Renewable energy can stave off up to 2 stages of daytime load shedding
On average, during daytime renewable energy technologies tap up to almost 3,000 megawatts of power in the country’s national electricity grid per day, the independent power producer’s office confirmed.
CAPE TOWN - It has been confirmed that the country's current renewable energy technologies helped South Africa avoid up to two stages of power cuts during daytime.
The independent power producers (IPP)'s office said these technologies, on average, tapped up to 2,900 megawatts (mw) of power into the national grid daily, depending on the weather conditions on a given day.
During the evening, renewable energy production buffers about one stage of outages.
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Head of the IPP office Bernard Magoro said they based their calculations on the 2022 renewable energy production.
"That happens obviously coinciding with [photovoltaic] PV production during the day and outside those hours we are seeing an average of about 1,000mw that is available outside the daytime hours."
Magoro said having these technologies on board definitely made a difference in supplementing the Eskom power grid.
"PV installed capacity is 2,200mw. On average, you get between 1,000mw and 1,600mw. It's all based on the sun on a given day."
Wind energy installed capacity of around 3,000mw, with about 1,300mw actually being delivered daily.
