The energy landscape in Southern Africa has been rapidly evolving over the last decades. An economy-wide transition to sustainability is underway, with energy at its core. In addition, a progressive movement of regional integration with numerous energy-related initiatives is taking place, principally through the Southern African Power Pool (SAPP). At the same time,…"

The current electricity model incorporates a paradox in which continual increases in price contribute to falling demand, which in turn leads to higher unit costs and prices. In this context, high levels of capital expenditure by Eskom have become a critical cost driver. The contradictory response of raising prices in the midst of…"

 Session 9: Unpacking the water-energy-food nexus"

Session 9: Unpacking the water-energy-food nexus"

Renewable energy technologies have experienced an exponential growth in South Africa, thanks to the procurement of large-scale power plants. However, South Africa’s electricity sector still lacks a level playing field. Significant vested interests have maintained overwhelming support for centralised, coal-based electricity generation, preventing the development of renewable energy technologies to their optimal potential.…"

Session 9: Energy Utilisation"

Responses to Eskom’s request for compensation for additional costs and for lower than expected sales in 2013/4 should be designed to support industrialisation. From this standpoint, the regulator’s response to Eskom’s proposals should take into account the following. Eskom should be guaranteed compensation for the cost of diesel and other measures to avoid…"

Session 6: A regional approach to energy resources  "

Session 6: A regional approach to energy resources An integrated approach to modelling energy policy in Africa:   PAPER: Evaluating carbon taxes and electricity import restrictions - Channing Arndt, Rob Davies, Sherwin Gabriel, Konstantin Makrelov, Bruno Merven, Faaiqa Salie and James Thurlow (UNU-Wider)   This paper links a bottom-up energy sector model to…"

Session 6: A regional approach to energy resources   This study develops a reliability assessment method of wind resource using optimum reservoir target power operations that maximises the firm generation of integrated wind and hydropower. This model is applied on the reservoir storages and hydropower system in the Zambezi river basin to demonstrate…"

Energy and electricity issues in particular have been high on the South African agenda since the 2008 crisis, which saw the country’s national power utility Eskom implement rolling load shedding and cut supplies to a number of large customers, such as mines and minerals beneficiation plants. As South Africa experienced in 2014 the…"

Policy Paper prepared for the Economic Development Department and the Department of Trade and Industry The impact of electricity price increases on the competitiveness of selected mining sector and smelting value chains in South Africa: Has it incentivised mining-related companies to invest in renewable energy, cogeneration and energy efficiency? This research project was jointly commissioned by…"

The Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Programme (REIPPP) was established to encourage new entry into the market. The Regulatory Entities Capacity Building project review of the renewable energy sector includes: Assessing the problems and difficulties in implementing South Africa's first option for the expansion of renewable energy through feed-in tariffs (REFITs), initiated by…"

The National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) is the regulatory authority established in terms of the National Energy Regulator Act, 2004.  The Regulatory Entities Capacity Building project will provide a comprehensive review of the regulators' role, linked with the policy framework and powers.  The review includes: Examining the linkages with economic development in…"

Session 2A: Scarce Skills"

Trade patterns change as a result of the international specialisation of production and the increased integration of world markets. This is especially evident in small open economies such as the countries that make up the SADC region. In 2000, the share of SADC industrial production that was exported stood at 12%; by 2005, this…"

South Africa's energy system has been, and still is, one of the key contributing factors to the social and economic development of the nation. By international standards, the South African economy is very energy-intensive, meaning that the country uses a large amount of energy for every rand of economic output. Historically world economic…"

South Africa is in the grip of an electricity crisis marked by a euphemism known as load shedding. The demand for electricity has grown to the point that the supply reserve margin is often under threat, necessitating the electricity supplier to cut supply to some areas, or to shed load. This is a…"

Since 1994 the South African government has identified poverty alleviation as a key policy goal. This objective was formulated under the auspices of the Growth, Employment and Redistribution (GEAR) policy which has arguably had limited success (Hassan, 2001). In 2004 the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for South Africa (AsgiSA) was formed to…"

No-one can dispute that electricity is an essential input to production and economic growth in South-Africa. Eskom, a wholly state-owned utility dominates electricity generation, it supplies approximately 95% of South Africa's electricity. The Electricity Supply Industry (ESI) has been facing numerous uncertainties during the past decade. This included aspects such as the restructuring…"