– Aiming for improved energy security


Cape Town, South Africa —

The South African Cabinet has sanctioned the implementation of the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM), aiming at bolstering energy security along with wider industrial development.

This initiative aims to tackle issues related to local capability, infrastructure development, and financial investments by offering a guide for fostering renewable energy sources and battery storage solutions. It provides investors with a distinct route towards progressing power ventures, considering that South Africa’s electricity needs are projected to double by 2040.

The forthcoming African Energy Week (AEW): Invest in African Energies scheduled from September 29 to October 3 aims to assess how SAREM will influence the nation’s energy composition. This gathering will bring together representatives from African governments and policy makers alongside energy companies and financiers, all focused on boosting investments within Africa’s energy sector consistent with efforts aimed at eradicating energy poverty globally.

AEW: Invest in African Energies stands out as the premier platform for project developers, investors, technological suppliers, and governmental entities. It has become the definitive location where energy agreements within Africa are finalized and signed. Consider visiting.
http://www.AECWeek.com
For additional details regarding this thrilling occasion.

In South Africa, there is an aim for significant expansion within the realm of renewable energy. This push aims at enhancing the robustness of their power grid via substantial financial commitments towards both generating facilities and transmission networks. Policies like the updated Integrated Resource Plan (IRP), which was refreshed in 2023, have set forth plans to achieve up to 29.5 gigawatts of additional capacity by the year 2030. Among these additions, approximately 14.4 gigawatts would come from wind sources with another 6 gigawatts originating from solar technology. In line with this strategy, recent solicitations under the IRP framework call for acquiring around 6.8 gigawatts of clean-energy resources alongside 3 gigawatts related to natural gas projects and 1.5 gigawatts pertaining to coal-based production.

To achieve these objectives, the SAREM seeks to capitalize on the increasing demand for renewable energy and storage solutions, particularly focusing on solar power, wind technology, lithium-ion batteries, and vanadium-based batteries, to spur industrial growth within South Africa. This strategy hinges on four key pillars: enhancing local consumption of renewables and storage through improved systemic preparedness; promoting industrial advancement by establishing robust supply chains for renewable energies and battery storage systems; encouraging broad-based progress by transforming the sector inclusively; and developing domestic expertise in skill acquisition and technological innovations.

The SAREM is anticipated to boost the burgeoning South African renewable energy sector. As per the African Energy Chamber’s State of African Energy 2025 Outlook, both South Africa and Egypt are projected to maintain their leadership roles in power generation across Africa in 2025.

The continent boasts more than 500 GW of potential renewable energy capacity at present, with approximately 80% located in North Africa and South Africa. Additionally, South Africa stands out as one of many nations at the forefront of nuclear-powered electricity production.

SAREM will foster development by promoting collaborations throughout the entire supply chain, executing focused education initiatives, and tackling issues related to regulatory obstacles. Although SAREM offers substantial advantages for the renewable energy sector, the Cabinet has instructed further refinement of the blueprint to encourage investment funding for these ventures.

This encompasses the creation of green hydrogen to fulfill the international commitments for blending 5% fuel in both aviation and maritime industries by 2030.

At AEW: Investing in African Energies 2025, attendees can engage with multiple tracks focused on understanding how initiatives like the SAREM will influence Africa’s future energy scene. There’ll be an exclusive Energy Transformation stage delving into Africa’s tactics for facilitating a fair shift towards sustainable practices, covering critical areas such as Ensuring Energy Security Across Africa; Enhancing Local Benefits; Expanding Renewable Energy Sources; plus numerous additional subjects.

A session at the Powering Africa platform will tackle key issues and prospects related to Africa’s electrical power sector. Regarding South Africa, talks centered around Closing the Electricity Divide; Enhancing Energy Efficiency; Boosting Cooperation Between Government and Business Sectors; Expanding Energy Sources, among others, aim to pinpoint chances for financiers and development specialists.

Meanwhile, an Invest in African Energies: Country Spotlight on South Africa will examine the country’s energy landscape, including the advancement of oil and gas projects and the implementation of utility-scale renewable energy projects.

Ranging from green hydrogen utilization to battery storage systems, as well as solar, wind, and natural gas, the spotlight will examine how an interconnected array of energy sources will shape the nation’s energy prospects.