Key decision-makers and stakeholders of the renewable energy sector will gather at Norton Rose Fulbright in Sandton Next week. This will for the second annual Renewable Energy Forum South Africa Conference taking place from 4-5 March 2014.
Renewable Energy (RE) and its development on the African continent will be a hottest topic for this year’s Renewable Energy Forum South Africa Conference (REFSA 2014).
As the South Africa renewable energy market continues to be highly competitive with lower tariff prices being reported in the third round of bidding, investors are starting to look at opportunities on the rest of the continent. This year REFSA’s event brings together industry players from across the continent to discuss these opportunities for investment.
Conference Founder and DLO Energy Resources MD, Linda Olagunju explains why the conference is important “ The conference will highlight the opportunities that exist in Africa’s Renewable Energy sector and we hope to encourage other African investors to invest in the South Africa renewable energy projects. We have seen a number of European and American investors participating in the sector and it would be good to see investment coming in from other African countries as well as for South African developers to expand beyond South Africa’.
The conference comes before the fourth round of bidding for the Renewable Energy Independent Power Producer Procurement Programme (“REIPPP”). As delays continue in Eskom’s new coal built projects Medupi and Kusile, renewable energy appears to be bridging the gap created in the energy deficiency, in 2013 the South African Wind Energy Association reported that in the third REIPPPP bidding round wind energy had come in 30% cheaper that Eskom’s new coal build power. The Minister of Energy has said that REIPPPP made South Africa the 12th most attractive investment destination for renewable-energy investors globally, attracting a collective R150-billion in foreign direct investment since inception.
At REFSA 2014, participants will discuss past bidding rounds, successes, challenges, and opportunities. They will also identify how such milestones can have an effect on the African continent’s Renewable Energy sector development.
Source: REFSA