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Investment in renewables to boost SA energy reputation
Increased investment in the local renewable- energy sector will increase South Africa’s global reputation as a viable source and supplier of alternative-energy sources, such as solar power, says technology and equipment company DuPont sub-Saharan Africa regional director Carlman Moyo.
“South Africa now needs to take the lead on the African continent for the use of renewable forms of energy.”
Recent initiatives, such as government’s announcement of an R800-million fund for renewable-energy projects and Anglo American’s R100-million enterprise development fund targeting investment opportunities that reduce energy consumption, bode well for the future of South Africa’s renewable-energy sector, he says.
These initiatives follow the recent awarding of a $250-million loan from the World Bank to State-owned power utility Eskom to develop, besides others, solar plants in a push to boost sources of clean energy and increase energy production locally.
Further, recent technological develop- ments in the field of solar power reaffirm that solar energy presents one of the most viable forms of renewable energy for South Africa, says Moyo.
“Currently, around 90% of the industry uses crystalline silicon technology, but we believe that the second generation of photovoltaic technology, which is more flexible and efficient, is likely to drive further demand for solar energy in the future.
“Globally, First World and emerging economies are putting more emphasis on sustainability and renewable-energy measures and legislation. Now is the time for South Africa to position itself as a leader among emerging nations in renewable- energy development and provision.”
A recent report by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) – ‘The WWF International Energy Report’ – states that, by 2050, the global energy demand will be 15% lower than it was in 2005, owing to advances in renewable forms of energy. The report predicts that solar, wind, biomass and hydropower will be the main sources of renewable energy, as opposed to traditional fossil fuels.
DuPont exceeded $1-billion in revenue from sales into the photovoltaic market in 2010 and has set a goal to reach $2-billion by 2014, based on continued growth supported by market-driven innovations that improve solar module efficiency and performance, bringing costs down relative to the costs of other forms of energy.
“The solar energy market is growing rapidly globally and our challenge from an innovation perspective is to continue to broaden our portfolio of photovoltaic solutions locally to meet the needs of South Africa’s commercial and consumer markets.
“Solar energy is one of the most abundant forms of energy in South Africa and, because of the nature of the technology, it can be generated pretty much anywhere in the country – from the small domestic scale right up to massive solar parks,” concludes Moyo.
Source: engineeringnews.co.za
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