Eskom, as the biggest producer of renewable energy in South Africa, has expertise unmatched anywhere in the country. The utility has an installed renewable capacity of 603 megawatts (MW), made up of 600MW of domestic hydroelectric power, plus 3MW of wind power. If one was to add the 1 500MW of hydroelectric power imported from Mozambique, then a 5 percent of our capacity comprises renewable energy sources.
The long-standing question is whether this is enough given the need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions, as well as increasing concerns about the use of non-renewable resources.
The work Eskom has undertaken through the South African Bulk Renewable Energy Generation (SABREGen) programme over the past 15 years or so has positioned us well to factor renewable energy technologies in to the supply- and demand-side mix in the country. There is no doubt that renewable energy is increasingly becoming an alternative energy source for many consumers – the increasing uptake of solar water heating, currently supported by Eskom’s demand side management programme, is a case in point.
Read More….
