Renewable energy projects are making headway in South Africa.
Projected Installed Capacity for all renewable energy technologies has increased from 3.3 Gigawatts (GW) last year (2023) to 172.4GW in 2024.
These are the results of a 3rd annual South African Renewable Energy Grid Survey, presented by Ronald Marais, Strategic Grid Planning Manager at Eskom Hld SOC Ltd NTCSA.
Marais said contracted capacity has increased from 66.5GW to a current 133.7GW.
About 18 – 60GW of this amount, is categorized as “Type A” projects, an indication, they will be rolled out in the next year.
Another 32GW, categorized as “Type B” are delayed, and are thus expected to come on stream in the next 5 years.
Marais said there were 483 contributions in the 2024 survey, double the amount, last year, of 209 in 2023.
Solar PV makes up a chunk of the renewable technologies implemented and in the pipeline nationally, with 41% of 133748 GW, followed by wind energy (21,39%).
PV, battery-energy-storage-system accounts for 13,76% while wind, battery-energy-storage (11, 42%).
The 21,39% of wind projects making up 28, 605 GW, are mostly in the Northern Cape (8160), followed by Hydra Central, the Eastern Cape, Mpumalanga, Western Cape, KwaZulu-Natal , North West and the Free State.
These project are expected to come on stream between 2024 and 2033.
A combination of PV and wind battery storage projects are expected to peak in 2025.
Most projects are in the Free State, followed by Hydra Central, Northern Cape, Mpumalanga, Western Cape, North West, Eastern Cape, Gauteng, Limpopo and KwaZulu-Natal.
Marais said there is interest in a new category introduced this year, as ancillary services.
This include building reserves, reactive voltage (both supply and control) and constrained generation.