South Africa: New activities in the Danish – South African Renewable Energy Programme

During the second steering committee meeting for the Danish South-African renewable energy programme future activities were discussed and decided upon.

Denmark and South Africa initiated in 2013 a renewable energy program to reach South Africa’s ambitious carbon emission reduction goals. The program aims at decoupling economic growth from CO2 emissions and Danish experience will be used to assist South Africa in a transition towards more renewable energy as well as energy efficiency. The carbon mitigation goals demand high competencies and know-how regarding policies and regulations but also on the planning and running of the electric grid. The extensive Danish experience in this field, particularly with integration of wind power into the grid, will support both policymakers and utilities in the South African transition process.

The programme assists the South African Department of Energy in developing coherent energy planning that includes deployment and integration of renewable energy and energy efficient technologies. Furthermore, the programme assists the mapping of wind resources and assists the state owned utility ESKOM in wind power integration. The programme steering committee (Advisory Board) held its second meeting in Pretoria on 8 May 2014 where decisions were taken on forthcoming activities.

The forthcoming activities among others also include:

• Capacity Building in Eskom Network Operations and Distribution Systems Control.
• Requirements for Eskom Ancillary Services and Reserves with increasing levels of RE in the South African power system.
• Statistical Survey and Analysis of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme and a Renewable Energy Status Report for South Africa.
• Establishing support for the implementation of the Carbon Tax offset programme.
• Training and Business Development for Solar Water Heater Installation and Maintenance
• Post-2015 National Energy Efficiency and Action Plan.

Programme partners are now drafting work programmes and term of reference with the aim to make advertisement for advisory services as well as call for tender to make procurement of service providers.

Mapped wind resources in South Africa

An important basis of knowledge for integrating renewable energy into the electricity grid is the mapping of available wind resources through a Wind Atlas for South Africa Phase 2 (WASA II) project. The programme supports further development of a wind atlas that covers most potential areas for wind power in South Africa. See www.wasa.csir.co.za for further details. The updated wind atlas will facilitate future decisions on introducing wind power into the national electricity supply as well as supporting the emerging South African wind turbine market. During the course of the first and second quarters of 2014, the WASA II project partners have signed a work package agreement and consultation meetings regarding the installation of additional 5 wind masts have taken place in the provinces of Free State, Kwazulu-Natal and Eastern Cape.

Read more about the programme here

Climate and Energy Cooperation - Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Steffen Nielsen
Specialkonsulent
Center for Global Rådgivning og Forhandling
Tlf.: 33 92 66 96
srn@ens.dk