fossil fuels for electricity generation.
In the draft policy, the Department of Water and Sanitation maintains that the country has the potential to develop hydropower at existing water infrastructure.“ Instead of dams being constructed … existing reservoirs that are used for other purposes can be fitted with hydropower plants in order to augment electricity supply towards meeting peak electricity demands,” it states.
Due to the shift towards renewable energy, hydropower projects— such as those that would see technology retrofitted to existing dams— are environmentally and financially attractive as a result of pre-existing suitable water infrastructure.
According to the ministry, it would collaborate with the Department of
Energy, which is running the Independent Power Producer( IPP) Procurement Programme, through which government procures electricity generated from solar, wind, biomass, small hydro and landfill gas power plants. Private sector investment in the IPP Procurement Programme, which was launched in 2011, currently exceeds R194-billion.
The Department of Water and Sanitation owns 316 large dams, which are located across South Africa. To date, 30 dams have been rehabilitated and a further six are currently undergoing rehabilitation, with another 32 projects at various stages of design and tendering.
South Africa’ s National Development Plan sets a target of 20 000MW of renewable energy capacity, while the updated Integrated Resource Plan for electricity( released for public
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