Introduction

South Africa is located at southern tip of Africa with total area of 1,219,090 km 2 including coastal
waterways and areas under inland bodies of water. The latest amount of residents in Africa are
for about 57 ×106 . Percentage of population which access to electricity is for about 84.40%
which give remaining 15.6% that cannot access electricity based on data from World Bank on
2019. South Africa. This country generates electricity for about 93% from conventional energy
which is coal. This high amount of percentage leads to high amount of carbon dioxide to the air
which be one of the 15 largest emitters of carbon dioxide at worldwide.

Energy crisis at South Africa begin in 2008 when economic growth increase and power plant
have less amount of investment causing shortage in the electricity supply. The main cause of
this problem regarding on decision to build up Medupi and Kusile which are the biggest coal
fired power plant in the world. Building up these two power plants had problem when these plant
are over budget and do not work probably which leading to largest disaster in South Africa’s
economic history (The Conversation, 2019). When this happen, Eskom which is South African
electricity public utility had to debt for high amount and the debt increase double in a year for
power utility’s service cost.

Coal shortage is one of the reason South Africa had energy crisis. Reuters mentioned in Times
Live (2018) that coal supplies are only enough for 10 of 15 coal fired power stations which can
supply less than 20 days. Minister of Public Enterprises mention in press briefing that load
shedding happen due to age of power stations and maintenance of the plants. He said that
Eskom plan to cut down the operations from 47000 megawatts (MW) of installed capacity into
7500 MW. Some breakdowns happen and drop the potential power of 47000MW but can supply
only at 26000MW (Odwa Mjo, 2018).

Eskom need to reduce the operating cost at the same time Eskom increase the tariffs by 15%
every year for the next three years. President of South African urged Eskom to invest in
renewables energy to avoid retrenchments that have been so forcefully opposed by the unions.
Former president of South Africans urged all individuals, industries, households and
government to save electricity in order to reduce load shedding. Eskom also had been directed
to change from diesel to gas at utility’s generator as price of diesel is high. For cooking and
heating purpose, household were being urged to use gas instead of electricity (South African
Government, 2015). In order to solve problem of South Africa’s energy crisis cannot be
focussed on generating electricity only, transmission and distribution of electricity need to take
part in this problem.

Independent power producers (IPPs) are referred as generating plants that are fully sponsored,
operated and built by private industrial companies in compliance with power purchase
agreements (PPA) issued by the government’s department of energy (Bruno Penzhorn, 2018).
Wind and solar IPPs had been started from 10 years ago when crisis on Eskom started and now
become trend in South Africa. There are some advantages being IPPs as low capital cost is
being used and build the energy at short time with capable to support the house. The Black
Energy Professional Association (BEPA) welcomes the opportunities created for black
entrepreneurs and black owned IPPs.

A smarter and flexible grid can give South Africa get its return on energy investments and
makes renewable energy as significant part of energy mix (Steve Hedden, 2015). The
government already plans to install 8400 MW of wind energy and solar photovoltaic energy and
1000 MW of concentrated solar power by 2030 to fulfil requirement of National Development
Plan as it stated that 17800 MW should be provided from renewable energies. South Africa had
developed renewable energy independent power producer program for the past five years that
is called the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme
(REIPPPP) which bringing successful contribute to social economic development.

Since that issue, South African Government had initiated to use renewable energy on a large
scale at the same time can reduce the amount carbon dioxide released to the air like
hydropower, solar energy biomass, biogas, wind energy and geothermal energy. For about
1086 large dams are operated which consist of 240 concrete dams and 846 embankments. 65%
of the mean annual runoff of South African rivers are being stored of all dams for large amounts
of 31.6km2. The largest hydropower station can produce electricity 3147 GW/h. The Eastern
Cape and KwaZulu-Natal are endowed with the best potential for the development of small
which less than 10MW hydropower plants. The advantages of these plants as these plants can
standalone or can be in a hybrid combination with other renewable energy source (Energypedia,
n.d.).

Solar energy can be categorized into solar home system and concentrated solar power. In early
of 2000s, 40000-60000 solar home system installed but this value drop when government also
launched the National energy access polices. While, concentrated solar power generate solar
power by using mirrors or lenses to concentrate large area of sunlight onto a receiver. Electricity
is generated when light from sunlight is converted to heat which connecting to electrical power
generator.

South Africa is in the ideal position to develop biomass as an alternative energy source. This
country did established experience in more commercial options, primarily using bagasse (waste
fibre from sugar cane processing) for electricity generation in the sugar industry, and using
waste wood and sawdust in the plantation based pulp industry. According to conservative
estimates, South Africa produces about 18 million tonnes of agricultural and forestry residues
every year. The South African biofuels target for 2008‐2013, according to Industrial Biofuels
Strategy (2007), has been fixed at 2% penetration level in the national liquid fuel supply, which
corresponds to 400 million litres per annum (IIED, 203).

Reference

1. The Conversation. (2019, 11 February). Explainer: why South Africa’s Energy Generator
is in so much Trouble. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/explainer-why-south-
africas-energy-generator-is-in-so-much-trouble-111510
2. Reuters. (2018, 17 September). Eskom has Coal Shortages at 10 power plants.
Retrieved from https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-09-17-eskom-
has-coal-shortages-at-10-power-plants/
3. Odwa Mjo. (2018, 07 December). Pravin Gordhan on cleaning up Eskom. Retrieved
from https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2018-12-07-tweets--former-
management-pravin-gordhan-on-cleaning-up-eskom/
4. South African Government. (2015, 28 October), Energy Challenge. Retrieved from
https://www.gov.za/issues/energy-challenge
5. Steve Hedden. (2015, 25 September). How do we solve South Africa’s energy crisis?.
Retrieved from https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2015/09/how-do-we-solve-south-
africas-energy-crisis/
6. Energypedia. (n.d.). South Africa Energy Situation. Retrieved from
https://energypedia.info/wiki/South_Africa_Energy_Situation
7. International Institute for Environment and Development. (2013,August). South African
biomass energy: little heeded but much needed. Retrieved from
https://pubs.iied.org/pdfs/17165IIED.pdf