It is imperative that South Africa and industry decarbonises and, with the transition towards more sustainable forms of energy already occurring, stakeholders should focus on how the transition is implemented in a just manner at the pace that is required, and the steps and strategies this would entail.

This was highlighted by Seriti Resources Group CEO Mike Teke, delivering the keynote address during the first day of the C&I Solar+Storage Summit, being held this week in Sandton.

Teke emphasised that the debate should not be about coal or fossil fuels versus renewable energy, but rather, about how to bring along workers from the former to the latter.

He pointed out that renewable-energy projects, by their nature, would not be as job-heavy as fossil fuel ones; therefore, it was crucial to upskill people to work in the renewable-energy industry and associated industries.

Teke stressed that the focus must include Mpumalanga, the province in which workers and communities were heavily reliant on the coal industry.

He emphasised that owing to the size of State-owned entity Eskom’s footprint, substantial investment was required to facilitate a just energy transition in the country.

Teke pointed out that Seriti Resources, as a player in the country’s energy industry, recognised this need to decarbonise, and to invest in Mpumalanga. This is exemplified by its subsidiary, Seriti Green, undertaking a pioneer wind project in the province, as previously reported by Engineering News.

This was undertaken in a balanced approach, with the company still developing its remaining coal assets, Teke pointed out, so that it would not be left stranded in the future, with coal still required for the foreseeable future.

C&I SOLAR AND STORAGE INDUSTRY
Meanwhile, during a panel discussion, CEF Group chairperson Ayanda Noah highlighted that the commercial and industrial (C&I) market was undergoing exponential growth, since it kicked off in 2021 and peaked in 2022 and 2023, as evidenced by projects registered with the National Energy Regulator of South Africa.  

Sibanye-Stillwater renewable-energy manager Murendeni Matshinyatsimbi said it made economic sense for the company to invest in this industry, while another driver was to secure energy supply for its assets.

He explained that the company recognised the need to decarbonise, to remain competitive with these targets required globally, especially for exports. Moreover, it was cheaper than what the company would pay for Eskom energy. 

GreenCO Africa commercial country manager Precious Mpepele reiterated that environmental, social and governance remained a key driver of C&I adoption and investment.

She added that regulatory incentives and reforms also helped stakeholders to capitalise on the opportunities provided by this industry and exploit the abundant energy resources available.

Mpelele also highlighted that the Southern African Power Pool would unlock scalability. She said this platform would force the financial sector to open up different financial energy models and help C&I offtakers to access clean power and enable them to participate in the buying of clean energy.

Mpact Group energy manager Rosalind Dos Santos said that when global commodity prices increased, and it was challenging to import materials required for renewable-energy projects, the company used this as an opportunity to design its projects differently, opting for in-house design and local procurement where feasible.

She highlighted that this was encapsulated in the company’s latest successful 5.4 MW self-build project.

Krutham just energy transition research manager Matthew le Cordeur echoed the point about regulatory reform. He noted that when certain environmental acts, such as the Climate Change Act, were implemented, this would see more reforms come in, such as sectoral targets. Le Cordeur said this would then be a considerable driver of adoption, with stakeholders needing to align to requirements, and ensuring, for example, that they adhered to things like their carbon budgets.

South African Photovoltaic Industry Association CEO Rethabile Melamu called for collaboration, where feasible, and for stakeholders to join industry bodies to expedite processes and prevent mistakes seen in previous projects.