Green energy bid targets black business

SA plans to invite bidders for additional renewable power projects amounting to R50bn of investment, which will help stimulate local and blackowned business.

These will be in addition to the 27 projects signed recently, which are expected to result in investments of about R56bn over the next few years.

The fifth bid window for 1,800MW of renewable projects under the government’s independent power producers programme will start in November, according to Energy Minister Jeff Radebe, who delivered a speech at a conference in Johannesburg on Friday.

“The intention is to enhance local manufacturing to ensure investment and economic growth as well as the opportunity to encourage opportunities for black industrialists and the development of black independent power producers,” he said.

Under President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is leading a drive to attract $100bn of investment in the next five years, Radebe revived the national renewable energy programme that was once the fastest growing in the world.

The minister signed agreements with 27 independent power producers in April after more than two years of delays.

The independent power producer programme will also aim to “take into account the different needs of the communities where the projects are and which will allow the impact to be measured”, Radebe said. Two coal-fired projects under the programme will bring another R40bn of investment to the country, he said.

“There will be specific reference and requirements [in the new bid window] for womenowned business participation and special opportunities for the youth,” the minister said.

Expenditure under the new programme would occur in a co-ordinated way, he said. Bloomberg