South Africa Moves Toward Renewable Energy

Ensuring that we have sufficient, clean and sustainable energy sources is one of our Constitutional rights. Our Constitution lays the foundation for human rights in our country, in the Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa 1996, which includes our environment:

Environment
     24. Everyone has the right—

1. to an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being; and
2. to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future
   generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that—

1. prevent pollution and ecological degradation;
2. promote conservation; and
3. secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development.

The Bill of Rights of the Constitution of the Republic of South Africa, 1996

South Africa is taking proactive steps towards a cleaner and more sustainable future by drafting the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM). This plan outlines a vision, objectives, and a detailed action plan for the country to shift towards renewable energy sources, contributing towards the global movement for a cleaner planet. By relying on renewable energy, South Africa is committed to providing its citizens with clean and consistent power, while also setting an example for the rest of the world to follow.

SAREMs Four Key Areas

1. Supporting the local demand for renewable energy and storage by unlocking market demand and system readiness, as a large-scale rollout of renewable energy systems is a critical pre-condition to achieve the core objectives of SAREM;
2. Driving industrial development by building renewable energy and storage value chains, through localisation drives on both the public and private sector markets and supportive trade and industrial policy;
3. Fostering inclusive development of renewable energy and battery storage, by driving the transformation of the industry, supporting the development of emerging suppliers, and contributing to a just transition; and
4. Building local capabilities in terms of skills and technological innovation, to enable the rollout of renewable energy and storage technologies and associated industrial development.

[South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM), 7 July 2023]

The SAREM House

The “SAREM house” refers to the culmination of the vision, key set of objectives and four key pillars:

Four Key Pillars

Supporting Demand

• Market certainty.
• System readiness.

Driving Industrial Development

• Localisation.
• Input materials.

Trade promotion

• Fostering inclusive development
• Skills and technology development.

Building the capabilities

• in terms of skills and technological innovation, to enable the rollout of renewable energy and storage technologies and associated industrial development.
  

Key Objectives for 2023

• Grow the economy by fostering the rollout of renewable energy and battery storage projects.
• Grow the industrial capacity in the renewable energy and battery storage value chain.
• Create and sustain decent employment across the value chain
• Build the capabilities needed for the industry.
• Build a transformed industry throughout the value chain.
• Contribute to a just energy transition.

Vision

Industrialisation of the renewable energy value chain to enable inclusive participation in the energy transition, serving the needs of society, and contributing to economic revival.

Plans and initiatives like SAREM are how South Africa is paving the way to a more sustainable future, ensuring our rights as human beings to necessities, like access to electricity, clean running water and a liveable environment, are upheld. The plans are not only sustainable in preserving our natural environment but also sustaining economies and quality of life by providing much-needed employment opportunities.
The next six years are going to be an interesting and positive transition. Contact us if you want to take your step toward a sustainable tomorrow.