The lauded Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Program (REIPPPP) has achieved much in stimulating private sector investment in the renewable energy market in South Africa. Yet, 95% of electricity generated is still from a single source, the state-owned utility Eskom. This paper set out to explore the policy sphere governing electricity generation and identifying possible avenues that can contribute to a more vibrant solar energy market in the most solar abundant province of South Africa, the Northern Cape Province. Licensed mines were identified as low hanging fruit due to a large policy overlap and leeway within existing mining policy. A solar audit of these areas was performed, based on accepted multi-criteria decision analysis techniques, and found that a potential 369 TWh to 679 TWh per annum can be generated, exceeding South Africa's current electricity usage.
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Preferred citation
van der Merwe, W. & Brent, A. C. (2020). Evaluating the energy potential of solar PV located on mining properties in the Northern Cape Province of South Africa. Sustainability (Switzerland), 12(14), 5857-5857. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12145857