An inter-disciplinary approach to the energy transition in South Africa

Iain Todd,Darren Mccauley

doi:10.1007/s43621-021-00043-w

Abstract

The compelling need to tackle climate change is well-established. It is a challenge which is being faced by all nations. This requires an approach which is truly inter-disciplinary in nature, drawing on the expertise of politicians, social scientists, and technologists. We report how the pace of the energy transition can be influenced significantly by both the operation of societal barriers, and by policy actions aimed at reducing these effects. Using the case study of South Africa, a suite of interviews has been conducted with diverse energy interests, to develop and analyse four key issues pertinent to the energy transition there. We do so primarily through the lens of delivering energy justice to that society. In doing so, we emphasise the need to monitor, model, and modify the dynamic characteristic of the energy transition process and the delivery of energy justice; a static approach which ignores the fluid nature of transition will be insufficient. We conclude that the South African fossil fuel industry is still impeding the development of the country’s renewable resources, and the price of doing so is being met by those living in townships and in rural areas.

Highlights

While a nation’s energy infrastructure is always in a process of change, the current energy situation in most countries is fluid, driven by the global moves away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy [1,2,3]
We describe the interview findings associated with the main interview question—How could the energy transition in South Africa be delivered in a way which improves energy justice? In Sect. 2 we described the technological, societal, and politics pressures which are acting on the energy transition in South Africa
These are: the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement (REIPPP) project; proposed legislation to restructure the state electrical utility ESKOM; the need to improve the municipal management of townships; and the provision of Free Basic Electricity (FBE) to the poorest sectors of society

Summary

Introduction

While a nation’s energy infrastructure is always in a process of change, the current energy situation in most countries is fluid, driven by the global moves away from fossil fuels towards renewable energy [1,2,3]. The need for an energy transition is for the purposes of carbon reduction to tackle climate change and improving air quality. It increases energy security, with nations wishing to meet more of their energy needs from their own resources. The changes are associated with moves from centralised facilities to distributed energy production, and towards costeffective means of energy storage [4]. These are profound changes which affect power generation and the Rotterdam, Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion