Historically, South Africa was considered one of the countries with the cheapest electricity, but prices increased by more than 177% between 2010 and 2020. The escalation has resulted in a profit squeeze for most businesses, with power cuts and intermittent supplies adding to this financial burden.
RenEnergy, a UK-based supplier of solar power solutions, expanded into South Africa in 2012.
“Britain experienced a massive solar power boom around 2010, thanks to heavy subsidies,” explains Claude Peters, managing director of RenEnergy Africa. “But interest in South Africa, in spite of its solar energy potential being among the best in the world, only really took off four years ago, due to the technology becoming cheaper and more competitive in comparison with Eskom prices, and load shedding making supply unreliable.”
The business environment was also unfriendly towards alternative energy, with legislation and finance being the biggest restrictions previously.
“Eskom simply wasn’t geared and had to reverse-engineer to accommodate systems that were connected to the grid, whereas traditional banking institutions weren’t positioned to comfortably finance these types of assets.”
The situation has now improved dramatically, with new rules introduced in October 2020 that allow municipalities to generate or source their own electricity. Eskom also accepted that it needed to allow private generators to export excess energy onto Eskom’s network to assist with supply constraints.
On the financing side, many banks now consider renewable energy as value addition and employ specialised bankers to accommodate businesses and homeowners who want to make the switch, says Peters.
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Uncertainty over Trump's stance on AGOA
It is of vital importance that that the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) be upheld following the recent US presidential election, in which Donald Trump emerged as the winner.
Plum pollen study reveals varietal differences in pollination effectiveness
A new study undertaken near George, Western Cape, explored pollination in plum varieties, showing key differences in pollen quality. Octavia Avesca Spandiel reports on the research findings.
Study: small cuts to beef production could eliminate years of emissions
In a paper published in early November, scientists reveal that pasturelands, in particular those that were once forests, hold great potential for mitigating the effects of climate change.
Harnessing wind for cleaner energy
At the Windaba Conference and Exhibition, held in October in Cape Town, Western Cape, Niveshen Govender, CEO of the South African Wind Energy Association, spoke to Glenneis Kriel about the state of wind energy in the country and the opportunities that farmers can exploit.
The Cape Grace: a Cape Town icon is reborn, and her new custodians shine
Brian Berkman has had the exceedingly good fortune of spending many nights at the Cape Grace Hotel over the years. He revisits it to find it as impressive as ever.
Cutting-edge tech aiding the agri sector
Toyota Material Handling's innovations conserve resources and reduce the environmental footprint of farming operations.
Use the correct growing medium for safe seedling production
Instead of buying expensive growing mediums for seedlings, farmers can make their own mixtures from local resources, such as manure, which are economical and produce excellent results
Optimising cherry production and quality
Growing cherries in a suboptimal climate requires manipulating trees and temperatures. But with a considerable market advantage, it is worth the effort. Lindi Botha visited ZZ2's Toscana farm, which for four weeks of the year takes prime position in the cherry market.
Biosecurity & nutrition: the foundation of pig farming success
JD Mostert, a consulting swine nutritionist at CS Vet, and Dr Stefan Steyn, a veterinarian at Afrivet, shared their expertise with Sinenhlanhla Mncwango, delving into why biosecurity and nutrition are critical pillars in establishing and maintaining a productive pig farm geared for long-term success.
The business of pig farming: practical steps for success
Running a pork farm requires knowledge and expertise. Mosele Lepheane, director of a small piggery in the Free State, spoke to Sinenhlanhla Mncwango about the structured approach needed to succeed, from drafting a business plan and managing cash flow to sourcing equipment and expanding market access.