BD Dialogue: Renewable energy

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Follow the discussion on Business Day TV (DStv channel 412)
November 14 just after 9pm; repeated on November 15, 9.30am and 9.30pm; November 18, 10.30pm

There are lively debates springing up all about South Africa, driven mostly by single issues and aimed at influencing public opinion. The Business Day Dialogues series is much broader in scope than these current debates, and aims to influence policy as well as the man and woman in the street.

Each Dialogue consists of an in-depth, two-hour panel discussion with expert speakers on a specific topic, hosted by a senior Business Day editor. The discussion is recorded on video. A print supplement is then published, along with an online special report, that includes a transcript of the discussion, video clips and reports on the debate and related topics written by Business Day journalists. The debate is also broadcast on Business Day TV.

Focus on renewable energy

South Africa is making progress in turning to renewable energy to help feed its national grid. The Department of Energy, for example, has just announced successful bidders in the third round of its renewable energy procurement programme.

It is another milestone on the way to diversifying the country's energy mix, reducing its reliance on coal-fired power and introducing new, cleaner energy, and new private sector producers, into the mix.

On Thursday, November 7, a Business Day Dialogue chaired by Business Day deputy editor Hilary Joffe featured a range of experts discussing the key challenges of renewable energy in South Africa: what it means for small business, funding for independent producers, the effect on conventional power generation and much more.

Our panellists

ANTON EBERHARD Professor, UCT Graduate School of Business	MARK TANTON CEO, Red Cap Investments	MICHAEL PEO Head of infrastructure, energy and telecoms, Nedbank Capital

NELISIWE MAGUBANE Director-general, Department of Energy	BRIAN STATHAM Chairman, South African National Energy Association	JOHAN VAN DEN BERG CEO, South African Wind Energy Association

Bankers look beyond a simple return on their green investments

456 day(s) ago

SA’s independent power producer renewable energy programme has presented banks with opportunities to generate income

Energy price war looms

Red Cap Investments MD Mark Tanton at the Business Day Dialogue in Johannesburg last week. Picture: RUSSELL ROBERTS

456 day(s) ago

Enormous opportunity in South Africa’s renewable energy sector is combined with a ‘massive pricing war’

Challenges aplenty at first home-grown wind farm

Basil Read CEO Marius Heyns. Picture: FINANCIAL MAIL

456 day(s) ago

New technology, unfamiliar partners and even the forces of nature present challenges to all the companies involved

IPPs may help SA deal with unemployment levels

456 day(s) ago

Independent power producers who agreed two years ago to build R28bn of generation infrastructure will start selling power to Eskom next year

SA ‘needs more locals playing the field’ in renewable energy

Johan van den Berg, CEO of the South African Wind Energy Association, at the Business Day Dialogue in Johannesburg on Thursday. Picture: RUSSELL ROBERTS

462 day(s) ago

SA must keep eye on level of foreign investment in its renewable-energy industry, Business Day Dialogue on the sector hears

Department of Energy director-general Nelisiwe Magubane at the Business Day Dialogue in Johannesburg last week. Picture: RUSSELL ROBERTS

Green industry fillip for employment

South Africa’s quest to build a value chain for its renewable energy programme has begun paying dividends

Vital lessons for infrastructure projects

456 day(s) ago

Success of government’s renewable energy procurement process has the potential to spill over into other state infrastructure projects

Coal still key to sating SA’s energy needs, says Magubane

Department of Energy director-general Nelisiwe Magubane at the Business Day Dialogue in Johannesburg on Thursday. Picture: RUSSELL ROBERTS

462 day(s) ago

It is risky, however, to rely on a single energy source, Department of Energy director-general Nelisiwe Magubane says

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