Opinion: South Africa's Renewable Energy Impasse a 'Power Play'

The current impasse related to renewable energy procurement under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer (REIPP) programme, blocked by Eskom since August 2016, is political theatre that is highly detrimental to South Africa's immediate and future economic health. Immediate, as it relates to foreign direct investment into our economy, and longer term because the country's flagship programme being stalled at the behest of the mandated buyer of the renewable electricity (Eskom), could put the final nail into our ratings downgrade coffin.

Let alone diversifying our electricity supply mix for the long-term future while keeping abreast with the latest in generation technologies. We certainly started in the right direction: in 2014, investment into renewables in South Africa accounted for 84% of all foreign direct investment; in 2016, this had dwindled to close to zero. It's a shambles and a disgrace.

http://allafrica.com/stories/201702070116.html

Raymond Bosma

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