Accelerating Wind Power Development in Southern Africa
The imperative to accelerate wind power development across Southern Africa is driven by both the environmental and economic needs of the region. Its energy landscape is slowly shifting towards a just energy transition, providing more energy security, meeting emission reduction commitments, reaffirming green initiatives, promoting investment and creating jobs.
SAWEA’s role as the official wind energy association partner for the Africa Energy Forum, reinforces the organisation’s commitment to advancing wind energy solutions across the region, unlocking the potential of the green energy sector.
The 2024 South African Renewable Energy Grid Survey (SAREGS) highlights that 10 279MW of new wind energy is possible in the next three years should grid access challenges be resolved. All these projects are at advanced stages of development, with more than 80% of project owners amenable to Curtailment up to 10%.
SAWEA is working hard to assist in the establishment of a more cohesive regulatory and policy environment which in turn will impact on issues around grid infrastructure and access to facilitate transmission, which are serious impediments to more investment in the sector. Without policy certainty, the sector will remain unattractive for investment.
“With the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan (SAREM) having been launched officially, promoting investment and growing the local and regional wind energy component manufacturing base remains a focus area for SAWEA,” says SAWEA Chief Communications Officer Morongoa Ramaboa. “Utilising global platforms such as Africa Energy Forum (aef) is an opportunity for all role players in the value chain to propose solutions that are necessary to support Africa’s energy security,” Ramaboa said.
With greater collaboration between Southern African countries, cross border energy trade and infrastructure development can grow, improving grid footprint, resilience and efficiencies.
The collaboration between SAWEA and the Africa Energy Forum aims to accelerate wind energy deployment by fostering policy dialogue, securing investment, and addressing infrastructure challenges. This partnership will drive innovation, support regulatory reforms, and unlock new opportunities for sustainable energy growth in Southern Africa.
With wind energy positioned as a cornerstone of Southern Africa’s renewable energy future, strategic partnerships and policy advancements will be key to overcoming challenges and realising the full potential of this scalable and clean energy source.
