Along with several NGOs WESSA (Wildlife and Environment Society of Southern Africa) is submitting comment on the Government’s Integrated Resource Plan (IRP) which looks at how SA will meet its electricity needs in years to come. Comment on a template provided by the Department of Energy on their website needs to be in by midnight Friday 10 December.
Currently the main thrust of the IRP is:
- to provide for those who have no electricity,
- to cut down on CO2 and
- to manage demand.
These are good ideals but the devil as always is in the detail.
For instance WESSA and many other NGOs believe renewable energy targets of only 4% are much too conservative. The need for a system so that small energy producers can also feed into the grid as opposed to relying chiefly on coal and nuclear energy sources needs far more attention. The public needs full disclosure about the sale of energy to big business to ensure that the country is not subsidizing industry with below price contracts as has happened in the past. These and other views were confirmed at a well-attended workshop with interested and experienced members and public.
This implementation of the IRP is a far reaching policy. Do try to participate in this process, the outcome of which will affect you and generations to come.
People can contact WESSA for copies of their submission or references to those of other groups for examples which could prompt your own thinking. WESSA also has the blank template. Contact WESSA at or email .
Alternatively, if you have run out of time to comment then at least consider signing the template letter at http://rewiresouthafrica.org/
KimK for WESSA – Cape Town