Mabuyane welcomes R3 Billion investment for renewable energy
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane has welcomed the R3 billion investment for renewable energy infrastructure
Eastern Cape Premier Oscar Mabuyane has welcomed the R3 billion investment for renewable energy infrastructure in the province.
OSCAR MABUYANE SHARES THE LOCATION FOR THE PROJECT
Today, Thursday, 22 September, Minerals and Energy Minister, Gwede Mantashe, signed off the Power Purchase Agreements with three preferred bidders under Bid Window 5 of Renewable Energy IPP Procurement Programme.
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Mabuyane said the Coleskop Wind Farm will be constructed in Inxuba Yethemba Local Municipality and will contribute 140 Megawatts to the national grid.
“The project is part of the Bid Window Five (BW5) of South Africa’s Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP),” he explained.
“The Eastern Cape province has excellent wind and solar resources and considers sustainable energy to be a high growth sector under its economic development strategy.”
Mantashe
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MANTASHE’S BIG PLANS FOR NORTHERN CAPE POWER PRODUCTION
The two other projects are expected to also contribute 140 Megawatts each from SansKraal Wind Power and Phezukomoya Wind Power in the Northern Cape.
To motivate these two projects in the Northern Cape, Mantashe said: “We must invest in transmission lines in the Northern Cape so that we can generate energy from the wind and sun in that Province”.
This investment into renewable energy infrastructure in the two provinces comes as South Africa tries to find solutions to the energy crisis facing the country.
The country is currently grappling with severe blackouts that have resulted in the citizens losing faith in the current leadership and Eskom board.
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However, Mantashe does not believe renewable energy is the only suitable solution. “The IRP is a framework that propagates the development of mixed energy technologies. We should be able to repurpose some of the old Eskom power stations from coal to gas. We can’t be left behind, and believe that we can switch-off everything else and rely on renewables,” he said.
He added that working together is key to ensure security of supply, and avoid a polarized discussion between technologies.
“Renewables need to be complemented by other technologies,” he strengthened his argument.
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