South Africa aims to aggressively expand renewable energy sources

South Africa has committed to an “ultra-aggressive” approach to integrating renewable energy sources into its energy grid, according to Minister of Electricity and Energy Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. On Monday, speaking at the Ministerial Seminar on Renewable Energy in Midrand, he stressed the urgent need to accelerate the country’s renewable energy program under the banner “Advancing Renewable Energy: A Comprehensive Review of the IPP Procurement Process”.

Minister Ramokgopa stressed that it was in the “common interest” of all stakeholders to accelerate the renewable energy initiative. “We need to be extremely aggressive in deploying renewable energy sources. It needs to be on steroids,” he said, emphasizing the need to address existing problems in the system that are hindering progress. “Capital has a choice; is not waiting for South Africa to solve its problems,” he noted, emphasizing the need for the country to demonstrate its commitment to attracting investment.

The minister said that in order to build a solid renewable energy sector, it is necessary to build trust in the system. He urged stakeholders to sincerely address the challenges and weaknesses that have impacted previous bidding windows under the Independent Power Producer Procurement Program (IPPPP). “We need to illustrate our ability to meet these challenges. If we do not do this, our aggressive stance will be ineffective,” he warned.

Ramokgopa reiterated that the government intends to acquire megawatts of renewable energy on an unprecedented scale. However, he warned that without solving fundamental problems, South Africa would not achieve its ambitious energy goals. “It is essential to have open conversations to identify and address these challenges,” he said.

The Minister expressed a strong willingness to collaborate, stating that the department is keen to gather insights from industry stakeholders to improve the IPPPP. “We are here to listen and respond to the feedback we receive. Our goal is to make South Africa the preferred destination for renewable energy investment,” Ramokgopa confirmed.

He concluded by expressing his aspiration for South Africa to become a global leader in renewable energy initiatives, stating: “We want the best renewable energy program, one that is the envy of not just Africa or the Global South, but one that is respected around the world “.

In realizing this ambitious vision, the South African Government intends to leverage renewable energy opportunities to the benefit of the region, highlighting the urgent need for collective action and cooperation in achieving a sustainable energy future.