The Solar PV Industry Association (Sapvia) and South African Wind Energy Association (Sawea) say they are optimistic about a positive future under the new Ministry of Electricity and Energy headed by Minister Kgosientsho Ramokgopa and Deputy Minister Samantha Graham.
However, the organisation said industry challenges remained a concern, particularly ahead of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme Bid Window submission deadline, and the dwindling grid capacity in wind-rich areas.
South African Wind Energy Association (Sawea) CEO Niveshen Govender said they had high expectations from the newly formed Ministry of Electricity and Energy to work with the industry to overcome sector challenges, including grid constraints, regulatory and policy uncertainty, as well as local manufacturing limitations.
To mitigate these, there is a critical need to accelerate the integration of wind energy as part of the countys energy-mix and requires policy and strategic intervention to ensure an affordable, stable and reliable electricity supply across South Africa, Govender said.
The association said it supported the separation of Mineral Resources and Energy into two separate ministries, as it enabled the country to prioritise energy security with a special focus on electricity.
