Bid Window (BW) 6 of the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme’s (REIPPPP’s) request for proposals (RFP), which was released in July 2022, has been amended by the Department of Mineral Resources and Energy (DMRE) to allow for more electricity generation.
As noted by the South African Wind Energy Association (SAWEA), the wind energy allocation has been doubled to 3200 MW for this bid window, making up the majority of the increased allocation of 4200 MW across all technologies.
The Association has welcomed this increase as well as the extended bid submission date, which is now set for 3 October 2022, as it opens the process to new bidders and will help ensure more participation by the wind sector.
“We urge the NERSA concurrence, with the DMRE Minister, to determine the remainder of the IRP2019 allocation, be concluded with urgency, to ensure that the President’s directive on new generation is met,” says Niveshen Govender, CEO of SAWEA.
Speaking on behalf of its members, SAWEA says it is certain that the wind sector will respond effectively to the call for this additional generation capacity, which will further enable it to play a key role in the country’s energy mix, thereby creating economic value and impact.
In line with the government’s National Development Plan (NDP), the REIPPP Programme continues to deliver more than clean power generation, as it is designed to stimulate investment and deliver economic and socio-economic benefits for the country.
SAWEA confirms that the industry remains confident in its ability to build new renewable energy generation capacity while meeting economic development objectives and reiterates that it has no doubt that the sector will respond positively. The Association’s engagements with the DMRE, DTIC and the other key sector stakeholders have strategically mapped the way forward to deliver on the just energy transition mandate.
Contact SAWEA, Phone 010 007-5655, admin@sawea.co.za , https://sawea.org.za
