Tag: wind energy

Let's face it: South Africa's power grid is not winning any awards for reliability. Our data centres are feeling the heat - and not in a good way. These digital powerhouses not only keep our online world spinning but are also fuelling the recent Artificial Intelligence (AI) revolution - yet their ever-expanding capabilities hinge on one critical requirement: an uninterrupted power supply.

Renewable electricity contracts, or power purchase agreements, are in high demand as companies and governments seek sustainable solutions, leading to growth in solar and wind energy purchases to meet net-zero carbon emission targets and reduce environmental impact. 

South Africa is experiencing a monumental uptick in its renewable energy sector, driven by a number of factors including rapid expansion, increased investment, and the rising need for homes and businesses to reduce their reliance on the national power grid. This burgeoning industry, however, faces a formidable challenge: a critical shortage of skilled labour.

Mining is a historically linear process – we take materials from the earth, make products from them and eventually throw them away as waste. With the intensification of climate change, environmental degradation, pollution – all products of linear economies – the mining industry needs to transition to a circular economy.

At a time when the country is facing a significant energy crisis, the report provides a consolidated overview of the electricity market from consumption to generation to financing. We have launched our South Africa-focused market report, providing a comprehensive overview of the state of play of the country’s energy sector.

After a wobbly 2021 and lingering uncertainties for the year ahead, we are confident energy transition equities can deliver. After achieving remarkable gains in 2020, energy transition equities endured a more turbulent and challenging time in 2021.

It’s a sobering thought, but South Africans have a serious climate change problem. As the world’s 14th largest emitter of carbon dioxide, we have a massive role to play in responding to climate change, and a duty to the planet to shift to a lower-carbon economy. As a signatory to the 2015 Paris Accord, United Nations member countries agreed to hasten their transition to a low-carbon future.