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June 2016
Energy Efficiency
positive change and build a better
world. There is no better platform
than this convention to network and
engage with these change agents,”
says Wilkinson.
These keynote speakers, and oth-
ers on the compelling programme of
the country’s top green gathering,
will tackle topics that South Africans
have proven they care deeply about.
South African green building is
driven by an acknowledgement that
green building is ‘the right thing to
do’, rather than by regulations, ac-
cording to new research published
in World Green Building Trends 2016.
The report alsopredicts that South
Africa could be a leader in the global
green market in the next three years.
“It’s a clear sign that green build-
ing practices are gaining significant
momentum in South Africa, along
with an acknowledgment that Green
Star-certified projects are not only
world-class and innovative, but ben-
efit people, the planet and profits,”
says Wilkinson.
At the United Nations’ COP21 in
Paris, in December 2015, the GBCSA
announced its commitment to in-
troduce a net zero/positive building
certification scheme by 2020.
It also set itself challenging green
goals to grow its number of certifica-
tions and accredited professionals,
expand its training reach and grow
fledgling green building councils
across Africa.
The annual Green Building Con-
vention has become a powerful plat-
form for the country’s and the con-
tinent’s green building movement.
For all the information on the
Green Building Convention 2016 visit
www.gbcsaconvention.org.za■
Brian Wilkinson
The contribution of independent power producers under the
Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Programme
(REIPPP) is expected to grow to 7 000 MW.
Power producers to contribute 7 000 MW
E
nergy Minister Tina Joemat-
Pettersson says: “The energy
contribution of independent
power producers is expected to
grow to approximately 7 000 MW
with the first 47 renewable energy
independent power producers fully
operational by mid-2016. Private in-
vestment in the programme currently
exceeds R194 billion.”
REIPPP has become one of the
world’smost progressive and success-
ful alternative energy programmes.
Since the introduction of solar, wind,
biomass, small hydro and landfill
gas, power plants have been going
up across the country, feeding clean
energy into the national grid.
Last December 2015, the depart-
ment procured6 377MWof renewable
energy and has already connected 44
projects with a capacity of 2 021 MW
to the national grid with more in the
pipeline.
Bids totalling an additional
1 800 MWare currently being evaluat-
ed and the department will announce
the preferred bidders during the
second quarter of the financial year.
Investments made though the small
projects programme will increase in-
vestments to more than R255 billion.
The Department of Energy also
remains on track tomeet the national
commitment to transition to a low
carbon economy with the target of
17 800 MW of renewable energy
power by 2030.
“The current renewable energy
operational portfolio is contributing
an increasing percentage of the buf-
fer between the available supply and
projected demand for electricity,”
says Joemat Pettersson.
The department has procured
private peak stations with additional
capacity of 1 000MW that can be used
when demand exceeds more than
Eskom can produce.
The Avon plant in Eastern Cape,
which was completed in September
2015, produces 330 MW, the Dedisa
plant in KwaZulu-Natal will contrib-
ute 630 MW by the end of 2016.
The R8 billion spent on projects
created 210 permanent and 6 190
temporary positions at the plants.
“To further boost renewable en-
ergy development in South Africa,
we agreed with the National Energy
Regulator of SA, that 1 500 MW will
be generated from a Northern Cape
Solar Park.”
This will stimulate investment
in new and expanding industrial
and manufacturing facilities, the
development of local supply chains
andentrepreneurial andemployment
opportunities for South Africans.
The Solar Parkwill be developed in
a clustered fashion, sharing common
infrastructure and services such as
access to land, water supply, feeder
lines to electricity transmission sys-
tem, roads and support industries.
As part of the YouthMonth in June,
the department will celebrate the
strides made by the REIPPP towards
the development and empowerment
of the youth.
“Not only have numerous employ-
ment opportunities been created,
with 52% of total job opportunities
specifically for youth. But, the youth
have also benefitted from various
skills development initiatives prepar-
ing them for, hopefully, a bright and
successful future,” said theMinister.
■