SA should not shy away from renewable energy
Government must fully commit to green technology including solar power and proceed with projects in pipeline, writes Philippe Le Houérou
For years, solar panels seemed an inadequate, minor solution for Africa’s energy needs. With more than 600-million people living without electricity service and many more experiencing daily interruptions, could this technology ever make an impact? Yes. In less than a decade, the cost of producing solar photovoltaic (PV) panels has dropped 80%, thanks to technological advances and a surge in demand amid climate-change concerns. Even without subsidies, solar tariffs are now near parity with coal-, oil-, and gas-fired electricity. Bloomberg New Energy Finance predicts that solar PV will be the least-cost generation technology in most countries by 2030, as well as one of the fastest to build. The consequences of these market shifts are already apparent. In developed and developing countries, solar panels are moving beyond household and off-grid uses to supply industrial power and feed clean energy into national grids at large scale. This is driven by economics as much as policy — virtua...
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Subscribe now to unlock this article.
Support BusinessLIVE’s award-winning journalism for R129 per month (digital access only).
There’s never been a more important time to support independent journalism in SA. Our subscription packages now offer an ad-free experience for readers.
Cancel anytime.
Questions? Email helpdesk@businesslive.co.za or call 0860 52 52 00. Got a subscription voucher? Redeem it now.