South Africa’s 2019 IRP Renewable Energy Targets
By Seth Owusu-Mante
The Integrated Resource Plan (IRP, 2010-2030) provides the long-term planning for electricity generation and infrastructure in South Africa. The plan incorporates government’s vision of equitable, affordable and expanded access to energy at affordable tariffs; and the generation of energy that is environmentally sustainable through reduced emissions and pollution per South Africa’s National Development Plan (2030) It is to be revised frequently due to the increasing demand of electricity in South Africa.
Since its promulgation in 2011, a total of 6,422 MW under the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Program (REIPPP) has been procured from 102 IPP projects in 4 auction rounds. 3,876 MW of the procured capacity is operational and made available to the grid.
The South African power system currently consist of generation options which are about 39 GW installed capacity from coal, 1.8 GW from nuclear, 2.9 GW from pumped storage, 2.2 GW from hydro, 3.8 GW from diesel and 3.7 GW from renewable energy made up of wind, solar PV and CSP as captured in the diagram below.
Changes in projection of electricity demand, existing plant performance of South Africa’s public utility, Eskom, as well as the plunging cost of renewable technologies prompted the review and update of the IRP leading to the adoption of the 2019 IRP. The 2019 IRP thus gives life to South Africa’s goal to pursue a diversified energy mix that reduces reliance on a single or a few primary energy sources. It is also designed to meet the country’s Nationally Determined Contribution's (NDC) pledge to peak emissions between 2020 and 2025, plateau for a decade, and decline afterwards.
It sets a measurable target of an increase in renewable energy from the current state of 11% to about 41% by 2030 with the hope to reduce the share of fossil fuels from 80% to about 51%. This will be achieved through the installation of 17742 MW of wind, 8288 MW of solar PV, 4600 MW of hydropower, and 600 MW of CSP.
South Africa will have to scale up its policy framework to complement the REIPPP auction program to be able to meet these targets by 2030.
Complied and designed by Seth Owusu - Mante