiatives and technologies by leading companies and organisations on sustainable energy solutions for today and the future to benefit Botswana and other countries in Southern Africa.

With the iShack, squatters get a solid dwelling that is fitted with enough solar panels to keep the lights on at night and provide power for important equipment such as mobile phone chargers.

It is an initiative from researchers at the University of Stellenbosch, which they hope can alleviate poverty across the country and beyond South Africa's borders too.

Cabinet has approved the draft treaty between South Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on developing the Grand Inga Hydropower Project in the DRC.

Government spokesperson, Jimmy Manyi, says that the project has the potential to supply clean and cost effective hydroelectric power to meet the needs of the DRC and surrounding or nearby countries including South Africa.

Manyi further states that the project entails developing about 40 000 megawatts of hydropower on the Congo River in the DRC, which could be developed in several stand-alone phases.