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How Has the Current Electricity Crisis in South Africa Affected the Development of Renewable Energy within the Independent Power Producer Procurement Programmes?

Jahns, Sophie LU (2023) EOSK12 20231
Department of Economic History
Abstract
This thesis examines the effects of South Africa’s electricity crisis on the government-driven development of renewable energy from 2007 to 2023 by testing the applicability of the energy security framework. The electricity crisis presents itself through regular electricity cuts, extreme power tariff rises and a lack of long-term sustainability due to the high reliance on coal and Eskom, the monopolistic electricity utility. Consequently, South Africa’s economic development and social well-being are greatly affected.
Incorporating quantitative and qualitative evidence from government and Eskom documents, independent reports as well as newspaper articles, this thesis demonstrates that South Africa’s energy insecurity drives the use of... (More)
This thesis examines the effects of South Africa’s electricity crisis on the government-driven development of renewable energy from 2007 to 2023 by testing the applicability of the energy security framework. The electricity crisis presents itself through regular electricity cuts, extreme power tariff rises and a lack of long-term sustainability due to the high reliance on coal and Eskom, the monopolistic electricity utility. Consequently, South Africa’s economic development and social well-being are greatly affected.
Incorporating quantitative and qualitative evidence from government and Eskom documents, independent reports as well as newspaper articles, this thesis demonstrates that South Africa’s energy insecurity drives the use of renewables as a supplementary energy source in the national grid. It argues that green energies’ decreasing prices, natural abundance and diverging risk structure compared to fossil sources as well as the IPP programmes’ lauded design have supported this. In contrast, exhausted national grid capacities, Eskom’s monopoly and influence in renewable procurement as well as corruption scandals have created severe delays in the progress of renewables in South Africa, thus presenting major barriers to change. (Less)
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author
Jahns, Sophie LU
supervisor
organization
course
EOSK12 20231
year
type
M2 - Bachelor Degree
subject
keywords
South Africa, Electricity Crisis, Energy Insecurity, Renewables, IPP, Eskom
language
English
id
9121116
date added to LUP
2023-06-09 12:09:13
date last changed
2023-06-09 12:09:13
@misc{9121116,
  abstract     = {{This thesis examines the effects of South Africa’s electricity crisis on the government-driven development of renewable energy from 2007 to 2023 by testing the applicability of the energy security framework. The electricity crisis presents itself through regular electricity cuts, extreme power tariff rises and a lack of long-term sustainability due to the high reliance on coal and Eskom, the monopolistic electricity utility. Consequently, South Africa’s economic development and social well-being are greatly affected.
Incorporating quantitative and qualitative evidence from government and Eskom documents, independent reports as well as newspaper articles, this thesis demonstrates that South Africa’s energy insecurity drives the use of renewables as a supplementary energy source in the national grid. It argues that green energies’ decreasing prices, natural abundance and diverging risk structure compared to fossil sources as well as the IPP programmes’ lauded design have supported this. In contrast, exhausted national grid capacities, Eskom’s monopoly and influence in renewable procurement as well as corruption scandals have created severe delays in the progress of renewables in South Africa, thus presenting major barriers to change.}},
  author       = {{Jahns, Sophie}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  note         = {{Student Paper}},
  title        = {{How Has the Current Electricity Crisis in South Africa Affected the Development of Renewable Energy within the Independent Power Producer Procurement Programmes?}},
  year         = {{2023}},
}