In this article, South African Photovoltaic Industry Association (SAPVIA) CEO Dr Rethabile Melamu responds to concerns raised by speakers at a recent energy-related conference about the challenges facing the country's renewables sector.

As the voice for the solar PV industry in South Africa, we welcome any discussion that ultimately leads to the best interest of the sector we represent. This conversation needs to be based on the true facts and an accurate picture; no good can come from a discussion that is based on ill-framed narratives and misconceptions about the solar PV industry in South Africa.

We welcome the comments expressed in recent reporting published by Engineering News that refers to some of these challenges and we invite all industry stakeholders and partners to become a part of what we’re trying to do as an industry body.

Too much of the comments expressed are based on anecdotal evidence. We would much rather argue in favour of engagements and discussions that are based on facts and confirmed numbers. I will try to address some of the issues raised, in my comments here.

It takes a collective effort, and we need everyone to play their part and become part of the team as we try to address these challenges.

SAPVIA supports the localisation of the PV value chain; however, such a policy must be steeped in empirical evidence. This is the reason we commissioned two localisation studies that identify localisation opportunities across the entire value chain, focusing on components that can be localised in the short, medium, and long terms, and how those opportunities could be unlocked.

It is for that reason that we actively supported the development of the South African Renewable Energy Masterplan as part of the core team and fully behind its vision and goals.

Singling out modules and making such strong general statements about the local manufacturing capability (as expressed in the original piece) is contradictory to SAPVIA’s position. The article focuses on modules and creates an impression that local manufacturing is not ideal – research that we and others have conducted, will show that this is a misconception.

The article touches on job creation – and it is important for any constructive engagement to acknowledge that there are nuances at play. Yes, most jobs are created in the construction and installation parts of the value chain, however it is a nuanced conversation that should tap into insights from SAPVIA’s and others’ jobs and localisation studies.

SAPVIA has conducted research that quantifies the number of direct and indirect jobs created by the industry, and it is incorrect that there is absolutely no way to quantify jobs. This could also be dependent on a particular market segment. Different market segments have various levels of potential job creation that can be expected.

Our PV GreenCard programme was set up with jobs and job creation in mind, and also aims to build specific PV competencies and ensure upskilling and regulatory compliance. Quality and safety are two key tenets on which the programme has been anchored, since it was started eight years ago. We have already seen positive change in the skills that have been developed in the industry and the quality of work that has been delivered and believe this can be attributed in part to PV GreenCard.

Making claims about energy from the sun being ‘free’ is an exaggeration and ignores the hard costs and capital outlay involved in any solar project installation. I will happily engage with stakeholders who would like to discuss the real picture. We have the empirical evidence to show that even though there are expensive capital outlays initially, investment in solar is cost effective on the long run.

Whilst there are a lot of installers and chancers in the residential market who still do not meet the required standards, an initiative such as PV GreenCard is exactly the response that can ensure better regulatory compliance at residential level. In addition, contrary to the article’s assertion, larger projects tend to be far more compliant.

South Africa’s installed capacity of between 7 GW and 8 GW and projected growth in 2024 is set to put us in the tenth position in terms of global market size according to BloombergNEF.

My organisation remains committed to leading the way for the sector through our various programmes and outreach initiatives and we stand ready to engage with stakeholders who share our goals and ambitions for the sector.