In policy shift, South Africa promises “aggressive” renewables plan

South Africa

PRETORIA, July 9, 2024 – South Africa’s new energy and electricity minister has promised to take aggressive action in rolling out renewables in the country, Reuters reported on Monday.

“I am going to be ultra-aggressive on the … renewable energy. You are going to see an exponential share,” said Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, appointed in late June as head of the newly established Energy and Electricity Ministry.

Minister Ramokgopa’s predecessor, Gwede Mantashe, notably opposed a swift energy transition in the country and maintained a policy of reliance on coal-fired power generation.

The country’s reliance on coal has placed it among the top carbon emitters worldwide, ranking 15th according to the report.

South Africa’s stated target for the share of renewables in its energy mi is 33% by 2030, but the country is projected to reach only 20% by that year.

As of end-2023, the country had an installed capacity of 6.16 GW of solar and 3.44 GW of wind, according to the EI Statistical Review 2024.

Coal made up around 70% of South Africa’s primary energy consumption in 2023, according to EI, compared to around 3% for renewables.