- South Africa’s Electricity Minister, Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, plans to ask the Chinese government to help ensure that solar-power installers in the country secure reliable access to panels as demand for alternative sources of energy grows.
- South African businesses and households are increasingly opting to reduce their reliance on the grid as state utility Eskom, which supplies more than 90% of the nation’s electricity, subjects the country to daily power cuts because its old and poorly maintained coal-fired plants can’t meet demand.
- There are only two solar panel manufacturers in South Africa, but they’ve committed all their output to major projects being implemented by mining companies, while all others are being imported from China.
- Backlogs and a lack of efficiency at South Africa’s ports could also constrain equipment imports, according to Ramokgopa.
- The minister has met with four of the nation’s biggest banks to discuss their financing options for clients who want to install rooftop solar panels, and the Government Employees Pension Fund is also finalizing a funding offering for its members, while the state is considering alternatives for lower-income households.
Kgosientsho Ramokgopa, minister of electricity (photo by GCIS)