Redistribution of electrification networks necessary for successful transition

Local energy generating sites should be established throughout the country when providing sufficient capacity, says Economic Development Solutions (EDS) head of business development Eckart Zollner, pointing out that this will require substantial infrastructure investment, redesign and development.

“We have the opportunity to redesign the electrification network and bring sources of generation much closer to sources of demand and use, because current legacy transmission networks bring about substantial inefficiencies and energy losses across hundreds of thousands of kilometres in our vast country.”

He says government needs to start decommissioning old power stations and replace them with green energy sources.

The process of our transition is too slow owing to administrative hurdles and inefficiencies, he adds.

“We are treating the transition at a national level and not sufficiently at municipal or district level. Municipal policies need to be brought in line with national policies. Skills development needs to happen at that level for the key players to understand and assist with the process of that transition.”

Lack of a unified stance in government has also caused the stagnation of the transition through conflicting messages regarding the future of coal resources.

Uniformity in government is needed for potential investors in the renewable-energy sector, adds Zollner.

He notes the lack of decentaralised capacity and skills in provincial and regional spheres regarding approval processes for the transition, which has caused a backlog of projects.

Zollner additionally states that small-, mini- and microgrids can enable rural areas to build their own industrial and manufacturing hubs if policies can be implemented correctly.

Building smaller grids can stimulate industrial and commercial developments and avoid the cost of lengthy power transmission lines that serve to amplify energy losses, he explains.

“The transition needs to tackle a more just geographic distribution of energy generation across different technologies.”

Further, Zollner says energy efficiency needs to be addressed as much as energy transition.

“The country needs to focus on applicable regulations and policies to drive energy efficiencies in the manufacturing sector, as well as end-consumers in the retail sector, and it’s important to monitor imported, inefficient energy products.”