Country Spotlight: Policy, Partnerships and Prospects in South Africa’s Energy Landscape - South Africa's energy evolution: Challenges and triumphs in the spotlight

South Africa's energy sector is undergoing a significant transformation, balancing its coal-dependent past with a sustainable future. At this year’s Country Spotlight session, key stakeholders discussed the nation's progress and challenges in this transition.

Elsa Strydom from the IPP Office highlighted the success of South Africa's IPP program: "Over the past 13 or so years we have procured nearly 11GW of new generation capacity and currently have 95 projects in operation, which input 7.3GW into the grid. Meanwhile, there are another 70 projects in construction with 11 in the pipeline. There is a lot happening!

“The certainty of policy and regulation such as Section 34 is key to the success of the program. We have brought together a centre of excellence with a clear focus and mandate, and have ensured the right expertise is in the right place. It is a recipe which can be replicated, not only in other countries but into other sectors of the economy.”

Titus Mathe, CEO of SANEDI, noted recent improvements in power supply: "We are now three months without load shedding being implemented. South Africa is a very resilient country, and we have managed to resolve these challenges which have occurred over the past two years."

The rest of the panel, which included representatives from DBSA, Standard Bank, and Pele Green Energy, explored various aspects of South Africa's energy landscape, including project funding, investment attraction, and market liberalization. As South Africa prepares to host the 2025 Africa Energy Forum in Cape Town, the spotlight on its energy sector intensifies, with both progress to celebrate and ongoing challenges to navigate in its journey towards a sustainable energy future.