Deputy Minister calls for use of cleaner energy sources
South Africa intends to maximise clean energy technology
JOHANNESBURG SOUTH – Deputy Minister of Science and Technology, Zanele Magwaza-Msibi, is optimistic that South Africa is likely to achieve its greenhouse gas emissions if it sticks to its commitment.
She was speaking at the Gala Awards ceremony of the Global Cleantech Innovation Programme for Small and Medium Enterprises in South Africa, held at Emperors Palace on Thursday October 16.
The awards recognise excellence in innovation and entrepreneurship, but also celebrate the ultimate goal behind using science to address the real environmental challenges confronting the country.
Through the Integrated Resource Plan, South Africa has made a commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 34 per cent by 2020 and 42 per cent by 2030.
“We can achieve this and more, if we can make a decisive shift away from our current carbon-intensive, resource-based economy, and towards a more resilient low-carbon, knowledge-based economy, in which the use of cleaner sources of energy is dominant.
“Clean energy solutions enable economies to deal with the transition to low-carbon systems, as well as improve energy security and access to modern energy services. Depending on renewable energy resource endowments and the structuring of clean energy programmes, economies may also use clean energy technologies to address social challenges related to poverty, inequality and unemployment,” said Magwaza-Msibi.
Magwaza-Msibi explained that in addition to ensuring a supportive policy environment, the Department of Science and Technology was also responsible for setting up and providing strategic direction to the platforms that develop and commercialise innovative technology solutions, to help achieve energy security in a way that contributes to economic growth, ensures access to modern energy services for all South Africans, and protects the environment.
South Africa intends maximising the clean energy technology benefit by stimulating local manufacturing, addressing energy access through distributed generation, and improving energy security.
This will gradually steer the country from consumption towards production-led economic growth.
The Department of Science and Technology seeks to facilitate the transition to a low-carbon energy system by systematically introducing cleaner energy technologies into the national energy mix.
