South Africa Aims Aggressive Onboarding Of Renewable Energy – Minister Ramokgopa

Electricity Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa on Monday said South Africa is committed to rapidly adopting renewable energy sources and it is in the "collective interest" to accelerate the renewable energy programme.

Ramokgopa gave the statement during the Ministerial Renewable Energy Seminar in Midrand. The seminar, which was held under the theme of "Advancing Renewable Energy: A Comprehensive Review of the IPP Procurement Process," was focused on improving the Independent Power Producer (IPP) procurement process.

"We must be ultra-aggressive in the onboarding of renewables. It must be on steroids," SA News reported.

He added, "But we can only achieve that if we resolve the issues that you are going to share with us today. I think the future is renewables. We must resolve the issues of permitting and licensing, and the speed because capital has got choices."

Ramokgopa noted that investors are not going to wait for South Africa to fix its issues, suggesting being proactive in attracting capital and showing determination in overcoming big obstacles.

To create a strong renewable energy sector, it is crucial to build trust in the system. The Minister stated that while the country plans to be more aggressive in adopting renewable energy, this goal will only be meaningful if the existing challenges and weaknesses are addressed.

He highlighted the need to demonstrate the ability to resolve problems from previous bidding processes to establish confidence for the future.

The minister explained that being aggressive means actively seeking to acquire large amounts of energy that South Africa has not pursued before. However, he warned that if the underlying challenges are not addressed, these efforts could be wasted, preventing the country from reaching its goals.

He stressed the importance of open discussions with stakeholders, urging them to be honest. The minister noted that his department aims to gather as much information as possible to improve South Africa's Independent Power Producer Procurement Program (IPPPP).

Ramokgopa expressed a desire to listen to industry feedback and take action based on it. He wants the industry to succeed, making South Africa an attractive place for investment and establishing one of the most ambitious and successful renewable energy programs globally, not just in Africa or the Global South.