Johannesburg - South Africa is among the highest emitters of carbon dioxide in the world, currently ranked 12th in terms of top emitters per capita, since more than 80% of our primary energy requirement is derived from fossil fuels.
There is an urgent need to reduce fossil fuel dependency and diversify energy mix and supply, thereby reducing South Africa's carbon footprint and ensuring energy security.
The country responded to this with a supportive policy and legislative framework to exploit the excellent local renewable energy resources, especially wind and solar. South Africa's renewable energy sector experienced explosive growth in the past few years with investment of more than $5.5 billion in 2012, up from $30 million in 2011, representing an impressive increase of 20 500%.
The rapid investment growth over the past two years made South Africa the ninth-leading destination for clean energy investment among the Group of 20 (G-20) of the world's developed and emerging economies - this after occupying the last spot in 2011.
South Africa's leading position has been secured through a supportive policy environment, coupled with a secure investment framework established by the Department of Energy's (DoE) Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).
South Africa is currently focusing on, among others, solar and wind energy technology roll out at commercial scale in order to add to the electricity grid. These are globally mature technologies that are being implemented in the country for large-scale power generation. Wind turbines (similar to wind mills) convert kinetic energy (energy that an object possesses in motion) from the wind, into mechanical energy through wind power. This mechanical energy can then be used to produce electricity and the device is called a wind turbine or wind power plant. However, if the mechanical energy is instead used to drive machinery viz. grinding grain or pumping water, the device known as a windmill or wind pump.
Solar energy/sunlight can be harnessed through a variety of different technologies, these can roughly be separated into concentrated solar power (CSP) and photovoltaic (PV). CSP technologies rely on mirrors/reflective surfaces that focus the sun's rays onto a central receiver point, causing the total solar energy to be magnified and thus generating heat, which can be used to produce power.
Some examples of CSP technologies are: Scheffler and Sterling dishes, trough, linear Fresnel and central receiver/power tower. PV technologies generate electrical power by converting solar radiation into direct current electricity. This is achieved using semiconductors that exhibit the photovoltaic effect (photons of light/light packages exciting electrons that act as charge carriers for an electric current). This takes place inside solar panels composed of solar cells containing a photovoltaic material such as: monocrystalline silicon, polycrystalline silicon, amorphous silicon, cadmium telluride, and copper indium gallium selenide/sulfide.
South Africa is demonstrating its commitment to a more sustainable future growth path through the support of renewable energy and energy efficiency measures, together with skills development and job creation through fostering a green economy. Prospects for renewable energy generation in South Africa are increasingly positive given a supportive policy and legislative framework coupled with excellent resources, especially wind and solar.
The contribution of a green economy to economic growth and job creation is furthermore promising and South Africa is preparing to play a leading role in renewable energy deployment. In order to cater to this growing sector in South Africa, expertise and skills will need to be cultivated.
Karen Surridge-Talbot is the Centre Manager for Renewable Energy Centre of Research and Development at the South African National Energy Development Institute (SANEDI). This article originally appeared in a supplement to The Star.
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