The government yesterday released the first request for proposals (RFP) to procure renewable energy and resources for public facilities, a plan that could potentially reduce load shedding by three to four stages.
The Department of Public Works and Infrastructure (DPWI), with the Ministry of Electricity, supported by National Treasury’s Government Technical Advisory Centre (GTAC), yesterday released the first RFP under the Integrated Renewable Energy and Resource Efficiency Programme (iREREP/Programme).
“This programme will be the largest programme for the procurement of renewable energy and resource efficiency for public facilities on the African continent,” the DPWI said in a statement.
“The release of this Phase 1 RFP comes at an opportune moment, with government remaining steadfast in eradicating the electricity and water supply challenges, and the rampant landfill shortages our country continues to face,” the statement said.
This programme would introduce up to 3 740MW of equivalent capacity through renewable energy and energy efficiency initiatives, while saving 47 million kilolitres of water and reducing waste to landfill by 1 million tons.
By alleviating at least 3 740MW from the national grid through the energy efficiency and renewable energy interventions, the government building portfolio could potentially add the same capacity as two Koeberg power plants and reduce load shedding by three to four stages, the DPWI said.
Projected savings and socio-economic benefits from the programme included an up to R1.3 trillion direct contribution to gross domestic production; the creation of over 13 100 new small businesses, the majority of which would be black-owned enterprises, and an estimated 503 000 jobs created.
There would be skills development opportunities for more than 475 000 people, while the energy use intensity of the public sector was expected to reduce by between 22% and 45%, the statement said.
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