FINAL WORD development for all , with sustainability as a central strategic objective . As solar produces its maximum output throughout the day and wind more energy in the mornings and the evenings , both sources are complementary by nature , to have a seamless flow of power into the grid .
Janek Winand , Managing Director South Africa , at
Siemens Gamesa cost , and with much more flexibility . This technology is also consistently becoming more competitive .
Siemens Gamesa , has seen this evolution happening in real time . In recent years Siemens Gamesa has built 855 MW of onshore wind power in South Africa installing wind turbines with a maximum power output of 2,3 MW per unit . To put it into perspective , to produce 150 MW of power , a wind power plant now requires only twenty-three turbines , in contrast to 61 just a few years ago . The levelized cost of energy at the end of the day is being decreased dramatically .
The future of the energy mix will inevitably be one of combined sources of power , and in a just transition scenario , we must consider all options available to ensure access to power and economic
Also , to be noted , is that while coal and nuclear power generation might still be of strategic importance to South Africa , they use a very substantial amount of water to operate , which is a relevant concern in a country that battles regularly with water shortages .
Wind power projects in South Africa have had a tremendously positive impact not only in generating low-cost electricity to the grid , but also directly and indirectly on the communities around the projects themselves , many of them quite remote . These projects require a number of services during development , many sourced from the local communities , thereby stimulating the local economy , with a trickle-down effect . The growth of the industry has also stimulated interest in Science , Technology , Engineering , and Mathematics , STEM fields by young professionals eager to work with and within a transition to a greener energy landscape .
There are multiple opportunities for synergies and collaborations with the local communities in these developments , which we promote to a great extent in the development of our windfarms .
In terms of funding , the willingness to invest is already there . South African banks have sufficient funds to invest in renewable energies and are also very motivated to do so . All that is needed is the political will to move forward . The announcement of Bid Window 7 is very welcome news , as well as the private Power Purchase Agreement market picking up after the licensing cap has been lifted , but more needs to be done .
Auctions need to happen more regularly and with an established short- , mid- and long-term pipeline that can provide companies with predictability and opportunities to plan ahead . The timeframes for approval processes and evaluations need to be shortened and simplified in order to accelerate development of new capacity .
In sum , it is imperative that we implement all the possible means to tackle the energy crisis head on as well as , in the words of President Ramaphosa , “ Undertake our just transition in a way that opens up the possibility of new investments , new industrialisation and that , above all , creates new jobs ”. The answer is right there , blowing in the wind . p
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