UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA (UNISA)
College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
⋄
SUE4801 — ASSIGNMENT 01
Semester 1, 2026
⋄
Module Code: SUE4801
Module Name: Environmental Management
Assignment No.: 01
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for SUE4801
at the University of South Africa.
, UNISA | SUE4801 Renewable Energy Sources
Question 1: Renewable Energy Resources in South Africa
South Africa’s energy sector is at a pivotal crossroads, with the country actively diversify-
ing away from its coal-heavy grid toward a broader range of renewable energy technologies
(Anekwe et al., 2024).
1.1 Renewable Energy Resources Currently Used in South Africa
The following renewable energy resources are currently in operation or active commercial use
in South Africa:
1. Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Energy — Utility-scale solar PV farms and a rapidly expand-
ing base of embedded rooftop installations across residential and commercial properties
(CRSES, 2024).
2. Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) — Large-scale parabolic trough and power tower
plants located primarily in the Northern Cape, including the Bokpoort and Redstone
facilities (Wikipedia, 2025).
3. Wind Energy — Onshore wind farms concentrated in the Eastern Cape and Western
Cape provinces, supplying the largest share of South Africa’s renewable electricity mix at
approximately 42% of renewable generation (Evident, 2024).
4. Hydropower — Seven hydroelectric power stations owned by Eskom, as well as pumped-
storage facilities in the Drakensberg and Kogelberg mountains (CRSES, 2024).
5. Biomass Energy — Electricity and heat generated from agricultural residues, forestry
waste, and municipal solid waste (CMI, 2024).
6. Biogas — Landfill gas and biogas projects procured under the Renewable Energy Inde-
pendent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) (Trade.gov, 2020).
Implementation Insight
South African Context: By May 2024, the capacity of privately owned embedded
solar PV was almost double that of utility-scale PV, driven by load shedding pressures
and falling panel costs (CRSES, 2024). This shift has been one of the more striking
features of South Africa’s energy transition over the last few years.
Page 1 of 11
College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences
⋄
SUE4801 — ASSIGNMENT 01
Semester 1, 2026
⋄
Module Code: SUE4801
Module Name: Environmental Management
Assignment No.: 01
Semester: Semester 1, 2026
Submitted in partial fulfilment of the requirements for SUE4801
at the University of South Africa.
, UNISA | SUE4801 Renewable Energy Sources
Question 1: Renewable Energy Resources in South Africa
South Africa’s energy sector is at a pivotal crossroads, with the country actively diversify-
ing away from its coal-heavy grid toward a broader range of renewable energy technologies
(Anekwe et al., 2024).
1.1 Renewable Energy Resources Currently Used in South Africa
The following renewable energy resources are currently in operation or active commercial use
in South Africa:
1. Solar Photovoltaic (PV) Energy — Utility-scale solar PV farms and a rapidly expand-
ing base of embedded rooftop installations across residential and commercial properties
(CRSES, 2024).
2. Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) — Large-scale parabolic trough and power tower
plants located primarily in the Northern Cape, including the Bokpoort and Redstone
facilities (Wikipedia, 2025).
3. Wind Energy — Onshore wind farms concentrated in the Eastern Cape and Western
Cape provinces, supplying the largest share of South Africa’s renewable electricity mix at
approximately 42% of renewable generation (Evident, 2024).
4. Hydropower — Seven hydroelectric power stations owned by Eskom, as well as pumped-
storage facilities in the Drakensberg and Kogelberg mountains (CRSES, 2024).
5. Biomass Energy — Electricity and heat generated from agricultural residues, forestry
waste, and municipal solid waste (CMI, 2024).
6. Biogas — Landfill gas and biogas projects procured under the Renewable Energy Inde-
pendent Power Producer Procurement Programme (REIPPPP) (Trade.gov, 2020).
Implementation Insight
South African Context: By May 2024, the capacity of privately owned embedded
solar PV was almost double that of utility-scale PV, driven by load shedding pressures
and falling panel costs (CRSES, 2024). This shift has been one of the more striking
features of South Africa’s energy transition over the last few years.
Page 1 of 11
