Shooting for the sun
Harnessing the sun is thought to be the future of alternative energy supply in South Africa and the government has been gradually introducing solar photovoltaic power systems as a means of bridging the power gap.
Lucrecia Sadhaseevan, an associate attorney at ENSafrica’s Projects Department, writes:
South Africa is a country that is rich in renewable energy resources that emanate from the high levels of radiation produced by the sun.
As a result, the government has been gradually introducing solar photovoltaic (PV) power systems as a means of standing in the gap for the decommissioning of the country’s coal-fired power stations through the promulgation of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP).
What are solar PV power systems?
Solar PV power systems have been designed to supply usable power using sunlight and these are means of generating electricity that can be consumed at an affordable rate.
When sunlight is absorbed by the semiconductor material (usually silicon) in such solar PV power systems, the solar energy loosens electrons from their atoms, allowing the electrons to flow through the semiconductor material to produce electricity. This process of converting light (photons) to electricity (voltage) is called the PV effect.
There are three main types of solar PV power systems namely:
- Grid-connected solar PV power systems that convert solar energy into Alternating Current (AC) power;
- Off-grid solar PV power systems that are independent of the national grid (usually non-grid Solar Home Systems (SHS)); and
- Hybrid solar PV power systems that are combined with other power resources, such as diesel generators or other renewable energy resources such as wind.
What is the REIPPPP?
The REIPPPP was established in 2011 and is underpinned by a competitive tender process through a series of ‘bid windows’ that requests private power producers through the means of financing mechanisms such as project financing to invest in South Africa’s energy landscape by constructing and operating renewable energy power plants to supply new energy capacity to the national grid.
Winning projects are awarded long-term power purchase agreements for about 20 years to construct and operate such power plants across feasible geographical locations in South Africa.
Non-grid SHS as an alternate solution
While the REIPPPP has resulted in several solar PV power projects (among other renewable energy power projects such as wind and battery energy storage being pioneered and implemented primarily to supply power to the national grid, there is still a backlog in energy supply both in residential and rural communities due to distributor grid limitations, and households being located in areas that are distant from the national grid.
The Integrated National Electrification Programme (INEP) which was launched in the early 90s and supervised by Eskom caters to backlogs of this nature, where capital subsidies are provided to municipalities to address electrification backlogs, manage electrification planning, funding, and the implementation process.
Through the INEP, the Non-Grid Policy Guidelines (the Guidelines) were developed and envisaged non-grid SHS as temporary alternative grid electricity and are designed to serve one individual household.
Non-grid SHS are environmentally friendly technologies that involve low operation and maintenance costs and is a viable source of energy that provides basic electricity for essential services such as quality lighting and access to electronic media to consumers, where energy from the national grid cannot be provided within reasonable cost norms. Through the guidelines, the South African government has installed more than 160 000 SHS in rural communities.
The guidelines are an integral tool that can be revisited and amplified by the national legislature to catalyse energy security and to assist South Africa in having an adequate supply of energy by 2030 as envisioned in the National Development Plan and the Integrated Resources Plan.
While the desperation for energy security still looms large over South Africa as a dark cloud, the rollout of alternate energy solutions through the means of solar power resources such as non-grid SHS may provide a temporary yet satisfactory ray of sunshine to both residential and rural communities during power outages.
Moreover, such systems will not only provide affordable and reliable energy to South Africans but will significantly lower carbon emissions, enhance economic development and contribute to job creation.
Related Article:
