SAPVIA predicts significant interest in solar-plus-storage systems to address intermittency issues next year.
According to SAPVIA, among the 2024 milestones was SA adding 961MW of private-sector solar PV capacityby October this year – a testament to the sector's resilience despite challenges.This includes 2.8GW from public procurement programmes like the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme and 6.1GW from private-sector contributions.
“SAPVIA’s efforts in policy advocacy, such as its contributions to the Integrated Resource Plan draft 2023 and ongoing engagements, have played a pivotal role in this growth.” Initiatives like the South African Wholesale Electricity Market advocacy have further paved the way for increased solar PV deployment, according to SAPVIA.
The plummeting pricing, which started in SA last year, is expected to continue in the coming months, with more local homeowners likely to invest in solar systems, and industry manufacturers potentially eyeing SA as a viable location to establish manufacturing plants.This year, solar energy contributed significantly to South Africa’s 300 days of uninterrupted electricity, reducing reliance on fossil fuels and cutting carbon emissions.
“We also launched a financing access initiative to connect SMEs with funding opportunities and foster partnerships with larger companies to share resources and expertise.”