Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) director-general Jacob Mbele has given his department’s conception of what a just energy transition would look like. He was responding to a question during a panel discussion at the Windaba 2022 conference, on Wednesday morning, in Cape Town. The energy transition refers to the global move away from high carbon-emitting energy sources to low- or even zero-carbon emitting energy sources.

“For us, as the DMRE, we’re responsible for the security of energy supply,” he pointed out. “So, a just transition for us is a transition in which there is a secure energy supply, and that energy supply is sustainable [including regarding the environment and climate change], that energy supply is affordable, [and] reliable. Those for me are the key parts of what would be just.”

A just transition would also be one which would enable other sectors of the economy to grow, thereby creating decent jobs. Further, to be just, the transition had to be particular to the South African situation. Each country had to have its own energy transition path.

“For me, success will be when we don’t talk about loadshedding,” he observed. A successful transition would also mean that there would also be no need to talk about the environmental or health aspects of energy generation technologies.

“There is no single transition,” agreed ENERTRAG South Africa project development head Mercia Grimbeek. “What is key here is people.” To be just, the transition process needed the support of the affected communities and of more general society.

“As [the] renewables [sector] we can contribute to carbon reduction but we can also contribute jobs around the country,” highlighted South African Photovoltaic Industry Association chairperson Chanda Nxumalo. Those jobs would include manufacturing jobs. But the sector needed to engage with a wide variety of stakeholders, including small businesses, as well as communities.

Implementing increased renewable energy in the country needed “conversations” about the practicalities involved, stressed Grimbeek. For example, were there enough cranes in the country to support the construction of renewable energy plants at the rate required? A consistent roll-out of projects was required.

Nxumalo also highlighted the need for concrete action plans. Equipment was going to be needed. There would have to be investment in at least some local manufacturing capabilities. Delivering the energy generating capacity required would need work by both government and industry. A project pipeline was required. She warned that the stakeholders were still not properly working together, that they were still operating in silos.