SA need 25% renewable energy target

SA Renewable Energy Targets

Eddie O'Connor, CEO of Mainstream Renewable Power, believes South Africa must set themselves a new renewable energy target of 25 percent by the year 2025.

O'Connor said that a 25 percent renewable energy contribution to consumption by 2025 was a good target. He said bolder and long-term renewable energy targets would boost local manufacturing, reports AE-Africa.com.

Unfortunately the country, while making some progress, is not yet ready to increase its renewable target. South African Energy Minister Dipuo Peters said the target of 10,000GWh contributed by renewable energy would remain in place.

"The department intends to meet the 2013 target"

When Reuters asked whether the government planned to increase the 10,000GWh target, minister Peters said:

"No. The department intends to meet the 2013 target in the short term while reviewing the Renewable Energy White Paper to determine medium term and long term targets.

"Beyond 2013 the review process will be consultative and inputs from stakeholders and the general public will be taken into account in determining the next renewable energy target."

This target is set to be achieved by 2013. But alarmingly, South Africa have a little over two years to achieve the remaining 90 percent of this target.

70MW ready for construction early next year

Mainstream Renewable Power joined up with South African wind farm developer Genesis Eco-Energy in March 2009 to build wind farms that will, once completed, generate more than 500MW of wind energy in the Eastern, Northern and Western Capes by 2014.

The joint venture company plans to have two projects with a combined capacity of 70MW, ready for construction early next year. The 30MW Jeffrey's Bay wind farm, near Port Elizabeth and the 40MW project at Colesberg are in the advanced development stages. Jeffery's Bay and Colesberg are expected to be fully operational in early 2011.

"It is of great importance that long term targets are set that will encourage manufacturers to migrate to the South African market. This will ceate employment opportunities," said O'Connor.

A target of 25 percent by 2025 would also put South Africa at the forefron of southern Africa's renewable energy manufacturing sector.

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