The Republic of South Africa
Diverse People Unite
Positions for the International Renewable Energy Agency
I.Combating Climate Change by Increasing Urban Energy Efficiency
Since 1960 the global population has doubled and is expected to pass 9 billion by the year 2050. At that time, The United Nations predicts that 6 billion people will be living in urban settlements. The major focus of urban growth will be focused in developing nations. A major concern dealing with the exponential growth of urban developments is their energy usage and its effect on the environment. In Urban Energy Transition: From Fossil Fuels to Renewable Power, by 2030 energy dependency will increase by 60 to 85 percent. This increase in energy will ultimately lead to climate change well above that of the current day. That increase can cause natural disasters as well as weather phenomena.
South Africa has recently recognized the importance of green energy. Due to South Africa’s economic growth and industrialization since 2008, the energy demand has greatly outnumbered the supply available provided by the state-run energy company Eskom. The federal government calculates that by 2030 the energy demand will be twice that of current day rates. Eskom along with the Department of Energy has recognized this issue and have invested 28.5 billion USD in improving the energy infrastructure to accommodate the rising urban energy demands. South Africa is heavily dependent on energy production from coal. The investment from the Department of Energy is to help mitigate the use of these non-renewables. The Development Bank along 2ith the Federal Treasury and Eskom are committed to establishing a renewable energy program that allows for independent utility producers. Furthermore, South Africa is committed to adhering to the Integrated Resource Plan of 2010 which provided a 20-year projection with an end goal of 42% electrical supply from renewable resources. In tandem with addressing energy supply, South Africa is working to research and implement energy efficiency technologies. A major source that is being addressed is housing materials. Most of urban South Africa was developed with poor building standards due to low-income owners. Compared to other developing and developed nations, South Africa has a massive loss of energy through inadequate insulation and building materials. South Africa has implemented a new measure that will help address energy concerns in various sectors. In the housing sector, tax incentives will be given to homes that have energy efficient materials. In the commercial industry, carbon taxes have been implemented to help control the release of carbon into the atmosphere. Furthermore, South Africa is working to create a data system that will allow for further research into energy efficiency in production as well as consumption in all industries.
The Republic of South Africa recognizes the urgency and need for proper energy efficient method implementation in all regions of the globe, especially in bustling urban settlements. Due to the increases in urban population over the past hundred years, energy dependence in such areas has become a major logistical and economic challenge for many nations around the world, especially developing nations. Moreover, South Africa believes that the increasing dependence on energy resources has caused a major influx of CO2 emittance and various other greenhouse gases into the troposphere which will cause major issues for future populations. South Africa believes that having access to crucial energy information such as effects on energy acquisition as well as energy usage will allow nations to conduct research and development in urban energy efficiency. South Africa understands the necessity of a reduction in non-renewable energy resources and urges all nations to consider promoting databases such as the one in South Africa. It is crucial that the United Nations body works in collaboration to address the issues of energy efficiency as well as database construction and technologies. South Africa seeks to promote the International Energy Database System(IEDS) which shall assist nations in pinpointing direct energy downfalls. This system has proven effective to nations that have similar systems in place. With this, South Africa firmly believes that any energy information gathering can be useful in determining ways to increase energy efficiency and curb the growingglobal climate change.
The Republic of South Africa
Diverse People Unite
Positions for the International Renewable Energy Agency
II.Assessing the Socio-Economic Impacts of Wind and Solar Energy
The Republic of South Africa is on the forefront of a new era in energy production. As greenhouse emissions from traditional energy consumption continue to be recognized as one of the leading causes of climate change, and as petroleum reserves continue to dwindle, nations are increasingly turning to alternate avenues of energy production. With expected lowering of costs and increased efficiency, renewable energy is becoming a practical alternative to petroleum, coal, and natural gas. Realizing the long-term potential and benefit of renewable energy, South Africa has invested time and resources into advancing investment in solar and wind energy. In 2009, as a response to an energy crisis, the National Energy Regulator of South Africa (NERSA) implemented the Renewable Energy Feed-In Tariff (REFIT). This regulation works progressively to reduce carbon-based power sources by allocating funds to firms and individuals that contribute sustainable energy to the national grid. This successfully increased consumer interest and industrial investment into previously untapped forms of renewable energy. In 2011, another initiative titled “Renewable Energy Independent Power Producers Procurement Programme” (REI4P), was implemented with the goal of installing 17.8GW of sustainable energy into South Africa by year 2030. South Africa has also introduced tax incentives ranging from general accelerated depreciation of renewable energy assets, to specifically granting tax relief to the operation of solar energy generators. The Republic of South Africa has done much to incentivize the conversion to and continued use of renewable energy, especially in wind turbines along coastal plain regions. South Africa’s GDP is expected to benefit an increase of an estimated 299 million through the conversion to sustainable sources of energy and an approximate 20,500 new jobs are anticipated to be created in this process. Due in part to these policies South Africa is the fourth largest investor of renewable energy behind Uruguay, Mauritius, and Costa Rica.
Recognizing the importance of renewable energy and the long-term benefit of having reliable production of energy, South Africa proposes a tax-based incentive program to entice the private market into investing capital into solar and wind energy. Entitled R.E.I.P, or the Renewable Energy Incentive Program, this plan will act to promote the manufacture and operation of wind and solar farms. Noting the cost of building such means of energy production, over “$60,000 for a single wind turbine” and over “$1,000,000 for a 1,000 KW solar farm”, this program will give tax relief to companies for the initial construction and maintenance of such energy mechanisms for up to a period of 10 years. The larger area of land developed for such purposes, the longer the relief period. Upon the initial input of energy from these sources into the electricity grid, this plan calls for the implementation of tax benefits for companies that utilize specifically the energy output from these farms. In the pursuit of sustainable energy for all, South Africa also proposes an international fund for developing countries to promote the benefits of this program within their borders.