CEO Voice

CEO Voice – October 2023

Dear SAWEA Community,

I want to extend my deepest appreciation for the overwhelming support we received during the Windaba Conference & Exhibition 2023. This event served as a crucial industry platform, allowing us to reflect on our progress and celebrate the remarkable developments in the wind energy sector. This has been the largest Windaba Conference and Exhibition gathering so far with more than 1000 people in attendance over the 3 days.

I am thrilled to share some highlights from the conference, including the launch of the Community Engagement Booklet at Windaba Connect and the positive reception to Bird Strike mitigation measures, such as blade patterning, implemented at various wind farms. Additionally, the unveiling of the first Status of Wind in Africa Report by the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC) painted a promising picture of Africa’s wind power footprint, identifying 83 installed wind farms totaling 9GW, with more than a third of the continents wind energy installed capacity attributed to South Africa.

The announcement of the Offshore Wind Roadmap project for South Africa by the World Bank Group marks a significant step forward for our industry. The presence of key industry leaders across the wind value chain at Windaba further distinguished our conference.

The attendance of Dr. Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, the Minister of Electricity in the Presidency, and Mr Alana Winde, the Western Cape Premier, together with long-standing supporters of Windaba, including the DMRE, IPPO, DFFE, Eskom, PCC, underscores our progress in collaborating with the government and advocating for the integration of wind energy amid ongoing grid constraints.

As we delve into the 2023 GCCA and await updates on the IRP and REIPPPP BW7, it is essential for our members to thoroughly review the content and actively participate in discussions. The delays in these developments pose challenges to investor and industry confidence, especially considering the exclusion of wind in BW6.

Our association remains committed to addressing these critical issues, including IGCAR and the newly proposed gated process and its impact on our sector through participation and collaboration with the energy council through the NECOM structure. We highly value the contributions of our members and encourage continued engagement to strengthen our collective industry voice.

On the operational front, we are in the thick of strategy planning for the next three years to ensure that we better service our members and advocate for increased wind energy market share. We look forward to presenting the updated strategic plan at the AGM planned for the end of January 2024.

I would like to bid farewell to Ms Oratiloe Sathekge, our Technical Coordinator, and wish her success in her future endeavors. Simultaneously, we are excited to welcome Ms Nombukiso Ntshalintshali as our incoming Junior Technical Advisor, and we look forward to introducing her to the SAWEA community.

Thank you for your unwavering support and dedication to advancing wind energy in South Africa.

Kind regards,

Niveshen Govender

CEO, South African Wind Energy Association

CEO Voice – September 2023

Dear SAWEA Community,

As we venture into the brisk winds of October, it is with great excitement and anticipation that I welcome you to the latest edition of our monthly newsletter. This month’s newsletter is particularly special as it paves the way for the much-anticipated Windaba 2023 conference and exhibition—an event that promises to be a milestone in our journey “Beyond the Turbines”.

Windaba 2023 isn’t just a conference; it’s a gathering of minds committed to shaping the future of renewable energy in South Africa and beyond. As your host for the second year, I am thrilled to have witnessed the convergence of industry leaders, visionaries, and advocates who share a common goal: propelling wind energy to new heights.

We have worked tirelessly to curate a program that delves into the latest technological advancements, policy insights, and collaborative initiatives that will define the trajectory of our industry with extraordinary partners and speakers.

In this newsletter, you can expect exclusive insights, sneak peeks into Windaba 2023 programme, and thought-provoking articles around progress made by our Environmental Working Group. As we gear up for the conference, let’s take a moment to reflect on the remarkable strides we’ve made collectively and the immense potential that lies ahead.

I would like to officially welcome and congratulate Mr Boitumelo Kiepile and Ms Avra Moodley as the new Chairperson and Vice-Chairperson of the Policy and Markets Working Group. They take on this role at an extremely important juncture of the industry.

This month, we will conclude our inputs and submission into the Electricity Regulation Act Amendment Bill public through the public consultation process. We await the much-anticipated updated IRP and expect the release of REIPPPP BW7.

Thank you for being an integral part of the SAWEA community. I look forward to seeing you at Windaba 2023 and witnessing the impactful collaborations that will undoubtedly emerge from this dynamic gathering.

Wishing you a month filled with inspiration and progress.

Kind regards,

Niveshen Govender

CEO, South African Wind Energy Association

CEO Voice – August 2023

CEO Voice

Dear Members,

The last four weeks has seen the culmination of many months, and in some cases years, of hard work undertaken by our industry and Eskom, to strengthen policy and accelerate the country’s energy transition as we embark on a period of new power generation.

With a number of our members receiving Grid Allocation in the Cape region from Eskom, we can truly celebrate the unlocking of SA’s private procurement market. It is estimated that this will connect circa 3.3GW of new power generation in the next two years. We expect that 60% (or just over 2GW) of these projects are Wind Energy IPPs.

I’d like to take this opportunity to congratulate two of our members, G7 Renewable Energies and EDF Renewables’, for achieving legal close in the Risk Mitigation Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (RMIPPPP). As these hybrid projects incorporate wind, solar and storage technology on a utility scale, they’ll enhance the reliability and stability of the power generation system.

Next, I’d like thank our task team who has worked alongside the Utility to address our member’s concerns regarding the Interim Grid Capacity Allocation Rules (IGCAR).  Since the rules were issued, it has taken extensive engagement to address concerns that could detract investors. It is encouraging to see that as a result of these efforts, Industry’s concerns with the list of requirements proposed have been addressed or removed, as shared in a session with Eskom last week.

We once again applaud Eskom for their efforts, continuously striving for equitability and transparency in the allocation of the limited available grid capacity in a structured and coordinated approach, as well as allowing us to engage them on our concerns and making the necessary adjustments. This will no doubt enable the country to better realise a balanced and reliable energy mix, whilst we struggle with grid constraints and the limitations this places on the energy sector.

Subsequent to this, Eskom has released the ‘Proposed Gated Process’ (PGP).  The PGP has the potential to address several interrelated problems presently plaguing grid access for new generation: including managing the co-existence of public and private procurement, enabling better grid planning.

We see this as another step in the right direction, as it addresses the competitive nature of the private market and government’s public procurement and given the grid constraints, it provides a framework that structures the process to efficiently and effectively allocate limited grid capacity. SAWEA is committed to continued engagement with Eskom to improve the PGP to best suit the Industry’s needs aligned with the country’s objectives of energy security.

The current IGCAR parameters are seen as an interim measure to process legacy applications in the Western and Eastern Cape. The evidence requirements for Budget Quotes in the Proposed Gated Process is to be based on a GCAR and needs to be codified through a process of consultation with industry and application via NERSA.

As announced late August, Eskom is expected to publish an updated Generation Connection Capacity Assessment (GCCA) ahead of the next bid window (BW7), which is expected to open during September.  The updated GCCA is to provide investors with visibility of the grid capacity and connection points, as well as to avoid the grid-related problems that arose during BW6.

Lastly, with just a month before Windaba 2023 kicks- off we thank our members for once again stepping forward to support our industry’s flagship conference.  We look forward to hosting you and having the chance to deepen our working relationships.

Kind regards,

Niveshen Govender

CEO, South African Wind Energy Association

CEO Voice – July 2023

Dear Members,

This month, our initiatives have been at the forefront as we quickly approach our much-anticipated flagship conference – Windaba 2023. The team has been hard at work to ensure that WindAc Africa and energyDRIVE Cape Route edition are successfully launched. We are very excited about this year’s edition of the conference as renewables continue to gain traction amongst key stakeholders such as government, investors, and entrepreneurs. With recent industry developments, it has become more important for us to position wind energy as one of most efficient renewable energy sources that will help transform South Africa’s energy landscape. We hope to receive your unwaivering support in the lead-up to Windaba 2023.READ MORE

CEO Voice – June 2023

Dear Members,

This month not only did we commemorate Global Wind Day on the 15^th of June, South Africa also celebrated the Youth through numerous events across the country.

In advocating for the implementation of ambitious, consistent South African energy policy that harnesses the country’s immense wind resource and results in the streamlined growth of a wind power asset base, I had the opportunity to speak at the Annual Green Youth Indaba themed ‘Promoting Youth Participation and Sustainable Skills Development For A Just Transition.’ The event drew together over 700 exceptional young people specially selected by their universities, municipalities and organisations, based on the initiatives these young people are undertaking to better our environment.READ MORE

CEO Voice – May 2023

Dear Members,

Welcome to our latest edition of the newsletter, where we share with you the progress and successes within the wind power sector.

This year, we celebrate having passed the landmark of 1TW of Wind Power globally. 3.4GWs of that 1TW is provided for by 34 South African wind farms located across the country, contributing to the national power grid. These wind farms have demonstrated their capacity to generate clean, renewable energy at scale, reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and combating climate change.

As we navigate the current energy crisis and advocate for the the role of wind energy, we continue to showcase that sector growth has not only fostered economic development but has also created employment opportunities and attracted investments into our local communities.

As we celebrate the strides made in wind energy, we must acknowledge the challenges that lie ahead. Our journey towards a fully sustainable energy landscape demands continued collaboration and support from all stakeholders. It requires ongoing investment in research and development, as well as the creation of a conducive regulatory environment that incentivizes renewable energy initiatives.

I’d like to take this opportunity to highlight the latest advancements presented by Operation Vulindlela in addressing the energy action plan. Our voice continues to amplify the need for grid optimisation to include more renewables in the short term, and in the coming week, we will present some progress through our partnership with Eskom to enhance grid planning, strengthening and expansion by presenting the results of the Renewable Energy Grid Survey Results.

Despite the energy crisis, it is important to remember that South Africa has made tremendous strides in the development of renewable energy, with wind power playing a significant role in shaping the country’s sustainable future. The remarkable potential of wind energy is evident, and it is with great pride that we witness the maturation of this industry.

Thank you for your continued support.

Kind regards,
Niveshen Govender
CEO, South African Wind Energy Association

CEO VOICE – APRIL 2023

Dear Members,

I am happy to report that we had a meaningful and robust engagement with the Ministry of Electricity on Tuesday, 24 April 2023 at the Union Buildings. SAWEA was represented by some members of the board, as well as the Executive Management. We have successfully positioned ourselves as an association that is able to contribute to the Ministry’s renewable energy plans, particularly with regards to the wind sector. The purpose of the meeting was essentially to understand the Ministry’s outlook on the future energy mix, and the mechanisms that will be employed to implement the energy action plan with reference to the acceleration of new generation capacity through renewable energy. In our engagement, we had the opportunity to raise concerns / challenges that the wind industry is currently facing, as well as provide solutions to some of the regulatory constraints to enable fair representation of wind across the energy mix.READ MORE

CEO Voice – March 2023

Dear Members,

The country has witnessed interesting positive development in the energy sector during the first quarter of 2023. The highlight being the significant appointment of Minister of Electricity, Dr Kgosientsho Ramokgopa. SAWEA is currently engaging with his office to discuss areas of possible collaboration and support for the wind energy sector and vice versa. We are motivated by the positive response and willingness from his office, and we should see this as the country’s commitment to providing an energy secure future.

READ MORE

CEO VOICE – FEBRUARY 2023

Dear members,

We are living in unprecedented times with our country’s electricity crisis being declared a National State of Disaster, our state utility has an interim CEO at the helm and we wait to find out who will be the new Minister of Electricity.

READ MORE

CEO Voice – January 2023

Dear members,

Reflecting on last year, it is clear that 2022 was a year of contrasts, with both successes and lost opportunities. We celebrated a number of regulatory changes namely the ERA amendments and ERA schedule 2, which have impacted our sector significantly, opening up opportunities in the private off-taker market and accelerating the liberalisation of the broader energy landscape.READ MORE