Analysing the impact of the renewable energy revolution in South-Africa

Abstract

The development of the energy industry in South Africa together with the development of distributed generation from Independent Power Producers and the establishment of small-scale energy structures and off-grid solutions that are based on renewable energy sources are all indicators that the country is in the midst of a renewable energy revolution. This revolution can assist in the establishment of a sustainable energy infrastructure should all the involved stakeholders collaborate intensively with common objectives. It is at this stage of the revolution therefore important to ask whether South Africa is ready to utilise the opportunities that are presented to them with regards to renewable energy and whether the country is able to take advantage of the abundant natural resources to pursue the future of energy development. This study aims to answer this question to a large extent. This study is divided in three main constructs i.e. a coal generation perspective, a renewable energy perspective and a political perspective. A specific research methodology was followed for both a literature review and an empirical study. The literature review is structured in such a manner that evidence is gathered to describe the perspectives of each of the afore-mentioned constructs. The empirical study was then constructed on selected findings obtained in the literature review and tested by performing a qualitative study. The qualitative study necessitated interviews with ten individuals that comprise various experience and backgrounds in the energy industry of South Africa. The observations made in the qualitative study were then strictly correlated with the findings in the literature review from which decisive conclusions were derived. The final chapter of this study aims to answer the core research question and also validates the stated research objectives of the study. The purpose of this study was therefore to answer the question: Will the impact of the renewable energy revolution be positive or negative considering the growth of the energy industry of South Africa from a holistic perspective? Substantial evidence is provided that supports the answer to this question.