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Sustainability transitions and the politics of electricity planning in South Africa

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posted on 2023-06-08, 23:32 authored by Lucy Baker
After decades of cheap, abundant coal-fired electricity, from which large international mining and energy conglomerates and wealthy households have benefitted disproportionately, South Africa is experiencing a supplyside crisis. In 2011, the country’s first integrated resource plan for electricity (IRP) was promulgated following a prolonged and contested consultation process throughout 2010. This plan anticipates that renewable energy will constitute twenty per cent of installed generation capacity by 2030, which will deliver approximately nine per cent of supply. Coal will retain the greatest share alongside a potential yet currently uncertain nuclear fleet. The objectives of this chapter are twofold: to examine electricity governance in South Africa and the highly politicized policy-making process in relation to IRP in which vested interests have played a major role; and to consider the extent to which the IRP has facilitated a low carbon transition. The chapter finds that despite the creation of a successful renewable energy ‘niche’, the coal-fired ‘regime’ is also being reinforced and the electricity mix under analysis is fuelling an unsustainable trajectory of production and consumption. The chapter also considers definitions of sustainability and concepts of a ‘just’ transition.

Funding

The Governance of Clean Development: CDM and Beyond; G0653; ESRC-ECONOMIC & SOCIAL RESEARCH COUNCIL; D00204

History

Publication status

  • Published

Publisher

Springer International Publishing

Volume

10

Page range

793-809

Pages

1014.0

Book title

Handbook on sustainability transition and sustainable peace, hexagon series on human and environmental security

Place of publication

London

ISBN

9783319438825

Series

Hexagon series on human and environmental security and peace

Department affiliated with

  • SPRU - Science Policy Research Unit Publications

Full text available

  • No

Peer reviewed?

  • Yes

Editors

Hans Gu¨nter Brauch, Ju¨rgen Scheffran, John Grin, U´rsula Oswald Spring

Legacy Posted Date

2015-11-25

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