Cape Town – South Africa is pushing to aggressively accelerate the adoption of renewable energy, according to Electricity and Energy Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa.
Speaking at the Ministerial Renewable Energy Seminar in Midrand, Ramokgopa emphasised the need to fast-track the renewable energy programme, addressing obstacles such as permitting, licensing, and system inefficiencies.
“We must be ultra aggressive in the onboarding of renewables. It must be on steroids. 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. It’s not like capital is waiting and waiting for South Africa to resolve its problems.
It is in our interest to ensure that we are greedy in how we want to consume this capital, and that greed will be displayed in the manner and the enthusiasm with which we are resolving the major impediments in this instance.
“We want to capture all these opportunities… for the greater good of the region,” Ramokgopa said.
The aim is to make South Africa a leading destination for renewable energy investment, while resolving issues from past bid windows.
The minister stressed that building confidence in the Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (IPPPP) is essential for success.
By gathering input from stakeholders, the government hopes to create a renewable energy sector that stands out globally, not just in Africa or the Global South.
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Compiled by Betha Madhomu
