It has been almost two months without loadshedding in the country, but the reality is that South Africa is not yet of the dark. In his recent media briefing, Minister of Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa said that the power utility’s current performance is due to various interventions, including solar. He further noted that solar remains part of the strategy to address loadshedding and Eskom’s performance and that the amount of rooftop solar solution megawatts that can be drawn has been doubled from 2100MW to 44MW to encourage the take up and rollout of rooftop solar solutions by both industry and households.
The role of solar as part of the energy mix was also a highlight discussion at the 2024 Enlit Africa conference where industry role players in the renewable energy sector gathered earlier this week. Speaking on the topic at the conference was Sherwin Harris, former Senior Business Developer at ENGIE, SA’s leading Independent Power Producer. He spoke on:
- The role of solar power as part of a sustainable and balanced energy mix,
- Innovative integration of renewable energy technologies (wind, solar, and battery storage) for a more resilient and efficient energy system,
- Policies and investments needed to foster the growth and integration of solar technology in Africa,
- Future trends and technologies shaping the solar energy sector, including advancements in photovoltaic (PV) technologies, solar-plus-storage solutions, and the role of digital technologies in optimizing solar energy systems.
Sharing his takeouts from the session, Sherwin notes the following points on:
- Exponential Growth of Battery Energy Storage Projects in South Africa
- South Africa’s Potential in Leading Energy Transition
- Significant Price Drop in Solar and Battery
- Battery Technology Advancements and Market Potential
